Recently I have become aware that sometimes our immigrant congregations are not always welcomed to the same table, that they are not asked to join in conversation, that they are not always consulted on issues even those affecting their congregation.
It reminded me of the ideas of Eric Law, an Episcopal priest, who talks about mutual invitation. Regarding this idea:
Mutual Invitation was developed by Eric Law while he worked in a variety of multicultural settings. Mutual Invitation is based on the premise that people carry different perceptions of their personal power. In groups, those who view themselves as having high personal power (able to influence change) will tend to dominate the conversation and set a quick pace of interaction. Those who see themselves as having less power in relation to others in the group tend to need to be invited directly for their input. They may also come from a culture that emphasizes the collective over the individual, so it is harder for them to speak as an individual.An essential dimension of this approach is that each person has the opportunity to invite who speaks next. This tool helps balance input between the talkative and the quieter participants.
Maybe what we need to do in our wider work both inside and outside our local congregations is to make sure everyone has a voice whether the immigrant, woman, minority, child or youth, disabled or those with a different economic status.
Isn't it our call as a Christian to welcome all and listen to all people? Isn't it our task to make sure we make a place for all and a place at the table isn't welcoming others to do it like us, but accept their differences, understanding when they join us the way we do things may change as well.
I believe when we only like it how its always been done, when we only want it our way, we are shorting not only those who are not fully welcomed but also ourselves who are getting in the way of a full inclusion of all at the table. Let us, as we gather together ask, who is here and who is not here, who is talking and who is silent, who is making decisions and who is caring out the decisions of others. May we each stand up and look for moments when we can be an advocates for our brothers and sisters. May we be people who look for the inequality and seek ways to right it in our own lives, our church and our world.
