Clergy Services Connexion January 2021

Anti-Racism Dream for 2021...A New Song

By Rev. Leah Burns “The old song of my spirit has wearied itself out.

It has long ago been learned by heart; It repeats itself over and over, Bringing no added joy to my days or lift to my spirit.

I will sing a new song.

I must learn the new song for the new needs.

I must fashion new words born of all the new growth of my life—of my mind—of my spirit.

I must prepare for new melodies that have never been mine before, That all that is within me may lift my voice unto God. Therefore, I shall rejoice with each new day And delight my spirit in each fresh unfolding.

I will sing, this day, a new song unto the Lord” -Howard Thurman, The Mood of Christmas & Other Celebrations “The old song.” By God’s grace, I have lived through 2020 and given that experience, these words of Howard Thurman are particularly poignant. “The old song.” It repeats over and over each day as there are more COVID cases, more deaths, more unarmed black men being shot down by police officers (as I write, yet another – the killing of Mr. Casey Goodson in Columbus, OH). “The old song…no joy to my days and no lift to my spirit.”

The year 2020 has been one of, if not the most significant periods of human history. The COVID19 pandemic and the increased manifestations of systemic racism have been, well…I can’t think of words that adequately describe what it has been. Monumental, maybe. Momentous, perhaps.

Unimaginable…for sure. Heartbreaking, absolutely. But being among the fortunate to be able to breathe my way through 2020, I am ready to learn a new song for 2021. The old one will not suffice. It has “wearied itself out.”

The COVID-19 pandemic, the systemic racism, the violence, the food and housing insufficiency…