It was a great privilege to preach two sermons from our former church building on Davis Street. As I worked with Roger L. Clatterbuck on telling the stories of our church when we were at Davis Street I was inspired and challenged. Once we told a few stories – more stories started coming. After watching our online service on May 24 – Jack Fincham got in his truck and drove to the Davis Street church building. We were not there because we had pre-recorded the sermons. So he came over to West Street and wanted to tell his story of being baptized and married in the Davis Street church. I got several other texts that day from people who were so glad to see the Davis Street building. Wanda Jenkins sent me an e-mail to tell her story of Davis Street. Her mom and dad were married at Davis Street on April 21, 1955 (4 days after our final service there) by Rev. Cale. She remembered the spiritual stones of her parents. She wrote, “Thanks for giving me the opportunity to understand how this time period was important to my family.”
Stories matter. With the killing of George Floyd and the protests and rallies that are happening in response to that – people are asking, “what can we do?” I don’t have a lot of answers but I believe that listening to each other’s stories is important. And those of us who are white need to seek out and LISTEN to the stories of people of color.
Alex will share a song in Sunday’s worship service – “Make them hear you.” Here are some of the lyrics – “Go out and tell our story, Let it echo far and wide. Make them hear you. Make them hear you. How justice was our battle, And how justice was denied. Make them hear you. Make them hear you.” A confession we need to make is we have not heard the stories of others. Join me in listening to their stories.