[This response was received December 1, 2005.]
Hi Ron,
I took time to be in discernment and prayer before responding to your letter that I received Thanksgiving Eve.  My response is now attached and also hard copy was mailed to your home.
December 1, 2005

Mr. Ron Lyster
866 Yale Street
Santa Monica, CA 90403

Dear Ron,

Thank you for taking the time to share your opinions and feelings with me. I am grateful that we have the type of long-term relationship that allows us to be honest and frank with one another.

I have a few responses that may be helpful. As you surely know, I value you and your family very much as a part of our Christian community, and have enjoyed knowing you, working with you and being with you in times of worship, meetings and other church events that we have experienced together. I remember especially, when you as SPRC Chair and I were speaking on the phone prior to my arrival at Westwood, and you indicated that Marty wanted to speak to me. Marty said that he wanted to be the first youth to welcome me to Westwood, and he and I subsequently developed a good relationship, enhanced by our trip to England with the youth group. This memory is a fond one for me. I am hence concerned to think that you would feel that your absence from Westwood would not be noticed. It’s not a matter of the size of a financial contribution, but how we are all strengthened by the sharing of our presence, our gifts, our faith in God.

I’m finding labels of conservative and liberal, and the other labels as well, less and less useful these days. The labels represent such abstractions that it’s difficult to tell where people are truly coming from. Knowing that our congregation contains people with a wide variety of political and social beliefs, I am careful not to be partisan or line up with any particular political party. My sermons attempt to preach the gospel and utilize the lectionary Bible passages identified for that Sunday. You mentioned my sermon of November 20. It was based on the well-known passage from Matthew:

Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food…’ And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’

Perhaps you think I should not have linked that to the legislation before Congress cutting $50 billion from programs that provide a limited safety net for the poor in our country. I do think that politics are one way our values do get expressed in our shared and public life. I think our president believes that as well. So it is difficult for me to believe that there is not a connection between Jesus’ instruction to care for the poor and this particular legislation, which has drawn negative attention from the majority of religious groups across the board. In fact, I became aware of the legislation through religious news sources, not a political party or organization. I have been receiving e-mails from what might be called both conservative and liberal sources on this.

It is not easy to know how to live our lives following Jesus, and I appreciate your understanding that it is a struggle. As part of my preaching I do attempt to distinguish between Jesus’ standards and the standards of the general culture we’re immersed in.

Our founder, John Wesley, established a church that values diversity of thought and faith. It does make living in community more difficult, I admit, for it requires greater charity and tolerance to live side by side with persons who believe and think differently than we do, especially those opposed to our own views. Such diversity is challenging, and at the same time holds promise for all of us as we grow in our faith. Growth and insight are among the fruits of earnest and respectful dialogue.

I would welcome a conversation with you, face to face, about this matter. I hope that, your having opened this dialogue, we can pursue it further.

Your resignation as 2006 Chair of Staff-Parish Relations Committee is noted and will be reported to the Committee on Lay Leadership. Is it your intention to resign as a member of the SPRC as well? I wasn’t certain from the wording of your letter.

Ron, it is my hope and prayer that we can speak together directly about your concerns.

Your sister in Christ,

The Rev. Dr. Sharon Rhodes-Wickett
My Original Email  

My Reply to Sharon
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