10th Anniversary celebration

I had the distinct pleasure of helping the First Samoan Church celebrate their 10th anniversary.

The night was filled with singing, dancing, laughter, good food, good prayer, great fellowship, and immense joy. The pride these families showed as one by one they came forward to dance, and in the dancing not only reflect their cultural values but express their faith and their pride and their joy at what they have been and meant to each other of this past decade.

It was an honor to celebrate these moments with them. I hope the pictures I share help tell the story and express their pride and joy.

Wall Art and Expression

I am going to start reporting about the border immersion trip I took last week. It is far too much to contain in one posting.

This time, its about the wall and the art on it.

The art captures so much.

Defiance.

Pride.

Fear.

Pain.

Homage.

Anger.

Hope.

Its all in there.

Let the pictures tell the story.












This final picture is powerful in a different way. At the end of a visit to a part of the wall with a lot of art, we simply felt compelled to pray. No words - just every possible feeling emerging in a prayer for all who are affected by our border policies.

A Tragic Day

We mourn, we grieve, we suffer the outrage of the senseless violence that erupted on the streets of Tucson this morning. I was near the site of the shootings just yesterday, and was in the Court Building where Justice John Roll, now dead, presided. I am horrified, sickened, and saddened by the news.

I attended, and was privileged to have been invited to speak tonight, at the prayer vigil held at the Capitol Building this evening.

Our collective prayers go out tonight to all the victims of this tragedy, and to their families.

Our prayers go out tonight to our Tucson churches and their members.

Our prayers go out tonight for the citizens of Gabrielle Giffords' district, who elected her to represent them and who, at this moment, still hold on to the hope and belief that she yet will.