Healing Powers

In June we celebrated the United Church of Christ’s commitment to growing into a fully Open and Affirming (ONA) fellowship, as we read a story of Jesus healing those who have been marginalized and outcast.  Following Christ, the UCC has been a beacon for healing and hope for those pushed to the edges because of sexual or gender identity.

“Beginning in 1969, the United Church of Christ has advocated for the LGBT community.  From the campaign to decriminalize same-sex relationships to support for marriage equality, the UCC has made a difference in the lives of LGBT citizens and their families.  The issues have changed over the decades, but the basic commitment to full inclusion and human rights remains the same…

The ONA National Gathering this coming September is the family reunion of the Open and Affirming movement in the United Church of Christ!  Members of any church—ONA or not-yet ONA—are welcome to attend.  Expect a celebration with exuberant music, inspiring preaching, and workshops that will feed your mind and soul.

While the Religious Right and their allies in federal and state governments are renewing their attack on the basic civil liberties of LGTBQ Americans, and our international queer siblings are experiencing attacks and unconscionable laws, our growing community of churches needs to respond with confidence, commitment and faith.

This September’s National Gathering will focus on how ONA churches can act faithfully in our current social and political climate.  We’ll learn best practices from vital and growing ONA churches.  And, as is always true at our Gatherings, we’ll explore the intersections of our movement with other movements for social, racial, economic, and environmental justice.”

Find out more about how to register at openandaffirming.org .

Sent with Power

Mark 6:7-9 tells us that (Jesus) called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits.  He ordered them to take nothing for their journey except a staff; no bread, no bag, no money in their belts; but to wear sandals and not to put on two tunics. (from the NRSV)

Some folks in the United Church of Christ jokingly refer to evangelism as “the e-word.”  Evangelist simply means “messenger of good news.”  And yet, the word ha=s become associated with the most damaging aspects of Christian experience.  Even the idea of evangelism can call to mind uncomfortable or even traumatizing past experiences.  And yet, as Jesus called those early disciples to a life of evangelism, he calls followers today.

Take some time today to consider the word evangelist.

Do you think the idea of United Church of Christ evangelism can be refreshed and renewed for a new generation?  How might that be accomplished?

How do you feel when your body hears the word evangelism?  Pay attention to where the word settles in your body.  Do you feel quite comfortable? Very uncomfortable?  Why do you think you have that response?

What do you think the role of an evangelist is?  How does the role in modern times echo the call that Jesus made to his original disciples?

What are some ways that your faith community engages in evangelism now?  What are some ways that your community could evangelize that it does not yet?

UCC Sunday Bulletin Service

Our Open and Affirming Covenant

Ivy Chapel United Church of Christ celebrates God’s boundless and unconditional love by intentionally welcoming and celebrating all of God’s people.  We commit ourselves to:

• addressing issues of faith openly and honestly
• nourishing the Spirit of God within all people
• creating a caring community that celebrates human diversity
• respecting the faithfulness and the wisdom of other faith traditions
• working with all others to create a just world for all

Called by God to love one another, Ivy Chapel United Church of Christ commits to being an Open and Affirming community of faith.  We invite everyone into full participation in the life and leadership of this congregation, celebrating that each unique human being is a child of God. We love and affirm every person of any age, race, gender, ethnicity, nationality, faith tradition, physical ability, mental ability, sexual orientation,  gender identity, and gender expression.  We joyfully invite everyone to join in this ministry of ongoing commitment to live as an actively Open and Affirming community of God.  

We celebrate our diversity as we journey in faith together.

Pushing the Boat Out

The United Church of Christ celebrates our 67th anniversary this weekend. These opening paragraphs of our history describe the ways in which very different faith communities prepared to live into the slogan “inessentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, charity.” How does your congregation still live out that slogan today?

On Tuesday, June 25,1957, at Cleveland, Ohio, the Evangelical and Reformed Church, 23 years old, passionate in its impulse to unity, committed to “liberty of conscience inherent in the Gospel,” and the Congregational Christian Churches, 26 years old, a fellowship of biblical people under a mutual covenant for responsible freedom in Christ, joined together as the united Church of Christ. The new church, embodied the essence of both parents, a complement of freedom with order, of the English and European Reformations with the American Awakenings, of separatism with 20th-century ecumenism, of presbyterian with congregational polities, of neoorthodox with liberal theologies. Two million members joined hands…

a message was sent to the churches from the Uniting General Synod, signed by its moderators, Louis W. Goebel and George B. Hastings, its co-presidents, and co-secretaries Sheldon E. Mackey and Fred S. Buschmeyer. after Acknowledging the separate ancestries of the parties to the union and citing ecumenical “relatives” of both denominations, the message stated, “Differences in ecclesiastical procedure, which in sundry places and times have occasioned tensions and disorders, are appointed their secondary place and are divested of evil effect.” The union, the message continued, was possible the “two companies of Christians hold the same basic belief: that Christ and Christ alone is the head of the Church… From him [we] derive the understanding of God, … participation in the same spirit, the doctrines of faith, the influence towards holiness, the duties of divine worship, the apprehension of the significance of baptism and the Lord’s Supper, the observance of church order, the mutual love of Christians and their dedication to the betterment of the world” (“Report on the Uniting General Synod:” Advance, July 12, 1957, p22).

You can read more of the story of the birth and early decade of our denomination by clicking on the link here-#UnitedChurch-who we are.

Flourishing

Jesus spoke to his followers in a parable about planting seeds.  In cold climates, seeds can take many months to grow into plants and bear fruit.  The job of gardeners and farmers is not only patience.  The job is also to tend; to fertilize and water and weed until at last the fragile plants break forth, and then leaves, then flowers and finally produce.  It takes a long time for seeds planted to bear fruit.

This week many congregations will be celebrating Juneteenth.  Juneteenth has been celebrated for generations in African American communities, although for some communities this will be the first year that this celebration is acknowledged.  It takes a long time for seeds planted to bear fruit.

The seeds of Juneteenth were planted on June 19^th, 1865, when troops rode into Galveston, Texas announcing the end of the civil war and the freedom of all enslaved Americans.  This was good news, yes.  But this good news came more than two and a half years after the signing of the emancipation proclamation. It takes a long time for seeds planted to bear fruit.

Juneteenth was heartily celebrated in the early part of the 20^th century with rodeos, speakers, preachers, music, worship and heaping tables of food, but those celebrations were largely shut down during the Jim Crow era.  Recognition of Juneteenth began to be revived in black communities by activists in the 1960s and 1970s.  The first legislation to make Juneteenth a national holiday was introduced in 1996.  The legislation was finally signed into law in 2021.  It takes a long time for seeds planted to bear fruit.

Whether your Juneteenth celebration this year is generations old, or is new this year, remember that it is the fruit of a seed planted decades before you were born.  And the cycle does not end with this generation.  As is the nature of growing things, the fruit you enjoy this season will produce seeds that will also, in their time, bear fruit. It takes a long time for seeds planted to bear fruit.  May the seeds you plant this Juneteenth, however small or mighty, grow beautiful in its season.

What if…we embraced the “Spirit for All”?

Acts 2:1-4 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Hole Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

On this day, we remember that we are co-creators with God of the reign which is to come. Pentecost reminds us that we are never alone in the co-creation. Both those within our church and those without can be vessels of the Holy Spirit, and when we speak, we will be heard and understood. And the promise of Pentecost is that the Holy Spirit does bot just fill us with words, but also incites us into action on behalf of the divine.

Look around!
What work is the Holy Spirit ready to do through your community?
How can you contribute to that?
How can you embrace the ‘Spirit for All’ ?

What if…we embraced the gift of the Earth?

As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his Love. I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete. –John 15:9-17

As we enter May and all of the wonderful spring opportunities that gives us, we are taking this time to look ahead to the busy month as we prepare for Pentecost.

We will also be celebrating Rural Life Sunday on May the 19th and offer this special prayer of thanks to the Lord for all he has given us.

Great Thanksgiving Communion Prayer for Rural Life Sunday:

Dear God, Creator of all things,
Long ago in the very beginning, you knelt down and scooped a handful of dirt and you knew it could live. And so you formed us, not crawling upon the face of the Earth, but intimately connected with Her.
In all times and places, your people have looked at the soil and, having first given thanks for what that soil can bring forth, have planted seeds, tended and sown.
The result of that gratitude and hard work is laid before us now on this table. Wheat and water, ground and risen, become bread. Grapes painstakingly crushed became juice/wine. Like Jesus who gathered with his friends on that holy night long ago, today people give thanks for the elements before us, and for the lands and people that produced it. We sing with gratitude as your people have sung across the lands and the generations.
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might.
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in eth highest!
Blessed in the One who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest!

What if we talked to more people?

Throughout our exploration of how to grow our church, we have challenged our members to come up with both public and private “What if?” statements. Some of these have been shared, paper leaves hanging from the vine in the church’s narthex.

One of the earliest leaves carried a potentially loaded message: “What if we all talked to more people during coffee hour?”

The message, of course, is that to be truly open, friendly and welcoming, we have to be, well, friendly and welcoming.

This article in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch drives this point home.

What do you think? What can we do as a church to continue growing, furthering our mission?

What if… We imagined the possibilities?

Thanks to Judy Hertenstein, who recently presented her own “What if” moment during worship.

Imagine What’s Possible! That was the theme for the Missouri Mid South Annual Gathering last weekend. There were a multitude of What If ideas presented from the “imagine a New World” where we are all One to individual ideas. As religion has been used as an excuse for war, we need to recognize our unity and to become One body in Christ. We can share diverse gifts and talents in the common cause of serving in the name of God. What if we looked at everyone out of love? Not only those in our family or close friends but also the stranger on the street, even the drug addict, the convict…they are all children of God. What If we reached out to each other intentionally? There are many who lack Hope because of their situations…unemployment, health issues, financial worries, grieving, family dysfunction, and others. What If we really listened to what others have to say not just with our ears but with our hearts also? What If we reached out to each other with the real desire to understand each other and a willingness to work together? Giving Hope improves relationships. With LOVE and HOPE, JOY can follow as we serve Christ as ONE body. Imagine What’s Possible!

What If each Sunday we really heard the story again as if hearing it for the first time? We need to really listen, not only with our ears but with our heart. And not only on Sunday, but in our daily prayer and Bible reading, really listen for what God is saying to us. We may hear God’s plan for us. We need to realize that God’s plan is not always our plan…deep listening may give us a better picture. Imagine What’s Possible!

As we are looking at growing the vine together, we are in fact growing in numbers. We will be welcoming new members on July 24. This is good, but that is not the only way we can grow. What If on Rally Day we all wore something green or something with Ivy, not just the word, but perhaps a picture? And here’s a novel idea, What If some other Sunday we all wore hats? These are just other fun ways to say we are a family. Let’s become a true community of Christ…every member contributing unique gifts and using those gifts for the work of Christ. All things are possible through Christ. Imagine What’s Possible!

The Conference Annual Gathering was a wonderful event. Of course there’s the business of the Conference—including the annual budget proposal. The deficit is finally becoming manageable due to some restructuring, sound investing and local church support through OCWM. Then there is the good food and fellowship. It is like a yearly family reunion with members of all UCC churches across the conference reconnecting, sharing, praying, singing and playing together. I even got to play pinochle with Jeff Whitman, our Conference Minister and with a classmate from 40 years ago. What If a group of us went to the Conference Annual Gathering next year? Everyone is welcoming and caring. Imagine What’s Possible!

Other What Ifs dealt with local church…What If we changed our worship service to be less predictable…more variety in music? What If we changed the rhythm and style of some well known hymns…not all the time but occasionally…a little jazz, a little gospel, a little rock and roll? We do some of this on special Sundays, like camp Sunday and Youth Sunday, but how about other times. What If we became a part of the Creative Faith Project? Think of all the ways art…in all its many forms…drama, painting, dance, handicrafts, music…can be a part of the worship experience. This would be another opportunity to revitalize Ivy Chapel. Imagine What’s Possible!

How do you unlock what’s possible? What’s your “what if”?

What if… we recognized the Holy Spirit?

Thanks to Ivy Chapel member Jo Ann Moody, who recently shared her “What if” reflection with the congregation during worship.

How many of you were here the cold Sunday morning in late January, when Dan announced Ivy Chapel was initiating a “Growing the Vine Together” theme and we planted sprigs of ivy in these two planters? I imagine there was some skepticism the plantings would grow, and the theme would catch-on. But here we are, it is early June and look what has been accomplished!

With careful tending and nurturing by Ivy members with gardening expertise, we continue to have ivy growing and thriving in these specially decorated pots. Perhaps one of these surviving vines is one you planted! Question is, who is the Gardener helping Ivy Chapel UCC to grow and strengthen our vines?

I suggest God’s Holy Spirit is among us, helping us find our roots and spread our shoots. The Holy Spirit is taking our “Growing the Vine Together” journey with us, nurturing our ideas and giving us strength to stretch and grow in ways we can only imagine.

Early in this process, I remember hearing a trustee say, “What if we grew enough ivy to cover Ivy Chapel’s big hill so it would not have to be mowed?” What an idea, that a few sprigs, planted on a cold Sunday in January, would survive and eventually grow to spread their beauty beyond these two pots, and provide a benefit far beyond today’s simple existence.

What if our ideas and actions coming from our “Growing the Vine Together” initiative creates new roots here at Ivy Chapel, and off-shoots in our community and elsewhere, that has far more reaching impact than envisioned today!

What if we accept God’s gift of Grace and fully invite the Holy Spirit to be a part of our own journey and Ivy Chapel’s journey? What if we used this journey to take our theme to another level, one where we “Love God; follow Christ; serve others.”

Imagine the possibilities!

What do you think? What can we do to grow?

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