Thursday - Mosaics, Tomatoes, & Activists

Thursday has been our busiest day yet. After our missioner chef's prepared us Egg McMuffin's we headed out to the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis to take in the beautiful mosaics. The St. Louis Basilica is home to one of the largest mosaic collections in the Western Hemisphere. Here we learned the difference between a cathedral and a basilica, whereas a cathedral (like our beloved Christ Church) is the seat of a bishop, a basilica is a large Roman Catholic church that has been deemed of importance by the Pope, and is a receiving church of the Pope (should he grace their city). 

After a quick run back to the grocery store (we are still learning the importance of checking serving sizes as we our experiencing the challenges of cooking for large groups), we feasted on grilled cheese and regained our energy as we rushed on to Earth Dance Farm. This organic farm school was once the agricultural business of three generations of Mueller's, and has been one of the longest running organic farms in the area. Today Earth Dance Farm's uses it's space and organic farm set up to teach volunteers (such as our Cathedral Youth) about the importance ecological stewardship and the fruits that come from diligence and hard labor. At Earth Dance we had the oppertunity to separate the weeds from the wheat (or in this case oats) and pick vine ripened grape tomatoes. Although the sun was hot and the work was hard, we had a fabulous time enjoying God's green earth as the chlorophyll from the tomato plants drenched our arms and the dirt from the farm covered our feet.

In the evening three activists who have been involved in the Ferguson Black Live's Matter movement came to break bread and speak with us on their efforts seeking justice for every human being. After a delicious chili meal, complete with Kings Hawaiian ham & swiss sliders, we had the unique oppertunity to hear first hand accounts of what it has meant to organize and protest in Ferguson, MO. We listened to the stories of college students and young professionals who shared their intense passion for justice in a country that has struggled with the debilitating effects of racism. Asking what we can take home from this experience, our guests helped us see how we were making the first steps. By beginning dialogue and making ourselves aware of the injustices rooted in our society, but also the love and passion present in our communities desperately working to be heard and make a change, we were making space for the powerful movements of the Spirit. As we continue on our Urban Mission we reflect especially on the last vows in our Baptismal Covenant this evening: to "strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being."