Lately, I hear myself thinking, “The rich get richer, and the poor get poorer”, especially when I read some of the insights from the Poor People’s campaign, a revival of Dr King’s vision, from 50 years ago: https://www.poorpeoplescampaign.org/demands/. (The Justice and Witness Team shares this event – A Poor People’s Hearing – contact Nancy Taylor about going),
Did you know that while the U.S. economy has grown 18-fold in the past 50 years, wealth inequality has expanded, the costs of living have increased, and social programs have been restructured and cut dramatically? It’s tempting to think that’s the way things are doomed to be.
I take comfort in our sacred scriptures that remind us of the way that God wants things to be, and why God gave ancient Israel laws about how the poor are to be treated: “These rights and obligations are also rooted in the goodness and justice of the created order”.
Well, we look around, and things often don’t resemble that beautiful created order much at all.
We are called to participate in the co-creation of a heavenly banquet, where everyone has a place at the table; where everyone has a roof over their head, to live more fully, more intentionally, in the “already” part of “already but not yet” nature of the Reign of God. “The shape of God’s future must shape our present.”
Here at Skyline, we’re involved in both charity and justice to bring good news to the poor. To learn more, just click on our website: https://skylineucc.org/justice-witness/.
In a beautiful reflection on Jesus’s upside down kingdom, Frederick Buechner writes this:
“The world says, ‘Mind your own business,’
and Jesus says, ‘There is no such thing as your own business.’
The world says, ‘Follow the wisest course and be a success,’
and Jesus says, ‘Follow me and be crucified.’
The world says, ‘Drive carefully — the life you save may be your own’ —
and Jesus says, ‘Whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.’
The world says, ‘Law and order,’
and Jesus says, ‘Love.’
The world says, ‘Get’
and Jesus says, ‘Give.’
May it be so with us. Blessings upon your week, with love, Pastor Laurie
This week we explore the meaning of the Greek word, agape. Every time you hear the word “love” in the passages like the First Letter of John, and 1st Corinthians 13, it was agape in the original Greek. “God is agape, and everyone who abides in agape abides in God and God abides in them.”
On that rainy Sunday, we honored the Spirit of God, remembering the prophetic life of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in inspiring music, in preaching, and in community. 
Have you ever felt discouraged about the world lately and powerless to do anything about it? In need of hope that it’s possible for ordinary people with no weapons but the truth and courage of their convictions to overcome oppressive forces of hatred, injustice and violence? In need of an epiphany to shine forth and give us ways to shine this little light of ours so that we may be an epiphany to others? 
