A note from Pastor Gretchen…
Cynthia and I have been working together in the partnership with GPAHG, and had signed up to lead the Moral Monday prayer vigil, held in support of making more affordable supportive housing available, on November 4th. That was in place when it became clear the City wanted to present and pass the Tenant Protection Act of 2019, which added a lot more excitement to an already important agenda.
There are so many people in Pasadena who want to see people find housing that works for them. It’s hard to know what to do, though. There are great organizations who have been working toward these issues for years, like GPAHG, Everyone In (United Way), and Union Station Homeless Services. It’s been great to get to know these groups and to see the partnerships they have formed in order to strengthen the work each group does.
I ran into a friend of mine, PJ, at this rally and meeting. I had last seen her a few months ago at a similar city council meeting, where she passionately spoke about her and her neighbors getting unfairly evicted from their apartments. She’s become part of the Washington 16, and has stood alongside others also facing unfair evictions. She and others gave witness to their struggles on Monday, and highlighted ways in which the proposed Tenant Protection Act (it was passed into law Tuesday morning) was good but still lacked provisions for evicted tenants. While there is a good law on the books, there are still needs for help for tenants fighting landlords who are trying to get them out of their property. Hearing PJ speak reminded me of just how much more needs to be done, and the importance of including all voices – those writing the laws, those who are most directly affected by the laws and are living in the reality, and those who want to help out – in the mix of figuring out solutions.
PJ and I are friends through our studies at Fuller. She loves creation, loves God and cares for her teenage son as a single mother. She saw me at this meeting and came up to me to express both gratitude that I was there, and anger/frustration/disappointment that there weren’t other Fuller students at the meeting advocating for changes. I’m sure there are reasons for that, but it made me aware of how much my presence – as a friend, as a faith leader, as someone who’s just concerned – and actions at events like this and even in the day-to-day can mean, how it speaks to my commitments and concerns as a follower of Jesus to those who know me. That’s true of any of us; presence can go a long way to helping people know the reality of God coming alongside of them and His care for them in the midst of their circumstances even if we’re unable to do much more than that.
Thank you all for your continued support and prayers for issues like these. In the prayer we led on Monday, we asked that Pasadena reflect God’s love, rule and reign. Let’s continue to pray that everybody in Pasadena will find hope, healing, health and ways to thrive, and that God will use us to help that happen.
Gretchen
