Blessed to be a blessing is not only the inscription on the 50th anniversary banner at Ravensworth Baptist Church in Annandale, Va., it’s also a fact! This progressive Baptist group formed into a congregation in March of 1959 and they’ve been a blessing to the Ravensworth/North Springfield area ever since.
From the beginning, Ravensworth Baptist Church took actions that placed them on the cutting edge of social issues beginning with the civil rights movement and the Poor Peoples’ Campaign to supporting farm worker rights, the opening of travel restrictions to Cuba and efforts to bring peace with justice to Israel and Palestine.
Their proximity to Washington, D.C., has sometimes provided numbing pain: Our history now covers Kennedy, King, and assassins in airplanes. No words adequately express the anguish of those days… Each one’s pain was felt by the other. It was ironic we had already made plans for programs discussing “the face of God as seen by a Catholic, a Jew, and a Muslim.” Our hearts poured out to those who wore burkas, now fearful in America. We were fearful in America. The juxtaposition of Dr. Hyde’s words on Sunday… asking God to give him “the vision to see the light of God in each of us,” and Tuesday's actions lacking any such a vision, was numbing. We understood the need for understanding and shalom. (Read more of their history at http://www.rbc-va.org)
Led through the years by numerous young clergypersons including Elmer West, Mahan Siler, Dan Bagby, Bill Ratliff, Deryl Flemming, James Lamkin, Alicia Porterfield, Howard Roberts, Patti Faesey, Stan Hastey, Alan Neely—and most recently by Bob Turner and Steve Hyde—the congregation has demonstrated a commitment to welcoming and fostering inclusivity and diversity of gender, race, ethnicity, same gender loving people along with openness to all faith traditions. Their mission and ministry touches and blesses folks world-wide!
Likewise, the congregation has been a blessing to the Alliance, most recently demonstrated by their tribute to Stan Hastey’s ministry and by their invitation to me to preach while pastor, Steve Hyde, is away on sabbatical. I experienced them as a congregation living up to who they claim to be: An inclusive and welcoming Christian community where expressing the love of God to all people is central to their worship, study and service.
Amid the warm welcome I received, I learned that Ravensworth speaks fluent Alliance! Surely that fluency has been nurtured by the dedicated board members they have sent us in Sylvia Campbell and G. J. Tarazi.
During my visit to Ravensworth I affirmed their contributions to the Alliance, to Baptist life, to their community and the world. They have indeed been a blessing! And the blessings will continue to flow as they live into the prayer of Steve Hyde that God will help us keep our arms open to our community and our hearts open to the world.
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