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
And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language?
(Acts 2:8, The New Revised Standard Version)
We are coming to the end of the Easter Season in the life of the church. We celebrate Pentecost on May 28 by remembering the gift of the Holy Spirit that came to the disciples as they were gathered to celebrate what was already an important holiday on the Jewish Calendar. As you might remember, the Spirit came upon them with power and they were suddenly able to speak in languages from all over the Roman Empire, communicating the Gospel to them in a miraculous way. The words above were spoken by those who heard their own language in a foreign land. They knew that those speaking were from Galilee, much as we would know if someone were a native of Maine or Louisiana by their speech and mannerisms. But here these Galileans speaking fluently in a dozen (maybe more) different languages. The Word of God was being proclaimed, not by human design or initiative, but by the insistent agency of the Holy Spirit.
Over the centuries, preachers have discovered that people respond best to the Gospel when it is in the vernacular, when there is no need for translation, or for a cross-cultural shift. Missionaries spent years studying native languages in order to translate the scriptures and preach the Word. Evangelists wracked their brains, trying to come up with the right analogy, illustration, or core value that would hook their listeners in to the message they had to share. All because hearing the witness of God’s love moves us the most when we hear it in our own language, reflects our own culture, and speaks to our own experience.
As much as we might want to be granted the spiritual gift of speaking in tongues, Paul reminds us that there are a variety of gifts, but it is the same Spirit that grants them. There is a language that is spoken as we open our doors and give our neighbors a safe and welcoming space. There is a language that is spoken as we include people that have more often than not been rejected by religious folk. There is a language that is spoken when we hand out bus passes or help with someone’s rent or groceries. But as important as it is to express our love in these ways, reflecting the love that God has shown us, it is also important to listen to the languages that are spoken by the ones we encounter.
Perhaps the manifestation of the Holy Spirit that God will grant us is the capacity to be still – to set aside our agenda and preconceptions and assumptions and to just listen. How else will we know what is needed? How else will we be in a mutual relationship? How else will we receive the gifts of those who come to journey with us?
Pentecost is often thought of as the Birthday of the Christian Church, the point at which the unity and mission of the disciples crystalizes into a powerful movement in the midst of a powerful empire. Paradoxically, we are not in control of the Holy Spirit, so as much as we might want to be “Pentecostal,” and utilize gifts that will make us “on fire” for what we want to accomplish, it is not up to us. Oh, there are things we can do to be ready – pray, study, meditate and serve joyfully – It is God who must grant the gift. Like the first disciples of Jesus, we gather and we wait. We worship and we pray. We create community and respond to the needs we see. And then, when the time is right, God sends the Spirit. And the whole world will know it.
Amen.
Pastor Davis Sickelka, Interim Pastor
Pastor Dave’s Schedule for May
The dust seems to have settled on most of Pastor Dave’s meetings and gatherings, so for the rest of May and June, he will be in Flint on Tuesdays and Wednesdays for the most part.
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.
The Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act
– no that is not a typo!
Recently there has been more and more talk on the radio and TV about the disparities between different racial and ethnic groups regarding maternal health. A few months ago the Adult Forum members read Under the Skin by Linda Villarosa which also addressed this issue. A recent article in Sojourners magazine was titled, “If Christians Want to ‘Choose Life’, Let’s Talk about Black Maternal Mortality.” The author first became concerned about this issue during the most intense fighting of the Syrian Civil War when she learned that the maternal mortality rate in Washington, D.C. was worse than in Syria.
Overall, black women and American Indian/Alaska native women are 2 or 3 times more likely to die from a pregnancy related cause than white women. That disparity can’t be blamed on racial disparities related to poverty or family life; a Black woman with a college education is still at 60% greater risk for a maternal death than a white or Hispanic woman with less than a high school education.
A recent study found that the maternal mortality rate in the US was greater than any other high-wealth nation including France, Germany, the UK, Canada, and Australia. What is going on?
The Sojourners article explains how black women and babies are dying because of historical and systemic racism. The cumulative experience of racism has physical consequences. What can we do about it?
We can let our elected representatives know we support the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act. It is a package of bipartisan bills that would correct the current flaws in our maternal, newborn, and child health care system. Addressing the health care issues will create a baseline system of care that benefits all women and children. The Sojourners article is at ___________________. It explains what the Momnibus Act contains. Also there is a link at the bottom of the article to a letter already written. You need to fill in your address information, so they can figure out who your Representative and Senators are. I did it, and it is very easy.
https://sojo.net/articles/if-christians-want-choose-life-let-s-talk-about-black-maternal-mortality
Leslie Cummings, for the O.S.A. Ministry
Good Things Happening in and around us
Be part of something big...
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 711 South Saginaw St. is hosting an American Red Cross Blood Drive on Friday, May 26, 2023 11:00 AM - 4:45 PM. To participate, schedule an appointment, by visiting RedCrossBlood.org (sponsor code flintstpaul) or call 1-800-733-2767 Streamline your donation experience and save up to 15 minutes by visiting RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass to complete your pre-donation reading and health history questions. If you register early, you may be eligible to receive a special gift from the Red Cross.
This event is being organized by our own Dr. Susumu Inoue, whose areas of expertise are Pediatric Hematology/ Oncology, Pediatric Hemophilia, and Pediatric Sickle Cell.
The Neighborhood Welcome Program…Has been open for about a month and is quickly gathering steam. From five visitors the first week we now have a dozen plus regulars and expect to grow as weather gets better and word continues to spread. We are open from 11am to 1pm, Tues & Thurs. A few of our guests are showing up for worship and making themselves at home on Sundays by helping with after-worship pickup. There is a two pronged plan for the program:
First, to minister to people in our neighborhood by offering warm shelter space (winter) and a cool place all year for companionship, conversation and finding Christ’s love.
Second, to give our members place to be present, visible and interactive with our neighbors - all essential if our mission is to grow and for us to be Intentionality Incarnational.
Join in anytime just to have coffee and good conversation with new friends. Also, we already could use more volunteers. If you’re interested in volunteering please see Kendall Brown.
Plaza Event Planner…The Patio & Grounds Committee is looking for a volunteer to act as an Event Planner. This person along with the P&G Committee will conceptualize, schedule and organize events to be held on the Plaza. If you’re interested in volunteering please see Dale Emery.
Join us by clicking the adjacent link: Book Group Zoom Link:
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!