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On Sunday, October 23rd, a crowd gathered inside the Eau Claire Children’s to celebrate JONAH’s 9th Annual Celebration: The Welcome Table. This crowd was composed not of strangers but of neighbors who share a common belief in the importance of the work JONAH is doing. The event featured important figures in JONAH and WISDOM including Rev. Willie E. Brisco, President of WISDOM; David Liners, Director of WISDOM; Sharon Stedman, wife of the late John Stedman; and Sarah Ferber, new Organizer for a local chapter of EXPO. Throughout the night’s speeches, a single idea was returned to again and again, the same idea that inspired the event’s name: that tremendous value lies in our community, and that we have an obligation to welcome others to our table.
The event kicked off with the Silent Auction which featured a wide range of items including artwork, plants, wine, gift baskets, and more. A duet performed acoustic renditions of songs such as Imagine by John Lennon, and of course, there were more than enough refreshments for all to enjoy.
Prior to the keynote speech, we heard from Sarah Ferber, our Chippewa Valley EXPO Leader-Elect, whose life was very different just two short years ago. After meeting John Stedman, she became involved with JONAH and EXPO, which replaced her user community. Through her involvement, Sarah’s goal is “to raise up twice as many people as I brought down when I was using.” One of the people she has brought up is Stacy Acuna.
Stacy joined EXPO because she wanted to do something positive with her experience rather than continue using. She introduces others to JONAH and EXPO and encourages them to get involved. She speaks with UW-Eau Claire Honors students who help with grant writing in support of EXPO. Recently, she has been working hard on bringing “Milwaukee 53206: A Community Serves Time” to the Eau Claire area. The documentary will be screened on Monday, November 14.
The keynote speech of the evening was delivered by the fiery Reverend Willie Brisco, Community Organizer, Pastor, and the current President of WISDOM. Rev. Brisco, who describes himself as unapologetically Christian, made it clear that the words he spoke came from his soul. Rev. Brisco’s message was one of love, calling for us to open our arms to others, despite differences in religion, social class, or skin color. In the past, the table was a place for welcoming, a place to dine and to spiritually engage others. “We’ve forgotten the Welcome Table,” Brisco said; we’ve forgotten that “each and every one of us is a child of God.”
How did we forget about the Welcome Table? Why are we so hesitant to welcome others into our homes and hearts? Perhaps it has something to do with the modern conception of the person as an individual that is independent, self-sustaining. Rev. Brisco reminded us that there is “no such thing as a ‘self-made man,’” that who we become is influenced by the people and things that surround us. No one achieves anything alone; we all depend on the land to nurture us, the sun to warm us, and our friends and family to love and support us. 
Humans beings are interdependent. Perhaps we would be more inclined to treat others—and the environment—with more respect if we kept this truth in mind.
Exodus 22:21 states: “You must not mistreat or oppress foreigners in any way. Remember, you yourselves were once foreigners in the land of Egypt.” Rev. Brisco recalled migrating from Mississippi to Detroit during the early 60s and the culture shock he experienced. As he grew older, he realized his family had moved so that his mother could find a decent job. As he learned about the history of this country, he began to feel hatred and resentment for white people, but his mother and grandmother told him that, “If [that] is your heart, you will become an oppressor.” Brisco developed an understanding that people are, before all else, children of God. The concept of “race,” he noted, is a misnomer that refers merely to skin pigmentation. We all belong to the human race, and we mustn’t allow secondary qualities such as skin color to be used to create division.
Rev. Brisco’s message of love is especially poignant in the current political climate. The fear that is being propagated, the lies and the backstabbing made it evident to Brisco that “politicians were never supposed to be our mentors” or to lead us out of this. He warns us not to be tricked into hate, into picking a side, into allowing fear to convince us that we’re better than others; this won’t lead to justice. The conflicts won’t end when the last insurgents are dead. Instead, what is needed and what Brisco calls us to become is an “army of love,” radiating God’s mercy and righteousness. “You can’t bomb someone into loving you,” Brisco remarked.
Rev. Brisco concluded by voicing a great hope that things will someday be different – at the very least, different in our hearts, which is where all change must start. All of humanity is at our welcome table; it is up to us to make sure no one feels left out.
Before leaving the stage, Rev. Brisco paid tribute to the late John Stedman, former Organizer of JONAH, reading aloud from 2 Kings 2:9: “When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, ‘Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?’ ‘Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,’ Elisha replied.” Brisco expressed his faith that John’s spirit will live on in each of us. The night closed with a sea of glowing candles as we all rose to join in singing This Little Light of Mine.
