Courageous Love

Beloved Community
Written By Jenny Whitcher (she/her)

This week's Advent reflection is offered by Keisha Wiggan, Juniper Formation's Bookkeeper

As a reminder of the order of our Advent candles, the first represents peace, the second hope, and the third joy. The fourth candle represents love.

Isaiah prophesies about Jesus in chapter 16, verse 5: “In love, a throne will be established; in faithfulness a man will sit on it—one from the house of David—one who in judging seeks justice and speeds the cause of righteousness.” NIV

In order to love like God loves and as children of the one who “sits on David’s throne,” I believe that we were made to be courageous. We were made to be the ones that “seek justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God"(Micah 6:8). This can only be achieved by looking at all things through the lens of love and modeling our life after Christ.

Love is a gift….a gift from God. As we spend this season of Advent waiting in expectation of the birth of Christ we reflect on just how much God loved us. God loved us so much that He sent His only begotten Son to die for our sins.

Out of love for the world, God has provided a way of salvation, which is belief in his Son Jesus Christ. To all who believe, God bestows eternal life (John 3:16). The Lord is faithful, seeks justice and quickly renders unto us righteousness.

The ministry of Juniper Formation embodies six core values:

  1. Christ-centered;
  2. Spirit-Led;
  3. Liberated Imagination;
  4. Relationship;
  5. Radical love and justice; and
  6. Co-Creation

The fifth value of radical love and justice is at the very heart of what motivates Juniper Formation.

Juniper Formation is invested in shared liberation and disrupting the cornerstones of oppression.

We are committed to radical love and justice for the diversity of God’s creation, especially the marginalized and oppressed. Our church is womxn-led, multiethnic and antiracist, affirming of undocumented neighbors, celebrating of different abilities, and Open & Affirming of LGBTQ+ individuals and families in the life and leadership of our church.

Each member of the team that serves at Juniper Formation does so with the desire to be the change that they want to see in the world. The ministries of Juniper Formation are birthed out of love and to establish a refuge where all may come and know that they are loved and that they belong.

As Christians, love is what should distinguish us from others—it is our mark. Love is the most influential tool that can be used for good in this world. If our love is truly unconditional—not just expressed in words, but in actions, then we are doing what Christ requires of us.

May we all reflect during this Advent season on ways we can learn to love every being God created and become beacons of justice and righteousness in this world!

https://youtu.be/4BCNBZWQ3cY
"Seek Justice, Love Mercy" by Me In Motion

Juniper Formation is grateful for your support. Our church and its ministries depends on generous donors like you. Please consider making a donation to prophetically reimagining the Church with us. 

All 2020 donors will receive our annual ministry gift of “Speak Boldly,” Jenny LaJoye’s first sacred music album written in partnership with Juniper Formation. The song “Behold; Take Head” comes from this album.

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Jenny Whitcher (she/her)

Rev. Dr. Jenny Whitcher is the Minister of Prophetic Formation and founder of Juniper Formation, an entrepreneurial and ecumenical faith community of the United Church of Christ (UCC), with the mission of "prophetically reimagining the Church from the margins."

She is a pastor, entrepreneur, community organizer, artist, public scholar, and theologian committed to liberation and social justice.

Her areas of expertise include: professional, personal, spiritual, and organizational formation and leadership; religion and public life; democratic culture, leadership, and pedagogy; community organizing; and social change theory and practice.

Whitcher previously served as the faculty Director of the Office of Professional Formation and Term Assistant Professor of Religion & Public Life at Iliff School of Theology, after serving as Iliff's Director of the Master of Arts in Social change (now M.A. in Social Justice & Ethics) and Director of Service Learning.

As an interdisciplinary public scholar committed to social justice and human rights, Whitcher bridges fields of religious, theological, and civic studies within local, national, and international contexts. Prior to working at Iliff, Whitcher served as Associate Director of the Center for Community Engagement & Service Learning (CCESL), where she taught Community Organizing and Denver Urban Issues and Policy courses; created and led student civic development curricula; trained faculty in public scholarship and pedagogy; led local and international Immersion Programs; and was the creator, editor, and contributing writer of the "Public Good Newsletter" at the University of Denver for five years.

Her career in higher education started in 2004 at the University of Denver's Office of Internationalization Study Abroad Program. Whitcher transitioned into higher education from the nonprofit sector where she worked locally in Denver with populations experiencing homelessness and globally on affordable housing with Habitat for Humanity International where she was also the "Advocacy Alert" columnist for Frameworks Magazine.

Whitcher's publications include book chapters, articles, and public resources on civic and spiritual development and formation, relational community organizing, experiences of organizers and public life, and democratic education. She is co-author and co-editor of the first and second editions of the Community Organizing Handbook (2009, 2010).

Whitcher's public scholarship, teaching, leadership, and ministry have included work with various local congregations and denominational leaders across the U.S. and across denominational, faith, and spiritual identities. In addition, she has worked with various nonprofits and foundations, including, but not limited to:  WorldDenver, La Academia at Denver Inner City Parish, Industrial Areas Foundation (IAF), Interfaith Alliance of Colorado, Diyar Consortium, Everyday Democracy, Colorado Progressive Coalition, Puksta Foundation, the Kettering Foundation, El Centro Humanitario, Denver Public Schools, American Commonwealth Project, Urban Peak, and Habitat for Humanity International.

Internationally, Whitcher has travelled and partnered with local leaders and communities in Palestine, Israel, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Haiti, India, Hungary, Italy, and Spain.

She is the recipient of the Peacemaker Award from the Rocky Mountain Conference of the United Church of Christ (2006) and the Young Philanthropist Award by Women in Development of Greater Boston (2004).

Ordination: Metro Denver Association of the Rocky Mountain Conference of the United Church of Christ (UCC).

Education:

B.A., New York University
M.A., University of Denver
Ph.D. Iliff School of Theology & University of Denver

https://www.jennywhitcher.com
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