Years ago, I had a supervisor who periodically had to remind me that I wasn’t indispensable. As she put it, Ain’t no one monkey run this show, ain’t no one monkey make it go….
Her expression stuck with me, and I’m often reminded of it in movement work when people appear to have appointed themselves as the sole hub around which our wheel should turn. For whatever reason, they expect to be consulted in advance of any utterance or action, so they can give their blessing—or veto. Perhaps you’ve seen this in operation in your congregation, annual conference, or coalitions.
But vibrant movements don’t work that way. The success of our movement depends on a variety of people taking a variety of actions. Our success depends on
- some people working inside the system and some knocking loudly on the door from outside,
- some working behind the scenes and some stepping boldly out front,
- some making quiet witness and some making noisy proclamations.
In the end, our success depends on engaging clergy and laity, LGBT and non-LGBT, young and old, those with wealth and those with limited means, accountants and dancers and parents and healers—all of us, in our own ways, to do what we can in our own settings, based on our own gifts, our own roles, and our own unique opportunities.
What would our movement be like—how might it grow—if we took on the practice of cheering each other on, encouraging each other to discern where we’re called, and supporting each other to fulfill those calls?
That kind of practice would surely empower the movement. And it just might reflect to the world the peace we are all working for.
As for me, I’m grateful that there ain’t no one monkey…
Ann Thompson Cook directs Many Voices, which later this year will launch an online, ecumenical clearinghouse of worship and educational resources for the welcoming movement. Her books on sexual orientation and gender diversity—And God Loves Each One, Dios nos ama por iqual, and Made in God’s Image—are distributed by eight national organizations including RMN.