Greetings Y'all: As Bill, Sunny, and I met to consider our focus for this Sunday’s *Path Forward Conversation*, we found ourselves returning to H. Richard Niebuhr’s *The Church as Social Pioneer*. Bill reminded us that many of the networks we engage with are responding to some form of *innocent suffering*—a powerful throughline in our shared work.

From that conversation, a compelling idea emerged:

Transformation often begins in response to innocent suffering. In my (admittedly not-so-humble) view, the church—at its best—is about the transformation of human beings who live on behalf of all people in our global village. Of course, transformation arises from many sources. I love beautiful sunsets—but in all my years, not one has launched me into a transformative journey. Beauty moves me, yes. But suffering calls me. Then Friday, I found myself—surprisingly—copying and pasting a David Brooks column. His piece *“What’s Happening Is Not Normal”* closes with these words: A civic uprising has to have a short-term vision and a long-term vision. *Short term:* Stop Trump. Foil his efforts. Pile on the lawsuits. Turn some of his followers against him. *Long term:* A fairer society... We can’t go back to the status quo that prevailed when Trump first rode down the escalator. I’m really not a movement guy... But this is what America needs right now. Trump is shackling the greatest institutions in American life. We have nothing to lose but our chains. Like Brooks, I don’t naturally gravitate toward movements. But I keep showing up for these *Path Forward* conversations because of the courage, clarity, and companionship they offer. They remind me I’m not alone. They embolden me. *We’d love to hear from you:* What actions are you taking in these not-normal times? How are you doing—spiritually, emotionally, practically? We’ll gather again this Sunday via Zoom. No prior participation is necessary. All are welcome. *📅 Sunday, May 11* 🕐 1:30 PM Pacific 🕑 2:30 PM Mountain 🕒 3:30 PM Central 🕓 4:30 PM Eastern 🔗 Join the Zoom Meeting <https://email.reply.donbushman.com/c/eJxsU0uTqjwU_DVhd6dCwstFFjqI18fcK-XbDRWSIBFImBDwG3_9V-qsbs023ZU-p7sPyyQnafyJK_X3GLVFd4rdrZfGW4cTgV1MRw7XDZWKGNHWX29cq7zvyoaqN6abbyzTNyVMV8o2s1-tILVm1Er9eueOIG7ohT6KEPYd0VBZZ43oOnoRD3FraZCevPvyvqJ6vrjgD2q-Wc_PtC2FcYQapNGqEcqS1mjes4eAUxLIYYAhjYK8gL6Lc4gQRyIv_FGEvAAWjiQIIh_6bgQhhth_8_DI88PAKzguUCEg8OCPu9WktLbtAB4DlACU1FJV_3AASp6T_rKGskqqC0BJQEPKIgxZJABOmFaWMjvnAMfXVLLZVYbVcM1Nkf-B2yEAKGhvD7CLj_vzoR_gJaQ1327aVEzlbbwbTz5Gv09vLkCBbhTAcTRyR34UIT8KnJplL6ekssIoWpMdSjo-21dHdzSm19XJTXWen9eWJmU95pMiPL5PDuMY3y6f9whN33e2-juE54pdT2vZ9vuvzar2AUqm-r8B1ur3OvQ__qSb-O5Gt-E8TZONXQ67Q8eFJ9_LcRVygCZh-PBnz9JpFywP86jZ83l75IHbR119X6_XV4b7HT77AE3afbwpVk36OX_ns_1SLS4Ax06tn0Xs77S2q_64nTWLsNx0i1veOo2wpeaEttJpjR4kF4bUgnKmlRLMauMYoq3VnHLgwcvDj2d-ne4NE-QVkOyGXzdtKmEcS4TNXq2yj6pmP6pawnST_XgZA0H_BwAA___0XxZc> 📄 Download Bill’s Narrative & Supporting Documents <https://email.reply.donbushman.com/c/eJxsks1yujwYxa8GdnUgAbGLLFSkrx__KuO3GyYkAVJDQpOA1at_B-2yu8xzMjk55_mRjFOUxt_wKtenUVOYc-zvgjTeuRQx6EP87lJVYy6RZo24D6iSeWuqGssBUfWvlqmbZNpUvMnsvWFIKIItV685dRnyoyAKwQjA0GU15iKrmTG4ZL25tXiYnoPH8rHCar4o4T-sf289H1O2YtplsuNayZpJixqtaEt6A7dCkIU0AgyEXgBCltM8CFkBcUggpN6Q5C5HwAOhF_ojz4MeDAcBfA_CaBgUFBagYJ4TeH9mE6iytjEOHDsgcUBCFTGDUqlSsF5_Tdr-R_3RAYnfseHb8bAr4kJ_Lq-bHba39Z2Y-DHJf2Lv3oguXZfGykqXDkgY5daBSWsaB8amwprL0hUke2Xn0jItsUB7kBj6cbie_Pcx_lqd_VTl-WVjcVKJMZ0U0Wk6OY5jeCu_HyMwm-7tdd1Flyv5Om940x7u25UIHZDM1E_nCfnfJgr_fabb-OGPbt1lliZbu-z2R0NZwKfV-BpRB0yiqE98IOnMDJfH-ag-0HlzokO_HRnx2Gw2XwS2e3gJHTBpDvG2WNXp93xKPw5LuSgdGLtCPdFqH1jYVXvafdSLqNqaxS1v3JrZSlGEG-42WnWcMo0Ew5QoKRmxSrsaKWsVxdQJvLLv47kRo1pNGHoW9MZN93ZT-sq0axGz2YsT28OX_elqEVF19ifrHQL_BwAA__-tjgsz> Warmly, *For the Path Forward Triad,* Bill Parker, Sunny Walker, Don Bushman ------------------------------ *P.S.* In Bill’s conversations with 70+ network leaders, these questions kept surfacing: - Where do I even begin to ease the suffering I see around me? - Who else is working on this—and how can we support, not duplicate? - What breakthroughs are happening in other towns, clinics, schools, or congregations? - Where do my skills best match the needs? - Where is energy already building—and how can we support it? - Where are the deepest gaps in care, dignity, or inclusion? - How do I find my team—those committed to what I’m committed to? - Why is it still so hard to talk across differences? - What’s keeping our good work from adding up to more? - Is anyone weaving the pieces together? We invite you to bring the questions *you* are hearing—and share what’s stirring in your corner of the world. Don Bushman 828-292-9696