CONGREGATION + COMMUNITY NEWS
PEOPLES PRESS
Joyfully Defiant for the Sake of a Just World
a congregation of the United Church of Christ, the Alliance of Baptists & the American Baptist Churches
INTERIM’S INSIGHTS
“A year ago, you were not only the first to act, but you did so willingly. Finish that work, so that your eagerness to begin can be matched by your eagerness to finish, according to your means. For so long as your heart is willing, it’s what you have that is acceptable, not what you don’t have.” (II Corinthians 8:10b-12, The Inclusive Bible)
The thing that prompted Paul to think about the nature of giving and of generosity was a special offering (many think it was an offering for the Jerusalem church) that was being collected. He marveled at the spontaneous generosity that came from those in his congregations in Macedonia. He tells the Corinthian Church(es?) that they should remember how eagerly they embraced the cause at the beginning and recover that same eagerness for the end of their fundraising.
It makes me think of the hard work you all have done in making some tough decisions. It is never easy for congregations to make dramatic changes in their identity, which includes a well-known facility, and strike out into an unknown future. That is exactly what you have done. It is hard to take positions on issues of justice and inclusion, which run counter to conventional wisdom. That is what you have done. It is hard to commit to minster in communities where the needs and challenges are many. That is what you have done. You have embraced all of this eagerly, just as the Corinthians had done at the beginning of the capital campaign that Paul spearheaded. We might say they came up with a leadership gift.
But Paul then asks them to sustain their eagerness to be generous. He pushes them to remember the work that they have committed to and the people who will be blessed by their generosity. And then he says something that I think is very profound. “as long as your heart is willing, it’s what you have that is acceptable, not what you don’t have.”
Too often we are caught up in dwelling upon what we don’t have. The people we see on social media and on TV and in movies all seem to lead lives without care and without worry about money or daily needs. We never see them shop for groceries or putting gas in their vehicles. Paul tells his listeners that they should think about what they have, not what they don’t have.
While our pledge campaign is technically over, we are still faced with the task of planning for and implementing our ministry in the next calendar year. And frankly, we have come up a little short of our hopes and expectations for what we want to do. So I (and your elected leaders) want you to think more boldly, more generously, more eagerly about our work, and how you might support it. Think about what you have, not what you don’t have.
We are asking everyone to chip in a one-time gift to help us reach our budget needs for next year. An envelope will be coming to your household in the mail in the next week or so. I hope you will embrace the appeal with an eagerness of spirit and a willing heart! Amen.
Pastor Davis Sickelka, Interim Pastor
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Painting The Storm on the Sea of Galilee by Rembrandt vav Rijn, 1633
my boat so small
Every assignment to fill this space with words fills me with a sense of how very small my boat is in this work. Possibly, under the clouds, storms, earthquakes and fires around us, many of you feel like the disciples in Rembrandt’s boat scene. Even our skipper is napping at the helm! Nothing seems right. A beautiful orange sunset over Lake Michigan might be nothing but the smoke from Western fires. The painting is not all about darkness, dread and destruction. Jesus with the hope he offers is very much present even in the darkness and practically out of sight.
In the painting the darkness is the quiet, peaceful and still part of the picture. The men who are in the light are running themselves ragged trying to survive, to win and overcome the odds. Trying to engage the challenges of supporting Environmental Justice can leave us basking in the light of feeling we are doing the right thing and fighting for the right cause but running ourselves worn and tired at the end of the day.
Perhaps the tiredness is more of our own making than the fault of the world we are working so hard to change. It seems that in the darkness of the boat’s stern Jesus wasn’t paying much attention to the storm. We have this picture and this Gospel story not to encourage us to hope for extraordinary miracles but to guide us to a place within us that is calm and focused. The disciples probably got to shore quite excited about their miraculous journey and also missing the point of the whole adventure. It wasn’t the wind that Jesus worked to reorient. He was more interested in reorienting the inner compasses of his companions – moving the needle from fear to faith.
My boat becomes larger for me by finding the things I can realistically do. Our work as Environmental Stewards begins in our own backyards. In the overwhelming sea of possibilities we can use some help to find our way. The purpose of these articles is to offer you some resources to guide us along. I have found Homepage - Story of Stuff to be place that has been worth many return trips for education and encouragement. Maybe you will too. For starters, check out this easy and informative quiz. Changemaker Personality Quiz — Story of Plastic Edition | Story of Stuff
Kendall Brown, for The Creation/Justice Team
GOOD THINGS are HAPPENING in and
AROUND US
Please Remember!!!!!
The deadline for returning your wrapped gifts for Voices for Children is this Sunday, December 4th. Make sure the child's number is on the outside of the bag your gifts are in (and NOT their name).
Thank you, Laura Eufinger
UPCOMING AFFILIATE ACTIVITIES
Both the American Baptist Church and the United Church of Christ remember their retired clergy with special offerings in December. The American Baptists collect on Dec. 1 (and include missionaries among those for whom assistance is sought), and the United Church of Christ recommends an offering date of December 18 for their “Christmas Fund” or “Veterans of the Cross” special offering. Many retired clergy began their ministries in the days when salaries were low and benefits were meager. These offerings help retired clergy and clergy with low incomes to make ends meet, especially important during the holidays. Please consider sharing something to help make life easier for those who have served faithfully in the church.
Go to ucc.org or abc-usa.org to learn more and to donate.
Knowing your Church’s Past-Bringing Justice: What are the next steps for your church?
December 6th from 7pm-8:30pm EST via Zoom, with Dr. Andrew Gardner
Historian and author of Reimagining Zion, Dr. Andrew Gardner will offer a framework for engaging the work of antiracism in the local church setting. Dr. Gardner will deliver a presentation which will be followed by small group discussions. This will be a time to offer shared wisdom and learnings about where folks have been and where they are headed on this journey. Regardless of where you or your congregation may be on the road of intentional antiracism, everyone is invited to participate in this important conversation! Wisdom is gained by sharing our lived experiences together. To register or for more information, CLICK HERE:
American Baptist Church, Metropolitan Chicago Region
Save the Date: Family Council Meeting
January, 28, 2023
The American Baptist Church and the United Church of Christ have their Biennial Meetings this Summer. The General Synod of the UCC will meet in Indianapolis, IN June 30th through July 4th (delegates are chosen by the Michigan Conference) and the American Baptists have their Biennial Mission Summit in San Juan, Puerto Rico June 23rd through the 25th (Each church gets 2 delegates). Visitors are welcome at both meetings. People who attend these meetings typically report that the spiritual lift they get is amazing! If you would like to attend either (or both?!?!?!) of these meetings, please contact Pastor Dave for more details.
JOIN THE THURSDAY NIGHT BOOK GROUP
IN THE CONGREGATION
Links are on the church calendar. Need more info? Just ask!
Adult Forum, 9:30 am Sundays, is presently in-between books. We will be reading various works of poetry until our next book has been chosen. Join us either in person at church or via Zoom .
Vigil for Racial Justice is still gathering 1-2 pm Thursdays on the Genesee Courthouse lawn.
New Text Alert System. We have shifted to a new text messaging service. If you're in our church directory, you're all set. If you're not, go here to sign up!