Foothills Congregational Church The Rev. Michelle Webber

United Church of Christ 1^st Sunday after Pentecost

461 Orange Ave., Los Altos, CA 94022 June 24, 2007

The United Church of Christ: We Are…

adapted from:

http://www.ucc.org/50/resources/study-guide.html

Please raise your hand if you were raised in an Evangelical & Reformed Church. Please raise your hand if you were raised in a Congregational Christian Church. Please raise your hand if you were born after 1957, and raised in a United Church of Christ Congregation. Please raise your hand if you were raised in a different church. Please raise your hand if you were not raised in a church at all.

We are a United and Uniting Denomination.

“Imagine yourself at the founding general Synod of the United Church of Christ in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1957. The atmosphere is charged as delegates gather for the historic moment. They will witness the birth of this denomination formed across relationships that many believed impossible. Doubts remain. How will these diverse Christians ever come together to form one family? What do we have in common that will hold us together?

“The delegation from the Congregational Christian family is seated across the aisle from the one of the Evangelical and Reformed families and you’ve never met anyone from the other part of this new denomination. How do they worship? What hymns do they sing? What stories do their preachers tell? And yet amid the doubts and anxiety there is for you also an air of excitement and exuberance.

“Finally, this relationship, so long in the making, has come to pass! Many are of a mind to give the entire moment over simply to celebration. Instead, in that moment, you hear bold and prophetic words from the co-moderators of the founding General Synod, Louis W. Goebel and George W. Hastings,…

At this moment of the joyous new access of life imparted by the union, the United Church of Christ is stricken in conscience at its continuing separation from the rest of the Church, and it prays for the day when the greater Church of Jesus Christ, now hindered and weakened by many divisions, will come to visible reality, one flock, one shepherd, through the influence of One who is alive in every part of Christ’s church.

Our forebears remind us fifty years later that even in the midst of our celebration of a vision fulfilled, we are never quite done with the work of building relationships in the church- beyond our own door and beyond our denomination. That is our vocation as a united and uniting church.

“We are a multiracial and Multicultural Church

When the founding General Synod of the United Church of Christ met fifty years ago, the overwhelming majority of those present were men from a European heritage. While it did not look diverse, there was a rich diversity of worship and theological traditions in that merger… Today a rich fabric of diversity has been added to our common life which can be seen, as well as felt and heard. …Congregations have formed and joined the UCC among Filipino, Samoan, Indian, Hispanic and new immigrant communities. Each offer vital and distinctive ministries of worship, prayer, and justice.

“On any given Sunday morning, more than 2 dz. languages are used to worship God in our churches. Church potluck meals feature chicken pot pies, tortillas, curries, fried chicken, and tempura set around a welcome table, which is expanding every day. Add a new leaf to the table- more guests are here!

“Over the years changes took place within the UCC that paralleled changes in society. Such change was empowered by the civil rights movement, the emergence of liberation theologies from developing countries, the feminist movement, and the gay and lesbian movement. God worked among us through these voices. …

“Significant voices were heard throughout the UCC in the creation of organizations such as the United Black Christians; Ministers for Racial, Social and Economic Justice; the Council for Hispanic Ministries; the Council for American Indian Ministries; and the Council for Racial and Ethnic Ministries.

“In 1993, the nineteenth General Synod adopted the pronouncement titled “Becoming a Multiracial and Multicultural Church.” The pronouncement called on the UCC “in all its settings to be a true multiracial and multicultural church.” It reminds us of our vision as a denomination, “that they may all be one,” and names some of the impediments to reaching that vision. The pronouncement identifies the sins of racism, discrimination and bigotry. It acknowledges changing economic, cultural, and social realities that impact the church as well as the world. The mission stated …that “A multiracial and multicultural church is called to participate in God’s mission of doing justice, loving kindness, and walking humbly with God through Christ, in all communities with all peoples in all places.”

“Most importantly, what compels us to be multiracial and multicultural in the United Church of Christ is not changing population demographics, but rather biblical and theological imperatives. It is a faithful response to God, Creator of all peoples.”

We have heard a brief explanation of two out of the five aspects of the national UCC identity as described by the “Shine” publication. We are a united and uniting church and We are a multiracial and multicultural church. And we have heard a portion of our long list of social justice firsts, a legacy of which I am immensely proud to be a part.

But we are first and foremost a church of congregational polity. Before I continue with the 5 aspects of UCC identity that the national setting has chosen to emphasize it is important to note that the primary authority in the UCC is not the national setting, but the local congregation. There is likely more diversity within our denomination than between us and other denominations. This makes us a very complicated church. The national body takes stands on issues about which the gathered community at our general synods believe God is calling us to bear witness. But each congregation bears the responsibility for engaging with synod resolutions individually and taking our own local stand. The 5 aspects I discuss today inform the work and identity of national setting ministries and to the extent that they are embraced by each conference and association, they will inform the ministries of the conference and the association. But Foothills Congregational Church is responsible for considering each Synod resolution, including these 5 aspects of our national identity, and engaging in the ways that seem to us to be God’s call for this congregation in this community at this time.

Each of these aspects of our identity had its beginnings in a local church, and we will live into them or away from them in the local church. So now, two more aspects of our identity.

“We are a peace with justice church. Creator God, God of all people, Lead us from death to life, from falsehood to truth. Lead us from despair to hope, from fear to trust. Lead us from hate to love, from war to peace. Let peace fill our hearts, our world, our universe. Amen.

“Poverty and hunger, war and violence, racism and sexism, and other “isms” all threaten the human community. Throughout our history, the UCC has spoken in ways that offer hope to those who experience such social maladies and challenges the powers that seek their perpetuation. Calls to action as the Just Peace resolution have spoken to both national and international situations challenging us to engage God’s acts of peace, love, and justice.

“We have engaged this work of God’s peace not on our own, but in vital partnerships with Christians and non-Christians in Europe, Latin America, Africa, Southern and East Asia, and the Middle East. Through the insights and bold witness of these partners, we have access to voices and perspectives not normally available.

“For example, when Lebanon was under siege in the summer of 2006, we discovered the extent of the destruction from our Christian partners there who not only called for the war to end, but who also lived out their Christian witness by establishing relief centers and shelters. The Near East School of Theology, a major Lutheran and Reformed seminary located in Beirut, established with the help of our church, became such a center of provision of basic needs in the midst of daily bombing. Mary Mikhael, president of the seminary, states that “Just peace is the will of God for our world. As a church, we are all called to promote just peace in all we do and say.”

“Members of the UCC have served as witnesses for peace in places such as Columbia and the Middle East, offering a presence among people suffering as a result of wars that rage around them. For example, volunteers have served three-month terms with the Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel. This program of the World Council of Churches, initiated at the request of the Jerusalem churches, offers solidarity through presence with Palestinians and Israelis who seek a nonviolent resolution of that enduring conflict. We listen to those who don’t have others to hear their compelling stories…Such programs and partnerships call us to engage the world intelligently and with a faith that we share with so many. … In 2005, the 25^th General Synod passed the resolution “Another World is Possible: Building a Peace with Justice Movement.” … [that] affirms the many justice commitments of the UCC, including being a Just Peace church and moves us into a more comprehensive vision of peace with justice.

“Another world can be realized-one in which our connections to sisters and brothers around the world are bonds of common commitment to ending war and participating in God’s reign of justice and peace.

“We are an open and affirming church. Holy and loving God, with a heart of compassion and arms flung wide, you call us to be a people of extravagant welcome. Creating us in your images, you bless us with spiritual, physical, and sexual bodies, and call us to live with integrity. Steadfast in your love for us, you call us to faithfulness in our covenants with you and one another. Ever faithful God, you strengthen us with the power of your love that casts out fear. Clarify our vision that we may see one another as you see us. Powerful and tender God, empower us to live the amazing inclusive invitation of your Gospel with evangelical courage. Amen.

“[Imagine] you are there. It is the afternoon of June 25, 1972. the fifteenth anniversary of the United Church of Christ. A community of the faithful gathers for the Golden Gate Association of the Northern California Nevada Conference at Community UCC, San Carlos, for an historic ordination. The words of the Rev. L. William Eichrorn to the ordinand ring throughout the sanctuary:

“We are in the process of saying our “yes.” You are in the process of saying your “yes.” You have learned that to choose life means to choose person. And so I charge you to remember that to continue to choose life means to choose authenticity; to somehow be authentic to both the United Church of Christ and that communion, and to your gay brothers and sisters, whom you’ve already been loyal and faithful to. And so, I charge you to choose life- to remember what you have learned and to be who you are.

“With those words, a red ordination stole is placed on the shoulders of William R. Johnson. He becomes the first openly gay person to be ordained into ministry in the United Church of Christ and, in fact, in the history of the Christian church.

“On the very day that the Golden Gate Association approved Johnson’s ordination, the UCC Council for Church and Ministry recommended to not consider sexual orientation as a determining factor for ordination… This decision was not affirmed everywhere in the UCC. There were difficult debates, some which continue to recent times. The overwhelming witness, however, is that the life of the UCC has been enriched through the welcome of LGBT persons into the full life and ministry of the church.…

“Over three decades [1960’s - 1980’s], the UCC General Synod would set a clear course of welcome and inclusion: calling for serious study of human sexuality; supporting the civil rights of LGBT people, and, at the fifteenth General Synod in 1985, adopting the Open and Affirming (ONA) resolution.

“The ONA resolution calls upon congregations to engage in study and discernment and to consider adopting statements of affirmation and policies of non-discrimination- welcoming LGBT [people] into the full life and ministry of the church.

“Since 1985, more than 625 UCC congregations have engaged in ONA study programs and voted to be ONA congregations. … Many are among our most vital and vibrant congregations. …What has made all the difference …is that the vast majority of congregations who have declared themselves open and affirming have faithfully offered an extravagant welcome. They have become radically inclusive in their full life and ministry. They have courageously offered God’s welcome. Scores of people have been transformed by the ONA witness of the UCC. It is a witness that is changing the world, saving lives, and helping to build God’s community of welcome, justice and peace.

“We are a church accessible to all. The day is July 26, 1990. Imagine joining with a large crowd of disability advocates gathered under the summer’s sun at the Rose Garden of the White House. On this day, you celebrate the signing of the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) into law. One of our UCC pastors, Harold Wilke, has been asked to pray at the event. Recognized worldwide for his activism and advocacy for those with disabilities, he was first to chair the UCC’s Advisory Committee on the Church and the Handicapped in 1977. He was a profound witness to what is best about who we are and what we do.

“Now the important day has come- from days of advocacy to a day of action. Wilke prays the following prayer, but what reduces the crowd to laughter and tears of joy is the moment President George H.W. Bush signs the great civil rights act and hands the pen to Harold Wilke. Harold, …who is armless and ever so comfortable in his own skin- takes the pen with his toes and utters a hearty “God Bless.” These are the words that Wilke offered to God on that momentous day:

The festivals of the religious year show forth new meanings for access and liberation: In the glory of Easter- the stone rolled away- we see the barrier removed. In the wonder of Pentecost the message is heard understood, and seen by all. In the liberation of Passover the message is: “Let My People Go!” and the parting of the Red Sea. In the joy of Advent, God embodies divinity in human form. Yet for many persons today- who are blind or deaf or have mental retardation or who are in wheelchairs-the barriers still remain. The stone is still in place. The waters are not parted, the way not opened. The words cannot be heard. The flame of the Spirit’s tongues cannot be seen, the message not understood. Proclaiming the message in all languages for today means using technology or larger print for people with visual disabilities, signing or special sound systems for persons with hearing disabilities, image, color, and dramas for people with cognitive disabilities, architectural access for people with physical disabilities…Let the stone be rolled away! Let the glorious message be proclaimed truly, in all languages so all may hear and understand. Amen.

Generous and Loving God, You created all in your image. We are grateful you make all your children beautiful. Thank you. Generous and Loving God, You give to all wonderful gifts to share. Teach us to be both followers and leaders, innovators and keepers of tradition, shining stars and quiet reflectors. Please guide us to be the best we can be for all your church.

Generous and Loving God, You show the way to be whole and holy. We are grateful and willing to risk everything to include all your people in your Good News. Amen.”

The national setting has called us to these 5 things; being a united and uniting church; being a multiracial and multicultural church; being a just peace church; being an open and affirming church; being a church that is accessible to all. Go now into the work of this congregation, and into the world on behalf of this congregation, honestly engaging in these five aspects of our denomination, and with your own sense of spiritual integrity. Go now in peace.