Heath Care and Faith

I wonder how many column inches in papers and video minutes have been consumed in the last few months on the debate over health care in the United States?  With all the talk and all the opinions, the role of our faith in how we view this issue has been mostly ignored in the national discussion.  Much of what is being discussed - from every political perspective - has faith and ethics values quietly laced into their commentary. 

At Grace Covenant, we are going to gather on Thursday December 3 from 7 to 9 p.m. to discuss health care from the perspective of our faith and values.  Several of our members who are active in or related to the heath care field will offer their thoughts and we'll use their thoughts as a guide to discussion.  We will follow up with future meetings to get more focused on individual topics, but thought this was the place to start.  I hope you can join us.

A Mid-November Slice of Life at Grace Covenant

There are so many things bouncing around our community life right now.

This Sunday is Children’s Sabbath which is an opportunity to draw on our children and youth more intentionally for leadership in worship. That is something we’re trying to do beyond one special Sunday. Many of you commented on how meaningful it was to have our children bring the communion elements forward on All Saints Day. We are looking for ways to include children and youth more deeply and broadly as a regular practice.

There is lots of conversation going on in our community, partially led by Grace Covenant, about trying to do more with homeless women and their children during the day. Most shelters in town “empty out” early in the morning and don’t receive people until the evening. What those who are homeless do between morning and evening is crucial to their getting out of homelessness. There will be much more on this important initiative very soon.

Someone asked me this week if I “sweat out” stewardship pledge totals at this time of year. It’s been a challenging time, to be sure, but I am excited about everything Grace Covenant is doing both within our walls and out in the community right now. I am hoping and praying that we have the resources to do everything we need to do. I am grateful for how everyone has responded. Thank you.

Our Deacons-elect had another training/orientation meeting this morning. I am really looking forward to how this ministry will enhance our church life. Care-giving is happening everywhere at Grace Covenant and these deacons are not inventing caring nor are they “taking it over” from others. They will be there to help us go deeper and to give a breather to those who have worked hard to this point. They also have their eyes open for new opportunities to get all of us doing more in support of those who call this church home.

Defining "saints"

I don't find anything comparable to the magnificent beauty of a soul and its marvelous capacity.
- Saint Teresa of Avila

Every year for our All Saints’ Day bulletin, I pick a dozen or so pictures of people to put on the cover. Some are public figures, famous and well-known. Others are known only to a few. They are a random scattering of “saints.” But by what criteria to we identify saints? Rosa Parks and Mr. Rogers were on the cover a couple years ago. That seemed right. There was a piety and a striving for justice that seemed evident. This year’s choices provoked more thought and soul-searching. The civil rights crusader and singer Odetta is on the cover. She was inspiration for so many and for a movement. Millard Fuller, the founder of Habitat for Humanity is there. He started such an important enterprise, but also struggled with allegations of his personal behavior in the last decade of his life. Ted Kennedy? By his own words, Ted Kennedy considered himself a flawed child of God trying to do better over a lifetime. Eunice Kennedy Shriver is pictured. The Special Olympics. Enough said. And just to balance the political spectrum, Jack Kemp. He did more than most in government over the last 25 years to try to bring equality and dignity to the disadvantaged . Tammy Faye Bakker is there. If you haven’t seen “The Eyes of Tammy Faye,” watch it and we’ll discuss. John Hope Franklin, an African-American scholar and historian died this March at the age of 94 and influenced multiple generations of scholars and students in understanding human behavior and oppression. And Norman Borlaug is there--the scientist, inventor, and humanitarian, whose discoveries are estimated to have saved one billion lives worldwide. Borlaug once said: “Almost certainly, however, the first essential component of social justice is adequate food for all.” Norman Borlaug died just a few weeks ago.

It’s an unlikely company, along with Walter Cronkite, Molly Ivins, Dith Pran and Mary Travers. Are they all saints? Do their lives shine with the light of God? I think nearly all of them would say: “some days, yes; some days, not so much.” Just like us. We try, we hope, we strive, we vow to do better, to be better. We live our lives in such need of grace. We also live confidently because though we may never found a movement that improves the lives of millions, or win the Nobel Peace Prize, or inspire throngs through song or word—we live as God’s children. We live halting lives of obedience, trying to be kind, just, peaceful, and loving. Our souls have the capacity for beauty. That’s sainthood.

People Like Her

You notice people like her.
You know what I mean – by how a particular person acts or how they react to situations, you realize without them having to explain to you, what is motivating them.

Several years ago, the church I was serving was having its Stewardship Dedication Sunday. That’s what we’re doing at Grace Covenant this Sunday, November 8. These Sundays normally follow a certain pattern: folks came forward singing a hymn and placed their offering and pledges in a basket. I noticed when this young woman came forward…she looked so joyful, so free. Later I asked her what was going on with her as she did that.

She said: “In the 1930's, my Mom lived in a large house west of town with her parents, siblings and her Aunt. Her father took odd jobs wherever he could find them, and her Aunt worked for the railroad as a secretary. They rented out rooms in the house for extra income. As many as 10 people could be living in the house, with one bathroom. Things were tough. There was no money, no privacy and no relief in sight. But they had a home. They had food. They knew, as trying as the times were for them, they had a lot.
“My Grandmother and Great Aunt would hand out sandwiches to anyone passing by in the alley behind the house on their way to look for work. No questions asked. No judgment. Everyone was hurting. Everyone was hungry. There was not much thought wondering if they should do this, they just did it.
“That's what I grew up with. It's the unspoken language of service. Stop talking about what you are going to do. Don't tell me your plans. Show me. Go into the world and do what you can with what you have and that will be enough.”

For me, that more than explained the freedom I noticed in her.
It more than explained the joy.