Sustaining Way & SCIPL Call for Unity, Service, and LOVE

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to Justice everywhere.”

-Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

In anticipation of celebrating the life and the legacy of Dr. King, we are moved synergistically in the midst of the recent civil and political unrest in our nation’s Capitol. We are guided by the timeless words of wisdom of one of our nation’s greatest servant leaders, which continue to challenge, lead, and guide us in a spirit of Unity, Service, and LOVE. MLK recognized the power of a unified community as he repeatedly shared, “Power at its best is LOVE.” Sustaining Way and South Carolina Interfaith Power & Light work incessantly to manifest the Beloved Community. We are committed to empowering individuals and communities in cultivating a sustainable and equitable future for all of God’s children. In truth and in seeking justice with the spirit of LOVE, we must be forever vigilant in striving to eradicate poverty through education, advocacy, and collaboration with all stakeholders. The realities of the pestilence of the COVID-19 virus, the degradation of food insecurity, the diminution caused by energy inefficiencies, and the destruction of environmental stability all require our unified focus. In embracing unity in our local community and across the state, we will continue to LOVE one another by working with all of our partners to serve the immediate needs of people in these challenging times.

We will LOVE by continuing to challenge the injustice of utility fee hikes that often disproportionately impact poor, working-class communities of color. We will LOVE by continuing to work with service providers to weatherize our neighborhood homes and houses of worship to ensure energy bills are decreased, and efficiency is increased. We will continue in our partnerships to promote affordable housing and to educate the community through our ongoing housing security series. In LOVE, we will continue to work with faith leaders throughout the state and surrounding regions to address the injustices of environmental issues and the reality of climate impacts on communities of color. In LOVE, we will continue to reconcile our efforts to eliminate health disparities like obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes in our communities. We will continue to strive with local and state policymakers, elected officials and business leaders to promote sustainable practices for a just and equitable community.

Through education, collaboration and advocacy, we will continue in LOVE to challenge institutional practices of strife and division. The recent events in our nation’s Capitol only embolden us further in this work that is pressing and that we must do in the spirit of LOVE. As Dr. King reminds us: “But the end is reconciliation; the end is redemption; the end is the creation of the Beloved Community. It is this type of spirit and this type of LOVE that can transform opposers into friends. It is this type of understanding goodwill that will transform the deep gloom of the old age into the exuberant gladness of the new age. It is this LOVE which will bring about miracles in the hearts of men.”

May the LOVE envisioned in the “Dream” of  Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. inspires us as we continue in the pursuit of a just and more equitable society.

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