Safe Spaces

Mirror Pond. Bend, Oregon.

Love is the most difficult, the most dangerous, the most subversive force in the world. When you are talking about love, you are talking about a steadfast commitment to the well-being of others and you are willing to do what it takes to make sure that their humanity is always affirmed. 
Cornel West

May brought rain, trail runs, some travel for Lindsay, plenty of time to reflect and write, attending a dozen church services, raised garden beds, precious time with the newborn nephew, grieving the Trailblazers swift exodus from the NBA playoffs, green stuff from the Wednesday Farmer's Market, a float down the Deschutes River, phone and Skype calls with friends and partners all over North America and a few temp jobs to supplement our income and to get out into the marketplace to learn this new context.

We are in the process of sending out a mid-year report. See below for an excerpt and, if you are not on our mailing list but would like to be, send us your snail mail address!
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Back in the Summer of 2015, we attended a round table gathering of about two dozen pastors and community organizers. At a crucial point in the conversation, the Black poet, retired professor and native Detroiter Gloria House pleaded with us white folk to "go back to the suburbs and other white-majority spaces to build bridges for justice. Because we can't." Then she added, "We've been asking this since the Civil Rights Movement." Bam! This prophetic commission has been seasoned with many conversations, experiences, feelings and prayers.


Today, we sense that most folks in white majority spaces yearn for a different kind of spiritual and political conversation. Many of these, like us, are recovering from a fundamentalist faith married to the Republican Party. There is a dynamic movement of people daring to journey beyond the tired labels of “liberal” and “conservative” and yearning to dialogue matters of race, class, gender and sexuality in safe spaces that aren’t so polarizing.

Do we really live in a colorblind society?

Should the man really be the spiritual leader of the home/church/nation?

Should marriage really be defined as “one man and one woman?”

Is the bible really inerrant and infallible?

Are people really poor just because they make bad decisions or lack discipline?

The next step in our vocational journey is to facilitate these kinds of post-fundamentalist conversations.
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In Detroit, celebrating our dear friend Cait De Mott Grady's
graduation from Law school.

The sun came out on beautiful Belle Isle to celebrate the
33rd birthday of Lydia Wylie-Kellermann (2nd from leftt).

Lindsay catches up with dear mentors
Lily Mendoza and Jim Perkinson
on Detroit's Eastside.

We took the streets in solidarity with Central Oregon teachers
protesting more education budget cuts.

A common occurrence: the Skype call!!

Every Wednesday afternoon, we support our local farmers!
Our tastebuds, our bodies and the Earth Herself are grateful.
Last Wednesday, Baby Milo decided to join in on the fun!

Milo Brooks at one month old!

Kale (all the way from Detroit, special thanks to Luke Mattson!)
 and Jalapenos are planted, and the garden is deer-proofed
with netting and Irish Spring bars of soap hanging
in pantyhose (thank you Kyle Mitchell).

What it looks like when a Skype couples check-in
concludes with a story about rodents!