by Tom Manley

Hello friends,

At a recent Spiritual Life meeting, a bunch of us sat around a coffee table in Colette and Colin’s living room to discuss our Statement of Faith. The conversation was riveting.

I urge you all to go and read the UCC’s Statement of Faith (copied below) as well as Skyline’s. They’re fairly similar and very interesting. As a member of a UCC church, or a member of our community, I think that it is important to understand not just what the denomination does, but why. The Statement of Faith explains the why.

One fascinating thing that came up in our conversation was that different parts of the UCC’s Statement caused different people to pause… some parts caused me to pause. Since then, I’ve spent a fair bit of time contemplating my own faith. One of the things that I value most about the UCC, in general, and Skyline in particular, is that we truly welcome anyone, as Pastor Laurie regularly reminds us, “Whoever you are, and wherever you are on your spiritual journey, you are welcome here.” Even, or perhaps especially, if you are questioning your faith.

All of us are on spiritual journeys and the wonderful thing about the Skyline Community is that we’ve chosen to walk our paths together. We offer support, we ask for guidance, we come together to listen to, and listen for, God’s calling. We come together as disciples on the road.

We are not all at the same place on our journeys and our paths are not all the same. What we share in common is that we are curious and compelled: curious to explore the example and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth and compelled to do so together.  The important part isn’t reaching some anticipated final destination and it isn’t answering the questions.

What is important is to take the journey and to ask the questions. Our Statement of Faith raised questions for all of us in that meeting. What questions does it raise for you?

In the coming year, the Spiritual Life Service Team will host events and create spaces where we can explore those questions together, where we can examine our journeys, ask our questions, and listen together for God’s still-speaking voice. I hope you will join us. Our next event is Sat, Aug 18, 1:00 – 4:00 PM for a film and discussion. 

Peace and love,

Tom.

United Church of Christ Statement of Faith—adapted by Robert V. Moss

http://www.ucc.org/beliefs_statement-of-faith

We believe in God, the Eternal Spirit, who is made known to us in Jesus our brother, and to whose deeds we testify:

God calls the worlds into being, creates humankind in the divine image, and sets before us the ways of life and death.

God seeks in holy love to save all people from aimlessness and sin.

God judges all humanity and all nations by that will of righteousness declared through prophets and apostles.

In Jesus Christ, the man of Nazareth, our crucified and risen Lord, God has come to us and shared our common lot, conquering sin and death and reconciling the whole creation to its Creator.

God bestows upon us the Holy Spirit, creating and renewing the church of Jesus Christ, binding in covenant faithful people of all ages, tongues, and races.

God calls us into the church to accept the cost and joy of discipleship, to be servants in the service of the whole human family, to proclaim the gospel to all the world and resist the powers of evil, to share in Christ’s baptism and eat at his table, to join him in his passion and victory.

God promises to all who trust in the gospel forgiveness of sins and fullness of grace, courage in the struggle for justice and peace, the presence of the Holy Spirit in trial and rejoicing, and eternal life in that kingdom which has no end.

Blessing and honor, glory and power be unto God.

Amen.

Last Sunday, Teresa Jenkins lifted up her passion for the UCC and our historic and ongoing prophetic witness for justice. 

As I mentioned, last Friday in Oakland there was a rally seeking to challenge the purposeful separation of families at the US border. Here’s a UCC article about how people across the country have been speaking up, and what we can do.  In addition, I’d like to share with you an article from Mirtha. 

From Mirtha:

Last Sunday, Pastor Laurie shared a story about PJ, a young man from Cambodia seeking asylum in the US who is awaiting deportation.  We are seeking a pardon from the Governor. If you’d like to learn more, please go to bringpjhomenow.

 

Other ideas about accompanying immigrants: 

Here’s a link to a publication entitled UCC in the News. It highlights weekly themes about our denomination. 

In her book, Traveling Mercies, Ann Lamott says, “Grace is the light or electricity or juice or breeze that takes you from that isolated place and puts you with others who are as startled and embarrassed and eventually grateful as you are to be there. “

I like to say, far less poetically, “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. If at first you do succeed, try not to look so surprised.” Grace is the gift of God empowering us to become more, do more, discover more, help more, give more, heal more than we are capable of under on our own power, wisdom, or strength. Maybe it is just that I’ve gotten older, but almost daily I have this moment when I realize that I know something I don’t remember learning or have a wisdom that is beyond my own capacity. Perhaps it is a glimpse of God’s grace as I begin to trust more and more a light that I have not known. 

Once upon a time, I understood God could explain eternity, and would teach the entire Bible with confidence. With the passing of time, however, I’ve discovered how appallingly ignorant, illiterate, and incompetent I am. Making peace with those limits is excruciatingly difficult, but failing to do so is spiritually terminal.

The great theologian Jurgen Moltmann said: Our disappointments, our loneliness and our defeats do not separate us from Christ; they draw us more deeply into communion with him. And with the final unanswered cry, “Why, my God, why?” we join in [Christ’s] death cry and await with [Christ] the resurrection. This is what faith really is: believing, not with the head or the lips or out of habit, but believing with one’s whole life. It means seeking community with the human Christ in every situation in life, and in every situation experiencing Christ’s own history.

Trusting something, no, Someone, other than ourselves is the Way of Grace. Perhaps it the way to Life itself.

Let Freedom Ring from the Hills of Oakland!

Wednesday, April 4th, 2018 at 5:30 pm
Skyline Community Church, 12540 Skyline Boulevard, Oakland CA
https://skylineucc.org/

Well, here we go. It’s Palm Sunday. And so Holy Week begins.

Palm Sunday used to be just Palm Sunday in many progressive churches. But now it’s Palm/Passion Sunday. People weren’t showing up for Maundy Thursday and Good Friday services. They were going from the triumphant “Hosanna” of Palm Sunday to the glorious “He is Risen” of Easter Sunday without going through the horrifying “Crucify him!” of Good Friday. Sure, it was kind of sneaky. But we had to do something!

I understand the impulse. Who doesn’t want to go from glory to glory and just skip the frightening, painful, anguishing, condemning stuff in the middle?  But we can’t. It’s part of life. And how much better to go through it together; and go through it aware of God’s presence through it all.

See you this Sunday! With love, Pastor Laurie

Dear Ones,
I wanted to let you know that our dear Don Grove passed away on earlier this month.

I visited with Don on Sunday after church, at the Mercy Center. He was in good spirits, joking even then, that he felt that a 600 pound gorilla had been sitting on his chest, and he was relieved that it was only a 200 pound gorilla now.  I had a chance to thank him, on behalf of all of us, for his kindness, and dedication to us at Skyline, as a loving member,  and as a talented member of our Green team. 

Don was calm, and at peace. He had just seen a grandson that had been estranged from the family for 10 years. My sense is that Don was ready.  My sense is also that his family, while sad, were prepared for his passing, and are at peace. 

Don and his family shared a “sweet tooth.”   I shared Bee Frank’s cookies from Sunday hospitality with him and his daughter and granddaughter, who in turn shared these with the care team at the Mercy Center. It was a bit like communion. 

Don was an extraordinarily kind, intelligent, curious, hardworking,  fun loving, authentic, and loving husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather, friend and human being. 

I give thanks to God for his life, and for the gift of having him in our lives. On a personal note,  I will always love him. 

Cards may be sent to his daughter Barbara Grove at 353 Crestmont Drive, Oakland CA 94619. 

We will be celebrating his life here at Skyline, Saturday, April 7 at 2 PM.

with love, Pastor Laurie 

Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash

Today, Wednesday, at 10 am local time across the US, students are pouring out of their classrooms into the streets for 17 minutes, holding assemblies, writing, performing and more to take a stand against gun violence. No longer will they remain silent. No longer will they wait for the adults to “do something”. Thirty thousand people a year are killed through gun violence in this country, through mass shootings, domestic violence, accidents, suicides, and other senseless violence. They know that more could be done to end the senseless violence if there were simply the moral will to do so.

I am inspired by their prophetic witness, their courage, and their brilliant organizing. May we, too, be inspired to strengthen our own resolve to work for justice.

Related to inspiration, this Sunday, March 18, we are thrilled to have with us the boy’s choir, Cantori.  Cantori is the advanced, after school choir from the award winning Pacific Boychoir Academy. They will sing beautiful selections of music in a child friendly service.  Proceeds from the service will support advocacy for homeless people in Oakland.

A friend of mine shared a poem,“School Prayer” by Diane Ackerman, with me last week and I offer to you in the spirit of our youth and of hope for our future.

                 With love, Pastor Laurie 

This Sunday we spring forward into daylight savings time! Rise and shine! 

I’m grateful for the gentle rains, and the deep green hills, which I promise never to take for granted.   May the miraculous growth of this season inspire us in our journeys, to never lose hope in the promise of new life.    This Sunday in worship we focus on the essence of this faith, love, and hope.  Enjoy this beautiful seasonal poem entitled “A Prayer for the World”, by Rabbi Harold Kushner.

with love, Pastor Laurie 

A Prayer for the World

Let the rain come and wash away
the ancient grudges, the bitter hatreds
held and nurtured over generations
Let the rain wash away
the memory of the hurt, the neglect.
Then let the sun come out
and fill the sky with rainbows.
Let the warmth of the sun heal us
wherever we are broken.
Let it burn away the fog
so that we can see each other clearly.
Let the warmth and brightness of the sun
melt our selfishness.
And let the light of the sun be so strong
that we will see all people as our neighbors.
Let the earth, nourished by rain,
bring forth flowers to surround us with beauty.
And let the mountains teach our hearts
to reach upward to heaven. Amen.

—Rabbi Harold S. Kushner