Pleasant Hill TN

In this picture are some heroes of mine.

On the far left is Rev. Ted Braun, whom I knew as a radical minister in the college town of Carbondale IL. When my good friend Jeannette Mott-Oxford was denied ordination because she was a lesbian, Ted's church assembled their own ecclesiastical council and approved her for ordination without the permission of the Association. He has made over 40 trips to Cuba, and has worked with prisoners of conscience for many, many years.

On the other side of me is Marvin Allbright and his wife Joanne. Marv served for over 30 years as the pastor of a church in Sedalia MO, where he set up a model organization for victims of domestic violence that has since been copied in many settings throughout the country. He was a passionate advocate for peace and justice.

They both now reside at the UCC retirement village in Pleasant Hill TN, where I spent the weekend lecturing on the religious right. It was good to see them both, and to hear them both tell stories about their careers that inspire me. I owe them both a deep debt of gratitude for showing young whipper-snappers like me the way.