Faith United Church of Christ An inclusive spiritual family shaping a better you for creating a better world. A place to make a difference.

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1 Faith United Church of Christ An inclusive spiritual family shaping a better you for creating a better world. August 20, 2017 A place to make a difference. Sacred Fellowship 10:45 a.m. We are delighted that you are here today! We hope you will find us an affirming, uplifting, and committed family of faith. Here we work to make everyone, without any exceptions, to feel accepted, inspired, and encouraged in their spiritual journey. In dialogue, we seek to understand. In encouragement, we seek to heal. In all things we yearn to live by love, for peace, with joy. This is a place where your intellect will be challenged, your heart will be nurtured, and your spirit refreshed. Varying beliefs are expressed openly and freely, and your doubts will not be suppressed. We trust that we are all, every person and part of creation, continuing to be blessed by God s grace; and that in community we can help each other to see this grace alive in our lives and relationships. We hope to share our gifts with you, even as we pray that you will want to share your gifts with us. Whoever you are and wherever you may be in your life s journey, we invite you to be a part of our lives and our spiritual home. Welcome! POINTS TO PONDER Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands before they eat. Matthew 15.2 Traditions often have validity. But they can also keep us from opening to compassionate ways of relating to others. The tradition here in question regarded ritual purity, not hygiene; and there were good reasons for it. However, the judgmental and condescending attitude exhibited by the Pharisees obviated their ability to be loving to Jesus and his disciples. What traditions today are held on to in such a way that they don t show respect and consideration for others? Rev. Bret S. Myers, 8/17/2017 (Jesus) answered them, And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? Matthew 15.3 Jesus claims the leaders employ this tradition to circumvent the command to honor parents. Not only do they remove material support from older parents, they enrich themselves. Warren Carter, The New Interpreter s Study Bible, p Jesus makes clear that tradition and heritage are not ends in themselves. Our focus is to be on doing God s will, not doing things as they have always been done. Whenever tradition gets in the way of loving and caring for others, it is tradition, not love, that is to be relinquished. In what ways do our own traditions get in the way of loving others? How are we called to love others in ways that may not be a part of our heritage and how we ve always done it? Rev. Bret S. Myers, 8/17/2017 This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching human precepts as doctrines. Matthew Jesus goes back to Isaiah to remind the people of his own day that what we say and what we have in our heart are not always the same. We may talk a good talk, but unless our heart is in the right place, we will not live out the faithfulness to which God calls us. We often confuse cultural values with Godly virtues. In our own day, nationalism gets wrapped up in theology, and racism can even get legitimized by misappropriations of Biblical texts to societal norms. We each need to search our own hearts, while listening to other voices, to determine whether our hearts, words, and actions conform to the God of justice, peace, and love. Rev. Bret S. Myers, 8/17/2017 It is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but it is what comes out of the mouth that defiles. Matthew Jesus defines purity primarily in moral terms. Jesus does not abolish purity observance but emphasizes internal commitments expressed in external actions. Warren Carter, The New Interpreter s Study Bible, p Racism is fed to us in every culture. None of us intends to be racist in our thinking, but we learn it from our society. As Nelson Mandela says, No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite. Even Jesus could not escape the racism in his own culture. We are all taught it, but we don t have to perpetuate it. What we hear we don t have to speak; just as what we eat we don t have to regurgitate. Rev. Bret S. Myers, 8/17/2017 Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came out and started shouting, Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon. But (Jesus) did not answer her at all. And his disciples came and urged him, saying, Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us. He answered, I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. But she came and knelt before him, saying, Lord, help me. He answered, It is not fair to take the children s food and throw it to the dogs. She said, Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters table. Then Jesus answered her, Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish. And her daughter was healed instantly. Matthew We may thus safely judge Matthew s anachronistic use of Canaanite to be an intentional narrative strategy to accentuate the distinctions between Jesus and the woman who approaches him. She is the enemy, not of his kind. Gail R. O Day, Surprised by Faith: Jesus and the Canaanite Woman, in A Feminist Companion to Matthew, Ed., Amy-Jil Levine, p. 116.

2 With a masterful use of overstatement, she begins by granting the truth of Jesus maxim, but goes on to show that its truth is nonetheless irrelevant to her claim and request. Even the outsider deserves minimal attention. The woman contends that even if Jesus words in v. 26 are true, acts of dignity and charity are still by no means excluded. Even dogs eat crumbs from the table, so who are you to deny me?, she asserts. Is Jesus not gracious enough to provide crumbs? She provides Jesus with a motivation to act that appeals to his sense of vocation. Jesus was changed by this woman s boldness. Just as God is impinged upon by Israel s pleas, so is Jesus impinged upon here. The Canaanite woman knows who Jesus is and holds him to it; she will not settle for diminishment of the promise. She insists that Jesus be Jesus, and through her insistence she frees him to be fully who he is. Gail R. O Day, Surprised by Faith: Jesus and the Canaanite Woman, in A Feminist Companion to Matthew, Ed., Amy-Jil Levine, p. 122, 123, 125. Metaphor or not, Jesus is depicted as comparing the woman and her daughter to dogs! No churchly or scholarly gymnastics are able to get around that problem. To note that the Greek word is a diminutive, meaning puppies or little dogs, does not soften the saying, for, as Burkill points out, As in English, so in other languages, to call a woman 'a little bitch' is no less abusive than to call her 'a bitch' without qualification. Jesus' flippant, even cruel, response to the woman defies justification. Sharon H. Ringe, A Gentile Woman s Story, in Feminist Interpretation of the Bible, Ed., Letty M. Russell Racism and the racists comments that result from it are unacceptable no matter who says them. It is the woman, not Jesus, who is the protagonist of this story, as Gail O Day and others point out. She teaches him, not vice versa. Why does Matthew and Mark both tell this story in which Jesus acts so disrespectfully and prejudicially? Could it be to add to the power of spiritual transformation; to show that even Jesus had to overcome culturally engrained racism to see the worth and dignity of each and every person regardless of their ethnicity, nationality, religion, or other conditions that otherwise divide people from one another? What is more empowering to you: a divine man who was perfect and never had to overcome any sinfulness within himself; or, a very human man who was transformed by cultivating divine qualities and by hard lessons learned? Personally, I prefer the second image of Jesus to the first. I could never have any hope of following the Jesus who told me to go and do likewise if he didn t have to overcome the very evils of society I have to deal with. But if he had to endure the same temptations and cultural evils that I must face, and he overcame them, well, that gives me hope not only for myself, but for others to follow in his ways. Rev. Bret S. Myers, 8/17/2017 CALLED TOGETHER AS SPIRITUAL FAMILY Welcome and Announcements Please sign the registration pads at the ends of the pews on the center aisle. We ask that you please shut off cell phones and practice quietness during the service. Please join us for fellowship and refreshments after the worship in Romig Hall (lower level of elevator or stairs). * = You are invited to stand as you are able Prelude Now Pray We to the Holy Spirit, BuxWV 208 D. Buxtehude Welcoming the Light of Love in Our Midst (acolytes light altar candles) We prepare ourselves for communing with the sacred as love s light is brought into our awareness. The light of love burns within and among each of us, and we carry that light into our sanctuary; visually reminding us of the image of the divine that lives in our hearts, minds, and souls and that we nourish through our faith-filled fellowship. Affirming God s Presence in Us All You Matter! Sharing Christ s Peace As a sign of our reconciliation with God and one another, greet and welcome those around you and share the peace of Christ. *Centering Our Souls Inspired by Matthew We come, Holy One, to learn about you and ourselves. You call us to purify our hearts and minds. But sometimes we build traditions that we think you approve, and by them we sometimes break your commandments for the sake of our traditions. Give us discernment to determine what is your will and what is our own human legacy. We are humbly aware of the tradition of slavery in this country, and the heritage of White Supremacy that still is honored by many. We decry these evils, and yet we are often unaware of our own white privilege that perpetuates discrimination. Let our lips, our hearts, and our actions be in accordance with your love for all people. May love be our true doctrine, and compassion be our precepts, for all your people. We unfortunately live in a society pervaded by racism and prejudice. Without consciously intending to do so, we are taught how to think and treat others as less than ourselves. Even Jesus was susceptible to such influences as he would not respond to the Canaanite woman until she persisted, and then even referred to her as a dog. But while these may be taught and learned, like him, we may also be taught how to unlearn them. For what goes into our ears and mouth need not rest in our hearts. Like the Canaanite woman, we can transform hatred into love, violence into compassion, vengeance into

3 peaceableness, and bigotry into loving-kindness. Like Jesus, we can see the worth of others even when we ve been taught not to. Help us to recognize our ignorance, be mindful of how our words and actions can harm others, and work towards of reconciliation with all of our siblings near and far. May it be so; now and always throughout our lives. *Hymn for Healing Grace We Yearn, O Christ, for Wholeness #179 Our Stories of Random Acts of Kindness & Intentional Deeds of Compassion WE LISTEN FOR THE SACRED IN THE MIDST OF OUR LIVES A Time for All God s Children Prayers Sharing Our Joys and Concerns Silent Meditation: The Prayers of the People Pastoral Prayer Unison Prayer: Poetic Prayer in the Spirit of Christ Loving Spirit, who is here and there, we re grateful for your tender care. Your virtues rise, your values prized; near and far, and everywhere. Feed our bodies, and feed our souls. And by forgiveness make us whole. And may we all evils deplore, as we search and sail for mercy s shore. May peace and love within us rule, and justice be your Spirit s tool; Now and always, for us and others, and for all creation. May we make it so, all as one, by your inspiration. *Hymn for Racial Justice O God, We Bear the Imprint of Your Face #585 Scripture Lesson Matthew Message When Jesus Overcame His Own Racism *Hymn for Acceptance and Unity Help Us Accept Each Other #388 WE DEDICATE OURSELVES TO GOD S SERVICE THROUGH FAITHFULNESS Giving of Our Tithes and Offerings Generosity arises from gratitude like heat arises from fire. Like fire, gratitude is lovely to see; but when it warms others with generosity, that is when it becomes a true blessing. Offertory Organ Improvisation *Song of Dedication Tune: Old Hundredth; p. 7 The light of love does shine most bright when all are siblings in our sight; We are one fam ly on this earth; we are God s children from our birth. *Unison Prayer of Dedication Holy Spirit, breathe your blessing upon these gifts of tithes of offerings that they may be carried on the winds of grace and alight on those most in need. Kindle a fire of generosity within us that we will not only give of these gifts today, but that we will give of ourselves everyday for the betterment of your world upon the earth. As you have been an Advocate to us, may we be an advocate to others so that truth will leap from our tongues...so that justice may issue forth from our hands...and so that compassion may arise from our hearts in all we say, in all we do, and in all we are. Amen. *Encouragement for the Journey As you leave these hallowed walls and go forth to love neighbor and build a just world for all, may you see with the eyes of our Creator that all God s children are beautiful and deserving of love and respect; may you reach out in love to all with the arms of Jesus, with no regard for race, creed, or homeland; and may you be accompanied by their Holy Spirit so that you may be sustained as you commit to your part of the ongoing courage in the struggle for peace and justice. Copyright 2017 United Church of Christ. All rights reserved. 700 Prospect Ave. Cleveland, OH Postlude Postlude in F Major E. L. Ashford *The Light of Love Goes into the World Love s light is not extinguished from our worship, but is transferred from the flame of the candles to the passion in our hearts that we may go forth to let the light of love shine through us as we go to serve in the world! WE GO FORTH AS PEACEMAKERS TO CREATE JUSTICE FOR ALL Our worship is fulfilled, and our purpose is confirmed, through our service as God s stewards to the world and all creation. Use the blessings God has given you as you share the joy in your heart, the wisdom in your mind,

4 the love in your spirit, and the peace in your soul. Thank you for sharing sacred fellowship with us. Faith UCC is an open and affirming church, embracing diversity in our congregation and community, and affirming the dignity and worth of every person. We are an inclusive community of faith that celebrates God's presence through worship and the sharing of God's word. We welcome all persons into the full life and ministry of the church, regardless of race, ethnic background, gender identity, sexual orientation, capability, or circumstance of life. Our Ministry Ministers All the Congregation Interim Pastor Rev. Bret Myers Ushers Trustee Larry Bair Liturgist Children s Message Acolyte Nursery Lois Bair Fellowship the Bairs Custodian Scott Luzier Organist Mark Ferraguto Church Staff Church School Coordinator - Barbara Chellman Administrative Assistant - Jeff Stormer The liturgies for this morning s worship, along with the Song of Dedication, were written by Rev. Bret S. Myers except where otherwise noted. Prayers for healing and wholeness: The Family of Linda Merchant, Jean Weller, Lisa B. (JoAnn s daughter), Brandon G., Lisa Neidigh, Bunnie Hartswick, Katelynn Wilson, Darlene Ripka, April S., Randy Brown (Aimee s Dad), the Parrish Family, the Piggot family, Robert Zupp (Eileen Pfaff s nephew), the family of Ruth Tressler, the family of Susan Meyer Welcome to all first-time (and returning) guests to Faith UCC! We would like to get to know you and for you to get to know us. Join us after worship for coffee and conversation. There is free parking on Sundays at the meters and at the McAllister & Pugh Street parking garages so, we hope you ll worship with us again next Sunday! Electronic Giving Options: During the offering time in the service, you may place your offerings on the plates the ushers will bring around. If you prefer to give electronically simply scan the QR code with your smart phone to be directed to our online donation page August Special Offering Bethany Children s Home ( has served over 12, 000 youth in the community since More than 300 youth who have been abused, neglected, or abandoned are taking back their lives each year at BCH. Please put Bethany in the note field of your check, or on the envelope, when making your donation, Thank you for your consideration and financial support! August 21 Consistory Meeting, 5:30 PM Church Parking Enforcement Begins August 27 Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time September 1 First Friday September 3 22 nd Sunday in Ordinary Time September rd Sunday in Ordinary Time September 12 Consistory Meeting, :30 PM Get In Touch with Us! Faith United Church of Christ, 300 E. College Avenue, State College, PA Tel: (814) Websites: facebook.com/scfaithucc Church Office faithucc@comcast.net Pastor s revbmyers@yahoo.com Church Office Hours: 9:30 a.m. 1:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, & Fridays Please make an appointment with Rev. Myers if you would like to meet with the pastor. You may call the church office, or his cell at Nourishment for the Journey What once was one of the stories I most disliked about Jesus has become one in which I now cherish. I used to regard Jesus reaction to the Canaanite woman, a woman of the people that the Hebrews took their land from them by military force, as one of the most awful instances of Jesus not being Jesus. Not only was he rude and disrespectful, but as many have pointed out, he may have also been sexist and racist. I resisted such conclusions for decades of my ministry trying to make Jesus appear better than he is portrayed. I suggested at times that the authors of Mark and Matthew made up the story for ulterior purposes, perhaps to show that his calling was not, as cited, just for the Jews, but for everyone. But what if it was not made up? How can you make sense of Jesus then? Is it not the case that whenever you get on a high horse about something that you are immediately put to the test about it? If you say you will do something, or value something, does it not

5 seem that your words are quickly tested in real life? When others make claims about what a wonderful person you are, do you not within hours or days wonder whether it is really true given the temptations you have to be otherwise? Jesus has in the prior chapter heard about the horrific murder of his cousin, John the Baptist, and has managed with some time away to keep both his composure and his compassion for others. He has cured the sick when he wanted to just be by himself, fed 5000 men (plus women and children) with 5 loaves and 2 fish with more left over than he started with, has walked across the water, saved his key disciple from drowning while stilling the wind and the waves, and then healed even more people. In this chapter, Matthew 15, he gets a little cocky with the Pharisees. After they disparage him and his disciples for eating with ritually unclean hands, he tells them they break the commandments of God for the sake of their traditions. He let them know they are hypocrites who say one thing with their mouth, but act differently based on what comes from their heart. He then talks to the crowds, feeling his oats, by telling them that what defiles a person is not what they partake or receive but rather what they say and do. It is almost as if Matthew sets up Jesus with all these things just to tell the next story his encounter with a Canaanite woman, and a test of whether he will live up to his prior actions and words. The woman has a daughter who has a demon, and seeks Jesus healing mercies. It is strange that such a woman would come to any Jewish person to ask for any kind of assistance; which reveals her steadfast love for her daughter. She has obviously heard of who Jesus is and what he is about. She may not be of his nationality, ethnicity, or religion, but she is willing to act like a pleading, lamenting, Jewish woman in order to get his attention. She calls him, three times nonetheless, Lord; which only a Jewish person would do. She repeats her requests like Psalms of Jewish scripture ( Have mercy on me and Lord, help me, ), and she even calls him Son of David, which no self-respecting Canaanite would do given David was a military general who they likely detested. Why does she stoop so low? Because of her love of her daughter, and because she has faith that Jesus will indeed, if convinced to be, be Jesus. He was known throughout the countryside for his healings, and for his feeding of people. But would he pay any mind to a woman, heal a foreigner s daughter, and feed (metaphorically at least) one who represented a traditional and long-lasting enemy of Jews? Let the testing begin! As Matthew tells the story, Jesus initially would not even listen to this foreign woman, though she had a legitimate need one in which she was asking on behalf of her daughter and not simply herself. Urged by his disciples, he tries to send her away by telling her that he came for the people of Israel, not for people like her. She then kneels before him to plead her case further, and he only furthers his discriminatory and demeaning attitude by telling her it isn t fair to take the children s food and throw it to the dogs. How can we not see this behavior as prejudicial and discriminatory? Wow, the man who feeds thousands and preaches of the plenty of God is nativistically pretending there is not enough to go around?! The one who just criticized the Pharisees for holding on to traditions that don t show respect and love for people is committing the same sin?! The one who just proclaimed that it is not what goes into the mouth that makes one unclean but that which comes out of one s mouth, is here spewing forth racist statements?! What is going on?! Could it be exactly what it appears to be? Or does piety require us to construe the story in a way in which it is not told in order to make Jesus look better? Would could be the goal of the gospel writers? I ve come to the opinion that both Matthew and Mark wanted to convey Jesus as discriminatory in this one instance not to put him down, but rather to see how far he climbed from his social setting and cultural context. We have no other instances in the gospels where Jesus is the antagonist rather than the protagonist. We certainly have multiple instances where Jesus himself portrays those thought of as enemies as protagonists, and the supposedly good guys as antagonists; but this is the only place where Jesus himself gets schooled by another person ironically, one who is thought to be an enemy of Jews, and a woman at that. Jesus gets increasingly more inclusive it seems throughout the gospels. His mission and purpose get extended to include not only Jews, but also Gentiles. He heals them, and teaches them just like he does Jews. But in this instance, he is the one healed and the one taught; and his transformation in how he regards this Canaanite woman leads him to do what she asks because of her incredible faith. She becomes the example of faithfulness that he had wished his disciples would aspire to being. It is interesting that Peter, his most loyal disciple, has just prior to this passage been called one of little faith; and so Jesus calling this former enemy as one of great faith cannot help but be contrasted with Peter. Indeed, this story appears to be carefully linked to a whole series of passages before it. Peter asked Jesus to command him to come walking on the water. He is faithful for a few moments, but then begins to sink when he becomes fearful and vacillating. But this woman will not take no for an answer. She is persistent, and she takes the initiative herself rather than asking Jesus to command her what to do. She is bold, daring, and willing to break with tradition! Ah, that was what Jesus said that the Pharisees didn t do! They kept their traditions, and broke God s commandments; but not this woman! She would petition God to be God, just like the long history of the Hebrew people, and she would lament her plea to Jesus face until he capitulated. She was not going to let him get away with not being the compassionate person she had heard him to be. He may be having a bad day, but she was not going to let him rain on her parade! Like the Israelites who lamented their plight till God finally gave in, she would hound Jesus into submission to her pleas. Ironically, she acted submissive herself in order to get him to be submissive to her request. When he called her a dog, she simply accepted it and said that even dogs eat the crumbs from their master s table. Jesus, and everyone else, had to see how she was bending over backwards to get him to honor her request. He d healed countless others, so why couldn t he heal her daughter? Perhaps she guilted him into it by calling to attention his own character. But I d rather think that Jesus was himself transformed, as Matthew seems to indicate, by this woman s faith. How ironic that one of the least of these as Jesus has called them is one who is teaching one of the greatest of these. Like so many other parts of the gospels, we see a role reversal of the characters, the values, and even the expectations that would be in the minds of the readers and hearers of the gospel message. Who even today can imagine that it was Jesus who was being bad and got a moral lesson from one who was considered to be bad and had few morals? How surprising! And what incredible story-telling! I hope it really did happen this way, for it makes Jesus all the more real to me. I really can t relate to one who never was seriously tempted or did anything wrong because he was so good. Yes, we hear of Jesus being tempted in the desert early on in his ministry, but we all imagine, don t we, that this was mere child s play for one we ve been taught by our own churches and traditions to be

6 without sin. (Maybe this itself is a tradition we need to get rid of?) I can t understand how anyone can get through life without sin. It is simply too pervasive. Yes, I can imagine someone so intent on doing good that they never want to sin; but personal experience has shown me time and again that even when I want such things, I still end up messing up at times. I expressly do not want to be a racist, for instance, and yet I can t deny I grew up with racist beliefs and have even unwittingly thought, spoke, and acted in racist ways. How could I not? Being racist is not something we choose, but a circumstance in which we are encultured. One need not have negative attitudes of others in order to be racist. Ignorantly saying insensitive things, and having a better than thou attitude is part of racism maybe not the extravagant forms we hear on the news, but still insidious and pervasive within our culture, and therefore, in each (or at least most) of us. I used to object to thinking of myself as being racist, believing that I had to consciously choose to be racist in order to be racist. But that is not how it works. My white privilege, a gift I didn t earn, is used and enacted by me in ways in which have to be seen as racist by anyone without white privilege. I perceive reality in ways that are more philosophical than those who have an identity of being a part of an oppressed people. I have thought about injustice far more than I ve experienced it. But for most of the people on earth, their perceptions of life come not from philosophical ponderings and ethical ruminations, but lived realities. Injustice is not a theoretical construct but a gutwrenching way of experiencing the world. Sure, I ve been the recipient of injustice in my own ways; countless times. But I ve not had to experience the forms in which my value is questioned and my character is suspicioned simply because of the color of my skin. I have events of injustice that happen in my life; but others experience injustice systemically throughout this society every second of every day of their lives. I ve never had to deal with that pervasiveness of injustice against me. And that reality changes my perception of how I look at the world. I assume that others share my assurance of safety, security, equality, and mutual respectfulness that I have when dealing with government officials, police officers, store owners, and pretty much everyone else in society. But they don t. How could they? I m racist, in part, because I have too often assumed my reality was their reality which it never has been. I treated them as equals in my own mind when they have never regarded themselves as equals in their own, and resent that I don t get this that my privilege and racism has kept me from seeing them as people who have experienced life drastically different from me, and that this has made me aloof and insensitive to their need for me to be one who listens to their experience and believe in them rather than frown at their understandings of life by assuming we both should look at the world the same way. The beauty of the Canaanite woman s responses to Jesus is that she is unwilling to let Jesus assume he knows who she is based on her ethnicity, nationality, and religion. She outwits him by knowing more about his faith than he knows about hers. She quotes his scriptures in her pleas, and appeals to his sense of Jewish identity in the very words she uses. She knows what it means to be Canaanite in a Jewish world, just like African Americans know what it means to be Black in a White world. She knows his language, but he doesn t know hers. And she uses this knowledge, even in playing the part of a lowly dog, to get him to see her reality as it really is. Her hyperbole in agreeing with Jesus racist depiction of her with a vehement, Yes!, is only outdone by her uncanny wit of speaking of how even dogs deserve a morsel of mercy the very kind of witticism that Jesus has so often used in instructing those who appeared unaware of their own prejudices and character flaws. She reads him like a book, and he is forced into either honoring her request, or admitting his own racism and bigotry in contrast with the person he believes he has been called to be by God. The beauty of Jesus response is not only that he realizes she got the better of him, but sees her as the faithful person, not the Canaanite woman, she really is. He has been taught to view Canaanites in ways that don t always take into consideration their full humanity. But he is willing to change his perception of her based on the content of her character and the evidence of her faith. She is precisely what he wants his disciples to be. She doesn t come in the package that one would expect, just like most Biblical characters, but she reveals that what lies on the inside of the person is much more important than what we can see on the outside. She demands that Jesus live up to his greater calling, and not be so myopic about caring only for the Jewish people, just like the Jewish people have long done in asking the same of their God. And in this lesson, the gospel writer reminds us that we all need to learn this for even Jesus had to. We have to look at our neighbors not as our Jewish, Canaanite, Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, or Atheists neighbors not as our State College, Pennsylvania, American, 1 st world or 3 rd world neighbors and not as our White, Black, Brown, Yellow, or Red neighbors, but as people who have something to teach us about love, compassion, respectfulness, and living in peace and harmony as a result of listening to their story rather than assuming it. I m thankful, actually, that this story depicts that Jesus had moral challenges he had to face, and that he did not always do so with the grace and kindness that we have come to expect of him. I m heartened that he showed us that he could overcome such challenges; for in doing so, his life is testimony that we can indeed go and do the same. But I am also thankful, exceedingly so, for this Canaanite woman who, though depicted as an enemy and at the lowest rung of the social ladder, reminds us that even those we may construe as most unworthy can be a blessing to us if we only open our minds and hearts to what they have to teach us. Friends, I can t help but think of this as anything but good news especially when so many still fail to see the goodness in the other. Love and peace, Rev. Bret S. Myers, 8/17-18/2017 ******* UCC Pastoral Letter condemns racist violence in Charlottesville, demands equality for all August 15, 2017 As a response to the violent clashes between white supremacists and counter demonstrators in Charlottesville, Va., that left a woman dead and 19 injured, the national leadership of the United Church of Christ issued this Pastoral Letter: Pastoral Letter

7 Last weekend, a group of white supremacists came to Charlottesville, Virginia, and incited violence to protest the removal of a Confederate monument. Although protest is the bedrock of our nation s democracy, coming in riot gear proves that they intended to do more than simply protest. We, the Council of Conference Ministers and Officers of the United Church of Christ, strongly condemn the acts of violent hatred expressed by these white supremacists, Neo-Nazis, and Ku Klux Klan members. Their white robes and burning crosses were replaced with polo shirts, khakis, and tiki torches, while their lynching was replaced with a speeding car barreling through a group of peaceful protesters with the intention of harming and killing others, which it did. Their vitriolic hatred is the same. We confess that the events of Charlottesville are systemic and communal expressions of white privilege and racism that continues to pervade our nation s spiritual ethos. And if we only condemn the acts of August 12, 2017, without condemning the roots of racism, which perpetuate discrimination in our American schools, justice system, business, and healthcare systems, then we have sinned as well. We must work toward the Kin-dom of Heaven here on earth now for the sake of a just world for all. We do this by committing to follow the ways of Jesus, who stood with the oppressed, spoke out against political and religious powers, and courageously embodied a just world for all as he sought to create it. Today, we must follow the ways of Jesus in addressing the hatred of white supremacists and racists among us. Our local UCC churches must be true solidarity partners with those who march in the streets. Our UCC churches are encouraged to move from the sanctuary and walk alongside other clergy and community leaders who seek to resist, agitate, inform, and comfort. We must resist hatred and violence. We must also agitate ourselves, and our neighbors to acknowledge any racism within or among us. We must inform ourselves, and our neighbors what our sacred stories reveal to us of a just world for all. We must lament and grieve with those who are injured or murdered during violent confrontations with those who mean us harm. And we must comfort those who have been discriminated against with the transformative love of God. As we go forward, let us model the legacy of activism through our sacred call given to us by our UCC ancestors: May we be prophetic truth-tellers like our Congregational Christian forebears, who marched in public squares demanding equality for all. May we serve others, and remain faithful witnesses like our Evangelical and Reformed forebears, who tended to the needs of the forgotten. And may we be courageous like our non-ucc forebears, who left their spiritual home and joined the UCC in order to fully live out who God created them to be. In the days to come, may God's truth, mission, and courage be our guide to embodying the Kin-dom of Heaven here on earth. Want to become a member of Faith UCC? We welcome new members to join in our community of faith. If you are interested in becoming a member of our family, please let Rev. Myers know of your interest. If you are unsure whether you would like to take this step now or later, Rev. Myers will be glad to speak with you regarding your questions and concerns. Church Parking Permits: Please note that parking will be strictly enforced starting TOMORROW 21 August,! But Wait! There s More! All of the announcements are available on the church website. There are often several pages worth of reminders that are not posted weekly just due to the number of them and the detail for each article. The online posting is more comprehensive. You can find the Announcements here: They should clearly listed by date at the top of the link list.

8 Penn State Study for Rural Cancer Survivors "The PPCC (Partnering to Prevent and Control Cancer) study is looking for adult cancer survivors to participate in a survey on physical activity preferences and barriers. PPCC is being conducted by researchers at The Pennsylvania State University. For more information, contact the PPCC study at (814) or hdpar@psu.edu." Nittany Valley Benefit Dinner Now in its 6 th year, the Nittany Valley Benefit Dinner helps raise funds for young families offset some of the parochial school system costs. Saturday, September 23, Time slots are: 12:00-1PM 1-2PM 2-3PM 3-4PM 4-5PM 5-6PM 6-7PM The menu, pricing, and time frames are posted on the bulletin board in the Gathering Space. Thank You! Thank you all so much for giving us permission to use the grassy space in your church yard for our yoga classes on Farmer s Market days! It may not seem like much, but because of your generosity, 15 new PSU students were introduced to the idea of healthy eating and healthy body movement! Additionally, we made so many new connections with students and community members who appreciated our efforts, which included helping them learn about tuning into themselves through intentional movement as well as being part of a community. It was a great experience for us! Thank you again for allowing us to have such a successful experience in this test run of our workshops! Elle Morgan, Yoga Instructor Interfaith Coffee Hour NOW on TUESDAYS! Tuesday, September 19, 6:30 8:00 pm DISCUSSION TOPIC: Does DOUBT have a place in the religious life, or in the life of faith? Come Share Your Thoughts with Friends! Enjoy conversation with neighbors of other faiths! In Wonderful Webster's casual community atmosphere! PLACE: Webster s Bookstore & Café (133 E. Beaver Ave., State College) REFRESHMENTS Available for Purchase PARKING VOUCHERS for Pugh Street Garage available with any purchase from Webster s. MORE INFO? Contact Sarah: / InterfaithInitiativeCC@hotmail.com PLEASE NOTE: September February: Interfaith Coffee Hours Move to TUES- DAYS & RETURN to WEBSTER S Starting Tuesday, September 19, 6:30 8:00 pm the LATEST COMMUNITY COLUMN from Interfaith Initiative Centre County Monday, August 14, The Centre Daily Times Editorial Page: This month by Shih-In Ma: Spirituality and Diversity Find online at: (where you can also respond online) Interfaith Peace And Love Gathering Next SITTING FOR PEACE Interfaith Potluck/Meditation is September 9 (there will be no August gathering) "SITTING TOGETHER IN LOVE AND PEACE" Saturday, September 9, 6:00 or 6:30 pm -? You are invited to Shih-In Ma s home, Sahaja, for the 12th time to gather in the peace, love and Silence of our Being. As discussed in June s gathering, come at 6:00 pm if you re want a tour of Sahaja s many things.

9 We will gather starting at 6:30 pm for a vegetarian potluck, then sit together in silence and stillness from 8:00 until about 8:45, doing still-silent practices of our choosing. Most people stay after the silent time to enjoy more of each others presence. If you cannot come in body, please consider sitting with us in spirit from 8:00 8:45 wherever you are. If you RSVP, I will send you the readings in advance and we will presence you by name before we sit... Please sittingtogether2@gmail.com if you wish to be added to my requestfor-rsvp list, or have questions. CONSTITUTION DAY 230 th Anniversary of the United States Constitution Come learn about rights and freedoms guaranteed you under the U.S. Constitution Interfaith Initiative Centre County will be taking part in this to represent the First Amendment (the first sentence of which establishes what is called Freedom of Religion) If you would like to help set up our table between 12 noon 1:00 pm or would like to help staff the table with others for an hour between 1:00 6:00 pm) you can get free admission! DATE: Sunday, September 17, 1:00 6:00 pm LOCATION: Grange Park, Centre Hall PA enter at Gate 1 WHAT: Articles & Amendment Displays (e.g., Bill of Rights), Children s Activities. Live Music; Free Parking; Food Trucks. Guest Speakers. ADMISSION: Online or at Gate: Single Admission: $7 // Family/Group Admission $23 Tickets (ahead of time) & More Information at