Editorial
Milestones let us to ask who we are, why we do what we do
Milestones in life help us to be in the moment and to know where we are because we can see where we have been and can see where we are going. The hills and valleys may obscure for some that vision, making us believe we are stuck in what is really a fleeting moment.
When we come to milestones, we take time to think, to reflect on the past and to envision our future.
Stories in The Fig Tree may not always be about milestones in years, but they serve as milestone moments for those who share their stories to see how their present lives, ministries, serving, caring, healing, building and advocating arise out of years of their faith and values. They give people a chance to pause and reflect on what they are doing and why they are doing it.
Fig Tree news may be about transitions in leadership, new approaches to programs, new perspectives on people, new twists to familiar events, new ventures in building, new public policies and renewed commitment to vigilance in face of efforts to undermine the public good.
Something negative may spark positive action. The action may inspire others when they feel discouraged or dis-empowered.
When media repeat the assumption of some that families of victims of violence want the death penalty for closure, many may assume that’s true. It is also true that many long for reconciliation and healing.
When media repeat the assumption that poor people deserve to live in poverty because they don’t work hard enough, they help erode the wellbeing of low-paid workers, who long to share in the wealth they create.
When media repeat assumptions about a religion, a culture, a race, a gender or any people, they build on stereotypes and divisions that erode relationships and access to power.
When media repeat the reports on disasters, injustices and people’s needs, they serve the public good and draw response.
The Fig Tree does not bury the bad news, but our spin is not to dwell on it, because there’s more to the story. Instead of sensationalizing conflicts, celebrity and concerns, our slant is to see those dynamics as motivation for everyday people to serve, care, heal, build and advocate to change injustices, incongruities and insensitivities.
As we share such stories, we find each person we interview offers nuggets of wisdom, seeds of hope and sparks for action.
We tell who does what, when and where. We tell how they do it and interweave why out of their faith and values they act.
Why do they care? Why do we care? How does others’ caring fuel our caring?
Information selected for our consumption shapes our world views, our political views, our understandings and our relationships.
As we prepare for our 30th Anniversary Dinner April 30 and for our Benefit Breakfast March 12 and Benefit Lunch March 14, we take time to reflect. Our speakers will share how The Fig Tree and its Resource Directory connect and empower people. The video we are preparing shares the story of how “The Fig Tree” was chosen as our name and how its design reflects the communication ministry that has emerged.
As we look ahead, The Fig Tree Board of Directors plans to start a special multi-year pledge campaign to help us move into our future. The goal is to provide a stable salary for additional staff we need to help carry the workload and free up time to build relationships and expand our constituency. We need the consistency of staff to do that.
Underwriters can pledge according to their ability.
The board will announce the campaign during the Benefit Breakfast, Benefit Lunch and 30th Anniversary Dinner.
The campaign will be a new way for supporters to help us celebrate our past and create our future.
Mary Stamp
Editor
Copyright © March 2014 - The Fig Tree