Serving up social justice advocacy with a side of joy

LANSING, Michigan — The third annual Young Adult Advocacy Conference kicked off Friday with a sermon inspired by the book of Nehemiah that encouraged cultivating moments of joy while continuing to fight for a more just and compassionate society.

The Rev. Christina Cosby and Ivy Lopedito, who are staff members in the Presbyterian Office of Public Witness, tag-teamed on a sermon acknowledging that it’s easy to lose sight of joy or to feel guilty about it during the tumultuous times that many people in society are enduring today.

The sermon at First Presbyterian Church in Lansing, Michigan was the centerpiece of a worship service organized for the first evening of the “Jesus and Justice” conference, a Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) gathering designed to give young adults, ages 18-35, the skills they need to practice social justice advocacy. 

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The conference, which is organized by the advocacy offices of the Interim Unified Agency of the PC(USA), is a way for young people to learn how to use their voices and to not be afraid to do so, said Sallie Campbell, an elder at FPC in downtown Lansing, during a brief welcome.

Others who greeted the audience or took part in aspects of the opening day included Neil Myer, a campus minister at Michigan State University, the Rev. Jimmie Hawkins, advocacy director for the PC(USA), and representatives from various seminaries and entities such as the Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations.

During the sermon, Lopedito noted that being an advocate for social justice can be challenging.

"In fact, there's a real danger of burning out, and many of us have probably felt that — of pouring ourselves out until we're running on empty,” she said.

Lopedito and Cosby preached from Nehemiah 8:1-3 and 8-12, with special emphasis on the encouragement given to people who had been weeping and mourning while listening to a public reading of the book of the law of God. Nehemiah reassured them by saying, “Go your way, eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions of them to those for whom nothing is prepared, for this day is holy to our Lord; and do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

But such words can be hard to wrap your head around when times get tough, the speakers noted.

“Let’s be honest,” Cosby said. “Some days joy feels out of reach.”

Cosby, for example, has found it difficult to be joyful while watching people be subjected to increased militarization on U.S. streets, which is occurring in various parts of the country, including Washington, D.C.

Witnessing police encounters that seemed based on race and language “made my chest tighten, my soul ache, my eyes swell with emotion,” Cosby said, and in such moments it's difficult to embrace Nehemiah’s words.

Lopedito described finding joy while experiencing a cool moment in the park filled with music and frolicking kids. “But as quickly as that joy came, I found myself thinking, ‘How can I feel this way right now?'” she said. “People in our nation are losing their rights right now. People don't have access to food right now."

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But finding moments of joy are necessary, especially when fighting for justice, the duo noted.

"Nehemiah's words matter ... as an invitation to joy in God's presence, as a message, as a source of healing, and even as a quiet resistance,” Cosby said.

Lopedito noted that joy is part of what gives "us strength for the important work of advocacy and justice,” adding, “This is why spaces like this, where we gather in community, are so vital. They allow us to hold both grief and joy” and “to bear witness to each other's experience.”

Lopedito also stressed the importance of continuing to work together, so that every person “in our nation and around the globe” can experience love, belonging and joy.

Cosby noted that during Nehemiah’s time God’s people had returned home only to find their homes in ruin and their temple destroyed and their identities shaken. Likewise, some people may feel like that today.

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Joy is rooted not in “how we feel but in who God is,” Cosby said. So “we as followers of Christ must practice joy, practice it daily, not as a fleeting emotion but as a sacred rhythm that calls us back to God's presence again and again.”

Joy can be expressed through worship and service to others as well as protest and solidarity, Cosby said. 

Lopedito amplified that by saying that joy “takes root in meaning and purpose" and it’s essential because “joy is how we stay strong … in the continued struggle for justice.”

Hawkins praised the speakers’ “powerful message, proclaiming joy in our lives” and emphasizing it as crucial for people of faith.

The service ended with singer Lawrence Robertson leading a move-your-feet version of “We are Marching in the Light of God” (Siyahamba) as a form of moving prayer. He explained, “Prayer is not a quiet thing all the time or a silent thing, but you pray as you go, and as they say, you pray for joy to continue your journey.”

The conference continues through Sunday with workshops, sermons, a panel discussion and other activities, and visits by PC(USA) spiritual leaders and staff. Watch for more coverage here.