On January 23rd, one day only, in more than 1,000 theaters across the country, there will be a special screening of a new documentary based on the message of our Presiding Bishop Michael Curry.
Bishop Curry has become known around the world for giving his passionate 14-minute sermon, titled “The Power of Love,” at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the most watched event in history.
That sermon (along with the bulk of his teaching/writings) focused on the redemptive power of unselfish love, i.e., doing for others while expecting nothing in return. Furthermore, he elaborated that a personal practice of unselfish love has the power to positively transform each of us, those around us, and, by extension, the world.
Bishop Michael Curry inspired the film’s focus as he offers a solution to what ails us: Love, specifically, Unselfish Love. As he writes in his sermon, “When love is the way, the earth will be a sanctuary. When love is the way, we will lay our swords and shields down by the riverside to study war no more. When love is the way, there’s plenty of room for all of God’s children. When love is the way, we actually treat each other, well, like we are actually family.”
Could the answer to society’s problems really be that simple and actually within the grasp of each of us? This film presents what the director observed while traveling across the US in search of the answer to that question. Viewers can decide for themselves and if their answer is “yes”, hopefully be inspired to live more selflessly and become part of the solution.
Why this film, now? Our society is more divided than ever. Many have moved into “tribal” corners, viewing the world from an “us versus them” point of view. This divisiveness creates a laundry list of issues for individuals: loss of sense of community and belonging, mental health problems (anxiety, depression, thoughts on suicide), fear, prejudice, and hatred, to name a few. Tribalism also impacts our collective ability to address big problems like affordable health care, tackling the federal budget deficit, violent crime, etc. As Christians, we should seek to help alleviate these problems. This documentary presents the viewer with the information necessary to determine if living life more selflessly can cause positive change in themselves, those around them, and ultimately, society at large. A secondary purpose of the documentary is to inspire viewers to live more selflessly and help heal our divide.
We are joining with Church of the Resurrection and Rev. Toni to get a group discount (25+ tickets). We’ll reserve seats at one of the Majestic Cinemas in town. The tickets will be under $15. Email Fr. Keith for more information. Venue and Time on January 23rd TBD.
