Rev. Erica Lea is a graduate of San Jacinto College, Texas A&M and Truett Theological Seminary. She has served congregations in Wyoming, Texas (including Houston Mennonite Church) and North Carolina. She is currently serving her final year as Pastor in Residence at Calvary Baptist Church in Washington, D.C. When not at church or serving the community, Erica enjoys cooking, walking, movies, traveling, and time with her sweetheart. Connect with Erica online: Twitter @RevEricaLea; revericalea.org.

It’s a beautiful day in this neighborhood,
A beautiful day for a neighbor,
Would you be mine?
Could you be mine?

It’s a neighborly day in this beautywood,
A neighborly day for a beauty,
Would you be mine?
Could you be mine?

I have always wanted to have a neighbor just like you,
I’ve always wanted to live in a neighborhood with you.

So let’s make the most of this beautiful day,
Since we’re together, we might as well say,
Would you be mine?
Could you be mine?
Won’t you be my neighbor?

This enchanting song with flowing rhythms and inviting lyrics came across television screens for over 30 years at the beginning of each episode of Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood, much to the delight of children and adults alike.

In his day-to-day interactions in the fictional neighborhood, with the aid of puppets, props, and people in his community such as Chef Brockett, Mr. McFeely the postal worker, and diverse children, Mr. Rogers mirrored the essence of neighborliness. He respected everyone he encountered, expressed his genuine care in tangible ways and made space for diversity.

I long for a leader in 2017 who respects everyone they encounter, expresses genuine care and makes space for diversity.

It has been several weeks since the American President declared intentions for the United States to withdraw from the Paris Agreement, a major global effort to address climate change. Nothing feels more antithetical to Fred Rogers’ life work and idealized neighborhood than the current state of affairs of misguided isolationist executive branch decisions and the escalation of hate crimes.

Nothing feels more antithetical to the Gospel of Jesus Christ than the Church’s half-hearted engagement in resisting institutional and daily violence. Now is the time for something more than neighborliness that will share a cup of sugar and compliment Christmas lights, but refuses to respond to harassment as an active bystander. Now is the time for a more radical and expansive neighborliness.

The Gospel parable of the Good Samaritan challenges us to consider the question, who is my neighbor? Anyone who has passed kindergarten Sunday School knows the answer to this question: everyone is my neighbor.

But really. Who is my neighbor?

Immigrant families who live in fear of deportation.
Women who dare to assert leadership.
Eric Garner, Alton Sterling, Tamir Rice, Freddie Gray and other unarmed Black men killed by police.
Your favorite aunt or uncle.
LGBTQ people who have Bible verses thrown at them.
Muslim women who may or may not wear a hijab.
White men who struggle to find new definitions of success when capital gain is challenged.
Senior adults who feel forgotten and disrespected.
Oak trees, polar ice caps and bees.

St. Francis of Assisi felt so connected to all of Creation that he named nature with familial titles in his famous poetic prayer, Canticle of the Sun: Brother Sun, Sister Moon, Brother Wind, Sister Water, Brother Fire, and Sister Mother Earth.

Sister and Brother are more familiar titles for people. A higher view of loving one’s human neighbors will also lead to a higher view of loving one’s non-human neighbors. Understanding the interconnectedness of Creation is essential to holding up one’s end of this delicate ecosystem.

It is not enough to feel a personal connection or even to make environmentally responsible decisions a la Doris Janzen Longacre (author of the famous More-with-Less cookbook) on an individual, family or even congregational level. These micro-level environmentally responsible decisions paired with macro-level advocacy on local, national, and global levels will be what makes a difference and potentially saves the planet from more serious suffering.

Like Tylenol or naproxen sodium, the Church’s activation should be present in all parts of the body of society, with heightened focus and attention on the most wounded areas. Creation is a significantly wounded area.

While we can’t seem to act a moment too soon, there are helpful and unhelpful actions that we can take. Sometimes we act in unhelpful ways even with the best of motives.

Between 1845 and 1852, The Great Famine or the Irish Potato Famine killed or displaced about a quarter of Ireland’s population, with many individuals immigrating to the United States. There were a few causes that came together to create this crisis, including problematic tax laws and social structure. The main cause, however, was a disease called potato blight that wiped out the potato crop. It was able to do so because the same genetic strain dominated countrywide potato crops rather than the typical genetic variations in crops.

The answer to our current and impending catastrophic climate change is neither uniformity nor attempting to control Creation. Rather, the answer is living as a good neighbor: with respect, care and room for diversity in both human and non-human parts of Creation.

Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood episodes conclude with this song:

It’s such a good feeling
To know you’re alive.
It’s such a happy feeling;
You’re growing inside.
And when you wake up ready to say:
I think I’ll make a snappy new day.

A snappy new day so that all people and all of Creation are fully alive and growing inside is possible if all hands are on deck.

I am thankful for Mr. Rogers’ teachings and life example of neighborliness. But I am even more thankful for Jesus’ teachings and life examples of loving justice. I look forward to seeing the church continue to blossom like a reinvigorated lotus as we move beyond neighborliness to loving justice.

Now is the time.