FLUMC Lay Leader Update

Weekend of May 13-15, 2022

This past week, I had the great opportunity to participate in the Marcy Reconciliation Cohort’s trip to Belfast, Northern Ireland. The focus of the cohort was on the public witness of the church and how church leaders speak into the current issues of our day with deep theological content and strong, relevant preaching. This was the third cohort to gather and the first to include laity. During our short week, we learned from individuals who held a variety of perspectives on the Irish conflict (also known as the Irish troubles). It was an historic week in Belfast and that added to the richness of our discussions. I’ve been home for a handful of days, and I am still struggling to articulate the impact of this experience. 

One of the over-arching themes in our discussions was the role of legacy in the conflict. You can trace the beginnings of the tensions in Ireland back to the early 20th century, if not earlier. Even with particular flash points over the decades, it does not take long to realize that the historical weight of sectarian violence has impacted generations of people on that island. One of our speakers said it this way: “If you do not pay attention to legacy, it will seep through the fabric of who you are.” So much of the reconciliation work now is focused on naming the impact of actions that took place many years ago. It is a part of the process that when skipped, does more harm and feeds the cycles of aggression. I was inspired by the ways our speakers are finding ways to name, repent and heal from the impact of legacy in the conflict. Throughout the week, I was often reminded of Jesus’ words in Matthew 5, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” The work that deals with the legacies of violence, discrimination, and inequality is the work of making peace - it is the work of the children of God.

I am coming away from my time in Belfast with a conviction about peace-making and reconciliation. One question I am asking myself as a lay person in the Florida Conference is how am I paying attention to the “legacies” that continue to impact individuals in my local context? What are the stories of suffering and conflict that have been forgotten or ignored in my local congregation and community? Whose voices have not been heard over the years and decades? And how can I use my influence to create spaces for making peace; to create opportunities to acknowledge and repent of the legacies that continue to impact the people we worship and serve with?

There is so much conflict in our world today - from Ukraine and Israel/Palestine to neighborhoods in the US. We continue to pray for peace in all of these places. But let us also, as the laity of the Florida Conference, consider the call to be people who are about the work of making peace. As disciples of Jesus Christ, let us say yes to the ways the Holy Spirit would empower us to be peace-makers in our local congregations and community. Blessed are the peace-makers!

Derrick Scott III - Co-Lay Leader of the Florida Conference