Yesterday, a gaggle of Saint Annians braved the negative wind chill temperatures to head over to the Westminster Town Forum in Minneapolis, to hear the Rt. Rev. Marianne Edgar Budde speak. You may remember that Bishop Budde is the current Bishop of Washington, D.C. who received high praise from some, and death threats from others, when she offered the homily at the January 2025 Interfaith Prayer Service following the presidential inauguration. Bishop Budde has also written several books, the most recent being How We Learn to Be Brave.

Bishop Budde’s talk was titled Courage Is Contagious, and offered a glimpse into how she navigates some of the difficult moments in her own life. She reminded us that courage isn’t the absence of fear, but the decision to move forward anyway. And that our small acts of boldness, from speaking truth to standing with the vulnerable, create ripples far beyond what we can see

So what helps us choose courage? For Bishop Budde, it begins with choosing hope. Each day invites us to decide whether we will carry hope into the world or surrender to cynicism and despair. Hope, she said, is an act of defiance that requires faith, practice, and community. When we dare to hope, we become more courageous, and when we are more courageous, we help others find their courage too. We can't all do it every day. But maybe we can swap days when we need to. It matters. Because one brave heart can change many. And many brave hearts can - and will - change the world.

If you'd like to hear Bishop Budde's talk, you can watch the video right here. Don't skip Ann Reed, the opening musician. Her songs of hope and courage brought the house down!

My prayer for you this week is to be bearers of hope and courage where and when you can. And in those moments you just can't - look around. Maybe it's a Swap Day and someone else is holding hope and courage for you. 

Blessings,
Jennifer