Governor calls on UMs to 'lead with love'
By Melissa Lauber
In the narthex of Silver Spring UMC, a young man planted himself directly in the path of Maryland Governor Wes Moore, who was visiting the church that morning.
The governor smiled and asked the young man his name. It was Bobby – Bobby Ryan-Silva. Moore leaned in close to make sure Bobby could hear him in the gathering crowd that sought his attention.
He introduced himself as the 63rd governor of the State of Maryland, Bobby’s neighbor and friend, and explained that his job as governor is to care for all the 6.5 million people of the state. Putting our faith into action is important, the governor said. “We must lead with love.”
Moore asked Bobby if he would assist him in this task. When Bobby agreed, Moore took the state lapel pin from his jacket and gave it to Bobby. The two entered into a partnership to make a difference in the world. They weren’t alone.
The congregation of Silver Spring UMC has dedicated itself to an ambitious project of using its building and land to build an affordable housing complex there. They have done extensive planning, and the decision to move forward will be voted on at a Church Conference on March 16.
“Our goal is to build, in bricks and mortar, who it is we say we are as the body of Jesus Christ,” said the Rev. Will Ed Green, the church’s pastor.
Gov. Moore visited the church, in part to encourage them and all United Methodists to “be the vessels of God’s love.”
“What you all are doing is taking on one of the toughest battles, not just in this state, but in the country,” said Moore, who explained that housing is the number one driver of poverty and the number one driver of economic mobility and long-term stability. He applauded the congregation for addressing the pain on one side and unleashing opportunity on the other. “You understand that churches and houses of worship are not just in communities, they are of communities.
In worship, Moore shared a bit of his personal history, how he came from a family of teachers and preachers who immigrated from Jamaica. He told the story of his grandfather, who was a toddler when the family was run about of the United States by the Klu Klux Klan, and how his grandfather returned, humbly convinced that this country would be incomplete without him.
“He believed in the hope of this country,” Moore said. “That I can now stand here, the 63rd governor of the state of Maryland and the first black governor of this state, shows that we are here because of faith. We’ve come this far by faith. But we also know that the Bible tells us that ‘faith without works is dead.’”
As governor, Moore intentionally works to represent all Marylanders. “It doesn't matter where they live or how they voted; they’ve got me, and I've got them,” he said. “And, in this time, where we know there is a lot of uncertainty, and there's a lot of division, we will make sure that we're fighting for our values. Yes, we'll make sure that we are fighting for our future, and yes, we will make sure that we will push back against anybody who wants to violate our basic freedoms or our basic rights.”
Moore added that there are things happening in the nation that are “frankly unconstitutional, and we will push back against that as well,” he said. However, we will need strength, and we will need to lead with love, and those two things do not have to be in conflict with one another.”
“We must be on the side of justice,” the governor stressed. “We have to be on the side of opportunity and we have to be on the side of God. Everything else is just details.”
See a video of the worship service, which includes a sermon by the Rev. Will Green.
Following the worship service, Governor Moore addressed the building committee. See the video below:
Silver Spring UMC is one of the congregations being featured in a documentary, "Christianity at the Crossroads,” being filmed for public television by Martin Doblmeier and Journey Films.