by Rev. Dr. Mary Susan Gast, Conference Minister, July, 2003
Monthly Reflections from The Pacific ~ News and Events of the NCNC United Church of Christ

WHERE TWO OR THREE ARE GATHERED...

Words of encouragement and support for those ministering "in the fields."

There were three of us. We found ourselves in Indianapolis in the mid-1980's, with a burden on our hearts about South Africa, in those bleak days of apartheid.

In good UCC organizing fashion we got together and talked. A local church pastor, a seminary student, and an associate conference minister, we were all new to Indiana. There didn't seem to be any foment of anti-apartheid activism here. What could the three of us do?

We looked at what we had going for us in Indianapolis. This is the state capital. The U.S. Senators and Representatives have permanent staffed offices here. We decided to start with the Senators. Knowing that they, personally, would not often be in town, we went to interview their top aides, the people with whom we would have the most direct contact.

Two of us visited the office of the junior Senator and interviewed his aide. We talked about South Africa and the impact that U.S. foreign policy could have. We recalled the General Synod in Ames, Iowa, and Allen Boesak's compelling plea for economic sanctions against South Africa's minority government. "Yes, there will be hardship for those of us who are black or coloured, too, but there is already hardship, unspeakable hardship, and we are agreed that we are willing to take on this new hardship for the sake of hope." The aide seemed ill at ease and un-engaging.

Checking in with one another afterward, the third member of our group offered the information, just gleaned, that this aide had come to Indiana after losing a civil rights suit against an ivy league university which he had sued for discrimination against him, as a white male. The Senator had hired him as an aide because, according to the Indianapolis Star, the Senator was supportive of civil rights. OK, we concluded, let's forget about influencing Senator Dan Quayle and his aide.

Next we turned to the senior Senator. We met his aide, talked with him about the United Church of Christ, our partnership with the United Congregational Church of Southern Africa, the impact that US foreign policy could have upon apartheid. He seemed willing to listen. We said that we wanted to keep the Senator informed, and that we would send his office all the information that came from our national offices on South Africa, and would encourage this aide to forward it to the Senator. The aide smiled, and agreed to do what he could.

We sent information and phoned the aide occasionally. We kept sending material to the Senator's office. Somewhere along the way, Indiana Senator Richard Lugar became the chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The next year that committee approved the bill calling for economic sanctions against South Africa.

A confluence of random contacts? A fortuitous opening of hearts and minds? Certainly, the work the three of us UCC folk did was minimal. What likely was significant was the power of the information that kept coming to us from what was then the Office for Church in Society and the Board for World Ministries. Their work continues, through the national UCC Covenanted Ministries of Justice & Witness and of Wider Church Ministries. Our contributions to Our Church's Wider Mission keep the staff in place to maintain the vision and the contacts and the day to day efforts that carry out mission. Our contributions to the Neighbors in Need Offering provide the program dollars for Justice & Witness. That little tale from Indiana is no isolated incident.

Your comments are welcome
Send to msgast@ncncucc.org