CRUX 2019
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from the GUEST EDITOR<br />
Karin Hamilton<br />
Why does our culture/society toss groups of people "into the<br />
margins" and what enables some of us to see and honor God<br />
in them? How can we see people whom our society sees as<br />
“broken”— including ourselves and our own family members<br />
and friends who may have mental illnesses, or are homeless or<br />
in prison, or who are substance abusers and addicts — through<br />
the eyes of God, as beloved, respected with dignity, the equal<br />
of all? Especially when the behaviors often associated with<br />
these challenges breaks hearts, hurts, goes against good<br />
advice, or repeats patterns that continually fail. Behaviors that<br />
get people pushed away into the margins. How can we orient<br />
ourselves to forgive seventy times seven, as the Scriptures<br />
say; to love those in the margins as if our life depends on it?<br />
If we love you, God, we will take care of ourselves and each<br />
other, even when it hurts. “Peter, do you love me? Feed my<br />
sheep,” said Jesus. We are all one in Christ. There is no real<br />
margin, because there is no edge to God’s embrace. How then<br />
can we love as God loves?<br />
In our first feature you can read about two people in Vermont,<br />
friends to many in ECCT, who are living a life devoted to<br />
contemplative practice. They have a mission “to support all<br />
people to know and enter into divine life.” And while many<br />
of us think of the Kingdom of God as something far away, or<br />
even an idealized version of the real world right now, they lay<br />
claim to Luke 17:21 in which Jesus says that God’s kingdom<br />
is “already among you,” alternatively translated as, “already<br />
within you.”<br />
In the second feature, you’ll meet people who are working<br />
with the mentally ill, homeless, imprisoned, and addicted,<br />
grounded in God and making the Kingdom manifest; showing<br />
us a way.<br />
Elsewhere in this issue you’ll learn about others who are also<br />
making manifest the Kingdom, from long-time leaders to<br />
new ones. In addition you’ll be introduced to three teens who<br />
embrace an interfaith future of peace, and a follower of Jesus<br />
who set up summer camps for impoverished children on the<br />
island of Hispaniola. You’ll also hear from your bishops, ECCT<br />
staff, and others who serve God faithfully and do their best to<br />
support you on your own journey of faith.<br />
May the joy of the Lord be your strength. (Neh. 8:10)<br />
Karin Hamilton served as Canon for Mission Communications &<br />
Media for the Episcopal Church in Connecticut for 25 years before<br />
retiring in July <strong>2019</strong>.