Dear Congregation,
Greetings CCC members and friends!
On Tuesday evening I, as well as Karen Kett and her mother Rene Brodsky, attended an event at our sister church Coral Gables Congregational UCC, titled “A Sanctuary for Banned Books”. Pastor Lorrie Hafner, along with Mitch Kaplan the president of Books and Books, led this time of celebrating books and the freedom for all to read as a response to recent laws passed in Florida banning books in schools and libraries across the state.
It was truly a wonderful and inspiring time as speakers read from three books that have been targeted as inappropriate for the age group for which they were written, The Hill We Climb by Amanda Gorman, The ABC’s of Black History by Rio Cortez, and Love to Langston by author Tony Medina who read his book. Celebrated author Edwidge Danticat spoke, as did others, including representatives from the ALCU and the President of the Miami/Dade Teachers Union.
There was a standing room only audience of hundreds of people passionately against book banning, full of enthusiasm to work against the censorship of books and for the FREADOM to read, as was printed on the bag holding copies of the three books that everyone received.
As we know, many of our freedoms are under attack through laws that have recently been passed. Now is a crucial time for people to stand in opposition to oppression. It was very heartening to be in that crowd and know that we are not alone in the struggle. There are many like-minded people who are determined to bring about positive change.
Here at CCC you will be hearing more about what we can do to respond faithfully as followers of Jesus Christ, standing against threats to freedom and democracy itself. “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.” (Galatians 5a.) Thanks be to God for being part of a community that cares and acts!
In Christ’s love,
Pastor Candy