The pies that bind

This year’s Madison County KFTC pie auction on March 14 was an amazing success that brought together the community and built up grassroots energy. People came out, baked pies, ate pies and joined each other in fellowship.

I was home sick, but got to join the event through KFTC’s livestream.

During the event, the inimitable Kent Gilbert, pastor of Berea’s Union Church, used his auctioneering skills to great effect. At one point, he discussed his personal reasons for working with Kentuckians for the Commonwealth and his experiences as a member. Gilbert is an extremely active member of the community. Besides tending to his congregation in Madison County, Gilbert is frequently spotted in Frankfort, advocating for a diverse range of causes and tirelessly giving of himself to the pressing issues of the day.

The most uplifting moment of the auction for me was when Gilbert mentioned the support he felt from Kentuckians For The Commonwealth. He noted that while he was found in many places, he wanted to be in so many other places. He could do many things, but he could not do everything. For those places he could not be and those things he could not do, KFTC was there. In this way, the membership supports each other, advancing the causes and interests that promote a just and beloved community of people.

For me, watching the auction from a sick bed, his words were especially relevant. In a vain way, the livestream allowed me to feel a sense of personal participation in the event. However, it offered me more than that. I watched as friends, family and acquaintances brandished pies at each other. They discussed personal matters. I overheard idle talk of pies and parties, and they talked of politics and the latest developments in Frankfort as the 2019 Kentucky general assembly ends.

It made me feel a certain sense of pride. As a member of KFTC, I was part of something larger than myself. I had been put out of commission, but my peers were still there. Of all the things I wanted to do, but could not, my fellow members were enthusiastically ready to engage. I could not attend the pie auction, but it could succeed without me because of the work of my fellow KFTC community.

Once I emerge from my sick bed, I am ready to approach the work ahead of us with a renewed, refreshed perspective. There are strong connections between seemingly unconnected issues because of the people who are affected and the people working on these issues. From energy workshops in Bowling Green, healthcare rallies in Lexington, Pride festivals, actions in Frankfort and pie auctions in little basements in Berea, we are all working for a better, just world for us all to live in. Now when I march, I do so knowing there are many who are with me. While we may walk in different places, our goals and desires are united.