Reporter’s Notebook: Social Justice Retreat
Last weekend at Spring Heights, Fred and Scarlett Kellerman (pictured below) talked about Wellspring of Greenbrier, Inc. Their presentation was part of the Spiritual G
rowth Retreat series based on the book Streams of Living Water by Richard Foster.
Fred and Scarlett’s ministry was the springboard for discussion around what Foster calls ‘the social justice stream’. Foster writes about ’six streams’ of spirituality in the Christian faith. Retreats at Spring Heights over the past two years have focused on the contemplative, charismatic, and holiness streams outlined in his book.
Fred and Scarlett Kellerman
The Kellermans presented three scenarios to the group for discussion. It was interesting to see how the group went from judging folks in these scenarios harshly to a more broad understanding of what the poor face, and how we as a society bear some responsibility for them.
They drew heavily on their own experience and on the Social Principles of the United Methodist Church.
The story of a family of two grandparents raising a 16 year old grand child on their own touched me the most. As we heard about what these folks looked like ‘on paper’, we judged a bit quickly – suggesting the family should sell their car and cut cable/Internet out of their monthly budget.
As we heard more of their story, they became more than numbers on a piece of paper. Balancing compassion with accountability is a tough assignment, and it’s an issue we’ll explore more completely in the next issue of the West Virginia United Methodist.
