In the early years of our United Church of
Christ parent denominations, where church folk
saw a community need, they got to work on it and
organized their own children's homes, facilities
for developmentally challenged folk, schools and
universities, hospitals, etc. Many of
those ministries continue to this day as part of
our UCC witness in the world and are members of
our UCC Council for Health and Human Services
(aka CHHSM). Several are important parts
of our life here in Southern California, begun
by folk seeing a need and organizing to meet
it.
With the debacle of California
government failures, massive health and social
services and education activities are going to
disappear for too many of the poor and
endangered of our communities. Services to
protect women and children from violence, summer
school, and much more are disappearing or being
slashed. I know that many of you, as
individuals and as congregations, are involved
in some way in trying to address these
concerns---giving increased funds, volunteering,
and supporting ecumenical, interfaith and other
nonprofit efforts. Hurrah and
hallelujah! Do that---don't stop!
Since our government lacks the courage to
increase the taxes of the many of us able to pay
more (just my opinion and willingness), some of
us are intentionally looking for places in our
community where a monthly financial gift can
make a difference. Imagine if 10 of us gave
$50/month to a school or agency facing sharp
cuts or to an individual in need of home health
care. It's not a lot but it could matter.
Together we can help compensate for some of the
horrific cuts coming.
But I am
writing also to encourage
creativity
and initiative-taking by every single
congregation of this
Conference. I urge and ask
all governing boards, councils, mission
committees, church school classes to pray and
ask God what you can be doing to make a
difference in meeting needs in your community in
some new, needed way, great or small. Not all
possibilities will require big bucks,
friends. Love, labor and willingness go a
long way.
Let me give you an
example from another state of which I have
heard. Children who receive free school
lunches and do not attend (or have available)
summer school programs, may still be at home in
the summer and needful of a healthy, economical
lunch. Three UCC and Disciples churches
(not large ones, by the way) in this other state
have gotten together on their own and last week
provided more than 300 free 'bag' lunches which
they hand out 5 days a week during the summer in
apartment complexes where lower income folk
live. There are no questions asked, no
requirements to meet. Sometimes they hear
of a family where the kids are not allowed to
leave their apartments but need the lunches so a
volunteer goes up and gives it to them.
Some parents have, of course, rightfully
'checked them out' for safety etc but found the
church folk reliable, safe and
accountable. Congregations give the money
to purchase what food isn't donated by stores,
volunteers prepare the lunches, and volunteers
take them to the neighborhoods for
distribution. Among the side benefits of
providing this service is strengthening the
sense of the churches' (and God's!) real
presence in the community.
At our Annual Gathering, John
McCollough from Church World Service, challenged
us with the words of Jesus: "YOU feed
them...". In my opinion, the state
of California has abdicated its responsibility
to those most in need of the care and support of
the community. Even as we work politically
to advocate for change and restoration of
government for the common good, we of the
church--on our own and with our ecumenical and
interfaith neighbors---must take on the yoke of
care.
YOU feed them...
God bless
you with creative energy for the work God
needs. [check out
http://www.calchurches.org/
for other ideas...]
