Greetings beloved in Christ. I hope that you are well on this day. It is September and fall is creeping ever closer in spite of our continued warm temperatures. Here in the office of the Bishop, I have decided on our Advent book study. I know it seems like Advent is far away, but it isn’t really. And every year in Advent, the staff here and I have a book study. And this year our book study is The Sum of Us by Heather McGhee. McGhee is a graduate in American studies from Yale University, and she has her law degree from Berkeley School of Law. And her specialty is the American economy. And her book talks about what the assumptions of white supremacy cost us as a nation, what they cost us, both in financial terms and in emotional spiritual terms as well. I’m very excited to dive into this book.
McGhee says of herself, “I’m a fundamentally hopeful person because I know decisions made the world as it is and that better decisions could change it. Nothing about our situation is inevitable or immutable, but you can’t solve a problem with the consciousness that created it.” I hope that you are planning your Advent time. I hope that you are considering what might be your discipline. If you’re interested, I hope you pick up this book. It’s a National Book Award winner, and I think it might transform your understanding through conversation and communion with your fellow Christians. Blessings.