What Love Looks Like

Did you watch President Biden’s address last night? What I was most struck by was the expansiveness of his vision, his conviction that we are fundamentally interconnected with one another—that we are only as strong as our collective thriving. It gave me hope—ubuntu hope—that we can transcend individualism and poisonous politics to build new alliances that focus on our mutual dreams, not the issues that have been weaponized to keep us from loving each other. God yearns for wild and boundless solidarity.

That’s the kind of fierce love that we’re committed to at Middle. And this Sunday, we have three amazing opportunities to put that ethic into practice. At 3:00 p.m. ET, we’re gathering alongside folks from 40+ congregations across the city for a Multifaith Justice Mayoral Forum. Six candidates for mayor will join us, and answer questions about how they’ll transform love into policy, and fight for justice in our city. It’s a crucial opportunity to ask the questions nearest to your heart and get candidates to commit to concrete actions, so we can subsequently hold them accountable to fulfilling those promises. I’ll be moderating, alongside Rabbi Lauren Grabelle Herrman and Crystal Whitehall, and it will feature other prophetic folks like Muslim Community Network ED Aniqa Nawabi and our friend Simran Jeet Singh. This is precisely the kind of beautiful coalition we need to bring justice to our city—and our world.

Directly before that fabulous event, and right after worship, we’re hosting a Congregational Meeting at 1:00 p.m. ET! Please plan to come so you can hear an update on all things fire and rebuild, and also help us (as you usually do) dream together toward the future. We need your voice to help us courageously imagine how to care for souls and heal the world. This is a crucial opportunity to reflect on the previous program year—the way we’ve risen to confront challenges none of us could have imagined—and imagine what we can do together in the year to come. So please, join us! We can’t wait to hear what you think we’re doing well, what we can do better, and how our fierce love can meet the world’s deepest needs.

Before these events, ¡Hablamos! has prepared a beautiful worship celebration. Carlos Piñero, Edna Benitez and Bianca Toscano Michalczak will preach about a “Migrant Diós” in a service that will feature gorgeous new musical selections. (And be sure to sign up to join ¡Hablamos!’ upcoming immigration forums, as well!)

Whenever people ask me where I find hope, my answer is simple: I find it in your love. This multi-everything movement for justice isn’t just the kind of coalition that can bring it, it’s a taste of what heaven can feel like—right here, right now.

I’m so grateful for how we teach and learn from each other. Make no mistake: That’s what God looks like.

I love you so much,

Jacqui