Rachel`s Day book

Rachel's Day book
4/19/04
11:23 AM
Page 1
Women boldly speaking up for children
Rachel's Day
Rachel's Day book
4/19/04
11:23 AM
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Rachel’s Day
Women boldly speaking up for children
Ten years ago, one woman did something bold:
She spoke up against the violence children in her
congregation and community were facing. This
movement spread like wildfire and women
around the country today are still calling attention
to the issue of children and violence. Much has
been accomplished over the last ten years, yet
violence continues to escalate and more children
are exposed to violence than ever before. There is
still much work to do and there are still many who
have never heard of the movement. This resource
will help you begin to spread the word.
What is Rachel’s Day?
In 1994, one woman urged her congregation,
Bethel Lutheran Church on the west side of
Chicago, to support children facing violence.
They began by clearing a vacant lot and turning it
into a garden—Rachel’s Garden. It became a
place where folks could come, mostly mothers,
to mourn children killed by gun violence in that
past year and plant a simple white cross and
flowers in remembrance of these young ones.
Two years later, the Metro Chicago synodical
women’s organization brought a memorial to the
1996 Women of the ELCA Triennial Convention in
Minneapolis to broaden awareness of the violence children face and actions to address it. The
convention passed the memorial, resolving “That
ELCA women encourage their congregations to
recognize the first Sunday in May each year as
‘Rachel’s Day,’ based on Jeremiah 31:15-17
wherein Rachel grieved for her children, to mourn
the loss of our children and to renounce the
forces of evil and fear that plague our nation.”
Why do we still need
Rachel’s Day?
We still need Rachel’s Day because violence is
embedded into every area of a child’s life, and
the effect is a slow death for all of our children.
Ten years ago the original focus was the loss of
inner city children to gangs, gun violence, and
other contributors—drugs, abuse, neglect, poor
education, health, and hunger. Over these last ten
years, however, what appeared to be an inner
city crisis is alive and well in all communities
across our nation. The challenge of ending violence is more difficult today because what holds
it in place is a more sophisticated and complex
illusion of individual safety. The media, the economy, community divisions, isolation, entertainment, and even our children’s forms of play have
created a much more dangerous environment for
them and a different opponent for adults who
look to protect them. No one group of children is
safe until all children are safe. Using Rachel as an
example, we’re all in this together.
How do we plan for
Rachel’s Day?
Although it is important that adults take the lead,
youth and children are themselves essential to
getting a “read” on the issues and concerns in
their lives. Rachel’s Day and anti-violence work are
not about fixing others, nor are they spectator
activities. Start at home with how violence affects
everyday life in your home and community. Then
you will begin to be prepared for collective
action.
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Begin with God’s word
Take a look at Jeremiah 31:15-17. As this work
began, we needed to focus on Rachel’s great
weeping and her deep sense of despair over the
loss her children (verse 15). For Rachel and her
people, no children meant no future. We are
moved by her refusal to take comfort, which
presents to us a sense of urgency and gravity
about the need to do something.
Today, we are in need of a fresh word, and verses
16-17 point us toward a solution. The urgency is
still present and the situation is still complex, but
God says that this is doable, our work will be
rewarded, and there is hope and restoration. It is
important that we see our part in the plan by
studying familiar stories of violence against children in scripture.
Read Exodus 1, Matthew 2, and Mark 10:13-16.
Pay close attention to why and how the adults
took violent actions while others (usually women)
found hope and solution.
Board the “A” train
There are four A’s that can help you in planning
Rachel’s Day and your ongoing work: assessment,
awareness, advocacy, and action. These steps
will be helpful in developing a workable plan for
your congregation and community.
Assessment Planning is more effective when
assessment is part of the process. Begin by taking
stock of what is immediately around you—both the
issues and concerns as well as the resources available. Start with issues and concerns among children
in your congregation, community, or school district
before moving on to someone else’s situation.
Remember, starting at home is not just a slogan.
Awareness Once you have discovered what
the concerns are, the more information you have,
the better you will be able to tackle them.
Educating both adults and children on the issues
will make goal setting and planning a much cleaner process. Keep in mind the complexity of the
violence that is “killing” our children in a different
way today—from violence on television to unsupervised access to the Internet.
Advocacy Now that you have a good grasp of
the issues, speaking out with and on behalf of
children will give meaning to your efforts. Choose
one issue. Concentrating on one issue will help
focus your voice and eliminate that overwhelming
feeling of “it’s too much to take on.”
Action Organize people to inform the community on issues, and then organize to address
those issues. Remember that there is power in
numbers and in the assurance that our work is
important to God and will be rewarded.
Let’s celebrate!
The 1996 Rachel’s Day memorial called for congregations and communities around the country to
designate the first Sunday in May as a time to
recommit to their children. There is power in celebrating: The faith community publicly gives God
worship and praise, and in worship, people can
experience what has been accomplished as well
as envision what is possible.
Here are some ways to help shape the day:
Educational opportunities
Bring the Sunday school classes together and fill
the hour with intergenerational activities—including storytelling, poster making, and conversations
between adults and children as they prepare
blue ribbons (a symbol of hope) to be distributed to folks as they enter for worship.
Offer Bible studies. For youth, explore God’s plan
for children and youth in scripture. For adults,
explore what scripture says about raising children
and how the faith community can help.
Create a space for an adults and youth forum—
talk about the realities of violence in your community, and the fears and hopes not only of your
youth but of your adults as well. Be sure to collect the names of young lives lost and write them
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on small white crosses (to be placed in your garden or on long white ribbons to be placed on
the altar during worship.)
Worship
There are suggestions included here to help you
create a worship celebration. Remember, the day
need not be a complete day of mourning: The
Jeremiah text lifts up the hopelessness and severity of losing young life, however, we also need to
celebrate life by giving God thanks and praise for
what has been accomplished and what the community can look forward to.
You can also create your own litany and prayer
petitions with the youth and young adults of your
community.
During worship, provide an opportunity to revisit
the promises sponsors make at children’s baptisms.
Include children and youth as worship leaders—
greeters, readers, ushers, acolytes, communion
assistants, and so on.
Beyond Rachel’s Day
One day is not enough. The goal of Rachel’s Day
is to serve as a beginning, a place and time to
move participants to action. Gather a group of
women to decide how your group will continue
working on behalf of children.
Suggested Actions
Designate an agency in your community that
helps children (day care, aftercare program, family shelter). In consultation, determine what kind
of “in-kind offering” (tangible items) your congregation can collect to support children at physical
risk—diapers, books, school supplies, art, sports
equipment, or whatever. But don’t guess or
assume; ask local agencies what they actually
need. Then bring these items forward as part of
the offering during worship.
Host an open house and community forum.
Invite local officials (government, law enforcement, education, day care and aftercare
providers, faith community) to present practices
and plans for children’s safety. This open house
might also help build relationships within the
community.
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Rachel’s Day Worship Suggestions
Prayer for the day
Look with pity, O merciful God, upon the children in this world who live with injustice, terror, disease,
and death as their constant companions. Have mercy upon us. Help us to eliminate our cruelty to
these our neighbors. Strengthen those who spend their lives establishing equal protection of the law
and equal opportunities for all. And grant that every one of us may enjoy a fair portion of your bounty,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (Adapted from Book of Common Prayer © 1979)
Or
Lord God of our ancestors, we thank you for what you have done and will continue to do with our
daughters and sons. Walk with them in life, and keep the evil one from obstructing their path. You see
all; you know where the water is deep. Keep them from danger. Order their steps and guide their feet
while they run the race of faith. May the good work that you have begun in them be brought to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. Amen. (from This Far By Faith: An African American Resource for
Worship)
Psalm and response
Psalm 73
1
2
3
Truly God is good to the upright,
to those who are pure in heart.
But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled;
my steps had nearly slipped.
For I was envious of the arrogant;
I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
May I be true to the circle of your children.
4
5
6
7
8
9
For they have no pain;
their bodies are sound and sleek.
They are not in trouble as others are;
they are not plagued like other people.
Therefore pride is their necklace;
violence covers them like a garment.
Their eyes swell out with fatness,
their hearts overflow with follies.
They scoff and speak with malice;
loftily they threaten oppression.
They set their mouths against heaven,
and their tongues range over the earth.
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May I be true to the circle of your children.
10
11
12
13
14
Therefore the people turn and praise them,
and find no fault in them.
And they say, “How can God know?
Is there knowledge in the Most High?”
Such are the wicked; always at ease,
they increase in riches.
All in vain I have kept my heart clean
and washed my hands in innocence.
For all day long I have been plagued,
and am punished every morning.
May I be true to the circle of your children.
15
16
17
18
19
20
If I had said, “I will talk on in this way,”
I would have been untrue to the circle of your children.
But when I thought how to understand this,
it seemed to me a wearisome task,
until I went into the sanctuary of God;
then I perceived their end.
Truly you set them in slippery places;
you make them fall to ruin.
How they are destroyed in a moment,
swept away utterly by terrors!
They are like a dream when one awakes;
on awaking you despise their phantoms.
May I be true to the circle of your children.
21
22
23
24
25
26
When my soul was embittered,
when I was pricked in heart,
I was stupid and ignorant;
I was like a brute beast toward you.
Nevertheless I am continually with you;
you hold my right hand.
You guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will receive me with honor.
Whom have I in heaven but you?
And there is nothing on earth that I desire other than you.
My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
May I be true to the circle of your children.
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Indeed, those who are far from you will perish;
you put an end to those who are false to you.
But for me it is good to be near God;
I have made the Lord God my refuge,
to tell of all your works.
May I be true to the circle of your children.
Psalm text: New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright ©1989 by the Division of Christian
Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA and used by permission.
Also see the hymnal and worship resource This Far by Faith, published by
Augsburg Fortress, for hymns, psalms, and other prayers you may wish to use.
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Women of the ELCA
8765 W. Higgins Rd.
Chicago, IL 60631-4189
Phone: 773-380-2730 or
800-638-3522, ext. 2730
www.womenoftheelca.org
womnelca@elca.org
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