“No Storehouse in Heaven”
by Cortney L. Haley for GoTell

Strength to Love

One wonders what Dr. King would have thought about the 2nd inaugural address of President Barack Obama. Or about the Sandy Hook shooting. Or about appeals to the Second Amendment — whose “hidden history” is grounded in Southern slave patrols— to avoid gun control.

What would Dr. King have thought about resistance to taxing rich people and big corporations? Or resistance to cutting the defense budget, while programs for the poor shrivel up for lack of funds?

What scriptures would he have used to address these aspects of American life in the winter of 2013?

One gospel story that shaped Dr. King’s spirit in Jesus’ way of peace was the parable of the Rich Fool. He retells this story in his collection of sermons: Strength to Love. His sermon concludes with hope and a warning:

“Our hope for creative living lies in our ability to reestablish the spiritual ends of our lives in personal character and social justice. Without this spiritual and moral reawakening we shall destroy ourselves in the misuse of our own instruments.”

Events in Columbus, Ohio

During Advent, GoTell conducted a biblical storytelling workshop at Maynard Avenue United Methodist Church, located in the heart of Columbus, Ohio. Maynard Avenue UMC is under the pastoral leadership of Rev. Patricia Wagner who has been nurturing scripture by heart there and encouraging it in other churches as well. Four congregations were represented at the workshop: Maynard Avenue UMC, Summit UMC,  Oakland Park UMC and a Christian Evangelical fellowship. Participants came from different cultural communities and ranged in age from 17 to 75. The workshop centered on the story of the angel Gabriel’s surprising announcement to Mary.

Afterwards, GoTell was privileged to tell scripture at the inaugural Worship Café for Rahab’s Hideaway, also located in Columbus. Rahab’s Hideaway is a ministry and outreach to women and children caught in the trauma of human trafficking. The director is Marlene Carlson. Tom told about Rahab of Jericho from the book of Joshua; Amelia told the story from Luke of the woman who anointed Jesus’ feet in the house of Simon the Pharisee.