Sister Mary Ellen Plumb, OSB, was the featured speaker at the annual Ecumenical Worship Service sponsored by Inter-Church Ministries of Erie County in support of Christian Unity Week 2012. Participants from various Christian traditions gathered at the First Presbyterian Church of Harborcreek to sing and pray for Christian Unity by celebrating the theme: “We Will All Be Changed by the Victory of Jesus Christ . . .” (cf.1 Cor. 15: 51-58).

Sister Mary Ellen developed the concept of change as transformation. She highlighted past and present individuals and groups who have witnessed to the faith and courage necessary to transform the world and explained, “There are many individuals who have gone before us or who live among us even now with the talent for listening to the Spirit, the signs of the times, the wisdom of others as well as their own soul and allowing this listening to lead them directly into the heart of God and all God might be asking in any given moment of time.”

By sharing stories of people whose efforts have been transformative, Sister Mary Ellen hoped to inspire all present to recognize their own passion to be a transforming presence in their Church and their world. Her closing remarks captured this well:

“Transformation takes the voice of a prophet and a sage – it takes the voice of one individual and many individuals – it takes the voice of anyone who has the strength and courage and conviction to speak . . . . Is this your voice?

It takes a voice that is steady and sure, even when it is tired; a voice that speaks the truth with conviction, never measuring the cost to reputation or security.

It takes a voice that is filled with passion as much as it is with compassion; with wisdom as much as it is with questions – those deep and resounding questions that take you to the cliff of truth and give you the courage to step over.

It takes a voice that quivers with the indignity of another’s oppression; and will do so until every child is safe, every individual has found their own power, every soul has been lifted from under the yoke of oppression, every broken spirit knows how to quiet their own pain and find joy and no one, anywhere, is ever afraid again.

Is this your voice?

Your voice matters – your voice may be the one voice still needed to transform the world.”