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
As he was now approaching the path down from the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the deeds of power that they had seen, saying, “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest heaven!” Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, order your disciples to stop.” He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out.” (Luke 19:37-40 NRSV)
The season of Lent winds down, or maybe we say builds up, to Easter with a review of the events of the last week of Jesus’ earthly ministry. We start with the Palm Sunday procession into Jerusalem. It has all the marks of a celebration that is about to get out of control. No one is in charge. No one has the permit. It may have been spontaneous or it may have been “encouraged” by those who wanted Jesus to succeed at liberating the Jews. And as we can attest, if no one calms things down, chaos ensues and people get hurt. Just ask the D.C. Capitol Police or the Mayor of South Beach, Florida.
John Dominic Crossan and Marcus Borg, in their book, The Last Week, point out that Jesus’ little procession coming in the back gate of Jerusalem mirrored the other, more organized and much larger procession coming in the main gate. It was sanctioned and organized by the Romans and included all the military might and pomp that the Romans could bring. They did not want any Zealots trying to foment insurrection during the Passover, so a show of who was in charge was orchestrated. The National Guard was mobilized and if things got out of hand, they would not be using rubber spears or swords. It is in this context that Jesus’ followers become joyfully defiant. They get carried away and become a little too enthusiastic and more than a little loud. The Pharisees who want Jesus to tone it down cannot be blamed for being nervous. A riot would result in a bloodbath.
While we like the idea of being “Joyfully Defiant,” there is more to it than that. College students on Spring break are joyful. And they can certainly be defiant. Revelers on St. Patrick’s Day or party-goers at Mardi-gras are typically joyful and in many ways defiant. The essential qualifier is, for what cause or end?
Jesus’ response to the Pharisees’ fears is instructive. There is something bigger going on than just another party. This is the coming of the Reign of God. If the people were not part of the celebration, the stones would be. There is a difference between fighting for your “right to party,” and refusing to back down in the struggle for justice, between being defiant out of hubris (pride) and being defiant in the face of oppression, between fighting fire with fire and fighting violence with peace.
As we celebrate the Procession of Palms, let us bring our defiance to bear on the injustices of our time. Amen.
Pastor Davis Sickelka, Interim Pastor
Pastor Dave’s Schedule for March into April
Due to various meetings and family obligations, Pastor Dave will be in Flint on the following days:
Week of March 26: Tuesday and Wednesday
Week of April 02: Maundy Thursday and Good Friday
Week of April 09: Tuesday and Wednesday
Week of April 16: Out of Town
Week of April 23: Tuesday and Wednesday
If you would like to make an appointment to speak to Pastor Dave in person, please call the church office at (810)767-4911 between 10:00 and 2:00 M-F, or email him at, david.sickelka@peopleschurchofflint.org. If you have an urgent need for pastoral care outside of office hours, text or phone (515)720-6389.
Christian Ethics and Animal Agriculture
Our Alliance of Baptists has published a statement I think is worth our attention. This is a summary, but the full statement is available at the sign-in stand in the sanctuary.
Christians have had (book of Acts) and continue to have various ideas relating to using animals for food. Despite the differences, all Christians should recognize that the operation of industrialized animal agriculture is at odds with a Christian understanding of the need for justice, environmental responsibility, and respect for the welfare of animals in food production systems due to:
Living and dying conditions for industrially farmed animals that are at odds with our role as caretakers of creation.
Dangerous and unjust working conditions for the laborers who are disproportionately BIPOC, migrant, undocumented, female, and economically marginalized.
Unsustainable levels of carbon emissions incompatible with a global trajectory to avoid catastrophic climate change.
Land use changes that take land and knowledge from indigenous peoples in the Amazon and elsewhere, exacerbate human conflict, disrupt natural habitats and wildlife, and threaten biodiversity for the sake of creating grazing pastures or clearing land to grow crops to feed livestock.
Land, water, and air pollution from industrial farms and slaughter facilities endanger the health of surrounding communities and limit the ability of waterways to sustain humans everywhere and animals living in the wild.
The subsidized production of unhealthy highly processed animal products contribute to a lack of access to healthy foods for many local populations.
Human health threats from the growth of antibiotic resistance, zoonotic pandemics, and nutritionally inadequate diets.
Threats to global food and water security from the gross inefficiencies of using land to grow fodder for industrially farmed animals rather than for human and wildlife flourishing.
An economic framework that makes ethical family farms unviable in comparison with larger producers, pressures farmers into large debts and highly restrictive contracts, and takes jobs from rural economies.
How can we respond to the issues of industrialized animal agriculture? (Another term used in connection with this is CAFOs – Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations which can feed as many as 1,000 beef cattle, 700 dairy cows, 2,500 large pigs or 82,000 egg laying hens.) The statement from the Alliance of Baptists gives some suggestions relating to things to support and invest in. This issue of industrialized animal agriculture is the main reason I have moved toward eating less meat. I will probably never become a vegetarian or vegan; however, I can lessen my participation in this unjust system our country has developed. Also using farmers markets, local dairy farms, and local chicken farmers helps me support non-industrialized agriculture.
Leslie Cummings, for the Creation Justice Team
Good Things Happening in and around us
Holy Week Schedule:
April 2, Palm Sunday – Worship will begin on the Plaza, weather permitting
April 6, Maundy Thursday service, 7:00 p.m.
April 7, Ecumenical Service, noon at St. Paul’s Episcopal, 711 Saginaw St. Flint, MI 48502 Peoples Church Evening Service, 7:00 p.m.
April 9, Easter Sunday Service, 11:00 a.m.
The United Church of Christ Says Thank You
To the members of Peoples Church of Flint
For your 2022 contribution of $2,000
For Basic Support of
OUR CHURCH’S WIDER MISSION (OCWM)
John C. Dorhauer General Minister and President United Church of Christ
Lillian Daniel, Michigan Conf. United Church of Christ
OSA is asking for your assistance… This coming spring, hopefully as soon as the month of April. OSA will be opening the café area for Coffee & Tea Time. On Tuesday’s and Thursday’s from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. the café area will be open in the effort to promote community hospitality. We plan to offer light refreshments and conversation. To actively take part in our role as members of the community around us. But we need you Peoples People. Located on the Greeter’s Desk you’ll find a sign-up sheet and calendar. Please consider on which day and at what time you’ll be available to engage with our neighbors. For more details please see Jay Cummings or Kendall Brown.
Thursday night book group…new book
Join us by clicking the adjacent link: Book Group Zoom Link:
Upcoming Affiliate & Community Activities
The ABHMS 2023-2024 school year Scholarship Application Request form is available here. Applications must be submitted by April 25, 2023, at 5 p.m. EST to be considered.
Scholarship amounts vary and are paid directly to the school for credit toward the recipient’s tuition.
As an inaugural year, ABHMS will award scholarships in the range of $500-$1,000 for part-time students and students attending community college, as resources are available for the 2023-2024 academic year.
More information at ABHMS Scholarships for Students
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 Sunday’s. Starting Sunday, March 19th we will be reading The 1619 Project by Nikole Hannah-Jones. 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!