"Taking it to the Streets"

I love Jesus' parable of the great feast. Those who were originally invited could not come, so servants were sent out to the highways and byways to invite the poor and marginalized. In this way, the house was filled! God is good!!

In my travels on the highways and byways of Michigan, I spend a lot of time listening to what people are saying. Lately, I have begun to hear two themes that are repeated quite often. These themes can be summarized like this:

• With income inequality on the rise, with record numbers of children living in poverty, with many people still unemployed, with voter disenfranchisement (and many more similar illustrations), we are surprised that there are not mass demonstrations in the streets!

• The church has increased greatly in its pastoral role at the expense of its prophetic role. We do a good job of helping to feed, clothe, and shelter, but not as good a job of asking why people are hungry and homeless.

As I reflect, it seems to me that a shared characteristic of these themes is a call for solidarity with those in need and an advocacy on their behalf. Our Biblical heritage is rich with examples of solidarity and advocacy.

The laws of Hebrew Scripture mandated social policy that took care of widows, orphans, and the sojourner. The prophets spoke of economic justice and fairness especially for the marginalized and oppressed. In the Gospels, Jesus invites followers not simply to a life of individual discipleship and personal piety, but to a life of concern for the creation of a just social order - a realm where the ways of this world are reversed and the servants lead, the last are first and the poor are blessed. In Acts of the Apostles, the earliest followers of The Way shared all things in common in their beloved community that praised God and welcomed all.

We may think that the call of the Gospel gives us only two distinct options for each congregation: we can either focus on making the church a sanctuary from the world and all the social ills that confront us each day, or we can focus on reaching out to serve those in need and help create a social order that cares for the least of our brothers and sisters.

I am hopeful that in 2014, our churches can continue in conversation about being both a sanctuary for individuals who have been bruised along the pathways of life, as well as a community of people in action with, and on behalf of, those who don't have a voice among the principalities and powers. It will be easy for us to be derailed by concerns for the health of our own congregation; the challenge will be to continually listen for that stillspeaking God who calls us beyond our own selves and our own needs.

We have a unique mission as the United Church of Christ: to be deployed along the highways and byways of our communities in a special way of providing extravagant welcome and changing lives. Won't you join me in exploring how we might both call attention to the injustices that are daily perpetrated against the powerless, and work together to create a mission of empathy, engagement, and action? 

With you on the journey,

Campbell Lovett

Did you know that a group of lay folks from the Church of the Good Shepherd, UCC, in Ann Arbor presented a resolution at the Conference Annual Meeting this past October about Racial Justice in the American Criminal Justice system?  And, did you know the Conference delegates adopted the resolution almost unanimously (over 300 votes!), and the Conference is planning on taking the Proclaim Release Resolution to the General Synod in 2015?  

WE READ A BOOK:  Good Shepherd lay folks got started by reading, The New Jim Crow:  Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness, by Michelle Alexander.  Racism did not end with the Civil Rights Movement.  Ms. Alexander describes how Racism infects our Criminal Justice System, and that infection continues to spread everywhere.  ... Our hearts opened....

START A MOVEMENT OF CARING:  Ms. Alexander tells us -- lay people and clergy alike -- we need a movement of caring in order to "care for the least" of God's children.  That is what Jesus has called all of us to do.

LET'S PLAN THE NEXT STEPS:  The Michigan Conference's Prophetic Integrity Mission Area Team (PIMAT) has the task of rolling out a movement of caring envisioned in the Proclaim Release resolution.  On behalf of PIMAT, the Resolution group from Good Shepherd is hosting a next-step meeting for you and your pastors! Please join us on Saturday, January 25, 2014, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Church of The Good Shepherd -  2145 Independence , Ann Arbor 48104.  We provide lunch and a place for you to speak and to listen.  A place for you to Start -- wherever you are.

WE HAVE JESUS TO FOLLOW:  And, we can be/we are a movement of caring to help all of us along.    

Thank You, God,
For The Church of the Good Shepherd, UCC, Proclaim-Release group, by Walt Kemnitz, Jr.

Sign-up on-line:  http://tinyurl.com/proclaimresolution 

Recent record low temperatures in the Midwest have reminded everyone what bitter cold feels like.  During the coldest days, many Midwesterners were able to stay in their warm homes, perhaps putting on an extra sweater or piling on warm blankets. 

For many people in the U.S. and around the world, struggling against the bitter cold is a daily challenge.  Homeless persons in the U.S. seek shelter and warmth all winter.  Around the world, disasters force people from their warm homes, sending them to shelters and refugee camps. 

CWS is there.

The CWS Blankets+ program provides warmth, hope, and care during cold and trying times.  A gift of just $10 provides a sturdy, comforting blanket to children, men and women who are struggling against the cold.

This Valentine's Day is a perfect time to give thanks for the warmth in our homes, our churches, and our hearts by providing CWS blankets to those in need.  Please request materials for a Blankets+ offering by calling (888) 297-2767 or visiting www.cwsglobal.org/blankets 

Sexual abuse is hard to talk about in a loving, trusting faith community. We want to believe that it "can't happen here." Unfortunately, child molesters exploit this trusting atmosphere to take advantage of unsuspecting parents and vulnerable children.

Prevention is the key, and it starts with awareness and training. So, in Spring 2014, the Insurance Board is working on a program to deliver Boundary Training in Michigan for any clergy or volunteer leader who desires to participate in it. READ MORE

As plans are put in place, more information will be available. Please stay tuned!