Praxis UCC

While there is some confusion about what Occupy Wall Street and its affiliates stand for, the community that has sprouted up around the movement is something to behold.  At Occupy Atlanta they offer food, childcare, legal assistance, and health care to anyone participating as a testament to an alternate way of doing community.  Occupy Atlanta actually includes many people in its ranks who were already experiencing homelessness.  Together with those who have chosen homelessness in protest of a broken economic system, they have now created what is so difficult to find in so many American cities: a group of neighbors willing to take care of each other and share “all things in common,” distributing “to all, as any had need.” (Acts 2:44)

This is a movement where it’s difficult to see who has a home to return to and who does not.  Whether you agree with the many grievances the movement has espoused, the occupiers have shown us a face of solidarity between those who have and those in need.  Isn’t this what the church should be striving for?  To erase the lines that divide us?  To treat one another as equals regardless of social location? This might be summed up in our UCC motto: “That they might all be one”.

I’m excited for the upcoming Mission 1, where the United Church of Christ will take 11 days between 11/1/11 and 11/11/11 to feed the hungry and confront food related injustice.

As part of our Mission 1 collection at Praxis we’ll be taking donations to the Occupy Atlanta movement where it will help support those who are living on the street–whether by choice or by circumstance.  We’ll also collect canned goods that will go to the Atlanta Community food bank.

Here’s a list of items that the Occupy Atlanta protesters are requesting.  If you bring these to Praxis we’ll make sure that they get to the organizers:

Following the coverage of the recent earthquake and tsunami in Japan, it’s hard to contemplate the scale of how people’s lives are shaken and changed, and how difficult the road to rebuilding will be.  It’s even harder to cope with the “why” of this tragedy and where God can be found amidst the death and devastation of this natural disaster.  I have faith, however, that the Spirit of God works in the world, bringing people out of despair and towards a place of serving one another.

We pray for those who have lost loved ones, those who are rushing to save lives, and those who are striving to rebuild.  We also pray that we’ll find ways to do our part in meeting the needs of people that are hurting, even as we live on separate sides of the globe.

The United Church of Christ has already begun to partner with other churches and organizations in Japan, sending money from the “One Great Hour of Sharing” offerings and through its International Disaster Relief program.

Praxis has a commitment to give 25% of its offering to mission outside of the church, whether it is local, around the country, or around the world.  During our worship this coming Sunday we will be giving a quarter of our offering to support disaster relief in Japan.

For more information on how the United Church of Christ is involved in Japan and to donate toward the work of disaster relief visit http://www.ucc.org/disaster/japan-earthquake-2011/

Blessings and peace,

Chris