PASTOR DAVE’S MUSINGS FROM THE HEARTLAND

October 11, 2023

COEXIST

Saturday, May 4^th, Diane and I were in Indianapolis, Indiana, for the graduation of our granddaughter Emma from the University of Indianapolis.  The University was founded in 1902 and is a United Methodist affiliated institution.  They offer a comprehensive set of general, pre-professional, and professional programs grounded in the liberal arts.  They have a diverse student body with students coming from twenty-six countries.  From the names in the program and the dress of those attending the students represent a diverse cultural and religious background.  Sitting near us were two women who were fully covered except for their eyes.  In the back there were several men who appeared to be Sikhs.

The invocation and benediction were given by a friend of our granddaughters, Natalie.  They had been together in the Lantz Center for Christian Vocations and Formation.  They were commissioned along with twelve other students on Sunday, April 14, for a life of Christian Service.  Natalie began her invocation “Almighty one, you know us by different names.”

The president of the University Robert Manuel made a few remarks to the graduates.  He encouraged them to have a sense of humor and service to others, and not be satisfied with mediocrity.

In addition he entreated them to be “and” people not “either/or” people.  To this end the University purposefully fosters a campus culture that embraces and celebrates human diversity.  One had only to look around at those attending the graduation service to be aware of “and” thinking.

Thursday morning, May 2^nd, Diane and I attended the Prayer Breakfast sponsored by Plymouth Mayor Mark Senter.  The speaker for the morning was Dr. Michele Dvorak, President of Ancilla College which is located near Plymouth, Indiana.  Dr. Dvorak began her remarks by mentioning that she had asked  who would be attending the breakfast.  She wanted her remarks to be fitting for the religious preferences of those present.

On our way from Emma’s graduation to where we were going to eat, a car passed us with a sticker that said COEXIST.  The sticker used an Islamic crescent moon for the “C,” a peace sign for the “O,” a combination of the male symbol and female symbol for the “E,” a Star of David for the “X,” a pentagram for the dot of the “I,” a yin-yang symbol for the “S,” and a Christian cross for the “T.”  I thought to myself what an appropriate way to climax Emma’s graduation service and the Mayor’s prayer breakfast.

I was serving as the Chairperson of the Commission of Christian Unity and Interreligious Concerns of the North Indiana Conference of the United Methodist Church when 9/11 happened.  A few weeks after 9/11 the Resident United Methodist Bishop of the Indiana Area, Woodie White, and representatives from the North and South Indiana conferences of the church attended a Friday afternoon prayer service at a Mosque in Plainfield, Indiana.  The Bishop wanted to visibly show that Indiana United Methodist did not hold all Muslims responsible for the act of a few terrorists and in the United States both religious faiths could coexist.

Every day I am reminded we live in a very diverse community where people have many different ways of looking at the world.  This provides a rich and robust place in which to live.  America is at its best when everyone can coexist.  This last week I saw several examples of this coexistence.

(This article was originally published May 12, 2019.  Comments may be sent to davidh15503@embarqmail.com.)