By Joanna Shenk
At the end of November we shared a reflection from Drew Hart on this blog. He wrote about Luke 7:36-50 and the death of Renisha McBride in Detroit, Michigan on November 2, 2013. With articulate and moving words he challenged readers to see Ms. McBride as the child of God that she was, just as Jesus saw and stood in solidarity with marginalized women.
Just a few days ago I was pleased to see an opportunity for Mennonite Church USA members, and others, to engage more deeply with Ms. McBride’s story. Ewuare Osayande, Anti-Oppression Coordinator for Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) U.S., will be facilitating a webinar on January 28 called “Who is my neighbor?: The killing of Renisha McBride.”
Panelists include:
Michelle Armster, Transitional Executive Director, MCC Central States
Iris de León-Hartshorn, Director for Transformative Peacemaking, Mennonite Church USA
Wendi O’Neal, Community Organizer New Orleans Program, MCC Central States
Regina Shands Stoltzfus, Assistant Professor, Peace, Justice and Conflict Studies, Goshen College
Lorraine Stutzman Amstutz, Restorative Justice Coordinator, MCC U.S.
According to Osayande, “The killing of Renisha McBride has much to teach us about the current state of race and gender relations in the United States of America. In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus is approached by a lawyer who asks him ‘Who is my neighbor?’ Jesus’ timeless response is a challenging word to this generation caught at the crossroads of violence and indifference.”
The webinar will be from 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. Registration is required and is free.
I look forward to joining the webinar and encourage as many as possible to do the same!