A Message from the Rev. Dr. Starsky Wilson, CDF President and CEO
Dear John,
From 2008 to 2018, I served as pastor of Saint John’s Church, a multi-racial congregation in St. Louis. Centering the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s public vision, we called ourselves “beloved disciples building Beloved Community.” This hope-filled picture of a transformed nation animated our work together—in faith for justice.
Every now and then, as we tried to live equitably and peaceably in a diverse, voluntary community, we experienced tough moments when faith gave way to doubt about whether this future was possible. For many committed to justice in America, Martin Luther King Weekend in 2022 (and what Beloved Disciples called ‘Beloved Community Sunday’), brings with it similar doubts.
At these moments we can become dejected or depressed. Scholars like Lewis Baldwin and Michael Eric Dyson write of the ‘melancholy’ of King—especially present amidst the suspicion of the government, challenges from younger leaders, and confusion over movement strategy before his ultimate transition from Elder to Ancestor.
But these moments also offer us choices...
