Behind the Poverty Numbers: Real Lives, Real Pain

Like the following story reports, our neighbors in need are more than just numbers in Census data. Service to others is important in our faith community - it is part of our mission to put a face to the many issues our community is dealing with so that more people can join the human cause - to help a person in need.

Please read the following story from Yahoo News, Behind the Poverty Numbers: Real Lives, Real Pain by David Crary to learn more about the poverty crisis in our nation today.

Link to full story: http://news.yahoo.com/behind-poverty-numbers-real-lives-real-pain-151738270.html

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UCC Mission Moment

National UCC Mission Moment

Ecumenical Sunday
January 23, 2011
Third Sunday after the Epiphany

What IS Our Church’s Wider Mission, Anyway?
It’s a well-kept secret in a lot of places, but Our Church’s Wider Mission is, in a lot of ways, who we are in the United Church of Christ.

The God is still speaking campaign is attracting thousands of people to the United Church of Christ. For them, we are the kind of church they “never knew existed,” the kind of church that actively welcomes everyone and takes courageous stands on controversial issues—and all the while tends to the traditional basic mandates of the gospel to spread the Good News, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and shelter the homeless.

Our nearly 6,000 congregations contribute to Our Church’s Wider Mission, making us the kind of church so many people “never knew existed.”

Without Our Church’s Wider Mission . . .
We could not gather the great strengths of our congregations or make our voice heard in the public arena. We would not have missionaries in over 70 countries worldwide. We could not help small, struggling, or emerging new churches with support for pastors or buildings. We could not provide congregations with distinctively “UCC” resources: for worship, stewardship, leadership. Congregations would be entirely on their own when looking for a pastor. There would be no United Church of Christ presence at all in parts of the United States. Our Church’s Wider Mission: It’s who we are. Does your congregation contribute?

Source: http://www.ucc.org/stewardship/mission-moments/
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Omaha Serves

Want to know more about our community? Are you looking for ways to plug in, either by volunteering or just stay on top of what is going on in our wonderful city?

Well, join Omaha Serves- the city's community service initiative, in helping craft Omaha's service plan and identify community needs.

Omaha Serves is hosting an open community meeting on Wednesday, September 29, 2010 at 2:00pm at the Benson Park Pavilion (7002 Military Avenue). Please join us in helping our community today!

For more details contact Kirsten Case-Penrod, Chief Service Officer at (402) 444-5034 or email kcase-penrod@ci.omaha.ne.

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A Poem on Homelessness

Who am I? by Rose Limongi

Who am I?

I am me; humble and alone

I am your son, your daughter, and your ex-

I am your friend, your lover, and a skeleton

I am a woman, a mother, and a child

I am a former CEO, a POW, disabled

I am a genius, an ex-convict, and prostitute

I am a druggie, an alcoholic, mentally ill

I am an annoyance, an embarrassment, and a cheat

I am filthy, robbed of my humanity, beaten down

I am playing the system, faking it (or am I?)

I am choosing to live this way – I could work if I wanted

I am living under bridges, in libraries, dumpsters and cars

I am an angel, a threat, a danger, and a pitiful reminder of failure

I am demanding – begging for leftovers and money

I am despicable for smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol

I am not responsible enough to love others, so you say

I am the person you judge each and every day

I am me; humble and alone.




How many times will people judge me – naked and exposed?

My life and all my worldly goods contained in a sack

My shopping cart filled with your disposable consumer goods

My dining experience is your garbage, dumpster for 1 please

My healthcare is non-existent unless I’m left for dead

My conversations with people are from a distance

My mind aches from watching the haves tip the scales

My soul, no longer intact, has been scorched with hatred

I am me; humble and alone
.


You don’t want to see me, you hate me, and you despise me

You pity me, judge me, curse me, you wish I would go away

You throw money at me in disgust; shout obscenities and sneer

You nearly run me over – justifying the act in your mind

You head to toe me with disgusted eyes then make me invisible

You fear getting too close for smell or threat of crime

You lock your doors; take the safety off your gun beside you

You tell me to “get a fucking job you loser”

You ban me from earning any money on roads

You ban me from public places you enjoy

You deny me my basic civil rights because I lack a home

I am me; humble and alone.



What you don’t realize is this

What I once was and who I have become are irrelevant

What I need matters far more ultimately

Buy me a meal at a fast food restaurant; then sit with me

Talk to me; get to know my story

Keep some easily opened, non-perishable foods in your car

Give me the greatest gift of all - a smile

Remember that I am human, with wants, needs, and desires

Never forget that you too, are one or two paychecks away

From the life you now sit in judgment of

Remember that it is only with each other that we all survive

Alone and apart – we die from spiritual starvation

Souls executed for being nothing more than fallible, human

Extend the hand of love and friendship – invest in me again

Retrieve me from the vast wasteland of solitude and depression

Fertilize my mind with ideas and hope once more

Don’t abandon me when I fail, or fall back on bad habits

Be firm, yet fair – for I am you in one or two paychecks

I am me; humble and alone.

Source: http://www.authorsden.com/visit/viewPoetry.asp?id=108804

Mission and Outreach: Pine Ridge Reservation

In an effort to help those in need, nursing students from Omaha’s Clarkson College will be participating in a community service project for the Lakota Community and Pine Ridge Reservation. Clarkson College will be partnering with Iktome Ska Foundation for this project. Through this partnership, the students discovered that the infant mortality rate is significantly above the national average. Therefore, the students with the help of the Iktome Ska Foundation are putting together Welcome Baby! Kits for prospective mothers and those with infants. Each Welcome Baby! Kit includes: bottles, blankets, binkies, baby hygiene products and more. Each kit costs around $20 to make.

To help fund this service project, the Iktome Ska Foundation Board and the Clarkson College students will be holding a fundraiser at Louis Bar and Grill, located at 5703 Northwest Radial Highway on Saturday, March 13. 10% of the bar proceeds from 7:00-9:00 pm will be donated towards this service project. There will be live music from 7pm-1am and a raffle. If you can’t make it and would like to help, please go to their blog at http://welcomebabykits.blogspot.com/.

Story by Rick B. Posted by the Blog Administrator.

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!

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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!

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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:)

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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

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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/

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.

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.

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.

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.

Ode to Winston

The following is an excerpt from a speech Liz Sharpe made at Pastor Winston Baldwin’s going away party. After which there was not a dry eye in the audience…

“When I think of Winston, there are a lot of things that come to mind … I think of confirmation class in seventh grade, when everything was confusing enough at 13 and it seemed like all of us were out of place no matter what. I never said the right things and I was always too loud and I look back and wonder how I even stood myself. I had glasses as big as my face and bangs that covered my eyes and I towered over everyone awkwardly because I didn’t know how to handle my newly acquired height. But on Wednesday nights, when I would come to confirmation class, I belonged. In the fireplace room on the third floor, sitting in the rolly chairs in one big circle, I belonged. Winston let me know that I was wanted, that what I had to say meant something, no matter how loudly it came out of my mouth. He taught us that faith was not, as much I had wanted it to be, black and white. Faith and religion was not some category we could just passively toss ourselves into, but something to be explored. Winston assured us that questioning and even being confused about it meant that we were thinking and beginning to carve a new little place for ourselves in the church family. And at that age, that was all we really wanted- to finally start finding a place somewhere … Thank you for making all of us feel a sense of belonging and community that everyone should experience at some point in their lives, and for being such a wonderful friend and teacher. I love you to the moon, and am so excited to see what other wonderful things you will do for these new churches. Thank you for everything.”

An Invitation to Dialogue

First Central invites you to the table to talk, share, and express your thoughts. As an open community, we want to hear your feedback and comments regarding our faith community and the issues facing our world today. The goals of this blog are to:

• To inform the local community about events happening at First Central and in the community;

• To highlight the wonderful, inviting, and neat people (and the great work they do) who make up our church family;

• To be a place to voice our concerns and offer solutions to the issues effecting the community;

• To be a bridge between all generations by encouraging intergenerational discussions;

• To have fun and take advantage of the technology of the day!