A Letter from Lindy March 24

Pilgrims,

I must admit I have found it challenging to hold our celebration and participation in Crop Walk with our entry into Holy Week on Palm/Passion Sunday. Each, on its own, is worthy of our dedication and combining them can feel like each gets short shrift of our attention. This year, we have worked diligently to be the hands and feet and heart of Jesus as we journey to the cross, with our Lenten action of keeping our Little Food Pantry full, adding to the bounty of Mount Calvary UCC’s Saturday Food Give-Away, collecting coins for our meal preparation at Urban Ministries, and now Crop Walk. Maybe this is exactly where Jesus wants our focus–feeding our neighbors, just as he did the multitudes with but fishes and loaves.

Then perhaps as we open our hearts to the story of the Passion, it is good and right to bring our minds to the challenge of food insecurity in a community, in a country, where there should be none. Grateful am I that Margaret and Miguel Rubiera of Emanuel Food Pantry agreed to grace us with their presence to highlight the particular needs in Durham.

For those of you who are not acquainted with Emanuel, its mission is to provide fresh, nutritious food to families facing food insecurity, with a particular focus on underserved communities. By providing healthy food, we are addressing the multiple detrimental effects of food insecurity, enhancing personal dignity, and improving health outcomes. Margaret and Miguel will share more about their important work on Sunday. Please join me in welcoming them into our community.

From local to global we will travel as we also welcome Richard L. Santos, President and CEO of Church World Service. Rick has spent more than three decades working in the relief, development and displacement sectors and has been a senior nonprofit executive for the last 15 years.

Before returning to CWS as its President and CEO in 2021, Rick previously served as the President and CEO of IMA World Health, a faith-based public health organization that he led through several strategic pivots to achieve significant growth in both impact and revenue.

In total, Rick has more than 30 years of experience working for and with faith-based organizations, including more than a decade of living and working in Asia. Rick is an expert in engaging and partnering with civil society in the development process, and his developmental approach includes building and prioritizing robust local and regional partnerships—communities, organizations, and networks. He has spent much of his career supporting local organizations to become independent and self-sufficient. As the President and CEO of CWS, Rick has led the organization through significant growth, primarily in addressing forced displacement.

Rick holds a Master of Business Administration degree from Johns Hopkins University’s Carey Business School, a Master of Theological Studies degree from Harvard Divinity School, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from George Washington University.

Wow! What an incredible Sunday. Won’t you join me in welcoming our guests.

Pastor Lindy

(she/her) why pronouns matter

Melinda Keenan WoodMarch 25, 2024