Sunday, February 15, 2009, 8:07 PM
Our church in Windsor, where David and I are members, started a "Helping in Hard Times" ministry two weeks ago. The first thing they offered was an opportunity for anyone who needed it, to meet with one of our members who is retired from a position in executive outplacement. He went to the church for the two hour timeslot and wondered what he would do with the time.
Right on time, two young men showed up, both of whom had been raised in the church but neither of whom is active now. The three of them spent the whole two hours together on resume writing and job hunting strategies. This is incarnational theology at work in the midst of a crisis. It is a great example of how God is still speaking through the church to the lives of these young men, and all the others who will benefit from this ministry.
The others who are leading this work at Windsor are a life coach, a retired pastor, and an investment counselor. Each of them will offer a session periodically for people to meet with them about their concerns as they go through turbulent times.
What those two young men don't realize is that in responding to this ministry, they also ministered. Their need became an energizing confirmation of the potential of this outreach.
I'd encourage other churches to see who among your members might form a similar team; or offer it with other churches nearby. This particular ministry was inspired by an article by Tony Robinson that was sent out as a meditation moment by the UCC nationally. We are all linked together!
Friday, October 31, 2008, 8:41 PM
I am voting no on the constitutional convention question and here's why:
On the surface, the question looks like a good idea because it would seem to be about democracy in action. I encourage you to look beneath the surface -- to the cost to taxpayers, to the implications for governance of the state, and to the agendas likely to be behind the initiative.
During the five years I served in California as Conference Minister, I watched the state spend huge sums of money on referendums and ballot initiatives generated by narrow special interest groups. I also watched millions of dollars expended by those special interests on achieving yes votes on their initiatives, and as a result similar millions having to be spent by those in opposition to their agendas.
For anyone who cares about nonprofits, philanthropy, government that works out careful solutions to the challenges we face, or matters of human rights, those millions of dollars should convince you right there. We have far better things to spend our money on as a society. And far better work to do than have to expend thousands of hours fighting these initiatives every time they come around.
And they come around constantly. Here is what one of our former CT clergy, now living in California, wrote to me today:
"Right on, Davida! We are drowning in initiatives out here in California! We have fought the same narrow interests on current Prop. 4 for 3 elections in a row! They lose and they come back and try again! Meanwhile, we're tied up fighting back and can't get on with other business. It's madness! Now, with Prop. 8 trying to change the CA Constitution to take away marriage equality, we're scared silly the big money will beat out our best efforts. I know people look to CA for progressive trends, but ballot initiatives is not one of them, and this year they may undo much good based on dirty politics."
Honestly, this is not about conservative or liberal. It's about the right way to govern a state. Ballot initiatives and direct referendums are the principal goal of many of those who want this constitutional convention. But the issues and challenges we face as a state are far more complex than can be addressed fairly and successfully by such cavalier actions.
I urge you to vote no on Tuesday on question #1.
Monday, November 17, 2008, 4:03 PM
Friday, October 10, 2008, 9:39 PM
October 10, 2008
Dear Friend in Christ:
I am sending you this letter to let you know of the care of the wider United Church of Christ during this time of such turmoil in your life and your field of work.
I know that many people are painting everyone who works in the financial, mortgage, insurance and real estate markets with a broad brush of condemnation. I want you to know that the Connecticut Conference and the national United Church of Christ recognize and affirm that thousands of UCC members work with integrity and faithfulness in exactly these industries. We reject the broad stroke portrayals that would tarnish your reputations, your hard work and your livelihood. We believe that your intent has been to build a stronger economy and to serve the needs of people across this nation.
We also know pastorally that such generalizations hurt, that the diffused anger that cannot find another focus is settling on you. And so I write simply to express our care for you. I urge you to accept your pastor’s invitation for a visit. I know that many of you are affected financially, some of you in very painful ways. Your participation in the life of the church is valuable to us, and I remind you that one of our themes in our life together is “No matter who you are or where you are in life’s journey, you are welcome here.”
Your life has changed significantly. Our lives have all changed significantly. We are still bound together in Christ, who promises us abundant life even in the midst of suffering. May you experience Christ’s presence as you walk this road.
Sincerely in Christ
Rev. Dr. Davida Foy Crabtree
Conference Minister
Wednesday, October 01, 2008, 10:58 AM
The Spirit Calendar
A Weekly Devotional from the Connecticut Conference
United Church of Christ
September 30, 2008
This week’s author is the Rev. Dr. Davida Foy Crabtree, Conference Minister for the Connecticut Conference, UCC.
Scripture: Isaiah 5:1-7
Let me sing for my beloved
my love-song concerning his vineyard:
My beloved had a vineyard
on a very fertile hill.
He dug it and cleared it of stones,
and planted it with choice vines;
he built a watch-tower in the midst of it,
and hewed out a wine vat in it;
he expected it to yield grapes,
but it yielded wild grapes.
And now, inhabitants of Jerusalem
and people of Judah,
judge between me
and my vineyard.
What more was there to do for my vineyard
that I have not done in it?
When I expected it to yield grapes,
why did it yield wild grapes?
And now I will tell you
what I will do to my vineyard.
I will remove its hedge,
and it shall be devoured;
I will break down its wall,
and it shall be trampled down.
I will make it a waste;
it shall not be pruned or hoed,
and it shall be overgrown with briers and thorns;
I will also command the clouds
that they rain no rain upon it.
For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts
is the house of Israel,
and the people of Judah
are God’s pleasant planting;
God expected justice,
but saw bloodshed;
righteousness,
but heard a cry!
Reflection:
The economic news about our vineyards is very hard indeed. They have yielded wild and sour grapes, grapes that make our mouths pucker when we thought they would water. We put all our stock and labor in these vineyards; how could they go so wrong? Somehow along the way we missed pruning or fertilizing or watering… or something.
So now the vineyards are being devoured, trampled down, overgrown, left to wither. It’s a scary time. All that we relied on for our future is endangered at best, lost at worst. And we do not know what to do.
Scripture is clear: the true vineyard in which we can trust is the vineyard that God plants, the true and righteous, justice-loving planting that is the people of faith. Our security lies not in the economy, important as it is, but in God and in one another as the community of faith. In this dire moment in our nation’s life, when those entrusted with our economic vineyards (whether corporate or governmental) have failed in their stewardship, we would do well to remember the Biblical teaching. Yes, we all have need of economic security. Yes, the suffering this will create is immense and its longevity burdensome. Yes, we have work to do together. But no, our true security does not lie in the vineyards but in God’s amazing, living, breathing presence with us in times of trial.
A few years ago during my commute I was listening to talk radio debating the meaning of Connecticut’s motto: Qui transtulit sustinet. I was astonished to hear callers say it was about a farmer transplanting crops! I called in: “The Latin means ‘The One who transplanted still sustains’. Its reference is to God who sustains us even through our uprooting and transplanting from distant shores and other colonies.” The shield of our state bears three grapevines on arbors, a direct reference to this passage from Isaiah. Our forebears knew their security lay with God and one another in the Church. They invested themselves in wise and careful stewardship of the land and its fruits, towns and their governance, but they knew that ultimately they rested on God.
May it be so among us.
Prayer:
O God, Your people are in disarray and in need of Your firm, guiding presence. Futures are at stake. Homes and jobs are on the line. Families are in pain. Be with Your people; enable us, Your Church, to be with them in powerful and tender ways. Guide each of us that we may lean on You for our security and be transformed in these days in our sense of faith and hope. In the name of Jesus Christ, whose Body we are and whose Life we share. Amen.
