retreat mission

Convening Statement

“Just Elders”

We envision a national, multi-racial, multi-cultural, faith and value-based movement of seniors (age 50 and above) who are alarmed at the conditions and directions of the United States as evidenced in the recent presidential election and who want to be in community with each other while resisting dangerous political realities and working for a more just society. We invite to the table those who bring wisdom and experience in congregation-based organizing from any of the organizing networks. We want to explore new methodologies of organizing that will combine relational face-to-face organizing with tools of emerging technologies. We will share our stories and reflections, encourage each other in our current engagements in organizing, and consider possible collective actions at the national level. To this end, we will convene a gathering of 30-50 participants in the spring of 2017 to shape our vision and to discern whether/how to proceed together.

“Do not go gentle into that good night
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.”
Dylan Thomas

Conveners: Rev. Don Burton, Rev. Susan Engh, Gregory Galluzzo, Mary Gonzales, Rev. Dennis Jacobsen, Rev. Bruce McKay, Rev. Charles Mock, Rev. Keith Olstad, Dr. Ann Smith