The Sustainist

Gracious Welcoming Speech for Holiday Gatherings

Worrying about family members and friends at Thanksgiving when politics and hot issues come up?  Try this welcome speech I have written for you:

“Welcome to our home.  I am so thankful for you, my family and friends, who have so much in common and yet are so very diverse and different.  We want our home to be a gracious place where everyone can be who he or she is.  Living in an increasingly divided and polarized world, we often avoid sharing who we are and our beliefs during holiday gatherings fearing that we might cause conflict or trouble.  But if we don’t share these things about ourselves, we will be further alienated from each other.  Having honest conversations is not about winning an argument. It is about achieving understanding without having to agree with each other.  So, when difficult topics come up, and they will, I invite you to practice these guidelines:   Don't tell them they are wrong; ask them what value led them there. Don't say, "Yeah, but, what about…?”; say "Huh, interesting, tell me more . . ." Don't ask how they could ever believe something; ask when that belief first started for them.  Don't interrupt people; let people finish their thought.    Don't try to assume you know their motives; ask about their goals and hopes.  Don't blame them for your anger or frustration; explain your frustration and take responsibility for it by using an "I" statement. Can we agree on this?  Now go and have great conversations and happy Thanksgiving."

This will feel strange and unnatural, but remember you are the host and you set the ground rules in your home. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

The Rev. Dr. Eric H. F. Law, DD

Founder and Innovator

Kaleidoscope Institute

for diverse and sustainable communities

p.s. check out the latest music album "Better Angels" by Eric H. F. Law at: https://erichflaw.hearnow.com/

Learn to be a Braver Angel

Braver Angels is a citizens’ organization uniting red and blue Americans in a working alliance to depolarize America.  According to their website:

• We try to understand the other side’s point of view, even if we don’t agree with it.
• We engage those we disagree with, looking for common ground and ways to work together.
• We support principles that bring us together rather than divide us.

When I read Braver Angels' mission statement, I immediately realized that Braver Angels and the Kaleidoscope Institute share a common vision for creating brave and gracious space for dialogue.  At our Summer Institute, we will have the opportunity to learn from Mr. John Wood, Jr., the national ambassador for Braver Angels.  On August 4, I look forward to having amazing conversations with him about Re-introducing Non-Violence in Race and Politics.  Mr. Wood is a former nominee for Congress, former Vice-Chairman of the Republican Party of Los Angeles County, and a noted writer and speaker on issues of political and racial reconciliation.

Our musical guest for that day will be Julie Tai, who is a 2nd generation, Korean American born and raised in Los Angeles. She is the Director of Chapel at Fuller Theological Seminary, where she received her Master of Arts degree in Intercultural Studies with an emphasis in Worship, Theology and the Arts.

At our workshop that day, you will learn about our Building Bridges Now dialogue program on race relations and other issues of our time.

Register at: https://www.kscopeinstitute.org/summer-institute-2020

Check out the other amazing spiritual leaders of our time (Greg Boyle, Michael Curry, Alexia Salvatierra, Lily Yeh and more) who will be sharing at the Summer Institute.  You can register for one day or for the whole 9 days or anything in between.  If you are a student, you can register for the whole event for just $40.  So spread the word about this amazing event.

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Fear Not: Kaleidoscope Summer Online Institute

I am so excited about the conversations I will have, during our Summer Institute, with amazing people like Presiding Bishop Michael Curry, Fr. Greg Boyle, Rev. Becca Stevens, Dr. Alexia Salvatierra, Dean Kelly Brown Douglas, Rev. Rudy Rasmus and many more. Take a sabbath and join me, Aug 3-13. You can register for one day or for the whole event or anything in between. Learn about creating social business/ministries from the founder of Homeboy Industries and Thistle Farm. Learn how to create a truly multicultural community from Evergreen. Learn about faith-rooted community organization from Alexia Salvatierra.  If you are a student, you can do the whole thing for $40! The workshops throughout this time will cover many Gracious Leadership skills needed to live Grace and Truth in a Divided and Frightened World.

https://www.kscopeinstitute.org/summer-institute-2020?utm_source=Christian+Century+Newsletter&utm_campaign=ca918e3fde-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_07_02_12_54&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_b00cd618da-ca918e3fde-82371539

Summer Institute 2020 – FEAR NOT: Living Grace, Truth and Diversity in a Divided and Frightened World

In an increasingly polarized and fearful world, there are few places where people can have a reasonable and constructive dialogue about race relations and other important issues of our time. Summer Institute 2020 brings together spiritual leaders to provide insight and guidance and community leaders who want to see things differently to provide gracious time and place for truth-seeking dialogue that can achieve non-violent mutual understanding and learn tools to lead discussions that will lead to brave and gracious community.

August 3 – 13 (excluding Saturday and Sunday), Institute participants will meet online from across the nation each day.

Daily Schedule:

9 a.m.  – Music, prayer and meditation

9:15 a.m. – Conversation with Spiritual Leaders and Q & A

10 a.m. – Workshop teaching KI skills and tools for creating inclusive community

11:15 a.m. – Closing prayer, things to ponder for the next day

Wearing a Mask Doesn't Cover Your Ears

I am grateful for Pastor Adam Ericksen of Clackamas United Church for sponsoring the 3-part book discussion on my new book:  Fear Not: Living Grace and Truth in a Frightened World

In this conversation, we explore how we can discern which are the real fears that we need to take action and which are the fake fears that seek to manipulate us to give up of our right, money and power.  Why is wearing a mask become a political issue?  What fears are being triggered that caused us to act on this "issue?"  Who stands to gain from making this being a political issue? 

We also explore freedom of speech and separation of church and states and what they have to do with fear in this pandemic time.  I also offer practical way of creating diverse community in which we can build trusting relationships so we can deal with our fear constructively and faithfully.

If you can see this video here, go to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHfY7otT1sA

See part one and two of this discussion series be going to the previous 2 blog posts.  

 

In this conversation, we explore how we can discern which are the real fears that we need to take action and which are the fake fears that seek to manipulate us to give up of our right, money and power.  Why is wearing a mask become a political issue?  What fears are being triggered that caused us to act on this "issue?"  Who stands to gain from making this being a political issue? 

We also explore freedom of speech and separation of church and states and what they have to do with fear in this pandemic time.  I also offer practical way of creating diverse community in which we can build trusting relationships so we can deal with our fear constructively and faithfully.

If you can see this video here, go to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHfY7otT1sA

See part one and two of this discussion series be going to the previous 2 blog posts.  

 

From Fear to Ministry in this Pandemic Time

This is part one of a 3-part book discussion on my book Fear Not: Living Grace and Truth in a Frightened World.

I had a great time connecting the first couple of chapters of the book to constructive ways of dealing with our fears during the Covid-19 Pandemic.  The series is sponsored by Clackamas United Church of Christ in Oregon.  The moderator is Pastor Adam Ericksen.

If you can't see the video here, go to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkPti3Q_cm8

 

Who Should You Vote For?

For the people of the United States of America, we are in the middle of a presidential election. In fact, many have already voted.  But there might be people who still have not made up their minds, or who are considering changing their mind.   So, in this blog post, I am providing a way to help people decide or to be a little more sure of their decision. I admit this method is a little brainy but this is a very important decision and using our brain in addition to our emotions is not a bad idea. You may use the process to engage your friends to help them discern how they will vote.

In January, the newly elected president will make the following oath, "I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."  For senators and congresspersons, they also have to make a similar oath.   In order to make a sound decision with our votes, we should take a look at the preamble of the constitution.

Constitution of the United States

Adopted by convention of States, September 17, 1787; Ratification completed, June 21, 1788

PREAMBLE

We the People of the United States, in Order to
form a more perfect Union,
establish Justice,
insure domestic Tranquility,
provide for the common Defense,
promote the general Welfare, and
secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity,
do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

The Preamble consists of well-thought-out action verbs and themes - form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common Defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty. If you study these themes carefully, you will see how they work together and support each other to create a well-balanced approach to the governance of the country.

These are the criteria I would use to measure the qualifications of any candidate running for office in the United States.  I have created a chart below. Make copies of it and put the names of the candidates on them - one name per chart. You can use the same chart for all federal and local election as well.   For each of constitutional criterion, rate the candidate using the scale of 1 to 5: “1” being awful at it, “5” being brilliant at it.  Circle the number that represents your evaluation of the candidate for each statement.  Add up the circled and that will be the score you have for this candidate.  Do that for both candidates.  The one with the higher score is the one for whom I would recommend for you to place your vote on election day.

  

Eric H. F. Law

Kaleidoscope Institute
For competent leadership in a diverse changing world
www.kscopeinstitute.org