Advent 101

Advent (from Latin, adventus, meaning "coming towards") is a four-week season of preparation for Christmas. The First Sunday of Advent (November 29, 2009) marks the beginning of the church's year.

Advent and Christmas focus both on the past--the coming of Jesus as an infant born into poverty in Bethlehem, and the future--the coming of Christ. This past and future orientation is reflected in the readings appointed in the church for each Sunday of Advent.

The color purple--Purple is the main sanctuary color during Advent. This is the color of penitence and fasting as well as the color of royalty to welcome the Advent of the King.

Also, during Advent many churches decorate with evergreen wreaths, trees and other items symbolizing the birth of Jesus and new life present.

To learn more about Advent such as the lighting of different colored candles and the history of this church season, please visit Cri Voice: http://www.crivoice.org/cyadvent.html.

Sources: http://www.ucc.org and CRI Voice.
Posted by Blog Administrator

FCC Support for our Native American Brothers and Sisters-Again!

This congregation never ceases to amaze me. This fall, the Iktome Ska Foundation’s need for winter coats and blankets was expressed to First Central Congregational Church and under the coordination of Arlene Luther, 78 winter coats and 46 blankets were donated and will be taken to the Pine Ridge and Rosebud reservations the weekend of December 18. These will be included in the community-wide coat and blanket drive and be piggybacked with the toys collected by the Lash LaRue Toy Drive for Christmas on Pine Ridge benefit concert series (by the way check it out: http://www.lashlaruetoydrive.com/) which concludes this Sunday night FYI~!! Nope I am not telling you here, you gotta link to the website to see it ALL.

By the way, Arlene came up with a novel idea; her Sew-A-Thon produced several beautiful homemade quilts that we are sure will be appreciated by the Lakota recipients who will know that none but loving hands were called upon to create them. Thanks again to the ladies and guys who helped create these beautiful night warmers.

If you didn’t realize, according to the 2000 census, Pine Ridge’s Lakota Sioux community is the 11th largest Native American reservation and the neighboring Rosebud Lakota Sioux community is the 14th largest reservation, yet these are among the most poverty stricken communities in the United States. Any help to these and our other relations living on reservations is needed and appreciated.

In addition, FCC members donated fifteen grocery sacks of non-perishable foods and $485 which will be used to purchase groceries this week for the food banks on the Santee, Winnebago and Omaha Reservations. The food donations will be trucked up to the St. Joseph Food Pantry where they will be divided among the three reservation pantries. This congregation doesn’t just talk the talk, they walk the walk!

The work of FCC is so deeply appreciated by the foundation and the people who are living on the reservations.

Posted by Rick Brenneman

Happy Birthday Blog

November marks the 1 year birthday of First Central's Blog. Whoot!

With this special moment here, I would like to thank all of the readers and those who wrote comments. It makes maintaining this part of our outreach fun and engaging.

A lot has happened in our church over the past year. We have seen our pastor of 13 years, Pastor Winston Baldwin, move on and begin ministry else where. We have truly begun to look inward during this time of transition and make steps to move our congregation forward and respond to the needs of our community. It has been a very busy year and I think, successful one. We started a capital campaign and have begun to restructure our church leadership, so that it reflects the needs of our congregation. I am thankful for those have who have recognized this need and are actively working to make things more "user friendly" and mission driven.

This church truly is a great place to worship, grow and belong. I am looking forward to another year of blogging, friendly conversations, spiritual growth, and serving my community. Thanks First Central!

Posted by the Blog Administrator.

First Central Game Night and Dessert Party

The First Central Church 20s & 30s Somethings Group (young(er) members of the church) is having an event again!

We invite you to participate in our Fall 2009 event: Game Night and Dessert Party.
Date: Thursday, December 3, 2009
Time: 7:00-8:30 pm
Location: 8215 Burt Plaza

We'll get to know each other by playing board and card games like Apples to Apples, Clue, Scrabble, etc., while enjoying a potluck dessert bar- yummy!

If you have a game you'd like us to play, please feel free to bring it along.

So, mark your calendars and plan to attend this fun and relaxing event. To RSVP, contact Sara at the church office.

Posted by: Blog Administrator

Congregational Economics

Congregational Economics by Martin E. Marty

Source: Sightings 11/2/09

Covering “public religion” is our assignment. To many, reporting on congregations and, worse, on “giving,” looks private, personal, beside the public point. They should look again: By far the largest sector of charitable giving is to and through religious institutions. The hundreds of thousands of congregations, parishes, synagogues, mosques, and more, are the most widely and diversely represented of American voluntary agencies. They usually fly under the reportorial radar, but what their members think and do has enormous public influence, locally, nationally, and globally. We pay attention.

One time to notice barometers is during this month of November, in many places called “Stewardship Month,” when the generosity, priorities, strategies, and moods of American people in congregations gets measured. How are they doing, so far into the recession? Not needing to rely only on spotty or anecdotal impressions, we can read a study which appeared last Tuesday, as it provides at least a beginning and partial answer. The Lake Institute on Faith and Giving at the Center on Philanthropy and the Alban Institute – an Indianapolis and Washington combo – provide the report.

The two surveyed 1,500 congregations that are busy weathering the financial storms. Are they representative? No: No matter how small or weak some may be, the fact that they reach out to the Alban Institute signals some kind of vitality that sets them somewhat (if not vastly) apart. Over one-third of them reported an increase in giving for the first half of 2009 over the first half of 2008, and over one-third stayed the same. How do they adjust and make do in hard(er) times? Only 6.8 percent reduced permanent staff and only 10.7 more cut back on part-time staff. One-sixth of them could not raise salaries, while almost that many cut utility and program costs. William Enright of the Center calls the parishes “resilient” and “imaginative,” as they reach out to meet increasing needs in their communities and around the world. James Wind of Alban puts in a plug for local congregations, which are too often taken for granted. The majority, large or small, are dynamic and creative.

It’s a them-that-has-gits situation, in that those that were increasing giving, receipts, and mission pre-crisis keep increasing or at least holding their own, while those that were suffering decline now decline further and look for ways to turn things around. Many of them, lacking funds, supplemented mission with donations of food and clothing to the community. Most clergy brought up the subject of giving no more and no less frequently than they did B.C., Before the Crisis, but 40 percent did turn the volume and frequency up to attract more and better givers.

Churches made up mainly of older members (fifty-plus years) suffered more than did those with younger congregations, something easily understood by any who overhear retirees report on declines in their nest eggs. A minority of congregations have endowments; few of these reported increase. The little churches that reported less than $150,000 in donations in 2008’s first half reported continuing decline in 2009. What is not measured here is the degree of zest and passion and enjoyment brought by both clerical and lay leadership: Do those who enjoy giving and asking others to give do better than those whose apologetic tones, body language, lamenting, signs of marking time, and running for cover are telegraphed to their membership? You don’t need a survey to certify the part of it all that we already know.

Reference:

Read the 2009 Congregational Economic Impact Study at http://www.philanthropy.iupui.edu/LakeFamilyInstitute/economyGiving.aspx.

Martin E. Marty's biography, current projects, publications, and contact information can be found at www.illuminos.com.

Sermon Talk Back

Sermon Talk Back for Sunday, October 25, 2009

Scripture: Mark 10: 46-52
Jesus is leaving Jericho (a hot, dry place in the “wilderness), when a
blind man yells to Jesus for help – “have pity on me…I want my sight back.”
Jesus tells him he is healed and to “go.” The man rises and follows Jesus
to Jerusalem.

Sermon Title: “Getting to Go”

Preached by: Rev. Don Hammond

Summary: Sometime being a Christian is made to appear an easy and good thing. Many
people have received the compassionate and even healing touch of Jesus, and
many say “thank you,” and get on with life. The blind man with new eyesight
said “thank you,” and when Jesus told him to “Go,” he followed. His “Go”
had new direction. Where are you “Going”?

So after you have heard this sermon on Sunday morning...get on your computer and post your thoughts and comments about what you heard!

Posted by Blog Administrator

Money Matters: Faith and Tough Economic Times

The UCC has great resources on financial wellness for your personal financial health and the health of our congregation. We urge you to check out their links and resources on the national website...

http://www.ucc.org/stewardship/faith-and-tough-econmic-times/

Best wishes,
Blog Administrator

Sermon Talk Back

Sermon Talk Back for Sunday, September 20, 2009

We want you to engage in dialogue about this week's sermon. We welcome you to comment, share stories that relate to the sermon topic, ask questions and give us feedback. Your thoughts are welcome! Below you will find a summary of the sermon topic.

Scripture: Mark 9: 30-37

Sermon Title: Your Love? Nah, Jesus Want More Than That

Summary: How often have you heard “I found Jesus and I love him,” or something close
to that? Jesus’ disciples also found him and loved him, and Jesus thought
them to be pathetic. Jesus wants more, and when his words were not
penetrating the disciples heads, he lifts up a child and says "here is what
you need to do if you are going to be mine. This little kid that you nearly
stepped on and over and was nothing more than an obstacle in your way is
what you and I are about. Love and tend to the “obstacle” people and then
you will be one of mine."

So...what did you think? Now dialogue about it:)

Posted by Blog Administrator

Community Conversation and Dinner- “Laying the Foundation: Religious Perspectives on Health Care”

Nebraska Methodist College Educating Citizens Series on Health Care

As part of the Educating Citizens Series on Health Care, Nebraska Methodist College is organizing a community conversation and dinner in order to provide a forum for the community to learn more about and discuss the need for reform in our current health care system. The goal of this event is to provide an opportunity for civil engagement around an issue that will impact us all, whether you are a health care consumer, educator, student or professional. Participants will hear from a number of people representing a variety of faith traditions as they respond to the statement: "Health care is a basic human right." Participants will also have the opportunity to discuss with other attendees and share their concerns and hopes regarding reform as it now being considered.

Community Conversation and Dinner- “Laying the Foundation: Religious Perspectives
on Health Care”

Monday, September 28, 2009, 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm (Check in begins at 5:00 pm)
NMC-Josie Harper Campus, Rooms 3214, 3216 and 3218

Please RSVP by Thursday, September 24, 2009. For more information about this event or to RSVP, please email Hanna Wanzenried, NMC Community Outreach Coordinator at hanna.wanzenried@methodistcollege.edu.


Posted by Blog Administrator

Sermon Talk Back

Sermon Talk Back for Sunday, September 13, 2009

We want you to engage in dialogue about this week's sermon. We welcome you to comment, share stories that relate to the sermon topic, ask questions and give us feedback. Your thoughts are welcome! Below you will find a summary of the sermon topic.

Scripture: Mark 8: 27-38

Sermon Title: A Path Less Interested In

Summary: Much of contemporary Christianity has focused upon what it is that
we can get from Christianity: what it will do for us, how we can be better
for being Christian. Peter also liked it that way. He envisioned Jesus as
a hero with a sword, chasing the Romans out of Israel. When Peter chastised
Jesus (get that, smart wise Peter telling Jesus how it was going to be),
Jesus shut Peter down. Jesus had a path envisioned that Peter did not see.
It was not a path of pleasure, accomplishment, and success as culture
defined it. It was a different kind of path, a scary one. Not only did
Peter have difficulty seeing such a path, many of us also have similar
difficulty.

After First Central's Homecoming event, please post your thoughts here:)

Posted by the Blog Administrator

A Labor Day Reflection

A Labor Day Reflection:The Original Labor Law

"You shall keep the Sabbath, therefore, for it is holy to you." Exodus 31:14

Labor Day, established as a holiday in the United States in the 1880's, was a creation of the labor movement, concerned with the rights and protections of workers. Now, of course, it's a holiday for the last cook-out of the summer, or a day off to shop for school supplies.

Although Labor Day is no longer really about labor, labor laws and the rights and protections of workers are still matters of discussion and disagreement. Think of the debates around the minimum wage, immigrant workers, and affirmative action. Labor Day is a good time to reflect on the meaning of work--and on the original, biblical meaning of "a day off." The Sabbath is a day of rest commanded by God. It's the original "labor law," declaring that everyone needs and deserves a rest from work.

Of course, the joblessness caused by the current recession is providing too much time off for many. But God's commandment to keep the Sabbath is a reminder to both the overworked AND the unemployed: you are more than your job; your worth is not measured by your hourly wage, and the workplace is not the whole world.

Prayer

'Today I pray for your presence and support for all who are out of work. Amen.'

Source: National UCC website- http://www.ucc.org/writers-group/labor-day-reflection.html

Posted by Blog Administrator

Sermon Talk Back

Sermon Talk Back for Sunday, September 6, 2009

We want you to engage in dialogue about this week's sermon. We welcome you to comment, share stories that relate to the sermon topic, ask questions and give us feedback. Your thoughts are welcome! Below you will find a summary of the sermon topic.

Scripture: Mark 7: 24-37

Title: A Shoe Box Full of Hundreds

Summary: A Syrophoenician (Gentile) woman was desperate. Her daughter's health was
declining. She most likely tried every possibility available to help the
girl. Because Jesus was known everywhere as a "healer," and happened to be
in her neighborhood, she imposed herself upon him to heal the girl and he
did not want to help her. Nearly everyone, at some time in life, becomes
"desperate" and seeks help. What often makes the difference to the kind of
help we receive is usually determined by the kind of help we seek. Are we
seeking the kind of help that God offers, or are we seeking something as
crazy as a "Shoe Box Full of Hundreds?"


I hope to see some people talking on the blog!

Posted by the Blog Administrator

Sermon Talk Back

Sermon Talk Back for Sunday, August 30, 2009

We want you to engage in dialogue about this week's sermon. We welcome you to comment, share stories that relate to the sermon topic, ask questions and give us feedback. Your thoughts are welcome! Below you will find a summary of the sermon topic.

Scripture: Mark 7: 1-8, 14-15 and 21-23

Title: In Defense and Challenge of Tradition

Summary: The Gospel lesson has the Pharisees confronting Jesus concerning the lack of
observance of the traditions of cleanliness. Jesus, in turn, challenges
them on how their traditions have become their highest priority of
faithfulness to God. Traditions, in themselves, are not wrong or evil but they can become
problematic. This sermon explored the power and use,
and sometimes misuse, of traditions.

Thanks for participating!

Posted by the Blog Administrator

Thoughts by a Fellow Blogger: A Book Review

I was searching on-line for information regarding reasons why mainline churches still matter and I stumbled upon an excellent review of Richard Hamm's book, Recreating the Church. This book has become a handy resource for churches like First Central and gives us some great food for thought.

The author of this blog is Pastor Bob Cornwall. Pastor Cornwall is the pastor of Central Woodward Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Troy, Michigan. He is also the editor of Sharing the Practice (Academy of Parish Clergy). Below you will find an excerpt from the blog, which summarizes Hamm's five reasons why mainline churches still matter:

"So, what are the values that the Mainline lifts up? First, there is the witness to the relationship of faith and reason. The mind and the spirit belong together, and this is a hallmark of the Mainline that Hamm sees being challenged by a creeping fundamentalism. Second, Mainline schools educate rather than indoctrinate. They allow freedom to explore and dissent – critical thinking is encouraged. Third, the Mainline perspective encourages the development of a world view that “analyzes reality both in terms of individuals and systems.” Sin, in essence takes on both individual and systemic form, and ultimately it is the systems that must be changed for progress to be made. Fourth, Mainline perspectives seek to be inclusive (though this is always a struggle) of persons, especially women and people of color. With regard to sexual orientation, a matter Hamm doesn’t speak to here, the Mainline is still struggling to know what to do. Finally, in terms of overseas involvements, the Mainline seeks to partner with indigenous people rather than deal with them in colonial fashion."


Click the following link to read a review of the book and learn more about the challenges and opportunities mainline churches face today:

http://pastorbobcornwall.blogspot.com/2007/07/recreating-church-review.html

posted by the Blog Administrator

UCC August Mission Moment: The Work of the Gospel Goes On

The rhythm of our lives often changes during the summer, which is a good thing. It’s wonderful if we’re able to slow down and enjoy the beautiful outdoors, to stop and smell the flowers, and perhaps even to take a little vacation. But the rhythm of life in the church rarely skips a beat, even though some congregations may experience a few empty pews on Sunday mornings as folks travel and “take a Sunday off.”

Our churches know that the regular work of the gospel goes on, day in and day out, in every season. The worship and pastoral needs of the local church, the justice work in the broader community, and the wider mission of the United Church all go on, even in August, and they are supported by the faithful giving of the people in the pews, whose generosity never takes a vacation.

Thank you for remembering to give generously in support of your church’s ministry, even on Sundays when you are away from your own local congregation. Thank you for sharing the abundance with which you have been blessed so that the church, in every moment, can continue to be sign of God’s healing and tender mercies in a beautiful but broken world.

Source: www.ucc.org

United Church of Christ issues letter urging activism on health care reform

Written by National UCC Staff Reports
July 28, 2009

In a pastoral letter addressed to members of the United Church of Christ, church leaders have called upon churches "to actively work towards the creation of a national health care system and to affirm the moral and justice imperatives of equal access for all people."

The UCC's letter was signed by current General Minister and President the Rev. John H. Thomas, incoming General Minister and President the Rev. Geoffrey Black, Executive Minister for Justice and Witness Ministries the Rev. M. Linda Jaramillo, and Minister for Health Care Justice Barbara T. Baylor.

Citing the UCC's recent passage of a church-wide resolution urging advocacy in support of healthcare for all, the letter promotes a personal call to action as a means of implementing equitable access to and delivery of care.

UCC members are encouraged to contact their elected officials, identify themselves to the lawmaker as members of the United Church of Christ, and register their concerns for a health care plan that includes the seven points agreed to by an interfaith coalition:

• Coverage for all persons
• Access regardless of ability to pay
• A full set of benefits
• A choice of physicians and other providers
• Elimination of racial and ethnic and other health care disparities
• Waiver of pre-existing condition exclusions without any age limits
• A publicly available, government administered, insurance option

Additional actions include gathering delegates from congregations to visit the home offices of legislators during their August recess, attending the "Health Care Now!" rally July 30 in Washington, D.C., and organizing a Jericho march in communities around the nation insisting that the walls of inequitable health care come down.

The UCC joins a large and diverse interfaith coalition in calling for health care reform. At the July 7 Faith Leaders Summit on Health Care held in Washington, D.C., this coalition stated, "No longer can we afford to squander the hopes and dreams of the American people through a much-too-costly system that contributes to economic despair."

The UCC's Justice and Witness Ministries will issue health care related action alerts throughout August including a call for a preach/teach in, group lobbying information, phone chain organization and a letters to the editor campaign.

The complete text of the pastoral letter and call-to-action, formatted as a printable PDF bulletin insert, can be found at ucc.org/health-care-reform.

Source: http://www.ucc.org. Posted by: Blog Administrator

Yesterday I said from the pulpit that mission is the essential character of the church. What is your thought? If you agree, what kind of mission does FCUCC need to be leading in? If you disagree, what to you believe the church, especially FCUCC, needs to be about? Don Hammond

This is my first blog and am interested in knowing if anyone is out there and if someone is, what kind of bloging conversations would be of interest? Don Hammond, Interim Pastor

Melanie Naughtin, Director of Christian Education

God likes variety and reveals himself to us in countless ways. God is, indeed, still speaking. We try, in this church, to offer informed, balanced and carefully considered looks at a wide variety of topics in our adult education series; "First Forum", offered each Sunday morning at 9:15. Our fall offerings will include a National Issues Forum on Health Care Reform presented by Kent Kirwan on four Sundays from September 20th - October 11th. All are welcome to join us for these thought-provoking and very timely sessions. We welcome suggestions for topics that matter to you.

Update an Obsolete Poverty Line

Check out this interesting article, "Update an Obsolete Poverty Line," which is published by God's Politics: A Blog by Jim Wallis and Friends, a meeting place for progressive christian minds.

http://blog.sojo.net/2009/07/17/update-an-obsolete-poverty-line/

The Social Work You Do Is Necessary

We all do this thing differently.

Those of us who simply do social work, those of us with degrees, social workers who have dedicated their lives to helping others. Those of us who found our path and followed it, whether it required schooling or not. We all have our own way of changing lives around us.

We all have issues that drive us. We work with those in poverty, in hospitals and hospices, people who live alone and disconnected in their own homes and people on the street. We work with people in their own social situations, relationship therapy and group therapy and learning to treat others with respect, kindness, compassion, understanding -- and so many more. We're not just in Philadelphia or Pennsylvania or New Jersey, or even just the Northeast, we're everywhere, and connected. Many of us have made our career in social work and it's the gleaming beacon of our lives, that difference we can make for someone else. Many of us do it a bit at a time, seeing the little things and knowing the impact they can have. Many of us didn't even know that social work was what we did... until someone told us so.

Whatever we do and whatever the reason, people put their trust in us because we have mandated change by our actions. They see what we believe in because we act on it, though every single one of us has our own way of accomplishing it. Our diversity empowers us, lets us touch hearts and souls and minds across the world. It's not the exact method we use, or background we have, that's important. It's only that we care. That's what shines through.

Who are you, and what is your work? What drives you? What gets you out of bed in the morning?

You're important to the world. We need you.

By Megan Elizabeth Morris
Source: Social Work PRN Blog
Link: http://blog.swprn.com/blog/bid/23247/The-Social-Work-You-Do-Is-Necessary

Conversational Dinner

Food, friends and great conversations-- what’s not to love?

Join us this Sunday, June 28, 2009 at 6 p.m. for the all church Conversational Dinner. The Dinner will be held in the parlor at First Central Congregational Church located at 421 South 36th Street Omaha, NE 68131.

Conversational Dinners are dinners held 4 times a year, usually in church member’s homes. There are typically 8-10 people at each dinner, with everyone contributing something to the dinner. We have held these dinners for the last several years, and find them to be a really good way to get better acquainted with people we might otherwise not know, and to get to know better those that we already know. The last dinner of the season is a potluck held at the church.

Visitors are welcome! We hope you will consider attending the Conversational Dinner on June 28th as a way of “testing the waters,” so to speak. Don’t worry about bringing anything – be our guest. We only ask that you let us know if you will be attending, so we may plan appropriately.

Childcare will be available on the lower level of the church. Please make sure your child has eaten beforehand, or bring a sack lunch for them, since the dinners are for adults only.

Please call Sara at (402) 345-1533, if you would like to attend. We hope to see you on Sunday!

Nebraska Pride/Rainbow Celebrations: Come Visit First Central’s Booth

The United Church of Christ has supported the civil rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered people for more than 30 years, adopting the Open and Affirming (ONA) Resolution in 1985. First Central adopted our own ONA resolution in 2005. Many in the LBGT community don't know churches like First Central exist, so this upcoming event is a way to let people know we are here, and they are ALL welcome.

First Central will have a booth at the Rainbow Celebrations, Saturday, June 20th. Located at Lewis and Clark Landing (located at 515 North Riverfront Drive
Omaha, NE 68102), the event will feature many organizations that support the LGBT community. The celebrations will start at 12:00 pm and run until 6:00 pm. First Central is proud to be an Open and Affirming Church. No matter who you are, or where you are on life's journey, you are welcome here. Visit some of your First Central family on the 20th - the more, the merrier!
Posted by: Blog Administrator

Resources: Multicultural Bibliography

The following books include the themes of call and vocation, prayer and spiritual life, worship, biblical story and scripture from a multicultural perspective. Prepared by Rev. Dr. Carolyn Landers Pettigrew

Nonfiction

Crockett, Joseph V. Teaching Scripture From an African American Perspective. Nashville: Discipleship Resources, 1985.

DeYoung,Curtiss. Coming Together: The Bible's Message in an Age of Diversity. PA: Judson Press, 1995.

De Waal, Esther. The Celtic Way of Prayer: Recovery of the Religious Imagination. Doubleday, 1997.

Edelman, Marian Wright. I'm Your Child God: Prayers for Our Children. Hyperion Books for Children, New York,2002.

Eddy, Kathy Wonson and Maren C. Tirabassi. Gifts of Many Cultures: Worship Resources for the Global Community. Ohio: United Church Press, 1995.

Gonzalez, Justo L. Out of Every Tribe and Nation: Christian Theology at the Ethnic Roundtable. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1992.

Helphrey, Juanita J. ed. Worship Resources. Council For American Indian Ministry, 1991.

Kyung, Chung Hyun. Struggle to the Sun Again. Introducing Asian Women's Theology. Maryknoll: Orbis, 1990

Lesher, Jean A. Prayers For The Common Good. Pilgrim Press, Cleveland, Ohio, 1998.

Mackall, Dandi Daley. Why I Believe in God and Other Reflections by Children. Prima Publishing, 1999.

Pettigrew Landers, Carolyn and Woodward, Betsy. Children and Families in Worship: Two Perspectives. Resource developed for Ministry to Children and Families. Worship and Education Ministry Team. United Church of Christ. 2002

Pettigrew Landers, Carolyn. Integrating Multi-cultural Perspectives into Workshop, Curriculum and Resource Design, Doctor of Ministry dissertation, May 2000. Contact Rev. Dr. Landers Pettigrew for more information. Minister for Children and Families, The United Church of Christ,700 Prospect Ave, Cleveland, Ohio 44115

Pettigrew, Carolyn Landers. Spiritual Deepening in Small Groups: Facilitator's Guide and Spiritual Deepening in Small Groups: Participant's Booklet. United Church Resources, Cleveland, Ohio, 1999.

Pettigrew, Carolyn Landers and Betsy Woodard. Children and Families in Worship: A Resource. Spring, 2002. Available from the United Church of Christ's Minister for Children and Families, Carolyn Landers Pettigrew.

Santiago, Esmeralda. When I was Puerto Rican. New York: Vintage Books, 1993.

Schaper, Donna. Sabbath Sense: A Spiritual Antidote for the Overworked. Innisfree Press, Inc., 1997.

Thurman, Howard. Moods of Christmas. Friends United Press, 1985.

Treat, James. Native and Christian: Indigenous Voices on Religious Identity in the United States and Canada. New York: Rutledge, 1996.

Tutu, Desmond. An African Prayer Book. Doubleday, 1995.

Yust, Karen Marie. Attentive to God: Spirituality in the Church Committee. Chalice Press, 2001.

Weems, Renita J. Just a Sister Away: A Womanist Vision of Women's Relationships in the Bible. Laura Media, 1988.

Weems, Renita J. Listening For God: A Minister's Journey Through Silence and Doubt. Simon and Schuster, 1999.

Fiction

Kingsolver, Barbara. The Bean Tree. HarperPerennial, 1990. The Poisonwood Bible. HarperPernnial, 2000.
www.kingsolver.com

Tan Amy. The Joy Luck Club. New York: The Putnam's Sons, 1989

Children Learn What They Read: A resource for educators, families and churches, Carolyn Landers Pettigrew, D.Min. and Dawn Karima Pettigrew, M.F.A. This bibliography of award winning children's books, includes a synopsis of each book, spiritual themes, relevant scripture, discussion, spiritual applications, prayer opportunities and suggested activities for each book. The listing is multi-cultural. For more information contact Carolyn Landers Pettigrew at the address listed above.

The Way We Make Sense, Dawn Karima Pettigrew, M.F.A. Writer in Residence and faculty member at Western Carolina University. "On every page of The Way We Make Sense, a sparkling, wildly original and inventive novel, Dawn Karima Pettigrew provides us with the complex joys and strictures of a world that demands our attention. Her characters are red, white, black and brown, but above all they are real. She cares so much about them that they become a part of our lives, too. This is a most auspicious debut. "Dawn Karima Pettigrew-make no mistake about it-is a writer." David Citino, Professor of English and Creative Writing, Ohio State University. Publisher, Auntlute, October 2002.

Information taken from the National UCC website: http://www.ucc.org/children/multicultural-bibliography.html
Posted by: Blog Admin

Change the World

Change—a goal or objective
1. Proactive. Making a difference.
2. Putting your faith into action.

An old, popular UCC bumper sticker once proclaimed, “To believe is to care, To care is to do.” Or as the book of James puts it in the Christian Scriptures, “Faith without works is dead.”

If there’s any single trait that UCC members share in common, it’s our commitment to building a better world. Our faith compels us to change things- through our advocacy, our service, our financial gifts, our prayers and our personal growth and understanding. In the UCC, ‘witnessing’ is not insisting that others must believe exactly as you do. Instead, we witness our love and faith by working for justice for the marginalized and oppressed.

Check out the National UCC and First Central's website to see and learn about all the UCC initiatives. Together we can make good things happen at home and around the world.

• National UCC- http://www.ucc.org/change-the-world/?log-event=sp2f-view-item&nid=53243548

• First Central Church- http://www.firstcentral.org/ministries/outreach.shtml

Posted by Hanna W.

Calling All Young Professionals

Are you tired of going to social gatherings where no one is your age?
Have you ever wondered how you could get to know other young professionals from First Central?
Are you looking for a new networking group?

If this sounds like something you are looking for (we don't bite and we won't push the church thing--we promise!), please join us -- First Central's Young Professionals Group!


First Central's Young Professionals Group Kick-Off:
When: Thursday, May 28 from 5:00 pm to 8:00pm
Where: The Dundee Dell (located at 5007 Underwood Avenue, Omaha, NE 68132)
Need directions? Check out the Dell's website at http://www.dundeedell.com
Come as you are -- jeans, work clothes, tie dyed shirts...whatever. Because no matter who you are or where you are on life's journey you are welcome!
Why: Meet new people, learn about Omaha's local YP networks and opportunities to get involved, swap stories, share ideas, and just have a good time (plus, the Dell has awesome fish and chips...)
RSVP: To RSVP or if you have questions, contact Hanna Wanzenried, at hanna.wanzenried@yahoo.com. Please RSVP by Wednesday, May 27, 2009.

Curious about other networking and young professional opportunities? Check out Omaha's Young Professional Council at http://www.omahayoungprofessionals.org/ or on Facebook, just search for the Greater Omaha Young Professionals.

Feel free to bring a friend, partner, and/or roommate. We hope to see you there!
Posted by: Hanna W.

Gay Marriage Gains Momentum in U.S.

The election of the first African-American President has brought 'a civil rights state of mind' to America

By Charles Lewis, National Post

A sense of momentum among gay rights activists and the election of a liberal African-American president have combined to push more states to adopt pro same-sex marriage laws in the past year.

Three states — Iowa, Vermont and Maine — have made same-sex marriage legal in the past few months and New York and New Hampshire are on the verge of doing the same.

In fact, John Lynch, Governor of New Hampshire and a longtime opponent of gay marriage, said on Wednesday he would not veto a pro-gay-marriage bill that just passed the state legislature.

Massachusetts was the first U.S. state to make it legal, in 2003, and Connecticut followed suit last year.

Solon Simmons, a professor at the Institute for Conflict Analysis & Resolution at George Mason University in Washington, D.C., said the events in the mainly socially liberal New England states have been building for years.

“But there is reason to suspect that we are living through a political opportunity for those who support gay marriage as a civil rights issue,” Prof. Simmons said.

“There is the standard consideration like having [Democratic] political control of the executive and legislative branches, but also it is a time when the gains of the civil rights movement are on people’s minds. In the early days of the first mixed-race presidency, many people are likely to be in a civil rights state of mind, and this could work to the advantage of the gay rights activists.”

Indeed, many supporters of gay marriage rights say their cause is similar to the civil rights battles for African-Americans in the 1960s.

When same-sex marriage became legal this year in Iowa — a state not known for overt social liberalism — it gave activists inspiration to push even harder, said David Masci, senior research fellow for the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life in Washington.

“There is a sense of momentum that proponents of same-sex marriage feel. When you speak to them, you really do a get a sense that this is a train that has left the station and will not be stopped. That’s pushing a lot of this action.”

One group intent on keeping marriage strictly for heterosexuals, the National Organization for Marriage, is so concerned about the spread of gay marital rights, it has produced a television ad.

This shows concerned citizens, standing in front of a threatening sky, saying: “There’s a storm gathering;” “The clouds are dark and the winds are stormy;” “And I am afraid.”

One of its main points is that enshrining gay marriage in law will mean those opposed to the idea on moral grounds could feel the wrath of the state.

Even those less inclined to theatrical hyperbole agree the issue of the rights of religious-based organizations will become a legal question.

Three years ago in Boston, the Roman Catholic adoption agency was told it would lose its licence if it did not deal with gay couples. In response, the Church left the adoption business.

Mr. Masci said the courts would likely find themselves dealing with wedding photographers and catering halls that did not want to cater to gay marriages.

However, many opponents say that they are not expecting a wave to sweep the country.

The federal Defense of Marriage Act does not recognize same-sex marriages and allows states to refuse to recognize gay marriages from other states. In addition, 29 states have constitutional amendments that forbid gay marriage, and last November, California, Florida and Arizona defeated calls for legalizing gay marriage in referendums.

“What we are seeing is various attempts to introduce same-sex unions at the level of judiciary or legislature, but at the same time we’re also seeing the response of a populace, that when it’s put to a popular vote there is support for traditional marriage,” said Father Brian Bransfield of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

California is a case in point. The legislature has approved gay marriage twice, but this has been vetoed by the Governor both times.Then, in 2008, after the California Supreme Court ruled gay marriage was protected by the constitution, 18,000 gay couples rushed to tie the knot.

But in November, the court decision was overturned in the referendum. (Gay marriage proponents are now arguing their case against the referendum’s outcome. There have been indications the court will uphold the referendum, but will allow those who married to keep their legal status.)

Fr. Bransfield dismissed the civil rights argument because marriage transcends the power of courts or governments to expand the meaning of this union.

“Marriage, the union of one man and one woman is the most recognizable institution in time and space. It’s an utterly unique kind of union. Other relationships don’t approach that at all. That comes from nature. Marriage existed long before the state and the judiciary,” he said.

“The state can’t change the definition of marriage because it is not a label. It’s a reality. If marriage becomes so broad that anything can be marriage, nothing is marriage.”

However, he believes the state does have a role to protect traditional marriage.

“The state has an interest in preserving those things essential for the common good and there is something about the common good that is advanced in the male-female union. It has an immediate impact on family.”

Brian Moulton, senior counsel for the Human Rights Campaign, a Washington-based gay rights group, said there cannot be a society in which one group is given second-class status.

“Equal protection is supposed to mean it for all people. Treating loving couples in a different way is problematic under our Constitution.”

He also rejected the idea that citizens’ rights should be subject to referendums.

“We don’t believe any fundamental right should be subject to popular approval.”

National Post
clewis@nationalpost.com

Posted by: Hanna W.

Project Interfaith's 2009 Interfaith Architecture Tour

This Year's Theme: The Influence of Nature in Buddhist and Catholic Religious Art and Architecture

When: Sunday, May 17, 2009, 1:30-4:00 pm (Check-in begins at 1:00 pm)

Where: Mount Michael Benedictine Abbey located at 22520 Mount Michael Road, Elkhorn, NE 68022

What: Join us for an afternoon exploring how nature has influenced and shaped religious art and architecture in the Buddhist and Catholic monastic traditions. Hear from speakers from Tinh Tam (the Council of Buddhist Study) and Father Daniel Lenz, an artist and member of the Mount Michael religious community. Then, tour the beautiful buildings and grounds of Mount Michael Benedictine Abbey to see a fine example of this in our community. The presentations and tour will be followed by a reception with light refreshments hosted by Mount Michael Benedictine Abbey.

This tour is open to the public and is co-sponsored by the Tinh Tam, the Archdiocese of Omaha, and the Omaha Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), who will be offering CEUs to its members for attending.

Cost: The cost to participate is $5 per person and is non-refundable. Pre-registration is strongly suggested.

Register Now: You can register and pay on-line by visiting

http://interfaitharchitecturetour2009.eventbrite.com

For more information or to register contact Project Interfaith by calling (402) 933-4647 or email info@projectinterfaithusa.org. Posted by: Hanna

Project Interfaith serves as a leader and resource on interfaith and religious diversity issues. We work with religious groups, educators, corporations, and all members of the community to promote a deeper understanding of and respect for religious diversity. We offer innovative, community-building programs that educate and engage audiences on issues of faith, religion, identity, and interfaith relations. For more information, visit our blog at projectinterfaith.blogspot.com or call (402) 933-4647.

Be our friend on Facebook

First Central has created a Facebook account. Yup. That's right--we have entered the world of social media.

You can friend us and keep in touch with your First Central family and friends, just join our group page at: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=62421526495
Or you can find us by searching for First Central Congregational United Church of Christ.

Posted by: Hanna W.

A Calling to Act Justly: My Spiritual Journey and the Environment

Earth Day is celebrated on April 22nd. In honor of this day, I pause for a moment to reflect on how and why my faith journey has influenced my view of the earth and my role as a caregiver. As a member of First Central Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, I was exposed to a theology and subsequent practices, which focused on being good stewards of our resources. This community and the values of my parents heavily influenced my understanding of what it means to be a caregiver for the earth. This community and many individuals taught me to not only respect, but also appreciate Mother Nature by teaching me about the remarkable complexity in its creation, our need to co-exist and the cycle of life. By actively participating in activities which focused on our role as environmental stewards with church friends and family members alike, I began to understand its value and our place in the world. Whether it was by volunteering to plant flowers in the church courtyard, cleaning up our church grounds and local neighborhood, or going on nature walks with Winston, I felt a deeper connection to the world around me. It is from these first experiences and lessons that I learned what it meant to be a steward of the earth. Over the years, my spirituality has expanded- I have weaved other religious tradition’s stories and values into my own personal spirituality and my understanding of what it means to care for the environment. For example, I have incorporated the Jewish concept of Tikkun Olam, which means “repairing the world.” Tikkun Olam serves as my spiritual guide and empowers me to act responsibly and ethically, especially concerning environmental issues. My faith journey, spirituality, and community gives me the courage to be an activist and helps me to make the right choices, so that I can help, even in some small way, repair the world and make it healthier for future generations.

I am so thankful for First Central’s leadership and the chance I have had to witness this faith community heed the call to act justly by taking steps to not only care for humanity, but focus on what we often take for granted, our earth. First Central has made many efforts to “go green” and support the sustainability cause. Among many things, First Central has a community garden, located in the back of the church. To learn more about this project please visit: http://www.gardenbig.org/.

To get involved, learn more about how you can live out your faith or what Omaha is doing on this front, please visit these great websites:

• Green Omaha Coalition: http://www.greenomahacoalition.org/

• Earth Day Omaha: http://www.earthdayomaha.com/ (Earth Day Omaha will be celebrated on Saturday, April 25 from 12:00- 8:00 pm)

Posted by: Hanna W.

First Central is Celebrating People in Action: Our Volunteers!

In honor of National Volunteer Week 2009- April 19-25, First Central would like to give a big shout out to all our volunteers. We are so thankful for the many hours you give to the church family. This faith community could not do it without your support, time, and talents. During this week, we celebrate the ordinary people who accomplish extraordinary things through service. Yup- that’s you. THANK YOU!

To learn more about NVW, please visit: http://www.handsonnetwork.org/programs/more/nvw

Posted by: Hanna W.

A Meditation on Easter

By: Bud Cassiday
The banners I’ve painted are an exploration of my thoughts and feelings about our celebration of Easter. What it’s all about, this death and resurrection thing? What really happened anyway? What is the significance of this Easter day? Unlike Christmas, December 25 each year, Easter is a moveable celebration. Easter is observed on the Sunday after the first full moon on or after the day of the vernal equinox. This can occur between March 22 and April 25. Complex negotiations over many centuries arrived at this rather odd compromise. So we’ve got this “moveable feast.”

Is the story of the Resurrection true? Is it Truth? I don’t know. I’m an artist, not a theologian. I think that many Biblical stories tell truths without being true. A friend said that Winston Baldwin once told a girl who asked if a story was true, “Honey, that story’s so true, that even if it’s not true, it’s true.” That works for me. Heresy? In some circles for sure. But whenever I hear that Jesus died for our sins, I think that it is more accurate to say that Jesus died because of the sins of his contemporaries. I don’t believe Jesus committed crucifixion suicide. He was put to death deliberately The politics of the day, and pride, arrogance, bigotry, hatred, and jealousy killed Jesus. I think that’s true.

That Easter is a moveable celebration appeals to me somehow. It moves around like the spirit can move around. And it needs to move around. Somebody kills Jesus everyday somewhere, it seems to me –genocide in Darfur or Kosovo, or innocents in the Holocaust or Guernica or New York City or Dresden, a landmine in Afghanistan or Africa, or an explosion in a town market in Iraq or the Holy Land, or a suicide bomber, or killing sprees with automatic weapons, or where a child is abused or hungry. “Broken-ness” kills Jesus. And Jesus lives and moves wherever goodness and kindness and caring prevail. I think that’s Truth.

So we are fortunate that Easter is a “moveable feast”– we desperately need the redemptive power of this celebration to move around. There are far too many places and times where this “moveable feast” is needed.
One of my favorite songs is Leonard Cohen’s, “Hallelujah.” He says the following about his song:

"This world is full of conflicts and full of things that cannot be reconciled but there are moments when we can transcend …and reconcile and embrace the whole mess and that's what I mean by 'Hallelujah'. That regardless of what the impossibility of the situation is, there is a moment when you open your mouth and you throw open your arms and you embrace the thing and you just say 'Hallelujah! Blessed is the name.' And you can't reconcile it in any other way except in that position of total surrender, total affirmation.”

So my color blasts, dancing figures, doves and flowers, Hallelujahs, Jesus on the Cross, and other abstracted offerings are a way to celebrate this day and this “affirmation,” as are the beautiful music we hear and joyous songs we sing and words of wisdom that come our way as we attempt to reconcile the irreconcilable.

I will celebrate the death and life of Easter and hope the miracles will move from place to place, time to time, and person to person. I want these images to be part of the celebration of the contradictions of the rational and the miraculous, of the implications of metaphors and metaphysics, and of the contemplations of the true and the Truth, and I will “embrace the thing” with surrender and affirmation. The Easter story is so true, that even if it’s not true, it’s true. Hallelujah!

Daryl’s Blog: the national church setting

Is This Any Way To Run A Church?
Well, it is how we have always done it… Sort of.


For whatever reason, First Central has a long history of involvement in the wider church—that includes the clergy, lay folk and somehow the whole congregation. Frankly I do not know how far back this tradition extends, but it pre-dates the formation of the United Church of Christ. The last national meeting of the Congregational Christian Church was held in Omaha in 1956 when the vote was taken to join with the Evangelical and Reformed Church to become the United Church of Christ the next year in Cleveland.

Currently five independent boards, each with their own corporate structures and governing boards contribute to the operation of the national board. In recent times Susan Fortina and Bill Switzer served on the Boards for World Church Ministries and Justice and Peace Ministries, respectively. I currently serve on the Executive Council (EC), the board that conducts the business of the General Synods between bi-annual meetings.

No one keeps score, but odds are we hold some sort of record for membership on the Executive Council of the UCC over the last fifty years. Don Klohr served on the first Executive Council in 1957. Ray Straun served as a lay person in the late 1980’s and was replaced by Jody Ondick-Batson. During Jody's six-year term David Ruhe became the Moderator of the General Synod and thus served with her. Winston Baldwin not only served on the EC, but came to Chair that body during the reorganization of 2000 when we restructured from eleven instrumentalities to four covenanted ministries. (Thank you Winston. How did you ever survive that?) In 2005 I replaced Winston on the EC and serve until the 2011 General Synod.

Serving on the Executive Council requires some serious familiarity with the nuances of how our strange “up-side down” polity is supposed to work—or how we wish it worked. We are not the only denomination with “congregational” polity (most Baptists and even the Missouri Synod Lutherans claim it in some form), but it can be argued that we invented it and we are certainly passionate about it. Most of our serious church discussions include a discourse about “autonomy” and “covenant” (the glue that is supposed to hold us together).

I do not yet lose much sleep about the national church’s almost forty million dollar budget, although I think about it a lot. I do spend many a late hour thinking about governance and structural problems that we have not yet solved in more than fifty years. The budget IS a real problem, but I doubt we can fix it in the direction we are going. If you see Don Klohr and I in a serious conversation, you can bet that is what we are discussing.

After more than fifty years the lines of authority and accountability for the church still do not really meet at the top! We consist of five independent legal corporations that have difficulty coordinating accounting practices, never mind acting together in visioning, planning and setting priorities for the UCC, and our constitution leaves our President and General Minister, and our Treasurer in legal ambiguity.

I have been asked to try and make sense of all of this here in this blog. It will take some explaining. I will discuss our polity, our long commitment to affirmative action and our habit of being on the leading edge of change. I also will have to explain the rapidly growing problems that we share with most other denominations as our OCWM giving continues to plummet, church attendance continues to decline across the entire spectrum, and we enter into the very different world of the post-modern church.

Next: Why we cannot seem to fix this problem.

Daryl Malena

Daryl's Blog: the national church setting

There is something new at www.ucc.org! Go to myUCC and take a look. Then create a profile (just like Facebook, but it is UCC!) and be sure to join the group "Friends of First Central." Add pictures, make comments.
Daryl Malena

The Seeds of Faith Fell Into Good Soil

The Parable of the Sower
(Matthew 13:1-23; Mark 4:4-9; Luke 8:4-15)

Again he began to teach beside the sea. Such a very large crowd gathered around him that he got into a boat on the sea and sat there, while the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land. He began to teach them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them: “Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and it sprang up quickly, since it had no depth of soil. And when the sun rose, it was scorched; and since it had no root, it withered away. Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. Other seed fell into good soil and brought forth grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.” And he said, “Let anyone with ears to hear listen.”

I am not one to quote from religious texts, but I thought I’d share how my First Central Church experience mirrors the Parable of the Sower and a bit about my spiritual journey. Although I studied scripture at church and then in college, I find that only now have I begun to really appreciate its many stories and lessons. For example, someone recently read the Parable of the Sower out loud. Now, had it been 2 years or even 5 years ago, I would have tuned out, but this time I sat quietly and truly listened to the words and message the story had for me at that moment. For me, I immediately thought of my spiritual journey as the seed, and First Central as the good soil. I have always been the one to question, doubt and explore. First Central nourished these traits, welcomed my questions, and let me explore and find my own spiritual path- no matter what. Because of this, I can say that First Central was not a stone path, which left the seeds of my faith unprotected; it was not rocky shallow ground, which left my seeds of faith without a firm foundation on which to grow, nor was First Central a patch of thorns which choked my seeds of faith before I was given the chance to grow tall. First Central’s open and loving community only fertilized and enriched my faith experience, and helped shape my values and beliefs. I can truly say that because of my supportive family and First Central that I have seen my spiritual journey develop and mature over the years. It has brought forth a deeper understanding of myself and my community, therefore increasing a hundredfold my love and appreciation for all. Posted by: Hanna W.

Broadest-Ever Surevy Gives In-Depth Portrait of Mainline Clergy

Survey show high support for activist government, growing support for LGBT equality
Significant differences across mainline denominations on religious, political measures

Leading researchers on religion and politics today released the results of an in-depth survey of Mainline Protestant clergy political engagement during the 2008 election season, attitudes on social and economic issues, and the public role of church. The Mainline Protestant Clergy Voices Survey (CVS), conducted by Public Religion Research, is the largest survey of mainline clergy in seven years, and the broadest ever in scope. Mainline Protestants, who make up 18 percent of all Americans and nearly a quarter of all voters, have been trending Democratic in recent years, but remain fairly evenly divided in their political behavior.

“Mainline Protestants are probably the most under-examined major religious group in the United States,” said Dr. Robert P. Jones, President of Public Religion Research. “That’s especially surprising when you consider that they occupy so much of the vital middle ground in American politics.”

Jones said the new survey will be invaluable in helping us understand Mainline Protestants’ role in the American religious landscape by shedding light on the attitudes and political engagement of mainline clergy.

Mainline clergy are highly educated, political interested, and socially engaged,” said Jones. “They are strong supporters of church-state separation, but they are also interested in being more personally involved on social and political issues.”

The CVS surveyed senior clergy from the seven larges mainline denominations: United Methodist Church, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, American Baptist Churches USA, Presbyterian Church USA, Episcopal Church, United Church of Christ, and Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). The survey found significant differences across the denominations on religious and political measures.

Among its findings on social and political issues:

• Mainline Clergy are much more likely to identify as liberal and Democratic than conservative or Republican. Almost half (48%) of all mainline clergy identify as liberal, compared to about one-third (34%) who say they are conservative. A majority (56%) of mainline clergy identify with or lean towards the Democratic Party, compared to roughly one-third (34%) who claim a Republican affiliation, a 22-point gap.
• The political disposition of clergy varies considerably by denomination. Three quarters (74%) of UCC clergy identify as liberal, compared to less than a third (32%) of ABCUSA clergy.
• Mainline Protestant clergy are broadly supportive of government’s role in addressing social problems such as unemployment, poverty and poor housing. More than three-quarters (78%) agree that the federal government should do more to solve social problems, and more than 4-in-10 strongly agree.
• Mainline clergy are strongly supportive of government action in the areas of health care and the environment. More than two-thirds (67%) of clergy agree that government should guarantee health insurance for all citizens, even if it means raising taxes. And nearly 7-in-10 (69%) clergy say that more environmental protection is needed, even if it raises prices or costs jobs.
• On a broad range of issues, mainline clergy affirm equality for gay and lesbian Americans. Roughly two-thirds of mainline clergy support some legal recognition for same-sex couples (65%), passing hate crime laws (67%) and employment nondiscrimination protections for gay and lesbian people (66%). A majority (55%) of mainline clergy support adoption rights for gay and lesbian people.
• Mainline Protestant clergy are strong advocates of church-state separation. A majority (65%) of mainline clergy agree that the U.S. should “maintain a strict separation of church and state.” Mainline clergy are more worried about public officials who are too close to religious leaders (59%) than about public officials who do not pay enough attention to religion (41%).
• Mainline clergy are more likely to publicly address hunger and poverty and family issues than controversial social issues. More than 8-in-10 clergy say they publicly expressed their views about hunger and poverty often in the last year, and three-quarters say they addressed marriage and family issues often. Only about one-quarter (26%) say they often discussed the issues of abortion and capital punishment.
  

The survey also includes findings on religious measures, including clergy religious self-identification (mainline, evangelical, born-again), their views on the interpretation of scripture, and the relative importance of evangelism and social action.

Dr. John Green, Director of the Bliss Institute for Applied Politics at the University of Akron, served as advisor to the project and supervised its data collection. Green also participated in two of the earlier studies of mainline clergy in 1989 and 2001 upon which this new survey builds.

“This survey adds significantly to our knowledge and understanding of mainline clergy,” said Green. “Scholars of religion as well as journalist and interested activists will benefit from the information and insights it offers.”

The survey, which was conducted by mail, contained over 250 separate questions and generated 2,658 respondents with a response rate of 44%. The Mainline Protestant Clergy Voices Survey was funded by the Evelyn and Walter Hass, Jr. Fund.

Questions? Contact: Peter Montgomery at pmontgomery@publicreligion.org or check out the Public Religion Research website at www.publicreligion.org. For more information on this survey, follow this link: http://www.publicreligion.org/research/?id=167

~~~~~~~~~~
Commentary: A Sightings article by Martin E. Marty, "Mainline Clergy "

While the number of Americans coded as “Mainline Protestant” has gone down (almost) twenty percent in (almost) fifty years, still (almost) one in five Americans and (almost) one in four voters are part of this often (almost) invisible cohort which receives (almost) no prime time or front page media and even (almost) no slot when pollsters interview and rank voters. You will see and hear more than usual about them, thanks to a Public Religion Research survey released Friday, entitled Clergy Voices: Findings from the 2008 Mainline Protestant Clergy Voices Survey. Robert P. Jones and Daniel Cox present their findings, which are active enough, but in their own way.

Until around 1960 this cluster dominated much public discourse, as it does not today. Happily, Jones and Cox don’t waste any of their thirty-five pages revisiting the overdone analysis of reasons for their relative decline in size, status, and noise. Old stuff. The new stuff here is their set of findings about clergy voices and actions today (as of last August, that is). While the mainliners have enemies, mainly among conservative Protestants and think-tanks on the right, they go about their work in thousands of vital congregations and more struggling ones. Those enemies like to portray them as ideological leftists; Clergy Voices does not find them so. The word “diffuse” shows up in the reports. They have voices in public affairs, but rarely and mildly try to project or enforce social justice “dogma.” Some see their limits as a result of lay reaction to leftism, but current members are not massively assaulted with radical preachments and policies.

Politicians who would organize and exploit them, as they do some other religious groups, would have difficulty doing so; constituencies vary too much by denomination, region, social class, and height of boundaries that might be used to keep members in and others out. Their members may have strong social justice commitments, but they blend them with those in other religions or in the secular order. Yes, half call themselves “liberal,” because they are not afraid of the label, but a third are “conservative.” Over half are Democrat-“leaning” and one-third “claim a Republican affiliation.” No surprise here: More than three-quarters want the federal government to do more on the social problems front, especially in respect to environmental and health care issues. They fall into the “church-state separation” camp, and far more are worried about public officials who are too close to religious leaders than about those who are too far.

Four out of five speak up on hunger and poverty issues but—and this fits the stereotype—only one-fourth “often discussed the issues of abortion and capital punishment.” They are friendlier than not to gay and lesbian people, and a majority supports their rights. Clergy? Ninety-three percent are still white, eighty percent male, only twenty-nine percent believe in biblical inerrancy, almost eighty-percent say they are strongly interested in politics, but most don’t preach on specific legislative or candidacy themes. They and their members pitch in on other than directly political causes and prefer broad-based works of mercy through voluntary associations in church and beyond it. On the large screen, most “are firmly opposed to the war in Iraq and most think Israel has to make greater concessions to achieve Middle East peace. " That, in our reading, is the solitary issue that prompts editorial and talk-show talk. They are generally for control of guns. Maybe that’s a clue to the reasoning of those who attack them: Taking on guns, they attack what may be America’s real religion.

For more information on Sightings or Martin E. Marty, please follow this link: http://divinity.uchicago.edu/martycenter/publications/sightings/

Checking Our Balance

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to pluck up what is planted …(Ecclesiastes 3: 1-2)

How about these improvisations on this familiar text about the “seesaw” of life:

A time to break down our budgets – at home or church -- in new ways, and a time to build them up by asset mapping. A time to weep for recession, unemployment and homelessness, and a time to meet doomsayers with humor and hope. A time to mourn for the time-famine of contemporary families, and a time to dance with our faithful volunteers. A time to embrace generosity, and a reminder to refrain from embracing consumerism. A time to keep – recycle, re-use, renew – in church and home -- and a time to throw away responsibly. A time to tear our clothes on a mission trip with teens, and a time to knit prayer shawls in the parlor. A time to love our children enough to teach them stewardship, and a wake up call whenever and wherever they learn hatred for themselves or others. A time-out for war, and an always time-enough to work for peace … a peace for every season that blesses God’s purpose under heaven.

It is March – the month of balance. Life isn’t like Daylight Savings time – we cannot “make” hours or resources or energy or sunshine. On the other hand, the Spring Equinox is a true teaching moment. We even use the word “balance” financially. The “balance” is what we work with, give with, use to care for ourselves and others. Financially, emotionally, and spiritually, as individuals and as communities of faith, this is the season to commit ourselves to balance.

This UCC stewardship message is brought to you by: Maren C. Tirabassi, Pastor of Union Congregational UCC of Madbury, NH. Her most recent book is God in My Life: How and Why We Share Faith Stories.

Rolling Up Our Sleeves: Answering Hard Questions

During this time of transition and interim period before we find a settled pastor we must, as a congregation, consider who we are and what we want to be. We must refine our mission, clarify our vision for this congregation, and then take the necessary steps to “be the change we want to see in the world.” This requires us to roll up our sleeves and put our thinking hats on as we answer some thought-provoking questions. Below you will find a few questions which the church will work hard to answer over the coming weeks. We encourage you to post comments to the questions below or contact Sara Sharpe, First Central’s Office Manager, as soon as possible. Your feedback will help us as we begin our quest for a settled pastor; it will give the search committee the necessary information so they can best select a leader who complements our strengths and weaknesses, pushes us forward, and nurtures this wonderful church family.

1. What do we want in our next minister?
2. What type of leadership and help do we expect from our next minister?
3. What do we want him or her to know about us?
4. Are we the church we want to be?
5. Where do we want our church to head in the future?
6. What should we work on during this interim period? Are there issues or obstacles that need to be addressed now?
7. Are there changes we’d like to make, or new directions we want to go since April 2004, when we completed our strategic plan and identity study?
   

What Jesus and Darwin Have In Common: Reflections of An Evolutionary Biologist

Did you know? -- Charles Darwin was born 200 years ago, and 2009 is also the 150th anniversary year of the publication of his Origin of the Species. This backdrop provides a rich opportunity for serious discussion and reflection upon the relationship between religion and science. Countryside Community Church, First Central's UCC Sister Church, is celebrating Evolution Weekend 2009 by hosting Dr. Joan Roughgarden, Professor of Biological Sciences at Stanford University. She will present a lecture entitled:

What Jesus and Darwin Have In Common: Reflections of an Evolutionary Biologist

“I’m an evolutionary biologist and a Christian,” states Stanford professor Joan Roughgarden at the outset of her groundbreaking book, Evolution and Christian Faith: Reflections of an Evolutionary Biologist. Speaking from that perspective to audiences everywhere, she offers an elegant, deeply satisfying reconciliation of the theory of evolution and the wisdom of the Bible. Perhaps only someone with Roughgarden's unique academic standing could examine so well controversial issues such as the teaching of intelligent design in public schools, or the potential flaws in Darwin's theory of evolution. Roughgarden has scoured the Bible and scanned the natural world, finding examples time and again, not of conflict, but of harmony. In the ongoing debates over creationism, intelligent design and evolution, her lecture will be seen as a message of major significance, for those bright and thoughtful people who wonder how or if they can embrace scientific advances while maintaining their traditional values. Roughgarden holds a Ph.D. in Biology from Harvard University, and is currently Professor of Biological Sciences and of Geophysics at Stanford University.

When: Thursday, February 26, at 7:00 pm.

Where: Countryside Community Church located at 8787 Pacific Street.

Cost: Tickets for this event are available in the Narthex or during weekday office hours. Suggested donation is $10.

This lecture will be followed by a Q and A session and book-signing. For more information contact, Cyndi Kugler, Director of the Center for Faith Studies at Countryside Community Church at 391-0350x121 or cyndik@countrsideucc.org.

Ways to make YOUR neighborhood better: 2009 Neighborhood Builders Sessions

The Neighborhood Center of Omaha and Council Bluffs invite you to the Neighborhood Builders 2009 Workshop Sessions- “Better Futures Are Built on Better Neighborhoods.”

What: Neighborhood Builders is a community effort led by the Neighborhood Center, The University of Nebraska at Omaha, neighborhood associations, businesses, foundations and private citizens. The goal of the Neighborhood Builders is to help build stronger, healthier neighborhoods in Douglas, Sarpy and Pottawattamie counties by assisting in developing positive local leadership.

Who: Anyone interested in making neighborhoods safe places in which live, work and raise families should participate. These sessions are perfect for new association board members or newly elected leaders.

How: Community leaders, educators, business persons, and your neighbors will facilitate the session blocks. We promise sessions will be interesting and interactive. Our goal is to make these topics useful to you in everyday life. Your newly acquired skills will help at work, home and in your neighborhood community.

2009 Topic Blocks:

• February 2, 2009- Assets in Your Neighborhood

• February 14, 2009- Inclusiveness in Your Neighborhood

• February 21, 2009- Social Advocacy

• February 28, 2009- Conflict Mediation (followed by an open house)

When: Each Saturday during the month of February from 8:30 am to 12:00 pm. Continental breakfast and networking session begins at 8:00 am.

Where: The Neighborhood Center
115 South 49th Avenue
Omaha, NE 68132

To register or for more information, please contact, Ronald Abdouch, Executive Director of the Neighborhood Center at (402)561-7582 or rabdouch@mail.unomaha.edu.

About the Neighborhood Center

The Neighborhood Center (NC) is a community-based, neighborhood-driven organization administered by the University of Nebraska at Omaha. NC provides information and assistance to neighborhood associations to enable them to come together and develop their own leadership and decision-making structure and effectively address the issues affecting the quality of life in their communities. NC works directly with residents in the tri-county area, including those who are members of neighborhood associations, homeowners associations, business associations, coalitions, community development corporations, churches, and other not-for-profit groups. The mission of the Neighborhood Center is to build capacity and strengthen neighborhoods throughout Douglas, Sarpy, and Pottawattamie counties.To learn more, visit our website at http://www.unomaha.edu/ncenter/.

COMMUNITY CONFERENCE ON FAITH AND THE ENVIRONMENT

Project Interfaith and the Rabbi Myer and Dorothy Kripke Center for the Study of Religion and Society present:

A Community Conference on Faith and the Environment:
Christian, Jewish, Muslim and Native American Ways of Approaching Environmental Issues

When: Sunday, March 29, 2009, 1:00-5:00 pm (check-in begins at 12:30 pm)

Location: Harper Center Ballroom at Creighton University, located at 602 North 20th Street
(Free parking is available in the Visitors Lot adjacent to the Harper Center on 20th and California Street)

What: Join us as we explore how different religions and belief systems view the environment and our role in it – especially when it comes to caring for it. Hear from four proactive scholars who are active in environmental issues as they speak on how their beliefs have shaped their attitudes and actions towards the environment. Put your beliefs into action by getting connected with local environmental initiatives at our information fair. Participants also will have the opportunities throughout the conference to dialogue with each other about these issues. Light refreshment will be served.

Featured Speakers:

• Dr. Terry Wimberley: A Christian Perspective

• Dr. Sandra Beth Lubarsky: A Jewish Perspective

• Dr. Safei-Eldin A. Hamed: A Muslim Perspective

• Dr. Rudi Mitchel: A Native American Perspective

Cost: This program is open to the public and offered at no charge, thanks to generous funding from the Kripke Center and the Special Donor-Advised Fund at the Jewish Federation Foundation.

Pre-registration is strongly suggested as space is limited. To register, contact Fran Minear at the Kripke Center at (402) 280-2303 or email fminear@creighton.edu.
To view a map of Creighton’s Harper Center, please click the following link:
http://www2.creighton.edu/harpercenter/parking/index.php

This program is part of Project Interfaith’s 2008-2009 Community Conversation Annual Speaker Series. Please share this with others who may be interested. Thank you!

About Project Interfaith

Project Interfaith serves as a leader and resource on interfaith and religious diversity issues. We work with religious groups, educators, corporations, and all members of the community to promote a deeper understanding of and respect for religious diversity. We offer innovative, community-building programs that educate and engage audiences on issues of faith, religion, identity, and interfaith relations. For more information, visit our blog at http://projectinterfaith.blogspot.com or call (402) 933-4647.

A reflection on one speech and two prayers

When I first heard that Reverend Rick Warren was going to give the opening prayer at the inauguration, I must admit, I was a bit nervous and upset. My first thought was, what is Obama thinking? I thought we were supposed to be bringing the country together, not grinding salt into wounds. But once again Obama shows his genius. His inclusion of two individuals on opposite ends of the religious spectrum (Revered Rick Warren and Revered Joseph Lowery) in his inauguration ceremony models a best practice for our country. We must reach across the lines of political party, religious belief, race, class, sexual orientation, and ethnic group in order to find a solution to the problems facing our nation and world today.

When I turned on the T.V. Tuesday morning, I was curious to see how the prayers were going to sound- would they be inclusive, or would they push a “Christian” message? I also thought, why are there prayers at a government function, anyway? What about the people who choose not to subscribe to a religious belief? But that is for another discussion…

Overall, the words and message of Revered Warren and Revered Lowery were tasteful ,and kept with Obama’s goal of bringing the nation together. Each prayer highlights our need as a community to work together, despite our differences, to be held responsible for our actions and asks for forgiveness for our collective mistakes and selfishness. Below you will find a few quotes from each prayer that I thought were important to remember as we work together to tackle the issues of today:

“Help us, O God, to remember that we are Americans. United not by race or religion or by blood, but by our commitment to freedom and justice for all…When we presume that our greatness and our prosperity is ours alone, forgive us. When we fail to treat our fellow human beings and all the earth with the respect that they deserve, forgive us. And as we face these difficult days ahead, may we have a new birth of clarity in our aims, responsibility in our actions, humility in our approaches and civility in our attitudes—even when we differ.” ~ Reverend Rick Warren, opening inaugural prayer.

“We thank you for the empowering of thy servant, our 44th president, to inspire our nation to believe that, yes, we can work together to achieve a more perfect union. And while we have sown the seeds of greed—the wind of greed and corruption, and even as we reap the whirlwind of social and economic disruption, we seek forgiveness and we come in a spirit of unity and solidarity to commit our support to our president by our willingness to make sacrifices, to respect your creation, to turn to each other and not on each other. And now, Lord, in the complex arena of human relations, help us to make choices on the side of love, not hate; on the side of inclusion, not exclusion; tolerance, not intolerance. And as we leave this mountaintop, help us hold on to the spirit of fellowship and oneness of family. Let us take that power back to our homes, our workplaces, our churches, our temples, our mosques, or wherever we seek your will.” ~ Reverend Joseph Lowery, benediction inaugural prayer.

To echo Obama’s words, I hope that our nation and community recognize that the patchwork of our heritage is a strength, not a weakness. And that we as a progressive congregation can help hope and virtue flourish even in the winter of our hardship.

Sex and Seminaries: Teaching Justice and Tolerance

Sightings

Sex and Seminaries

By: Martin E. Marty
1/12/2009

Did you know that there is a Religious Institute on Sexual Morality, Justice and Healing? Last Thursday, January 8, the Institute, together with Union Theological Seminary in New York, issued a fifty-two page report, which is a call for North American Theological Seminaries to offer more courses and programs to help prepare ministers, rabbis, priests, and other religious professionals to address issues of sexuality better than they now do.

Through the years I have met with leaders and constituents of the Association of Theological Schools; I have some awareness of how many pressures are on them to add teaching personnel, field-work opportunities, and courses to deal with every kind of ethical and cultural issue of the day: pop culture, science-and-theology, war and peace, dealing with technology, and many more. All this at a time when the schools are under serious budgetary constraints. Seasoned leaders are cautioned against curricular faddism and are conscientious about sustaining integrity in biblical, theological, historical, and practical basics. So they tend to wince or groan when asked to do more and offer more for and with future ministers

But the Institute people do make a good case to be taken seriously in this report. Their two-year study finds that more than ninety percent of the thirty-six leading seminaries surveyed do not require full-semester, sexuality-based courses for graduation, and two-thirds do not offer a course in sexuality issues for religious professionals. A generational issue is involved. Mention, for example, the churches' controversy over same-sex marriage, and in most denominations seniors will observe that it's not much of an issue for the younger generations. They've generally approved it and want to move on to issues they consider more urgent. But for the next thirty years ministers will be dealing with church and synagogue issues where it is still the hottest-button kind of issue, and they need to understand the pros and cons.

As I picture it, the Institute's concern that more seminaries deal with lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender studies in a major way will not get a hearing in denominations where there are strictures against positive dealings with church and synagogue members in LGBT camps. Yet it is hard to get around the observation that, overall, sexual issues -- be they biological, theological, or moral – are the most controversial subjects in religion today. For a discussion group on the Trinity or Pelagianism (if you could get one together), you would rent a classroom. For sex and gender debates, you would crowd the field house, because everyone knows that the subject will quicken passions, lead to walk-outs, and give the press much to disseminate.

In this half-century, like it or not, understandings of human sexuality combined with issues of authority – who decides about practices? – concern everybody from Mennonites to Greek Orthodox. Clerical abuse scandals have undercut trust relations in parishes and denominations. The press, understandably, "eats this up," knowing how little anyone knows about how to handle sexual themes and incidents and how hungry elements in the public are for stories about ethical lapses in matters sexual. The Institute's report may not please everyone, but it is an important wake-up call.

For Further Information:

Visit the Institute's website, and request a copy of the report, at www.religiousinstitute.org.

Martin E. Marty's biography, current projects, upcoming events, publications, and contact information can be found at www.illuminos.com.

What Is Sightings?

The cliché about polite conversation is that there are two things never to discuss: religion and politics. We at Sightings know better (at least about religion). We seek out and comment on the events, agents, and trends in public life where issues of religion are writ large, in plain view—or just simmering under the surface.

Under the sponsorship of the Martin Marty Center, Sightings reports and comments on the role of religion in public life via e-mail twice a week to a readership of over 5,000. Through the eyes, ears, and keyboards of a diverse group of writers—academics, clergyman, laypeople, and students—Sightings displays the kaleidoscope of religious activity: a reflection of how religious currents are shaping and being shaped in the world. For more information about this publication, please go to: http://divinity.uchicago.edu/martycenter/publications/sightings/