Election Night in Harlem! Imagine if We Worshiped Together!

Jamie:
Last night I had one of the most beautiful, redemptive, and awakening experiences of my life. At the same time, however, I do not remember a time when I have felt more heartbroken, verging on hopelessness, over the words and attitude of the American Christian Church.

Onleilove:

Jamie:
I have recently become acquainted with a very wonderful group of people here in Brooklyn that live intentionally in a community together called Radical Living. When I arrived last night, one of the housemates named Sharaya asked me what I was doing and if I wanted to go to Harlem with her. She said she wanted to be "somewhere historic for this historic event". Little did I know at the time all that was wrapped up inside of that statement.

Onleilove:
I began my day voting on the Upper Westside of Manhattan; unfortunately unlike my friends who live in Union Theological Seminary housing I did not have the blessing of voting for the first Black president in the historic Riverside Church. It was in this church that Dr. King preached one of his last and most controversial sermons-Beyond Vietnam. I met my friends at Riverside Church and they were so excited and some even stood in line to cast their ballots with Black Liberation Theologian Dr. James Cone! Later that evening my friend Danielle and I joined Lisa Sharon Harper and other members of NY Faith & Justice (a non partisan organization) for an election night party in the Bronx. When Obama won Pennsylvania, I could have cried remembering my first year of anti-racism protest at Penn State. The protests took place after members of the Black Caucus and football team received death threats, which culminated in the death of a Black man from New York. Pennsylvania has many great aspects, but sadly, also has an enormous amount of hate groups. Needless to say, I was shocked at this outcome.

Jamie:
We took a puzzle system of trains for about an hour or so until we finally ending up getting stopped on the tracks, just feet from the platform of 125th street- our stop. As our train was pulled to an unexpected stop, we waited impatiently to find out why. Minutes passed and finally at 11:13pm, the conductor came back and told us he would have us exit onto the end platform, just barely out of the tunnel. We came up out of the train and felt that on this night there was brotherhood in the air. We ran to the bus and as we rode, we noticed the honking start; and then the cheering, and then the dancing. We suddenly became aware of what had just happened. The bus pulled to our stop and Sharaya and I shot out the doors like lightening, into the street, to be caught up in the rapture of the procession. This was a feeling I cannot even begin to describe. Do you understand the weight and magnitude of the fact that I, as a young 20 year old white girl, was able to run… literally RUN… in JOY through the streets of Harlem… in the midst of crowds and crowds of people that the systems of this world tells me I should fear? Harlem was united.
Now, did you really hear what I just said?
The streets of Harlem in New York City… were united.

Onleilove:
As we entered the outdoor screening at Harlem’s Adam Clayton Powell building my friend Danielle Parish (a Master of Divinity student at Union Theological Seminary) and I heard an elderly African-American woman giving her testimony about being the last one to vote at her polling station. A group encircled her, and I thought of the tradition of testimony in the Black Church. I also thought of Lisa Sharon Harper sharing pictures of her ancestors with us at a New York Faith & Justice election party in the Bronx earlier that evening. The ancestors of many African-Americans served as a "great cloud of witnesses" that were testifying this night. I looked down the block and could see Hotel Teresa where Malcolm X died. I looked in the opposite direction and saw the Apollo Marquee where James Brown was celebrated in a memorial service- a man who is most remembered for his brave song: "I’m Black and I’m Proud!" Standing in front of the Adam Clayton Powell building I remember the politicians who paved the way for Obama. Harlem is full of these witnesses and their testimonies.

Jamie:
We arrived at the public square and met up with Sharaya’s friends, one of which I had met before, named Onleilove. I began to listen as they each individually poured out their hearts and souls to me of the struggle of the black community. I saw their tears and held their hands as they spoke of future dreams, overcoming oppression, and what this moment meant not only to them, but to the memory of the ones they love and represent that have gone before. Those ancestors had been ones who spoke out against violence and slavery and injustice, just as they are now. It moved me beyond words and it was then that the gravity of this situation- the election of a black president- hit me. Years and years and years they have worked for this. And now, it is no longer just a dream. It is here!

Onleilove:
As the results were announced, my friends and I hugged each other as Harlem erupted into cheers! It was like a parade! We cried and hugged remembering ancestors past who sacrificed for this day, like my ancestors who toiled on the America’s largest plantations as slaves for the Alston family. I honestly never thought I would live to see the day an African-American man was elected as the president of the United States! My friends and I started to call out the names of ancestors and incidents in Black history as we hugged. Terri Baxter, a fellow MDiv student at Union, mentioned the middle passage-where millions of people were transported from Africa to live and die as slaves; never to return home again. This night was for all of them.

Jamie:
After some NYC elected officials spoke, and Obama had given his speech that we all watched on the large screen together, the crowds began to disperse and I walked among and was embraced by a community of people unlike anything I have ever seen before. Every single color, background, orientation, race, age began to celebrate this occasion. But hear me, people, when I saw that it was not WHAT they were celebrating about that moved me to tears, but rather that they were celebrating TOGETHER. The fact that tonight, the streets of Harlem were the safest they have probably ever been and probably would ever be again. The fact that there was this beautiful BEAUTIFUL bond between all of these people and that FEAR was the last thought in their minds!

Onleilove:
Our friends Shelly and Aaron met us in front of the historic Apollo Theater. They also attend Union Theological Seminary and we shared more rounds of hugs. We took pictures in front of the Apollo. As we walked home, Shelly started to repeat the common African-American Christian saying, "God is good!" as people passing by answered "All the time!" As we ran into more Union students-some of whom I had never before seen in Harlem, I was proud that for once Union and Columbia students, were actually in the community. A cop drove by and showed us a gesture of solidarity and celebration. In New York City after last November’s police shooting of an African-American man on his wedding day 50 times, seeing a cop and the community interact in a positive way was an unusual sight! As I observed my classmates and neighbors of all races, socio-economic statuses, and sexual orientations I could not believe that I was witnessing a celebration that brought everyone from the Ivy league student to the public housing resident together.

Jamie:
We walked back to Union Theological Seminary, which is where most of the girls attend school, and a small group of us began to enter into a time of worship. Together with my black brothers and sisters, we sang together and prayed together- giving God the glory for just for being God. The Holy Spirit was indeed there and all the glory and praise was given to GOD… NOT a man. There were thanks, there were petitions, but mostly, there were prayers for UNITY, prayers for PEACE, more cries for reconciliation… like the reconciliation we had just seen. It was breathtakingly beautiful, and as I was accepted and embraced into it, I found myself incredibly moved.

Onleilove:
As we walked into Union, a classmate from Black Woman’s Caucus ran up to us and invited us to pray. We all agreed to go into a classroom for an impromptu praise, worship and prayer session. In this prayer group there were people from middle class and poor backgrounds, gay, straight, biracial, black, and white. Evangelicals, Pentecostals, people hailing from the West Coast, East Coast, Red States, Blue States, Episcopalians, and everything in between sung praises to God and then offered prayer requests for our country, our schools, and our communities. We also prayed for a movement to begin with us. We all know that Obama is not the Messiah-JESUS is. We were all very aware of this. We also know nothing will change without us working to mobilize a movement that will fight for justice.

This prayer meeting was special for many obvious reasons, but also because Union Theological Seminary is known for its liberation theology. Prophetic Christian voices such as: Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Reinhold Niebuhr and Dr. James Cone are connected to Union’s legacy of justice. Additionally, as an institution we have a new historic president of our own: Rev. Dr. Serene Jones, Union’s first biracial woman president! This prayer meeting was in the liberation tradition of the seminary and speaks to a "Greater Awakening" happening in the church universal.

Jamie:
As quickly as that hopeful feeling of restoration and unity came, it sadly vanished with that dreaded beast: Facebook statuses. Honestly, the things that people were saying and the attacks that they were throwing were reminiscent of a little child who has a tantrum when they don’t get their way. It was truly heartbreaking.

Church, I expected more from you. My heart was deeply hurt and I was extremely disappointed with the language that was being used and the interaction between people who, at the fundamental core of WHO THEY ARE, are brothers and sisters! Regardless of political party! I witnessed this, and even received a good amount of it as well.

Onleilove:
Though I was extremely happy to see unity and celebration I am eager to see this translated into long-term political action. I am saddened that the church may be more fractured after this election. I am sorry to say that for twenty and thirty something Christians, Facebook and the internet in general, has become a battleground. Christians feel comfortable making comments on social networking sites, and blogs that if said face-to-face would be categorized as gossip, slander or malice. As Christians, we should speak with Love regardless of the medium. Even if you did not support Obama, Romans 12:15 says, "to rejoice with those who are rejoicing". The majority of African-American Christians were rejoicing when Obama won. As Christians, instead of being critical of this, we must realize that this was a historic moment that some of our Brothers and Sisters in Christ like the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King were martyred for.

Jamie:
Last night, I saw for myself a glimpse of the Kingdom of God and I will never be the same. It was not because of any certain or specific man elected, but rather because of the hearts of all kinds different people who come from different places had decided to join together to dance and sing! You could almost see the swords being beaten into plowshares, and the spears into pruning hooks! You could feel the coming of the captives being set free! And by no work of man! But rather because the work of our God was alive and well, regardless of whether the people acknowledged it, knew it, or credited it to Him or not! I am not a black American. I will never truly understand their stories and struggles, but I know that now, at least, I understand so much more than I did before. I rejoice with them in this victory that they have sacrificed and even died for, for so many years.

Onleilove and I were talking on the train the next morning and she said something that I had never fully realized until last night- just how much American Christianity has been politically captured by white America. It was then that I realized that the truth of the matter is that there are injustices and evils that plague not only the black community, but other minority and inner city communities as well that must be redeemed and must be changed. If you want to talk about lives being lost, let’s talk about poverty. And gang violence. And welfare. And homelessness. And suicide. Not just abortion. There is so much more to the work of our Lord than we can even begin to realize!

Onleilove:
We only saw a glimpse of what Shalom and the Kingdom could look like and though no political party in this American Empire will usher in the Kingdom (in fact empires do the exact opposite), what we experienced on election night encouraged our spirits and gave us hope that "another world is possible". What would it look like if Union Theological Seminary and Columbia University students got to know their neighbors in Harlem’s housing projects? What would it look like to be truly inclusive in our prayer circles? What would it look like to rejoice with those who are rejoicing? What could the Kingdom look like if we truly wanted God’s will to be done on earth everyday as it is in Heaven? This is not up to the Obama or any other political leader, but it is up to us. Let’s move from excitement and celebration to an organized movement in our communities, seminaries, churches and society.

A Poem by Jamie Finch
Where does our first allegiance lie?
Where is our true citizenship?
We are not Americans before we are the Beloved of God, the Bride of Christ.
I am not a republican or a democrat, a liberal or a conservative.
I am a child of Something More!
An adopted and beloved daughter of the Almighty Yahweh!
That is Who I answer to and that is where my first allegiance lays.
And as others who have been claimed by the very same blood of Christ, the same goes for entire body of His church, whether they have the same skin color as us or even speak our language!
We are a global citizenship, not a white American one.
We have been called to something higher than any allegiance to any specific man, party, or even NATION.
We are citizens of a coming Kingdom and we have been called to bring it here!
That Kingdom is one of the principles of Jesus, NOT the politics of empire, and the King of that Kingdom COMMANDS us to love…
So what shall we do with it?

My heart is heavy, but my spirit is hopeful.
I saw a glimpse of His Kingdom last night.
And I pray that the actions and attitudes of the Church that I so dearly love becomes those of unity, peace, and love, instead of hatred and division, as we continue to seek to bring that healing and restorative Kingdom, that redemptive eternal World to this temporal one.
Unless we start acting like true citizens of Heaven, we cannot bring Heaven here.
I love you, Church.
I am thankful for you, brothers and sisters.

Reverend Michael A. Walrond Jr. of First Corinthian Baptist Church in Harlem Sunday November 9th :
"We saw what could happen when we voted together now imagine what would happen if we worshiped together!"

This blog is dedicated to the memory of Professor of Hebrew and Greek: Dr. Wyn Wright of Union Theological Seminary who passed away in 2007. She is in our "Great Cloud of Witnesses".

Jamie Finch is a writer that lives in Brooklyn, New York. She is passionate about setting captives free and is currently involved in developing a non-profit called Nomi Network that is committed to eradicating human trafficking. More than anything, she desires to seek the Kingdom and bring the Kingdom into the places where it is the hardest to imagine.

Onleilove Alston is a former Beatitudes Society Fellow at Sojourners and a current student at Union Theological Seminary and Columbia University School of Social Work. She serves on the Servant Leadership Team of NY Faith & Justice and organizes with The Poverty Initiative.

Onleilove and Jamie met at a New York Faith & Justice House Gathering hosted by Radical Living in Brooklyn, NY. They hope to stir up more holy mischief and share more awesome prayer times together!