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
My sisters and brothers, what good is it to profess faith without practicing it?
Such faith has no power to save.
If any are in need of clothes and have no food to live on, and one of you says to them,
“Goodbye and good luck.
Stay warm and well-fed,” without giving them the bare necessities of life, then what good is this?
So it is with faith. If good deeds don’t go with it, faith is dead.
(James 2:12-14,The Inclusive Bible)
Christians have a hard time with “works.” We learn, from those who have gone before us and from wise saints among us now, that God’s grace is a gift, and that no one can “earn” their way into heaven by good deeds. It is a matter of faith and trust that salvation comes to us. But at the same time, Matthew 25 tells us that if we ignore the needs of “the least of these” we have ignored Jesus. The parable of the Good Samaritan tells us that stopping to help is the way that we “prove neighbor” to those who need us, fulfilling the requirement to love our neighbors.
Part of the difficulty, I think, is that for hundreds of years the Protestant/Catholic divide encouraged us to adopt an “us/them” attitude. Protestants pointed to the rituals and sacraments of “the Mother Church” as evidence that they did not believe in grace. Catholics looked at married clergy and the abandonment of tradition as evidence that Protestants were not part of the fold, and so, outside of God’s grace. It is way more complicated than that, but the point is, we wrestle still with how to embody our faith without making that embodiment a condition of God’s love.
We at Peoples Church have taken seriously the words of James quoted above. We understand the importance of acting in the world with compassion and justice. We put our faith into practice by providing for those in need. We regularly hand out bus passes, food, water, coffee, donuts, and smiles. We remember the names and family members of those we help. We pay utility bills, rent, and medical bills for those who can’t afford to do it on their own. The primary fund for that is the Pastor’s discretionary fund, and we encourage all of our folk to support it with special gifts. The need for this resource is deep and ongoing.
But that is not what makes us God’s people. It does not get us into heaven or out of hell. It is mostly a response to knowing who and whose we are. We have the means to help and we follow a Savior who gave us the revelation of how loving others is supposed to work. So if the God who first loved us, who refuses to give up on us, who enriches our lives with grace and peace has shown us how important it is to love others, then why on earth would we not do that? And how better to do that than to give others what they need?
So we can assert that salvation is the free gift to all God’s children and at the same time affirm that “works,” or acts or charity still are the sign and evidence of a life of faith. May God bless all of our sharing so that faith might grow. Amen.
Pastor Davis Sickelka, Interim Pastor
Pastor Dave’s Schedule
Pastor Dave will be in the office Tuesdays and Wednesdays through Sept. and Oct. but do call to make sure he’s around before coming because a pastor’s schedule is always in flux.
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 davidsickelka@peopleschurchofflint.org. If you have an urgent need for pastoral care outside of office hours, text or phone (515)720-6389.
Narcan Administration Training
“The Narcan administration training that was scheduled for September 17th will be held this Sunday, September 24th instead following our worship service (with allowance for time to get coffee and snacks!!!)
If you are someone who helps on the plaza or who deals with the public in your community, this training can be of great help to you and the people you serve. The training only takes 30-45 minutes.”
Thanks, Pastor Dave
Good Things Happening in and around us
Upcoming Affiliate & Community Activities
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!
NEW Adult Forum Book… Starting this Sunday, August 13th, at 9:30 am we will be reading White Evangelical Racism: The Politics of Morality in America, by Anthea D. Butler. . 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.
Text Alerts are available, go here to sign up!