Don't forget the other side of mission
It was heartening to read the feature articles in the April 5 UM Connection on mission engagement as part of our Discipleship Adventure. This kind of outreach must be an essential part of our ministry.
As we embark upon this aspect of discipleship, we need to realize that mission engagement has two dimensions: mercy and justice.
Mercy feeds the hungry, houses the homeless, nurses the sick, visits prisoners and welcomes the stranger. It?s the agenda laid out in Matthew 25:31-46.
Justice focuses on the underlying causes of hunger and homelessness and deals with underlying social and economic conditions.
With Jesus it was both mercy and justice.
For us today, justice is the larger challenge and often more controversial. Why do some breadwinners work full time but can?t earn enough to support their families? Why are we willing to accept a socio-criminal justice system that sends a disproportionate number of African-American males to prison? Why do we accept a federal budget that cuts funds for child care, education, health services, housing and job training while pouring more and more into spending for an ill-conceived war and obsolete cold war weaponry?
As we take on these important issues of justice and peace, we need each other. Individual churches can make sandwiches for a food pantry, but to tackle underlying causes requires strength that comes from cooperative action.
At a time when the Baltimore-Washington Conference is rethinking its structure, I hope that we will develop new ways to work together for greater justice.
Howard W. Hallman
Bethesda UMC, Bethesda
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