http://www.wizehive.com/voting/view/space-in-between/6537/739605/0

Summary thoughts from Pastor Ray’s message on September 2, 2012

We often think of work as a necessary evil.  Yes, it pays the bills, but if we had our druthers…  We feel like the mythical Sisyphus, who is punished by the gods to the task of pushing a rock up a hill only to have the rock roll down the other side.  Every day, Sisyphus if forced to repeat the task–a meaningless, repetitive, pointless job.  Sound familiar?  Honestly, some jobs are that bad.  But that doesn’t mean that work is bad.  Work is good.  In fact, God is introduced in Genesis 1 as the worker.  God is the landscaper, the earth-mover, the sculptor, the gardener.  And God blesses the humans God has formed from the earth with a co-creating responsibility when God places humans in the garden to work it and care for it.  So, work is a gift.

Unfortunately, “the fall” changes the dynamics of work and work relationships.  So by the book of Exodus, we are introduced to the misery of forced labor (i.e. slavery) and production quotas and ruthless bosses and injustice in the workplace. And where is God?  God stands with the oppressed, acts to end the slavery, and leads the people to a new way of life through “The Law”.  A frequent refrain in the Law is “remember that you were slaves in Egypt.”  The memory of forced labor is to move God’s people toward fairness, compassion and a new work ethic.

Two laws in particular directly address work conditions–and both protect and honor workers.  The Sabbath Day law (Deuteronomy 5:12-15) ensures that workers have a day off.  It becomes a “right”.  Everyone has the right to a day of rest, refreshment, enjoyment, time with family, time for spiritual renewal.  This right extends to everyone–including those who have immigrant status.  Just because they are not “citizens” doesn’t mean they should be abused in the work place.  The right even extends to the animals who labor for us.  This law is addressed to those who control the work place and set the hours.  To paraphrase the law: “Everyone has a right to rest and refreshment–everyone who works for you including animals.  Make sure they they get one day off in seven.  That day is holy, so don’t profane it by making them work.  You remember how it was as slaves in Egypt–no time off, always on the job.  You suffered.  So make sure your personnel policies don’t cause fatigue, burn-out and suffering.”

The second law is a bit more obscure.  It is a single verse, but is quoted twice in the New Testament.  “Do not muzzle the ox while it is treading out the grain.”  (Deuteronomy 25:4)  What does this have to do with work conditions?  This is what I call God’s Fair Compensation Act.  God is ensuring that the ox is compensated (provided with food) for its threshing work.   Again, the law is addressed to those who have power over the ox, setting the workplace rules.   To paraphrase the Law: “Make sure the ox can enjoy the fruits of its labor.  Those who labor have the right to be compensated fairly for their work.”  It is interesting that Paul applies the law to the compensation of humans as well (1 Corinthians 9:7-10).  Workers deserve fair wages and have the right to share in the profits.

Who says the Bible isn’t relevant?  In this economy where wages have been frozen; when workers are expected to give more time without more pay–especially salaried employees; when bosses demand that their employees be available 24 hours a day and 7 days a week by phone, email, text, and tweet; when we cannot raise the minimum wage, but executives get million dollar bonuses; we need to hear the Word of God.  Workers are not simply cogs in the economic machine.  Workers have God-given rights.  The right to time off.  The right to fair compensation.  The right to timely payment of wages (see James 5:4).

In God’s economy, need always trumps greed. Compassion (not the bottom line) drives personnel policies. So, in the words of the hymn, “They’ll Know We Are Christians By Our Love”, we will work with each other.  We will work side by side.  And we’ll guard each one’s dignity and save each one’s pride.  Yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.

Kimball’s community garden continues to grow thanks to the partnership with the Spaulding Altgeld Corner Farm.  Recently, a fence was installed around the perimeter by Sol Food Mobile Farm; and Kimball was featured on a news story about Sol Food.  The Garden was meant to bless our neighbors.  It’s blessing us too.  Click the link to watch the news story.

Commentary by Pastor Buce Ray

Nobody has asked me for my opinion, but that’s never stopped me from sharing it with anyone who is interested.  This whole Chic-Fil-A controversey needs a response. 

As you may be aware, Alderman Proco Joe Moreno of Chicago’s 1st Ward said that he will not approve a CFA in his ward because of the owner’s opposition to gay marriage.  Mayor Rahm Emmanuel concurred that CFA’s values are not Chicago’s values.  The Mayor of Boston said that CFA is not welcome in his city.  So Mike Huckabee promoted CFA Appreciation Day when thousands of people–many of them church-going, Bible believing, moral people–lined up to buy a chicken sandwich in support of the business owner.  CFA had it’s biggest sales day ever.  (The company posted revenue of 4.1 BILLION dollars last year.  That’s a lot of chicken!) 

I’m sure cows and pigs are very happy about this latest skirmish in the ongoing culture wars, but I’m not.  I actually find it hypocritical and disturbing.  Christians will purchase chicken sandwiches to support a traditional definition of marriage, yet at the same time they will not hesitate to purchase a shirt made by workers that are chained to their sewing machines.  They will spend their money at stores that promise the lowest prices without thinking about the part time minimum-wage workers behind the cash register that have no benefits while the corporate boss is making multiple millions.  They will unquestioningly place retirement funds in mutual funds without considering that most mutual funds invest in companies that destroy the environment, promote addictions, and supply the weapons for violence and war.  Something is wrong (or at least inconsistent) with our morality system.  Church-going, “moral” people have a pretty narrow definition of sin.  Homosexuals are condemned as sinners, but we conveniently forget that idolaters (greed is idolatry), slanderers, oppressive employers and gluttons will not inherit the kingdom of God.  Self-identified Christians are as likely to serve mammon as self-identified gays and lesbians.  Self-identified Christians are as likely to act out prejudice (think James 2) as a transgendered person–maybe more likely. 

I have no problem with people who use their economic clout to make a moral statement.  There are certain stores I will not frequent because of their personnel policies.  I shop at the local hardware store because Im believe it builds up the community.  But I think I need to ask myself larger questions than the one being asked by the Chic-Fil-A controversy.  The question is not “Who supports traditional marriage?”  The larger question is “Does this purchase support the justice and Shalom that God desires for all creation?”  The answer demands a lot of thought, self-evaluation and research.  And the answer may result in very different economic decisions.

And for the record, I haven’t eaten at Chic-Fil-A…ever.  There aren’t any in my ward; I avoid high calorie, high fat, high sodium “fast food”; I lean vegetarian (with some fish thrown on the side).  And before I would–should the opportunity arise–I would want to do more research asking the bigger question.

Thanks to the hard work of an energetic group of neighborhood gardeners from the Altgeld Sawyer Corner Farm, our empty lot is now laid out in garden plots (no it is not a cemetery, lol!).  Our own Seeds of Hope container garden is growing abundant organic crops of basil, peppers, kale, chard and green beans.  We are blessed with healthy produce to distribute to our community.  But we continue to pray for rain!

Commentary by Pastor Bruce Ray

It’s the 4th of July!  It seems to be a good time to answer a question that I’ve often been asked: What role should the church have in politics?  Here are some excerpts taken from my sermon from July 1, 2012.

1.  While we live in the US and enjoy the freedoms that come with our residency, we remember that we are Christians first.  We pledge allegiance to the “Lamb”.  We understand that faith in Christ extends beyond the boundaries of the US, so we cannot become nationalistic without marginalizing our brothers and sisters in Christ who live in other nations—some of which may be identified as enemies of the State.

2.  However, as people of faith who happen to live in the United States, we DO have a responsibility be involved in the life of the nation. For too long, the church’s involvement has been to support of the status quo and the nationalism that has devolved into protectionism, militarism, other “isms” that deny the personhood of women, minorities, gays and lesbians, immigrants and the poor.  The church has frequently become the national cheerleader when it is called to be the national conscience.

3.  As the nation’s conscience and moral compass, the church must always be bold to speak the truth to those in power.  The model for our role is the prophets of the OT.  There are two types of prophets—the first (known as ‘false prophets’)—tell the nation and their leaders what they want to hear (Jeremiah 23:16-18).   The second type of prophet speaks the truth of God–even when the truth doesn’t win the popularity polls.

Ezekiel 34:2-4  “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Woe to the shepherds of Israel who only take care of themselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock?  You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock.  You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You have ruled them harshly and brutally.”

The true prophet reminds people of God’s heart and will and calls the nation to repentance and a return to God’s ways—especially the Law which calls the nation to care for the poor and do justice for the oppressed.  (Isaiah 58:9-12)  The true prophets speak the vision of God for the world—a vision of shalom when wars cease, when everyone lives in health and safety, when everyone has a secure home, and when oppression and unfairness has ceased.  (Isaiah 2:3-4 and Isaiah 32:16-18)   The vision is always shared against the existing backdrop of brokenness, aggression, injustice and sin so that the vision becomes a clear alternative to the way things are.

4.  In our national context, the prophetic church is called to speak the truth of our past and call the nation to repentance.  And we have plenty to repent of.  Slavery and the pervasive racism that continues to haunt us.  Our genocide of indigenous populations.  Our marginalization of women.  Our unjust wars.  Our mistreatment of immigrants.  Our desecration of the environment for profit.  And that’s the tip of the iceberg.

We must also call our “shepherds” to follow God’s way of shalom and justice.  So we contact our leaders to tell them to stop cutting programs for the poor.  On July 1, over 150,000 seniors and people with disabilities in Illinois lost their circuit breaker benefits which provided prescription drug assistance and free transportation.  Our children lost $200 million in education funding.  Medicaid cuts went into affect, removing health support for the poorest of the poor—people who are already at risk for chronic illnesses.  The Church MUST speak the truth when the shepherds take care of themselves at the expense of the flock.

And we must always point to Jesus Christ, the True Shepherd, who will one day bring the day of shalom and justice into fullness.

Commentary by Bruce Ray, Pastor

While searching online for some photos of fathers and sons, I came across some very disturbing pictures that I believe reveal our distorted ideals of manhood.  First was a picture of Adam Sandler’s new movie, “That’s My Boy” which tries to out-raunch the “Hangover” series.  Like Father, like son, and ain’t we proud.  The next was a photo of a little boy in diapers (fatigue print no less) wearing combat boots and holding an automatic weapon.  Which led me to a You Tube treasure trove of fathers and young sons having wonderful bonding moments shooting off AK-47s and high powered rifles.

This is what Father’s Day has come to: celebrating sex and violence and getting drunk and peeing in public.  And we wonder why boys are messed up.

I’m grateful that my father demonstrated something entirely different.  And I’m grateful that he taught me to follow in the footsteps of Jesus–a man who was so comfortable with who he was that he didn’t have to live by the skewed images of maleness and yet was strong and courageous in the face of opposition.  I hope that more fathers will devote themselves to teaching their children to  do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with God.

Any guy can have sex, shoot guns and fall down drunk.  It takes a special man to do better.

Commentary by Bruce Ray, Pastor

On May 25, a Chicago Tribune article revealed that retired Illinois Senate President Emil Jones, Jr., received a $126,004 pension last year–much more than he ever made as Senate President.  Thanks to legislation he helped craft and pass in 1989, he saw his pension increase over $41,000 after his first year of retirement.  And it’s all legal.

This news came on the heals of news of inflated pension payments for former Mayor Richard J. Daley, who according to CBS News and the Chicago SunTimes started receiving $184,000 a year following his retirement in 2011.  AND, he will receive an automatic 3% cost-of-living adjustment annually.  And it’s all legal.

But “legal” doesn’t make it right.

I’m no tea-partier, but this makes me outraged–both as a citizen and as a follower of Jesus.  The people in power make rules that benefit themselves while at the same time cutting funds for services to those who are most vulnerable.  We will continue to pay out inflated pensions, but we cannot find a few thousand dollars a year to help a household of 4 making less than $30,000 a year with their childcare expenses.  For the sake of fiscal solvency, we must cut millions for housing services to help the homeless (24% of them children and 17% of them working in low-wage jobs); we have no choice but to cut Medicaid payments for old people in nursing homes (they’re going to die sooner or later anyway), but God forbid that we ask Emil Jones or Mayor Daley to contribute even a small percentage toward their currently FREE health insurance. The powerful get wealthier on the backs of the poor, the children, the sick and the homeless. The “least of these”–these brothers and sisters of Jesus–suffer. I can just hear the prophets of the Old Testament now.  “Hear this, you who trample the needy and do away with the poor of the land: ….The Lord has sworn, ‘I will never forget anything they have done.'” Amos 8:4, 7

God will not bless any nation (or any state) that disregards the needs of the poor for the advantage of the powerful.   Shame on the Illinois General Assembly.  Shame on Paul Ryan and his immoral national budget that called for billions of dollars in cuts to poverty programs while increasing the military budget by 20% and his own salary.  (Thank God the Senate defeated that one by a narrow margin).  Shame on the Democrats.  Shame on the Republicans.  Shame on us.  We keep handing these people the keys to the car even though we know they’ll drive intoxicated with their own power.

We need some righteous indignation.  We need to raise some holy heaven.  We need to find our prophetic voice.  We need to think and pray before we punch a ballot.  We need to put some boundaries around power.  We need to pray, “Arise, O Judge of the earth!”  We need to stand up in the name of Jesus and defend the needy from the schemes of the unjust.  Our faith does not command us to blindly obey those in authority.  There are times when tables need to be over-turned.

We’re turning our empty lot into community garden space and we’re looking for neighbors and friends who are interested in raised bed gardening.  If that describes you, join us at the corner of Kimball and Medill for an informational meeting on Saturday, May 19, starting at 11:00 am.

Our Ascension Sunday worship service with St. Luke’s Lutheran and First Lutheran has been relocated to our empty lot at the corner of Kimball and Medill Aves.  The service will begin promptly at 10:30 am.  (It was to be held originally at Palmer Square, but we could not get the required permits approved.)  Join with our neighborhood brothers and sisters to honor the One who is exalted above all.