This lay led service on the day before Labor Day has been a tradition since 2003. Originally it focused on workers and the Labor Movement in history, song, poetry and advocacy. It has evolved in recent years to emphasize what our guest worship leader calls Liberation Poetry.
The truths of past Labor Day homilies persist. Most of the rest of the world still celebrates Labor Day on May 1st to commemorate a nationwide American strike for the 8-hour day in 1886. The acceleration of income and wealth inequality continues unabated. According to a recent Federal Reserve report the richest 1% possesses $42 Trillion of the national wealth, while the entire bottom half of the nation owns only $2.6 Trillion. In other words, the top 1% control 16 times more wealth than the bottom 50% of the population.
Still there is cause for HOPE and poetry. Young poets like Amanda Gorman celebrate and inspire activism grounded in love. Our hymnal inspires us with poets from Langston Hughes to Maya Angelou to Marge Piercy. We defeated a coup, and we persist today with people across all ages, races, faiths, sexual, gender identities and more joining together to work for justice. Come and be inspired!