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
But the expert on the Law, seeking self-justification, pressed Jesus further: “And just who is my neighbor?” (Jesus tells the story of the Good Samaritan) “Which of these three, in your opinion, was the neighbor to the traveler who fell in with the robbers?” The answer came, “The one who showed compassion.” (Luke 10:29, 36, 37, The Inclusive Bible)
The news out of Syria and Turkey keeps getting more dire. At this writing, the number of dead is estimated at around 8,000 people and with the expectations of finding survivors dwindling, it is likely the number will continue to rise as more bodies are recovered. International responses are ramping up, though, and it is heartening to see compassionate responses to this disaster. It is an opportunity for Christians to put their faith into action, as it is for people of all faiths and of no faith.
It is also an opportunity to remind ourselves of the benefits of having denominational connections. When disasters occur, there are funds available for immediate release. Both the United Church of Christ and the American Baptists see this as a crucial aspect of their work. You can go to ucc.org and look for the Giving tab and then “Disaster Response” to learn more, or to abc-usa.org/giving/annual-offering. Both denominations participate in One Great Hour of Sharing, a cooperative effort in which many main-line denominations raise money for just this purpose. (The UCC promotes this in Lent, the ABC in September/October.) Throughout the year, there are special appeals for particular disasters. To designate your OGHS gift, make sure to indicate to which appeal you are responding, for example “OGHS – Ukraine Relief,” or “OGHS – Earthquake in Turkey.”
As weather patterns intensify and human conflicts escalate, we are in danger of succumbing to “compassion fatigue.” So many needs and so much suffering may cause us to quit caring and just turn off the news or harden our sensibilities. Jesus encountered many people who had begun to shut down their compassion. Religious leaders used sinfulness as an excuse to ignore peoples’ suffering, or to inflict pain and even death on those who broke rules. The expert in the law in the above passage was worried about inheriting eternal life….for himself! He wanted to know who he “Had to love,” as if there were some threshold of “good deed doing” that would get him into God’s good graces. Jesus cleverly answers a different question. Instead of “who is my neighbor?” Jesus answers the question, “How can you BE a neighbor?”
It is often hard to raise relief money for countries and ethnicities that are “foreign” to us. If race or religion or culture or government are not like ours, the resources don’t come as readily for relief work. It is easier for us to ignore their plight and “pass by on the other side of the road.” The Samaritan in the story demonstrates what it is to be a neighbor, even when the one in need is “foreign” to us. March 19 is the date suggested to receive the One Great Hour of Sharing offering in the United Church of Christ, but you don’t have to wait for that. Go to either denomination’s website and donate now. The money will be put to good use and will demonstrate that we are willing and compassionate neighbors to people with whom we have little in common. Amen.
Pastor Davis Sickelka, Interim Pastor
Lent begins February 22
We will mark the beginning of Lent by marking ourselves! The ancient tradition of using ashes to express our losses and remorse will find it’s modern expression in using the ashes of Palm Sunday branches as a sign of confession and grief. Join us for our Ash Wednesday service on Wednesday, February 22 at 7:00 p.m. in our worship space. Dress is casual and make sure that what you wear is washable. Ashes have a way of migrating from wherever we put them! (receiving the ashes is optional!)
If you cannot make the worship service, we will be offering “curbside ashes” in the plaza from 10 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. that day and again from 4 -6 p.m.
Good Things Happening in and around us
Search Committee Update,
The search committee continues meeting regularly to review applicants and fine tune our list of interview questions, in hopes of finding the right fit for peoples church. We have been communicating with our contacts from all three of Peoples Church’s denominations – The United Church of Christ, the Alliance of Baptists, and the American Baptist Churches as candidates have continued to come in.
The committee is scheduled to spend the day together this Saturday February 11th, it’s hard to believe that January has come and gone already! We would like to thank the congregation for the ongoing thoughts and prayers, it is very much needed and appreciated. The committee will continue to give regular updates as we review all applicants. Thank you,
Adam Schmidt, for the Search Committee
Thursday night book group
If you need to purchase the book please click HERE to be taken to the Amazon site.
Join us by clicking the adjacent link: Book Group Zoom Link:
Upcoming Affiliate & Community Activities
IN THE CONGREGATION
Links are on the church calendar. Need more info? Just ask!
Links are on the church calendar: t.ly/ALHB. Need more info? Just ask!
Adult Forum, meets at 9:30 am on Sundays, We’re currently reading, Finding Me: A Memoir by Viola Davis. 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!