CEO Kelly Installation: Sermonic charge from Ruling Elder Rev. Elona Street Stewart

Watch Ruling Elder Rev. Elona Street Stewart's sermonic charge here. The submitted text of her remarks is below.

I’ll begin by saying thank you to all who helped plan and prepare for tonight’s event.  Our host, the volunteers and staff, the dancers, the singers the readers and the other colleagues from the Minnesota Council of Churches. We have heard some very good and inspiring words tonight, including sacred text. We know words are important and they have blessed us tonight. My people, the Indigenous ones of this continent, are also people of the word. The difference is that we are people of the word but are not people of the book in our origin. We were here, worshipping and singing and praying, centuries before written text was introduced. I know my ancestors are gathered here with us this evening  and listening for the good words that will be expressed about caring for the people, all our relations. They will listen carefully to your words Dr Kelly to learn about you and to see how you will guide the MCC to bring hope and healing to our communities. 

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, the Lord has anointed me to preach good news, to repair and restore what has broken, to proclaim liberty to those held captive and to emancipate those bound by injustice

Those words must have filled your thoughts recently as you completed your coursework, and the examinations required to be found ready for ordination last week. Doing all of this concurrently as you embarked on the demands and details of your new position as the Chief Executive Officer of the MN Council of Churches must have been demanding but productive. And it is an amazing vision to integrate. You listened for the voice of the Spirit and accepted God’s call to be a witness in the world all around us to “live into hope!” Congratulations.

As I’ve come to know you over the years, I have seen how you truly set your vocation in the direction of tomorrow, always preparing to move toward a vision committed to people, justice and service. 

During the interview phase of our search process, you told us the MCC offers a unique opportunity to bring together both your secular and faith communities in service. I believe you described the MCC as an epistle of the powerful ability of faith leaders, united by a common purpose, to collaborate in support of a mission to close the employment, income, and wealth gaps, and build racially inclusive and equitable regional economies.” You acknowledged that you wanted to be part of creating, demonstrating and telling the next chapter of that story. Now you are called to tell the story that, when united with a common purpose, - we can deliver hope, love, and service to those in need of healing, hope and restoration. 

The Spirit surrounds us and tells us, if we listen -we will learn. The Sankofa truth in our shared experience is that there is so much more than any one story to describe where you come from and what you have been called to do? More than one story, so many more  languages, histories, kinships and worldviews.  Isaiah 61 is a call to rise above injustice to see the truth of the good news in the vision of community justice. Community Justice is at the heart of everything you do.

The time may come when it will not be easy to sustain the depth of your commitment, and the rigor required of you to follow this calling. Wherever your feet land, your eyes take in everything, and stories are formed in testimony to this calling. So, speak with purpose anyway, a purpose that connects you to people, people to place, and place back to the story you tell. We see you reaching, restoring and rejoicing through faithful service, and energetic leadership. That is your story and witness. A ministry with the power to see and be seen, to listen and be heard.   

This vision for community justice is not limited, not now, not ever. When you heard that call to ministry, you answered it. And you committed to nurture over neglect, dialogue over division. But now, don’t let that call be blurred or muted or dimmed, you must show others that this work can be done, but not alone, help open their eyes so they can also see that the KINdom of God is here.  

Suzanne, your mission, as you choose to accept and commit, is to inspire and empower people to see this vision and equip them to preserve its foundation of hope for the least of these. To accept this call to serve from Isaiah through service and education, policy and preaching, creating freedom, hope and opportunity in MN together. 

Not just to lead this organization into its future, like an usher guiding fans to their stadium seat, but as the voice to demonstrate, accept and redress its identity as an anti-racist, inclusive, accountable, accessible, advocate of self-sufficiency, and curator and trustee of sacred text, sacred sites, sacred visions, and sacred liberating energy

It also makes you aware that what you see in service, education, policies, teaching and preaching is based on familiar structures of representation, delegation, nominations and common arrangements like bread, water, blankets, phone calls. These don’t come by magic. They require budgets, donations, space, collaboration, strategies and meetings. You are skilled in navigating and interpreting all of that.      

Many of these challenges are interconnected and that means the solutions are too. Your theological & professional skills here will build trust and engagement, to bring new ways of repair, wholeness and belonging together to create authentic 1^st person stories of faith and spiritual accomplishments.    

What is required? As the Executive and CEO of the MN Council of Churches you’ll do what you always do, listen to learn, commit to the story and tell it, in the most inclusive, equitable and compassionate way possible. To transform Christ’s churches and congregations to work together in fruitful ways to correct unjust policies and practices for the good of all. 

As you have heard, let us love not in word or speech alone, but in truth and action. You are integral to this call to serve. The dream that has grown into ordination and installation will be confirmed here. Pray beyond the uncertainty about what comes next, about who is going to walk into your door and ask for help and support, We promise to pray for you too, so when you turn and say, I see you,  pray we will  see them too. 

My community welcomes you to join them where Creator God is already on the move. They will witness our gathering here even if not present. They will want to know what I said to you this evening and to hear that you give your word of promise from the heart as you respond:

Do you commit to engage wisely in organizational advocacy and theological clarity around issues of poverty, homelessness, injustice and global conflict that are disproportionately influenced by racism, power, and hatred? Do you give your word?

Your vision is a gift from the creator. Will you pray for courageous leadership to fit the tasks and not ordinary tasks to fit your leadership? Do you give your word?

You are being called to protect and nourish and equip place and people for goodness. I charge you to disavow and repudiate doctrines of domination. Do you give your word?

I charge you to listen to those involved, honor those who came before, respect those among us and commit and commend those to follow. Do you give your word?

 I charge you to find courage to affect organizational rhetoric and cultural change in the dominant structures to create a more just and sustainable gospel of remembering, repair, redistribution, repentance and reinvestment. Do you give your word?

Will you embrace the diversity of our faith communions as a gift to build trust and credibility of the MCC and that you accept responsibility for telling the hard truths of its history by prioritizing the integration of Indigenous wisdom and nonwestern experience? Do you give your word?

Will you be with your people where they live and work and worship and give them support in their self-determination and pride in their vocation? Do you give your word?

Will you fulfill a ministry of faithful, decolonized, and sustainable stewardship? Do you give your word?

I charge you to boldly confront injustice within and outside of  the organization, And when you are distressed and weary of structuralized racism, systemic poverty, environmental disasters, violence, war and evil, when you can’t keep up the routine of daily work, find a sacred space to pray, and wait and restore your spirit, and remember  these words of a 200 year old hymn: Let not conscience, weariness, impatience, crisis, burdens, or rhetoric of fear make you linger.  If you tarry till it’s better you may never come at all. So, forge a brighter vision of what is possible, come to the table with others and stand together in hope and peace.  I give you my word. 

May you be blessed.