“May We be Witnesses”
Since joining the Fellowship of Reconciliation’s national staff last July, I have often wondered about the title of our bi-annual newsletter, Witness. Our quarterly magazine is entitled Fellowship, which made sense; but how does the word ‘Witness’ relate to FOR?
The May 2008 issue of O-Oprah Magazine features two articles that speak to my wonder. In “What’s A Moment That Defined Spirituality For You?,” Kate Braestrup, a minister and author, shard that when her young son drew pictures of war, the good guys were identified as “U.S.,” while the bad guys were identified as “NOT-SEES.” Braestrup stated that her son’s phonetic discernment was based on his child-like understanding of the Nazis’ refusing to acknowledge their Jewish victims’ humanity. She went on to say that her moments of spirituality come when she admits her refusal to see the humanity in those she may meet in daily life - recognizes this as wrong and then asks for forgiveness.
Another article, “The Freedom Riders,” includes photos and interviews excerpted from the book Breach of Peace by Eric Etheridge. The book pays homage to the using civil rights advocates who risked their lives by riding integrated buses to Jackson, Mississippi during the 1960s. Two of the interviewees are FOR members Russell and Mary Jorgensen. On the top of page 322 we see Russell’s and Mary’s individual mug shots plus a beautiful photo of them now. The article reads as if the Jorgensens are former members of FOR, but, paraphrasing our statement of purpose, when you join FOR you join for life! In the article, Mary reflects on her encounter with a Jackson, MS police captain after her arrest. The captain wanted to understand why she was doing what she was doing. After an almost hour-long conversation, due to her witness, Mary believes this man began to ‘see.’
I’ve come to the conclusion, that to be in fellowship, to be reconciled with all life, we must be witnesses - we must not be afraid to see with our eyes and with our hearts. As members of FOR, that’s who we are, that’s what we do. We share our heart-talk in these pages - our witness. We testify of what we see and what we know, of what is and what we hope will be. We not only witness through our sight and speech, our actions and choices bear witness to what is true for us. We ‘see’ that we are the ones responsible for the earth’s living or dying. We choose to expose violence, discrimination, and killing as wrong. We advocate and witness for peaceful resolution. Our vision is expanding. Like Kate Braestrup and the Jorgensens may the eyes of our hearts be continually open and may we never be so afflicted as to ‘Not-See.’
(I’m also a member of the Hammaker 100 - Are you?) HAPPY BIRTHDAY BILL!
Fellowship of Reconciliation
WITNESS Newsletter, Vol. 2008 Summer Edition
