Former Boulder pastor launches Make It Light

He left his position at UCC in 2022. (Photo by Szabo Viktor from Unsplash)

Pedro Silva, a former pastor at Boulder's First Congregational UCC, is taking action to inspire positive change by launching the 'Make It Light' challenge.

Through the challenge, he aims to encourage individuals to take small steps toward making a big impact in their communities and the world.

Matthew 11:30

Silva wrote a song for his church's youth four years ago, inspired by the verse "For my yoke is light; my burden, easy" from Matthew 11:30.

Now, he hopes the verse will inspire people to notice and pursue positive change in the world beyond the church.

According to Boulder Beat, as a pastor, Silva was known for his anti-racism activism and involvement in a homeless memorial event in Boulder.

He left his position at UCC in 2022.

Now, Silva works as an engagement director at a nonprofit organization YOUnify, which aims to decrease societal divisions and solve current issues.

He believes that by reaching out to people who may not be involved in religious institutions, he can make a bigger impact on social change.

Silva's work is still based on faith, particularly the teachings of Jesus in Matthew 11, which emphasize the importance of joyfully doing difficult things to improve the world and finding comfort.

His goal is to make the heavy burdens of life feel lighter by being present and facing difficult and dark aspects of life head-on rather than turning away.

He believes that this approach is not just for religious people.

But, it also applies to issues like homelessness and substance abuse, where society should actively work to find solutions rather than avoid them.

He sees that issues such as childhood trauma, broken healthcare, and housing systems, and mental health crises are examples of people bearing the sins of the world.

With this, he argues that if more people take action, they wouldn't have to bear it alone.

Make It Light

The Make It Light challenge is a collection of short videos that showcase people using their creativity to make the world a better place through vulnerability, relationships, depth, and a sense of wonder.

Silva features different people in the videos, such as Patrick Durkin, who wrote a book about his journey with meth addiction.

There's also a video featuring Sam Sokol, who created a tabletop game that promotes authentic relating.

Silva draws inspiration from all over the country but often features local people, such as Jeff Campbell of Emancipation Theater Co. in Denver.

Meanwhile, an upcoming video will highlight the work of YWCA Boulder County on ending racism and empowering women.

People who want to view Make It Light videos can do so on Instagram, Facebook Watch, YouTube, Twitter, and Silva's website.

Additionally, individuals can create their videos and use the hashtag #makeitlight. The song that influenced Silva can also be found, and he suggests starting at the 2:22 mark.

Silva hopes that the challenge will inspire others to notice and share the good things happening in the world. He also encourages people to change their perspective and see what they may have been afraid to look at.