Arizona anti- immigration law, supporting our neighbor

Dear Friends,

 

There are few issues with potential to stir fires of hurt and anger in many quarters like immigration. In writing this, I do not assume that all UCCs in this Conference are in agreement about it.  But I am convicted that as followers of Jesus, who ignored all strict borders between his Jewish community and others such as  Samaritans and Gentiles (that would be most of us), we of the United Church of Christ must stand with those who are vulnerable and at risk of discrimination, separation from family, and other harm because of this anti-immigrant law and other such actions.  As people of faith, we must lead the way toward ending the fear and hatred of the ‘other’ that permeates matters of immigration and seek just solutions to the immigration crisis which our Executive of our UCC Justice and Witness Ministries, Linda Jaramillo, has called THE human rights issue of our time.

 

Last weekend our neighboring Conference, the Southwest Conference, met in their Annual Meeting.  The news of the Arizona Governor signing this law reached them during this time and they approved the following letter in response.   I share it with you in hope that you will join me in prayer for all who receive this law with fear and anxiety and in support for all who will confront it in seeking greater justice. 

 

With You In Christ’s Service,

 

Jane Fisler Hoffman

 

 

An Open Letter to President Obama, Attorney General Eric Holder, Secretary Janet Napolitano and Governor Jan Brewer,

 

On April 24, 2010, the Southwest Conference of the UCC gathered at our Annual Meeting in Sedona, AZ.   Our meeting was disrupted with the announcement that Gov. Jan Brewer had signed SB1070.  We immediately went into a time of prayer for the soul of Arizona and all people who reside here. 

As people of faith we affirm and live by the biblical imperative, “When an alien resides with you in your land, you shall not oppress the alien. 34The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.”( Leviticus 19:33-34)

We are profoundly disturbed by the passage of the harshest anti-immigrant legislation in the country by the Arizona Legislature.  It is legislation such as this that codifies racial profiling and creates an atmosphere of suspicion, hatred, and scapegoating of immigrants and U.S citizens.

We celebrate the diversity of our nation and the contribution of immigrants and call for the end of the criminalization of individuals and the destabilization of our communities. 

We call for Comprehensive Immigration Reform that will provide a path for legalization for people who are contributing to our society, an adequate system for future legal economic immigration and family reunification, and policies that prevent deaths in the desert.  We find it morally reprehensible that 5,500 men, women and children have lost their lives in the last 16 years trying to provide a life of dignity for their families. Policies such as SB 1070 and 287 (G) diminish the ability of local law enforcement to keep our communities safe. 

 

We are dedicated to the following actions to demonstrate our solidarity and commitment to our immigrant brothers and sisters who are created equally in the image of God regardless of race or nationality. We are committed to: 

• Encouraging members to pledge non- compliance with the unjust and racist law SB 1070
• Cancel  plans to hold 2011 annual meeting in Arizona
• Relocate our next annual meeting to another southwestern state
• Encourage our business and professional members to influence board decisions
• Direct action of prayer, study, protests, and fasting
• Mobilize our congregations to advocate for the Dream Act, a just and fair Comprehensive Immigration Reform and the abolishment of SB 1070 and 287 (G)

 As people of faith and conscience rooted in the teachings of Jesus Christ, we hold to our UCC Statement of Affirmation of faith, in declaring, “You call us into your church…to be your servants in the service of others, to proclaim the gospel to all the world and resist the powers of evil.”

 In Solidarity and Service,

The Southwest Conference, United Church of Christ,
Rev. John Dorhauer, Conference Minister

Earth Day

Earth Day greetings!  Just a quick note from me to join the world community’s day of honoring our earth home.  Did you know that you and your church are part of taking action for earth day through Church World Service? Check out  http://www.churchworldservice.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=9157&news_iv_ctrl=1361 to read the article.  And did you know that our United Church of Christ was the organization that did groundbreaking work in informing Congress and the nation about environmental racism in 1987?  Our then “Commission for Racial Justice” did a careful study of toxic waste dump locations and revealed the inherent racism in those decisions, opening up a whole ongoing national effort to face and correct this disgrace of the earth and abuse of some of the earth’s peoples.  
 
Sometimes on my prayer walks in this gorgeous Southern California setting,  I find myself singing (to myself!) “For the beauty of the earth, for the glory of the skies…” It is my prayer today that our grandchildren and their descendents will be able to treasure and enjoy the beauty and bounty of the earth and skies because today’s generations have continued to grow as stewards of this gift from God, our earth home.

In Christ,

Jane

Quick News from Jane: For My Clergy Colleagues ( anyone else welcome): As Holy Week approaches…

Dear Colleagues,

 

As I may have told you before, every year at this time, I find myself envying you local church pastors and chaplains who get to lead worship during this season.  Giving that up is a cost of doing this other kind of ministry.  Oh, I know well how time and energy consuming the season is and at times you may think you’d like nothing better than  not have to do it one more time.  I understand!  There are the numerous details of special services to be planned, the deliberation about how to tell the old story in fresh ways that bring new meaning for the lives of those with whom you minister.  Maybe you are preparing a rowdy group of gangly middle schoolers for Palm Snday confirmation. There’s Maundy Thursday–who’s setting up the table?  There is the painful journey to the cross to be felt and told again, with lights being extinguished and hearts aching as we acknowledge that death continues to have its way with God’s brave and beloved ones.  Then there is that day between, when as pastor you revise that sermon one more time and wonder if there is any possible ‘spin’ to give the message this year that will bring those Easter Christians you only see once a year more deeply into the life of the community.

 

And then, then there is that moment when you get to walk in to the sanctuary alone early on Easter morning, with the lilies filling the room with fragrant life.  Perhaps an echo of an old hymn stirs as the experience of Mary in the garden is now yours, disproving the words of that treasured hymn:  ’and the joy we share, as we tarry there, none other will ever know…”  I’ve always loved the hymn but my joy in a living Christ for all of us insists on new words, “all others can surely know…”!   I hope you know the joy of that moment this year.  And from that moment you get to move through the pre-worship hustle and bustle to that glorious time when you—yes! flawed, ordinary, YOU!— will announce God’s earthshaking news to people hungry for good news, news of life and hope: Christ is Risen!  Alleluia!

 

What a priviege, what a joy divine.  Oh sure, I remember well how exhausting it all is, how every pastor ‘crashes’ on the day after Easter (and if you don’t block that day free WHY DON’T YOU?!)  But as you approach the week ahead I hope you will know that you have been given a rare honor in pastoring God’s people in this season.  In a way you will be guiding them through a week-long compacting of all the days of their lives and reminding them that they are not alone in any of their holy weeks.  And you will be equiping them to be God’s people with their own news of love and peace and justice to offer a world urgently in need of good news. 

 

ALL of that is yours by God’s grace!  Be assured, friends, yours is a truly blessed vocation.  As you live out that vocation in this approaching Holy Week 2010, you and your congregations are in my prayers.  God be with you.

 

In Christ,

 

Jane

Why Give to OGHS when just gave to disaster relief?

Dear SCNC Friends,

[PASTORS AND LAY LEADERS, PLEASE SHARE WITH YOUR CONGREGATIONS ABOUT OGHS!]

This coming Sunday is the day designated for gathering the critically important annual One Great Hour of Sharing offering (though some may do so in later weeks as well and that’s fine…).  I know that many of you have given generously to Haiti Relief through the UCC and/or Church World Service and GOD BLESS YOU for those gifts of love.  They are making and will make life saving differences for the people of Haiti.  But it is my fervent prayer that we will not let those gifts prevent us from generously, even more than ever, supporting One Great Hour of Sharing (OGHS) this year.   Here are three reasons why that is so vital:

• It was your giving to OGHS in the past that made it possible for the United Church of Christ to send immediate funds to our partners in Haiti and other disaster regions this past year. Some is always set aside for future unanticipated events like this.
  
• OGHS is one source of our basic support for our own Wider Church Ministries and as the UCC for Church World Service.  That basic support—unlike designated disaster funds—provides the absolutely essential ‘infrastructure’ of our excellent global organizations on the scene day in and day out to be sure that your ministry reaches those most in need.  That basic support assures that your funds are well managed. That basic support gives you confidence asssure that our collective ministries are run in good faith, with best practices and in respectful partnerships.  That basic support makes sure that we are in a position to help quickly and meaningfully when disasters strike, when wars or famine create displaced populations, and much more.
  
• And your giving to One Great Hour of Sharing is doing even more than disaster response, every day, all around the world, on your behalf and in the name of our Christ.  For instance: your giving builds schools and provides education to children from poor families in Laos.  Your giving equips a network of community health educators in Chile and missionary doctors in India, East Timor and Haiti for ministries of healing.  Your giving enables women in Egypt, Zimbabwe, Bosnia, and Ecuador to receive micro-credit loans, start small businesses and provide for their families. OGHS is so much more than disaster response!

Your generous responses to the Samoan tsunami, the Philippine floods and now the Haiti earthquake tell me that your generous spirits go deep and that you will not tire of doing good!  But I hope this reminder will help you to know that giving to One Great Hour of Sharing makes possible a greater doing of ‘good’ than you might have imagined.   So thank you in advance for helping us all grow our giving to One Great Hour of Sharing to do God’s work every day, all around the world.

Bless You, dear friends in Christ.

Jane

Davida’s retirement, contact info for Rev. Rust sympathy, thank yous

Hi All! 

Just several quick but important things:

• The former Southern California Nevada Conference Minister, Davida Foy Crabtree, has announcement her retirement from Conference Ministry.  She is currently Conference Minister in the Connecticut Conference but will be leaving that position in May.  Davida and her husband David have been through a difficult year of health challenges and we wish her all the best for a season of time for rest and renewal.  If you want to drop her a note, the Conference address is 125 Sherman St. Hartford, CT 06105.  One thing that I have thanked Davida for is her part in bringing together the UCC and Disciples in this excellent office facility.  It is a rich partnership in more than office space!

 

• We’ve been asked where you may send notes of sympathy regarding the recent death of Rev. Rust who was well known and respected in this Conference. You may write to:  Georgia Rust, 627 Leyden Lane, #203  Claremont, CA 91711

 

• The Conference office has received several letters of appreciation from our friends in Wider Church Ministries for contributions to the Haiti disaster relief effort.  If your congregation sent your contributions through our office, you may not receive your very own individualized letter so please know that your giving is greatly appreciated and will make a world of difference!
  

Blessings,

Jane

Fourteen Years Old and Without Hope

Dear SCNC Friends,

 
As I occasionally do, I want to give you a bit of a context for what I want to draw your attention to in this Quick News.  Some of you know that my husband is a retired St. Louis police officer.  Wondering every night if your life partner will come home safely is not conducive to being ‘soft’ on crime.  Further, I have done some prison ministry and from my friends there have learned that there are some truly dangerous people from whom the rest of us need to be protected.  At the same time, I have always been active in opposition to the death penalty—as much for the sake of my own soul and the soul of our culture (‘love your enemy’) as for the convicted offender.  So as with some other subjects about which I have written, my life has led me to a somewhat convoluted understanding of criminal justice:  There are dangerous, even deadly criminals.  So what is justice? 

Obviously that is a huge question and I can’t answer it alone—but it is worthy of us as people of faith and us as citizens to be working that question, deeply and actively.  For now I only want to ask your attention to just one aspect of ‘our’(California) criminal ‘justice’ system: the sentencing of juveniles to life imprisonment without possibility of parole.  

Last week was “Juvenile Justice Week of Faith” and as part of that week, I had the difficult privilege of accompanying several other Los Angeles Religious Leaders (the UMC and ELCA  Bishop, an AME associate bishop, a Presbyterian pastor and the director of the Islamic Shura Council) in a visit to the Nidorf Juvenil Hall in Sylmar.  Imprisoned there are several hundred boys between 14 and 17 who either have been sentenced to or face sentencing to life imprisonment without parole.    Some in our group met with younger boys—one of whom began a “life of crime” by being sent on drug runs by a parent when he was 8 years old.  I met half a dozen young people who were 17—one approaching his 18th birthday and though he tried to hide it, he was obviously terrified at being sent to adult penitentiary next month.

The boys we met happened to be some who have a relationship with the chaplain, participate in Bible study (that they have initiated and lead) and prayer groups.  Several had written reflections or poetry for a prayer booklet for Juvenile Justice Week that you can read online at www.fcfcla.org .  There you can also find out more about this incomprehensible law which permits no possibility of transformation or redemption.

We only had a short time but even my practiced prison visiting self (one develops an ear for manipulation) was particularly impressed by one young man who became a father of a little girl not long after whatever led to his imprisonment.  He spoke of wanting to be a father to her and how he and the mother had named the child “Genesis”, because she was the beginning of his turn to a new life.  Something he is determined to do, no matter where he is.
This young man is taking classes (in a place that until recently didn’t even offer mandated schooling) and visits the library regularly.  We spoke of his recent reading of The Diary of Ann Frank and her belief that all of humanity is basically ‘good’.    When I asked him what he wanted me to tell people ‘out there’, he said “Tell them that all of us here are truly basically good.  Yes, some of us have done terrible things.  Some came from terrible situations.  But with a chance, that good can grow…Ask them to give us a chance.”

So I am asking you: please pray for these incarcerated young people—as well as the victims and families of victims of crime.  And learn more about the law that gives them absolutely no hope for a future.  There is currently a proposed state Senate Bill, 399, that would review all of these life sentence cases, require young people [and I presume the system] to work toward rehabilitation, and offer the possibility of re-sentencing at some point.

Even as we consider the need for change to this law that treats these children as unredeemable, there are other things we of the church can do.    One of the greatest failings of the ‘liberal’ or progressive church, in my view, is the abandonment of people in prisons either to fundamentalists (who one of my imprisoned friends said seek only their ‘saved scalps’ on their belts) or to the great gap of nothingness in relationships with the outside world because they have no one who visits, writes or cares.  We in the United Church of Christ speak often about caring for ‘the least of these’ but in our society no one is more ‘least’ than those in prison.  Yet few UCC congregations have prison ministries. We even fail to see that ministry with folks in and just released from prison could be the most effective crime prevention strategy possible.

Ok, sorry, this is a long standing soapbox of mine.  I’ll hop off for now.  But not before I ask all who read this to consider if God might be calling you to take on visitation of  a young person at Sylmar—or of some other imprisoned person in a facility near you.  This is not a ministry for the soft—it is definitely one in which we need to be wise as serpents even as we are innocent as doves.  But it is a vital, potentially life or—dare I say it?—even soul saving ministry.  And should you enter it, you, too, will be transformed.

If you feel led to this kind of ministry at Sylmar, you may email chaplain Mike Kennedy at mkkennedy@aol.com.  For other facilities, contact the chaplain’s office.

Should any child be without hope of growing into a changed, mature adult with gifts to offer the world?  Join me in praying the question and see where it leads us.

Blessings in Christ,

Jane

What Are You Reading for your spirit this Lent?

Dear SCNC friends,

Can it be Lent already? Again?  Yes—again we are entering this season of faithful reflection.  It is a time when I tend to find myself seeking out new and meaningful reading to stir my thoughts, enliven my spirit and deepen my faith.  But I don’t have time to browse bookshelves at Cokesbury or even online (ok, I just don’t want more screen time!) so I particularly value recommendations from friends and colleagues.  So I thought I would share a few things that I’m finding of value and perhaps others of you will want to go to the blog to share with me and others titles that you believe might enrich the rest of us.
 
So here are a few of my titles and mini-reviews:

1. Meditations of the Heart by Howard Thurman.  My home church started printing excerpts from this powerful book in its weekly bulletin which I still receive and I became hooked by Thurman’s resonating personal insights.  Should you check it out, don’t be put off by the distinctly male language about people and God—the editor of my edition notes that “Regardless of language, the substance of Howard Thurman’s work is inclusive. His life and theology were inclusive and if he were writing today his language would more accurately reflect this worldview…”   Alice Walker has written “In those long midnight hours when morning seems weeks away, the words of Howard Thurman have kept watch with me.”  For me lately, each morning is blessed with a visit with Thurman.  Here’s a brief glimpse:          

   How good it is to center down!            
             To sit quietly and see one’s self pass by.
                       The streets of our minds seethe with endless traffic;
                                  Our spirits resound with clashings, with noisy silences,
                                           While something deep within hungers and thirsts for
                                                     the still moment and the resting lull…

• Trouble With Jesus, by L.Susan Bond and The Feast of Our Lives: Reimaging Communion, by ‘our own’ June Goudey (pastor at UCC of Simi Valley).  This year lent comes at a time when I’m re-visiting my understanding of Jesus –who he was, what he means for us (in seminary talk, christology).  The Bond book self-identifies as being about “Women, Christology and Preaching” but I regret that it hints of only being ‘for’ women.  It begins with an excellent overview and critique of various christological approaches, including some ‘feminist’ views.  I don’t know how others will find it and I don’t recommend it because I think she’s ‘right’ but because I think the work is provocative.  June’s book brings us a new perspective on the meaning of communion and, thus, of that treasured meal with Jesus and is worth the read. 
  
• For fun—I haven’t decided!  I always have one or two mysteries going but try to take advantage of Lenten discipline to try some other novels or biographies.  Suggestions welcome!
  So what is guiding your Lenten journey?  Share with us!

And may your Lenten season be rich with new discoveries of God’s tender love and presence.

Jane

FINALLY a Reflection on My Palestine-Israel Trip

Dear Friends,

You know that ‘writer’s block’ is seldom a problem for me and my ‘quick news’ articles aren’t always ‘quick’! But for some reason, I have indeed been troubled by ‘writer’s block’ in preparing something for you about the experience of my September 2009 trip with the UCC-DOC to Palestine-Israel. But my best effort is finally completed and online, titled “Weeping and Hoping in the Holy Land” in our Connecting Voices online magazine. I hope you will take the time to read it and read it all—not for me but for our sisters and brothers in this troubled region. As always, I look forward to hearing from you if you have responses.

Blessings and thank you,

Jane

Death of an SCNC pastor

Dear Friends,

We have received word of the death of Rev. Bud Baxter, a SCNC pastor and longtime interim pastor for the Mojave Community Congregational Church. A Memorial service is scheduled for 11:30 a.m., February 13, 2010 at the church (2240 Belshaw, Mojave). Please hold this small congregation and Rev. Baxter’s family and friends in prayer.

Blessings,

Jane

Spread the Word about Regional Youth Event!

Hi All!

How many of you who read this are like me and were transformed by attending some wider church youth events? In my case, it was a Presbyterian event in Missouri. It was energizing and faith stirring for me. And I continue to hear how our United Church of Christ youth love the experience of being part of a larger youth UCC event. Their faith, their commitment to the UCC, their sense of being part of something greater than themselves, their relationships—all are enriched by such events. And another is coming! The Western Regional Youth Event happens in the years when there is no General Synod or National Youth Event–that will be July 6-10,2010! It will bring together youth from our entire western region—Hawaii, Northern and Southern California-Nevada, Pacific Northwest, Rocky Mountain, Southwest, and Montana-N. Wyoming! Many details are yet to come out but it’s not too early to start making plans and raising funds to take your group. And if you have just one or two youth who might like to go, our Youth Coordinator, Neal Washburn, will help hook him/her/them up with others from this Conference. Go to (http://www.scncucc.org/youth_young_adults/WRYE_2010.htm) for dates and basic info and watch there for more to come. There may be scholarship funds available—again, watch for info.

Readers: I am in too many churches where the young people tell me they NEVER EVER hear about these opportunities. They need YOU to be sure they get the information. Pass the word along and be part of changing the life of a youth or a number of youth in your congregation. Who knows, your future pastor or Conference Minister may begin to experience a call because you helped them have this experience! Don’t miss this chance to be one of God’s angel messengers.

Blessings,

Jane