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Saturday, October 31, 2020
WCC NEWS: In wake of earthquake, WCC offers solidarity and prayers for Turkey, Greece
Friday, October 30, 2020
Unbound - America’s Hardened Heart
Thy word I have hid in my heart
That I might not sin against thee
– Psalm 119:11
The 2020 Presidential Election is just days away and the heart of America has been hardened. The rhetoric is that a vote for Trump is a vote for America. There are many Christians who believe that Trump is God’s chosen one to lead the country. I thought Jesus Christ was? As a Westernized Christian, I find it troubling, but not surprising, that there are many who profess Christ, but have begun to idolize this current President.
The Bible is a relevant tool. We can use it to understand the ways Christ-professing Christian’s of today have had their hearts hardened. The stories of Kings and the early Israelites, who either turned their attention to idols or twisted the Word of God and did not give their heart to God, is what we are seeing in modern Christians. It is a tale as old as time; just one I had hoped to never actually see.
The heart is a gentle and delicate organ: it weighs no more than 12 ounces. The heart is a four chamber organ that has its own internal system and operates based on the environment and the energy in which it lives. You have probably heard it said in different ways, but the condition of the heart matters. For those who have attended a church service or two, you have heard the preacher sermonize about the heart as a guide or as a determinant of the condition of one’s relationships. The heart is the thermostat for most believers. Though religious beliefs differ, mentions of the heart can be found in various religious and spiritual narratives.
As Christians, the reason we even follow the teachings of Jesus Christ are born out of our love and obedience to God, which are characteristics that govern our heart. John 3:16 reminds us “for God so loved the world that he gave his only Son,” and we are to believe in HIM. It is saddening to see that the heart of America has become hardened to Jesus’ teachings. Instead of being kind to the stranger, or seeking justice and caring for the poor, they have put their support into Trump as the fulfillment of the messianic promise to protect White America.
Some might say it is when schools stopped allowing prayer, that the heart of America began to harden. Some might even say it was the way the land was overtaken by European and Spanish colonizers; or the implementation of human trafficking called slavery, that the heart of America began to harden. I believe all of these instances and our failure to acknowledge these atrocities has led to the hardening of America’s heart. These small infections of evil led to the disease and to the weakening of the heart’s system. It is clear that whatever has caused the heart of society and the American Christian to become diseased has set in deep.
This delicate organ has been fighting against the constant changes to its environment. The heart pumps blood to the organs of the body and America’s heart has been working overtime to pump out toxins. These toxins range in direct hate speech and physical violence to microaggressive statements on social issues. To read the comments of Christians who said the Presbyterian Church’s (USA) stance on Breonna Taylor’s murder was just the reason that they needed to leave the denomination. This refusal to stand in solidarity with the black community was another sad diagnosis that the heart of the American Christian is ill. Though those who left the PC(USA) would argue that they still believe in Christ and the living God, it is difficult for me to understand which God and Christ they are following.
What denomination would preach that harm done to another person is right in God’s eyes? Where are they going where they will not hear the preacher tell them to love their neighbor? Such congregations that teach that neighbor and protection is reduced to a particular skin type or character attributes is not following the God of the Holy Bible. The reasons mostly White Evangelicals and Latin/Hispanic Catholics support the current President is antithetical to the very words Christ proclaimed. Of course in this election most of the support for Trump is based on economics. Again, I argue that throwing one’s faith into a human instead of relying on God is not sound biblical practice.
If we trust in God, which we state even on our currency, then it is not Trump who will bring provision to our economy, but God will. I am not saying that Biden will be better as a leader, but I do know that the character and teaching of Christ is more evident in the way he speaks. I am not advocating for man, I am pleading for us to return our hearts to God. Many of us have already cast our votes in this election. Though we cannot change our vote, there is still time for us to pray for repentance. If our vote was cast with anger and hatred in our hearts, may we ask God to heal our heart. If our vote was cast with the hopes that oppressive policies that deny equal rights to others will be legislated, then there is still time for us to pray that God forgives the maliciousness in our heart. We cannot change our vote, but we can ask God to soften the hearts of the final decision makers and change our evil intentions to good.
There are so many stories in the Bible about the reasons and ways that God hardened the hearts of kings, countries and even God’s own believers. As Christians we must learn from these narratives and even repent from our own past atrocities. We know that as long as humanity remains, the heart is vulnerable to become hardened. We have a chance in this generation to save ourselves from the sadness and pain of being exiled from God. If we do not heal our hearts we will experience an even worse outcome than the Israelites and early believers of Christ. If it is not God’s word that is within our hearts, if we cling to the word of man and not the Word of God, then we have sinned and fallen from God’s grace.
Loving God, you created the world and all that is in it and called it “good”.
You scattered us across the planet and have brought us from a mighty long way.
Help us to keep our hearts and minds on you and the teachings you have given us through your son Jesus Christ.
When we want to turn our interest towards the ways of the world, remind us
that without you there would be no world.
When we want to turn our eyes away from the pain and hurt others are experiencing,
remind us that when we bless and help others the blessings will return unto us.
Heal our hearts, O God.
Turn our evil ways into holy Christ-like ways.
Forgive us for turning our backs on you.
As we prepare to elect a President, may we remember that you are our true provider.
In the name of the one who loved and died for us, in Jesus name we pray. Amen.
[1] Lewis, Tanya. “Human Heart: Anatomy, Function & Facts”
https://www.livescience.com/34655-human-heart.html Accessed 10/12/2020
Melva Lowry is a candidate for ordination in the PC(USA). She’s a ruling elder in the Greater Atlanta Presbytery at Rice Memorial. Mel holds 3 Masters from 2 PCUSA affiliated seminaries. She recently served as one of the Hands and Feet Fellows for the 224th General Assembly.
Witness, Share and Evangelize: Medical Missions Live | MBF
SojoMail - 5 days
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Adam Russell Taylor Racism is on the ballot next week. Democracy is on the ballot next week. These things are inextricably linked because racism has disfigured American democracy from the founding of our nation. The road to a more perfect union has been long and uneven. And this road requires that we continually become a more perfect democracy and more just nation. While our democracy will never be perfect, we must continually defend the rights, institutions, and laws that help safeguard our freedoms and advance the common good. Increasingly, this election represents a test of whether we embrace and will work to realize a truly inclusive, multiracial democracy with liberty and justice for all. A recent survey of independent experts for the Protect Democracy project indicated “substantial erosion” of American democracy, scoring the current threat to democracy at a 52 out of 100 (with 100 being “complete democratic breakdown”). In a recent Washington Post column, Richard Just put it plainly: "Whatever happens on Nov. 3 and in the days afterward, the biggest lesson of the past four years is that our collective commitment to democratic values needs, to put it mildly, some shoring up.” The Washington Post's editorial board has been regularly raising the alarm about the erosion of norms over the past few years, including "... commitment to democratic values, constitutional checks and balances, faith in reason and science, concern for Earth’s health, respect for public service, belief in civility and honest debate, being a beacon to refugees in need, aspirations to equality and diversity and basic decency." It should also be of concern to all of us that extreme polarization and some of our nation's longstanding institutions have combined to make it harder than ever for the will of the people to be enacted. For example, gerrymandered districts in many states reward polarization and harm democracy. Ever since the Citizens United Supreme Court decision, corporate money has poured into political campaigns at an unprecedented pace. This past weekend, our country surpassed a new record of 80,000 new coronavirus infections in one day, which points to severe failures of leadership at every level. And this week’s confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett through a purely partisan vote in the midst of such a consequential election undermines the credibility of our judicial branch. Particularly during election seasons, the church grapples with what the Bible has to say about the role of governments.
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Our Latest Most Americans Fear Post-Election Violence, New Study Finds (by Jenna Barnett) And they want clergy to promote peaceful protest. To Reach 100,000 New Voters, This Chicago Pastor Turned to Film (by Cassie M. Chew) Otis Moss III's new short film tells his family's story and encourages faith communities to vote. The Faith on the Ballot weekly sermon series wraps up this Saturday at 6 p.m. Listen to Rev. Dr. Jim Forbes, Sr. Simone Campbell, and Rev. Adam Russell Taylor lend their voices to the key election issues — and view the whole library of videos at the link. Pizza, Selfies, Dancing: 10 Ways To Spread Joy at Polling Places (by Lexi McMenamin) Let's taco 'bout democracy. |
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From the Magazine The Cross and the Lynching Tree (by Michael Stalcup) A poem. |
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WCC NEWS: WCC condemns extremist attacks in France
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WCC NEWS: In Papua New Guinea, a “lamp of justice and peace” shines for Thursdays in Black
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Thursday, October 29, 2020
Changing the Narrative of Poverty
Bedford House started a journey many years ago of what it looks like to be in deep relationship with people with lived experience of poverty and how does that change ourselves in order to change the world. Since then they have continued to experiment with Bridges Out of Poverty cohorts and this has emerged into Storyteller Catalysts who actively tell the story of our shared abundance and that it is a lack of imagination rather than resources that perpetuates poverty. This has led to a podcast that actively tells this message as well as giving space for personal stories to be shared.
In this week's EDGEy Conversation, we sat down with the Storyteller Catalysts who all started the gathering by requesting a checkin. Each person gave an update and all others listened attentively. Not to judge or suggest things, but to be present with each other and give space to say what was on our hearts and minds. Only then were we ready to start.
Laura started us off of her personal journey, Greg was able to name how he was connected to everyone around the screen, Todd acknowledged the importance of changing himself to change the world, LA highlighted that this work was about relationships, and Allan offered that what was needed was imagination.
When asked about what's next, there were many ideas! Imagination was not a challenge with this group! Looking forward to hearing what Bedford House & their Bridging Teams comes up with next.
Wednesday, October 28, 2020
Witness, Share and Evangelize: Today in the Mission Yearbook - Rejecting the quackery of politicians and preachers
SCOTUS Has Fallen: A Letter from the Editor
Dear Unbound family,
I woke up this morning with little to no sleep, reading the headlines and watching videos about the confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court of the United States. I woke up this morning to tweets and Instagram posts from queer people scared that their marriage will be erased. I woke up to women worried that the autonomy over their own bodies will be stripped away. My heart is racing right now because I am terrified of what is to come.
Our leaders have failed us by wasting time on a confirmation instead of passing bills that protect and equip the American people during this pandemic. A distorted and narrowed pro-life ideology that ignores the lives that are suffering and living right now is hardening the hearts of one-issue thinkers and politicians. Christianity and Christian values are being co-opted as agents of a false religiosity that centers white supremacist ideals…this is what is happening! Because of these things, the Supreme Court of the United States is poised to make a hard right turn, imperiling its legitimacy and weakening its vital role in our republic.
The team at Unbound want our readers and viewers to know: THAT YOU ARE LOVED, YOU ARE SEEN, AND YOU ARE THE BELOVED OF GOD. No matter what this government or the courts may tell you, you are divinely made. To our queer siblings, will we always stand and fight for your rights and your dignity. To our women identifying siblings, the team at Unbound will always fight for your right to your own body and your autonomy. To our Black and Brown siblings, your lives matter. To people who are suffering with pre-existing conditions, we stand in the firm foundation of our faith that healthcare is a human right and not a privilege.
Unbound is a Christian based platform that speaks to the intersection of faith and justice. Christ lived a life that modeled the ways in which we are to be in this world. We are to love those who are poor, sick, marginalized, alone, and seen as “different” than the “norm”. Christ’s mission included denouncing tyranny and evil systems that oppress. Even Christ’s death was framed in the context of the empire as he stood trial, sentenced, and put to death by the government because he threatened its power.
As a model of our Christian values, we denounce bigotry, racism, white supremacy and actions by our government that places vulnerable lives in danger. We condemn homophobia, transphobia, and xenophobia in all its manifestations including in the law, in the courts, and in the leadership of this country. And we reaffirm our commitment to hold each other accountable as we continue the path toward the kin-dom of God here on earth and for a more just and equitable society.
In peace, love, and power,
Rev. Lee Catoe
Managing Editor of Unbound
Only One Week Until Election Day!
It is officially one week until election day! Here are a few tips to remember when casting your ballot:
- Make sure to read and follow all instructions on your absentee ballot.
- Remember to sign your absentee ballot.
- If you can, turn your absentee ballot in at drop off a location. Visit your state’s Board of Elections website to find absentee ballot drop off locations in your area.
- Some states require absentee ballots to be postmarked by election day or the day before; other states require absentee ballots to be received by the election. If mailing your ballot, check your state’s Board of Elections website to find more information about the absentee ballot deadline.
- If you are voting in person, visit your state’s Board of Elections website to find out your city’s early and same-day in-person voting locations.
- If you are not registered to vote, seven states have same-day registration. Check www.vote.org to see if you live in one of those states.
- If you encounter problems while voting, call:
- English: 866-OUR-VOTE (1-866-687-8683)
- Spanish: 888-VE-Y-VOTA (1-866-839-8681)
- Asian & Pacific languages: 888-API-VOTE (1-888-174-8683)
- Arabic languages: 844-YALLA-US (1-844-915-5187)
- American Sign Language video call number: 301-818-VOTE (301-818-8683)
For more information about voting resources or the PC(USA) Votes 2020 campaign, visit www.pcusa.org/vote.
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Change.org - Bring Charlie Brown back
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For over 50 years, we have celebrated the holidays with the airings of the Peanuts holiday specials on TV - first on CBS, then on ABC. To our shock and dismay, last night it was announced that Apple had swiped the football from us and claimed the specials for their Apple TV platform, leaving us devoted fans who have grown up with Charlie Brown and the Peanuts gang in the dark, unable to watch. Obviously we can’t let this stand. We can not let Apple take the football away from us like Lucy always does to Charlie Brown! It’s time for us Peanuts fans to stand up to Apple and Wildbrain Studios (current owners of Peanuts) and show them they’re making a mistake. With this petition, we are making a statement - the statement that #AppleHatesTradition and that the tradition of watching the Peanuts holiday specials should be renewed as soon as possible! All we have to do is sign this, send it off and and share it. Win or lose, we are telling Apple and Wildbrain Studios that we will not fall for their corporate greed. But our goal is to get our Peanuts back on television and bring back the tradition! The time for saying ’Good Grief’ is over. Now’s the time to take action. Now’s the time to fight back! Do it for Charlie Brown and for Peanuts fans everywhere, young and old! | |||||||||||||||
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It is imperative that EVERY vote is counted.
Yesterday, the US Supreme Court dealt an unethical blow to voting rights by ruling that ballots received after election day in Wisconsin will not be counted even if they're postmarked by election day. When combined with cuts to the US Postal Service, this is a blatant and unethical act of voter suppression.
But despite this setback, people all across the country are voting early or by mail, or making plans to vote in person. People of diverse faiths have a moral obligation to protect the integrity of the election.
As the end of the election season nears, many people are concerned that the real results will not be honored. This training will give us the skills we need to prepare ourselves to fight for election justice. Using techniques drawn from community organizing, we'll learn how to support each other through uncertain times, communicate in a way that sparks empowerment instead of demoralization, have conversations with people in our lives, and build a team of trusted allies that can mobilize quickly and take meaningful action. We will also talk about actions we can all plug into in the days, weeks and months to come.
There has been too much public discussion questioning the legitimacy of legally cast, mail-in ballots and too many threats of violence related to the election. We are profoundly concerned and we are taking action to protect the sanctity of our election.
Join the training on Thursday at 4:30pm ET to prepare ourselves for whatever may come.
We are in the midst of a global pandemic. In addition, parts of the country are facing massive floods or forest fires, making it unsafe to travel meaningful distances. Clearly, we will see a large increase in mail-in voting this election. The bottom line is every vote should count no matter how it’s cast. And we have the power to make that happen.
As a faith community, it’s our turn to take leadership, just as many people of faith have done before us. Join us to get prepared.
Together, we can help ensure a truthful outcome, and we will accept nothing less. As people of faith, we believe that this is what is right.
In this moment of great importance, may our faith and our commitment to integrity be our guide, and may God be with us all.
In faith,
Rev. Fletcher Harper
PS. If you have not yet signed the declaration to Count Every Vote, add your name here!
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Churches, Denominations and Religions: WCC NEWS: Evangelical Lutheran Church leaders release video promoting awareness of domestic violence
Countdown - 7 Days to Election Day
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