This is a time of transition and change, but we can walk forward in unity.
We can walk forward together.
Like a lot of you, my life changed abruptly in March of 2020. Every day I would cross more and more upcoming projects off my calendar. I was supposed to have the busiest April ever, but all of a sudden it was cleared. I found myself really confused during this time. I wanted guidance. Covid-19 was bad enough, and then we had the heartbreak of continued police brutality and racial divide. I wasn’t sure of my path forward. I knew there were lessons to be learned during this time, but I didn’t know them.
I felt pulled to reach out to my friend Deborah Bradford who I met while filming the One Heart McKinney promotional film. While talking to her, I was inspired to reach out to different faith leaders in my community. I wanted their perspective on what we could learn and how we could move forward. I was blown away by their wisdom and compassion. They are a wonderful reminder of all that is right in humanity. That we are all much more similar than we are different, that love is truly the answer. That we can get through this, but we must get through this together.
Thank you to everyone who made this film possible. I can’t express how much you touched my heart.
Much love,
Elizabeth
Deborah Broadous-Bradford of New Jerusalem Baptist Church
Tommy Brummett of First United Methodist Church of McKinney
Mally Baum of Trinity Presbyterian Church of McKinney Texas
Elizabeth Mahusay of Cottonwood Creek Church
Majed Sabke of McKinney Masjid
Also, I encourage you to also watch Symphony by Deborah Bradford.
“When you think of unity, you think of a union, when you think of a union, you think of one.
And so there are diverse parts. There are many parts. But if you allow the individual to be individuals and embrace and connect, it will bridge unity. So if I’m not judging you, you’re not judging me. I’m free to be me. You’re free to be you. But yet those unique parts play a part that will create the whole.
I like to look at it like a symphony.
You may have a flute. You may have a clarinet. You may have a saxophone. If there were sheet music involved, as a clarinet, I cannot look on the flute sheet music and say you’re playing wrong. Or the flute cannot look to the saxophone and say you’re playing wrong. I need you to stay on the flute music. I need you to stay on the saxophone music because there’s a conductor. And at the right time, the right season, the right place. He’ll bring in the flute. He’ll bring in the saxophone. He’ll bring in the violins and the violas because he’s the conductor.
And so it is with God. One God, one Father of all. Everything has its place. There’s a time and a season. And in his divine wisdom, in time and season, He’ll bring in this part. He’ll bring in that part.
First Corinthians tells us, ‘we know in part. We prophesy in part. When that which is perfect is come, that which is in part is done away with.’I think some of the ills, good and bad from the past, it played a part. There were parts to be played in the 60s. There were parts to be played during the times of slavery. And there were parts to be played when America expressed its need to be free from Great Britain. Those were all parts. The climate in which we live now is another part, and though we may not understand the whole canvas. Every part in God’s divine timing in season will reveal the whole.
‘We know in part. We prophesy in part. But that which is perfect is coming. And that which is in part will be done away with.’ We’ve got a lot of questions right now. But I’m convinced. I have faith, and I’m hopeful that these questions will be answered. Why? Because First Corinthians continues, ‘the greatest of these is love.’ Love is what brings unity.”
Deborah Bradford is the Associate Pastor of New Jerusalem Baptist Church in McKinney, TX.