Renewing Jacksonville

I have called Jacksonville my home since October 2020.

During that time, I've genuinely fallen in love with the city—its natural beauty, its southern charm, and, of course, my corner of San Marco.

One of the passages of Scripture I hold dear is in Jeremiah. When the people of God were put into exile, God didn't ask them to stand apart from the people of Babylon. Instead, God invites them to be part of the community:

...Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare. For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Do not let the prophets and the diviners who are among you deceive you, and do not listen to your dreams that you dream, for it is a lie that they are prophesying to you in my name; I did not send them, says the Lord. For thus says the Lord: Only when Babylon's seventy years are completed will I visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.

What's so interesting here is:

• God invites the people to be part of the land - caretaking and celebrating what it produces.
• Be in relationship with the people.
• Pray for the good for all because it benefits all.
• And most surprising: if you start to imagine something to the contrary, ignore it. That's not God's call.

So it is with any of us who believe our calling is as people of faith. Wherever we find ourselves, our task is to be with, care for, and reject any thoughts otherwise.

This has involved for me the causes of justice. I find that another passage, Amos 5, guides my thinking:

I hate, I despise your festivals, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies. Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them, and the offerings of well-being of your fatted animals I will not look upon. Take away from me the noise of your songs; I will not listen to the melody of your harps. But let justice roll down like water and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.

One way we've done that in particular is through SJPC's Civic Engagement Series. We've committed to dealing with difficult issues in our communities and allowing a space to engage experts. While we don't expect to tell everyone the answers, we do hope that folks engage critically, and find ways to use faith as a lens to look at the world.