Greetings WIN community,
"Be the change you wish to see in the world."
- Mahatma Gandhi
In my first Sunday message last week, I shared that the Wyoming Interfaith Network (WIN) is engaged in organizational and transformational change. In October 2017, the Wyoming Association of Churches voted to become interfaith and changed its name to the Wyoming Interfaith Network. This change seems to exemplify Gandhi's famous quote, "Be the change you wish to see in the world." Indeed, as explained on the WIN website, the mission of WIN is to:
foster and to promote spiritual growth, stewardship of the land and social justice. We began in 1976 as the Wyoming Church Coalition replacing the Wyoming Church Council that had formed in the 1960's. In 2017, we changed the name to the Wyoming Interfaith Network and the by-laws amended to broaden membership.Membership is based on a commitment to come together with others, putting aside our differences, to advance our mission." (WIN website home page, 2017).
The vision of WIN is articulated by former Executive Director, Chesie Lee, as well as outgoing chair of the WIN Board of Directors, Carl Carmichael and newly elected chair, Rabbi Larry Moldo, on the home page of the WIN website, in which they each share their views on the change from Wyoming Association of Churches to the Wyoming Interfaith Network. In their own words, they seem to articulate that their shared vision is for WIN to be the change they collectively wish to see in the world.
As the new Executive Director of WIN, I am filled with gratitude and enthusiasm to be a part of leading this change, collectively and collaboratively. I am looking forward to opening my toolbox to offer various models of change to help us move together from vision to action, and doing so in a socially just and inclusive manner, so that we may all be the change we wish to see in the world.
In the next few weeks and months, I will be reaching out to you to invite your voice toward implementing the WIN vision of working together for justice, and to talk about the various opportunities to be involved with WIN.
If you would like to connect with me sooner, I would be delighted to hear from you.
Fear not. Be bold. Build bridges. Do justice.
In Peace and Gratitude,
Susie Markus
Please support our working together for justice at www.wyointerfaith.org/donate.