There but For the Grace of God Go I: Prison Ministry

Instructor: Will Duchon

Quotes
To assert in any case that a man must be absolutely cut off from society because he is absolutely evil amounts to saying that society is absolutely good and no-one in his right mind will believe this today.
Albert Camus (1913-1960) French novelist, essayist and dramatist.

Under a government which imprisons any unjustly, the true place for a just man is also a prison.
Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) American naturalist, poet and philosopher.

I know not whether Laws be right or whether Laws be wrong; all that we know who live in prison is that the wall is strong; and that each day is like a year, a year whose days are long.
Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) Irish poet and dramatist.

“I am holding on and encouraged each time I hear from you, my brother. Pass my regards on to the family and the “Team”. I love each one of you like family because you all are the true meaning of family.”
Shane Watson (1965- ), inmate at Green Haven Correctional Facility. From a letter to Will Duchon in 2004

Some initial thoughts from Will on Prison Ministry
Prison ministry is a specialized form of ministry. I believe that the essence of ministry is most vivid when ministry is understood to be a verb. In this sense, “to minister” is to give service, care, or aid; attend, as to wants or necessities. One who is truly “doing ministry” is not concerned with being perceived of as a “minister”; although others may think of her/him this way. So to keep it simple, I choose to define the topic of “prison ministry” as simply the act of caring for someone who is in prison.

In my visits to Green Haven Correctional Facility, I have witnessed many acts of prison ministry performed by people of all ages and races. I doubt these people would define themselves as ministers. To the imprisoned men on the receiving end of these visits I am certain that these men and women are truly sent from God.

Prison Ministry in the Hebrew & Christian Scriptures:
Read Isaiah 58: 6-9. In this passage, the prophet Isaiah warns against empty ritual and reflects the essence of ministry.

Read Matthew 25: 35-40 for a description of basic acts of “ministry”. One interpretation of this passage would be that when we serve the hungry, the thirsty, the homeless, the sick and the prisoner, we serve Jesus.

Some Cold Statistics about Incarceration in the U.S.:
These numbers can serve as a foundation for this study. The danger of using them, of course, is that we can lose touch with the fact that these statistics represent actual people. In order to keep the term “prison ministry” in context, it is important to have a basic idea of what is going on in the United States prison system. So take a few moments to ponder the following statistics, gathered in June of 2006. Let’s preface these statistics with an alarming fact: The United States imprisons more people than any other nation on the planet.

U.S. incarceration rates by race & gender, June 30, 2006
A clear racial and gender bias permeates the criminal justice system:

Whites: 409 per 100,000
Latinos: 1,038 per 100,000
Blacks: 2,468 per 100,000
Females: 134 per 100,000
Males: 1,384 per 100,000
White males: 736 per 100,000
Latino males: 1,862 per 100,000
Black males: 4,789 per 100,000
For White males ages 25-29: 1,685 per 100,000.
For Latino males ages 25-29: 3,912 per 100,000.
For Black males ages 25-29: 11,695 per 100,000. (That's 11.7% of Black men in their late 20s.)

“Two gathered in my name...” Personal Reflections & Shane Watson
Each person in prison has a story, a personal history, a tale to tell. The circumstances surrounding individual cases may vary, but there are probably more similarities than differences. What I have learned from my experience with prison ministry is that common themes shared by those incarcerated are: drugs, lack of education, and poverty. We talk of the United States being the most violent nation on the planet, in terms of the crime rate and the murder rate. I’ve come to believe that poverty is the worst form of this violence, because it breeds desperation and loss of hope which can lead to desperate acts.

In 2003, I began my correspondence with Mr. Shane Watson, who is currently serving a 25 years to life sentence at Green Haven Correctional Facility in Stormville, NY. Over time, many letters and visits, I have come to know Shane very well. He is now 42 years old, and the father of four children: Shane Jr., Shana, Brandon and Jason. Shane also was recently married to a special woman by the name of Paula Jones. (Prisons allow inmates to marry and even have “honeymoons” of two days together in a trailer on the prison grounds.)

Shane was convicted of second-degree murder in 1993, related to a shooting in the Bronx, NY in 1991. His case is a perfect example of an eyewitness case; the jury convicted Shane on the basis of the testimony of three eyewitnesses, and their subsequent ID of Shane in photo arrays and lineup procedures at the police precinct. There is no DNA evidence in Shane’s case. The victim, Mark Johnson, was shot three times at 11:30 PM on Schefflein Avenue in the Bronx. Mr. Johnson’s girlfriend was standing about ten feet away from the victim, and could not identify the shooter. The other “eyewitnesses” gave conflicting statements to the police. None of the eyewitnesses claimed to see the face of the shooter, yet each identified Shane from a photo array and a lineup.

This is not the place to delve further into the details of Shane’s case. My point in relating this information is to illustrate a sad reality that exists in the criminal justice system. To me, what makes Shane Watson’s case so compelling is that his case is so “ordinary”. By this I mean, there is no celebrity, no high-priced lawyers, no scandal; just a simple case of the District Attorney’s office wanting to close the case of yet another shooting in the inner city. The victim of the shooting, Mark Johnson, was on parole for a homicide at the time of his death. He was known to be a drug dealer in the neighborhood. The police investigating Mr. Johnson’s death never bothered to check anyone connected to Mr. Johnson’s victim (the person he killed). The police also never bothered searching Shane Watson’s home for a gun or clothing with gunpowder residue. After studying Shane’s case (trial transcripts, police reports, etc.) it is very clear to me that his case is just another example of someone being wrongfully convicted of a crime.

While the majority of people in prison are in fact guilty of the crimes they have been convicted of, there are many cases like Shane Watson’s, where due to a flawed prosecution and/or suspect police procedures, someone is serving time having been wrongfully convicted.

What does this all have to do with “prison ministry”? I can say that despite the frustration I have encountered in my attempts to exonerate Shane, there has also been much healing and a deepening of friendship between Shane and me. We both talk of our families, and discuss problems and frustrations we have felt as fathers. I have come to know Shane’s mother, Joan, as well as Shane’s wife Paula, and my life has been enriched through these encounters. I have learned to be grateful for my freedom, and the ability to come and go as I please; something Shane has not known for fifteen years now. I can honestly say that in every meeting with Shane at Green Haven, I have felt the quiet presence of God. And when I’ve left the prison and walked through the parking lot to my car, I’ve always wondered who was being “ministered to”; Shane, or me?

Discussion Questions:
Why do you think prisoners in the United States are by far Black and Latino males?
Have you known anyone who has spent time in jail or prison? If so, what are your perceptions of this person? If not, what image do you have of a “prisoner” or “convict”?
What messages might the Isaiah and Matthew passages hold for those in prison? What messages do they hold for those not incarcerated?
Resources for Further Study
To begin a prison ministry of your own, I suggest first praying about it. There are several online resources you might investigate:

www.prisonministry.net
www.writeaprisoner.com

Of course, you may also feel free to write to Shane Watson:

Din# 93A9384
C/o Green Haven Correctional Facility
PO Box 4000
Stormville, NY 12582

For more information about Shane’s case and my involvement, visit
www.opus30.net

For information/statistics about the prison system in the US:
www.prisonsucks.com

Finally, there is an excellent book by Alan Elsner titled “Gates of Injustice” which examines the inconsistencies and bias that plague the prison system. Here is a link to Mr. Elsner’s book:
http://www.amazon.com/Gates-Injustice-Americas-Financial-Prentice/dp/0131427911

Eco-Justice and Finding God in Nature

Instructor: Rev. Peter Allen

Quotes
Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind.
-Albert Einstein, Science, Philosophy and Religion: a Symposium, 1941

Justice consists not in being neutral between right and wrong, but in finding out the right and upholding it, wherever found, against the wrong.
-Theodore Roosevelt

The church was not merely a thermometer that recorded the ideas and principles of popular opinion; it was a thermostat that transformed the mores of society.
-Martin Luther King, Jr., Letter from Birmingham Jail, April 16, 1963

For the Church of the 21st Century, good ecology is not an optional extra but a matter of justice. It is therefore central to what it means to be a Christian.
-Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury (head of the Church of England)

Among the institutions of our society, only communities of faith can still posit some reason for human existence other than the constant accumulation of stuff.
-Bill McKibben, author and lecturer

Those who dwell, as scientists or laymen, among the beauties and mysteries of the earth, are never alone or weary of life.
-Rachel Carson, naturalist, author

Nature is too thin a screen; the glory of the omnipresent God bursts through everywhere.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson

We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature - trees, flowers, grass- grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence... We need silence to be able to touch souls.
-Mother Teresa

Definitions:
Eco-justice refers to the pursuit of ecological sustainability and justice for all creation.
Creation in this study means all that physically exists -- but the term emphasizes God’s role as Creator and our role as stewards.
I use the words nature and natural in this study to refer to that which is not human-made.

Some thoughts from Pete
We are entering a new time. And it’s about time! As people of faith (and people seeking faith) in a post-industrial, post-modern society, we are moving beyond the old dualistic notions that separated flesh and spirit, the earthly and the holy. We are coming to understand that human health and faithful stewardship of creation requires us to recognize the oneness of all things -- physical and spiritual. Is not Jesus Christ our shining example of such oneness?

This will require a shift not only in attitude and behavior but also in identity. We can no longer afford – spiritually, economically, etc. -- to think of ourselves as owners, users, or even rulers of the earth. We are its stewards, which is a sacred role filled with blessings and responsibilities.

We of course have a duty to shrink our “footprint” – our impact as consumers – through conservation, minimizing energy use, reducing pollution, etc. This means changing our habits.

A further responsibility is one we often avoid: speaking up about justice. In a religious setting, justice can be defined as God’s idea of what is right. Are over-consumption, war, economic inequality, environmental destruction, and our understandings of God and the meaning of life all connected somehow? I believe so and I invite you to explore those connections with me in this study. Does Jesus -- as prophet and savior -- offer a way forward on these issues? Do we as the body of Christ have a role in making things better?

I hope that in contemplating these ideas, spending some time in prayer, and (this is key!) sharing your thoughts with others, you will begin a journey of inner transformation, outward action, and prophetic proclamation. I also hope that you will renew your relationship with the earth and cosmos – its land, plant life, water, wind, creatures, sunlight, planets, and stars – and catch in them glimpses of our wonderful Creator.

Scripture Readings with Questions for Meditation & Sharing
I often use an online Bible site: http://unboundbible.biola.edu/ Choose a translation (I use the New Revised Standard Version) and key in the book, chapter, and verses.

God as Creator: Psalm 24, verse 1
What does it mean to you that the earth belongs to God (not us)? How might this notion influence your daily choices and your politics?

The relative value of humans vs. the rest of creation: Matthew 10:29-31
A) In Jesus’ context, human beings were thought to be more valuable than wild animals. Many of us may still believe this to be true. What do you think? Does your opinion match your behavior?
B) Look at the context of the passage: Read all of Matthew 10. Jesus is sending his disciples on a mission and is giving them a pep talk. As people seeking justice for the earth, what wisdom might we glean from Jesus’ encouraging words?

Overpopulation and our role as humans on earth: Genesis 1:28
A) What role does Genesis play in your understanding of human life? Are the stories and pronouncements found in the first book of the Bible prescriptive (must they direct our behavior) or can they function in other ways?
B) Based on our record, which is abysmal, must human beings simply get out of the way, abdicating our role as leaders of the earth? Or are there other, better, more faithful options?

The Body of Christ: I Corinthians 12
This familiar and beloved chapter is foundational for us as members of the United Church of Christ in the congregational tradition. Might we extend Paul’s image of the body to the whole earth? In what ways is the earth a body that needs all its parts to function?

Greed and materialism: Luke 12:13-21
We’ve all heard the old adage, “You can’t take it with you.” OK, so what? How is this idea related to your spiritual well-being?

Eco-justice and international relationships: Acts 17:22-30
In Paul’s call for worldwide unity in Christ, he reminds the Athenians of their ties to all humanity and to God. He also issues a call to repentance. Do we, as Americans, need to repent? In what ways, through our poor stewardship of the earth, have we violated our ties to our sisters and brothers in the human family?

Jesus sought spiritual nourishment in nature: Mark 1:32-39, 4:35-41, 14:32-42
Jesus’ times in the wilderness, on the water, and in the garden (or orchard) readied him for prophetic speech and action. How often do you go outside for the sake of personal renewal: for physical health, to strengthen your relationship with God or others, to increase your appreciation of creation? How might spending more time outside heal you -- body and soul – and inspire you for a ministry of eco-justice?

A Prayer
Creator God, we thank you for the gift of life in all its forms and for the beauty and mystery of the natural world. Please forgive our selfishness and turn us again to Jesus Christ, who reveals the connectedness of all things and leads us in love toward reconciliation and justice. Give us your wisdom and strengthen us for change. Help us to speak out and to live in new ways. May we experience your deep peace in all that surrounds us! Amen.

Online Resources
http://www.eco-justice.org/ (UCC/mainline/ecumenical)
http://www.webofcreation.org/ (Lutheran)
http://www.nccecojustice.org/ (National Council of Churches)
sojo.net (Sojourner’s Magazine website has resources you can order)

Try Googling “eco-justice” and explore. There is a lot more out there!

Welcoming, Hospitality & Inclusiveness

Instructors: Ken Fredeen and Jenn Gingras, members of Monroe Congregational Church, United Church of Christ

“It is only human supremacy, which is as unacceptable as racism and sexism, which makes us afraid of being more inclusive.”

- Ingrid Newkirk, British activist

“I don't believe inclusion is a value in itself. Welcome is. We welcome people into the Church, we say: 'You can come in, and that decision will change you.' We don't say: 'Come in and we ask no questions.' I do believe conversion means conversion of habits, behaviors ideas, and emotions. The boundaries are determined by what it means to be loyal to Jesus Christ.”

- Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury

Scripture References
On Welcoming: Luke 9:11, 9:48; Matthew 10:14, 10:41; Acts 28.2; Romans 15:7
On Hospitality: Romans 12.13; Hebrews 13.2
On Inclusiveness: Romans 11:12

For your contemplation…Welcoming Others

In the United Church of Christ, and at Monroe Congregational Church in particular, many of us have been talking about what it means to be a people of “extravagant welcome”. Our extravagant welcome grew organically out of the five historic commitments of the United Church of Christ: We are a united and uniting church, we are a multiracial and multicultural church, we are a church accessible to all, we are an open and affirming church, and a peace with justice church. On the UCC website, we read of one layperson’s love for her church:

“Welcoming, witnessing and being 'totally present' for myself and for others have shown me a joy which I now know is God's extravagant welcome. As others come to find their own special gifts, the miracles will continue to increase in ways which are yet to be told. I came to believe. This is a place where dreams are coming true.”

Each of these historic commitments of the wider church is reflected by how we enact it in the local setting. As a former deacon (Ken) and associate pastor (Jenn), we consider the welcome of new folks among us to be an important part of fulfilling the purpose and vision of our church. Every Sunday the members of the church earnestly do their best to make people feel at home, by greeting at the door, wearing nametags, being as clear as possible about upcoming events in our print and verbal communications, and letting parents of young children know that in our programs their family will be safe. We encourage newcomers to join us in fellowship, education, outreach and leadership positions. Judging by the number of people that consider themselves part of our “church family,” it seems like we’ve got the “welcoming” part of being a UCC church down to a science.

We at MCC promise nearly every week in worship when we say our church covenant that we promise “all that we are and all that we have to the fulfillment of God’s Kingdom”. And so, each week we welcome folks not only to church, to worship, to Sunday school, to Strawberry Festival, but into our community, to take part in the transformation of self and others, who will, in turn, transform the world. We can look to the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 5, verse 3-11 for the vision of God’s Kingdom, the world as we know it turned upside down, towards which we strive:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.”

If we are striving toward becoming “ever closer” to the very realm of God on earth, and if we seek to have but a humble portion of it in our community, try reading the above Beatitudes replacing “Blessed are” with “Welcome.” Does this give us a better idea of what we should be doing, what we should value in others, whom we should be more welcoming to as a Christ-centered community?

For your contemplation…Including Others

Is welcoming someone just the act of making sure they are invited to the party? Is it merely good hospitality? If the church is really interested in being an inclusive (rather than an exclusive) gathering of God’s children, does that compel us to go beyond acts of hospitality and attitudes of welcome? We believe that the gospel requires us to be clear in our invitation, and to go out of our way to love and accept those who seek a connection with God through our community. The term we often hear in ‘church-speak’ is inclusion.

But what does inclusion really mean? What are the consequences? UCC ONA ads about exclusion are not about some churches being unwelcoming, it’s about them being exclusive. They are meant to point out the inclusive nature of our UCC churches.

To be an inclusive body includes both inviting and accepting. It’s a bit more proactive than a mere invitation. An inclusive church is similar to one concept of grace which states: God’s grace doesn’t happen without our acceptance.

For your contemplation….Embracing Others

Embracing – beyond welcome and inclusion! A metaphorical hug! Not necessarily approving or agreeing, but loving nonetheless. Who do you hug? What are the differences in the relationships you have with people who you hug? What are the similarities?

OK, by now perhaps you are frustrated by the highly philosophical and indirect nature of this study. On this blog we’ve avoided, on purpose, debate about MCC becoming an “Open & Affirming” church. We have not pulled out the many scriptural references which we might argue and debate about. Our approach has been that it is not in the church’s best interests to pick a fight – especially in a small group format. We ARE interested in continuing the dialogue about what it means to truly be a welcoming, hospitable and inclusive church. Let's talk about it.

Definitions
Welcoming: Adjective, to greet, receive, or entertain (another or others) cordially or hospitably
Hospitality: Noun, the quality or disposition of receiving and treating guests and strangers in a warm, friendly, generous way
Inclusiveness: Noun, the act of including; enclosing; embracing others
ONA: "Shorthand" for Open and Affirming, the designation for congregations, campus ministries, and other bodies in the United Church of Christ which make public statements of welcome into their full life and ministry to persons of all sexual orientations and gender identities.

Questions for Reflection & Discussion
1. What work still needs to be done in our church so that it is truly welcoming and accepting to all people, regardless of ability, class, ethnicity, age, gender, etc.,?

2. Is there anything about the term “open & affirming” that concerns you? What have been your anxiety, fear, or questions?

3. How has your life of faith been affected by people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT)? When have you experienced the presence of Christ through LGBT people of faith?

4. What is your hope for the church as it relates to welcoming all people of faith?

Resources
The Open and Affirming Movement in the United Church of Christ http://www.ucc.org/lgbt/ona.html

What Matters: We Are People of God’s Extravagant Welcome
http://www.uccvitality.org/we-are-people-of-extravagant-welcome/we-are-people-of-gods-extravagant-welcome.html

Postscript to Accessible to All

In yesterday morning's Bible study, we discussed Matthew's version of the baptism of Jesus by John (Matthew 3: 13-17).

What I did not realize is that by taking baptism out of the ritual baths of the temple and bringing it to the Jordan River, John was making his baptism of repentance accessible to those who could not go into the temple: they lived at a distance, they were unable, or because they were considered unclean by the temple authorities. Therefore, it was good and right that Jesus be baptized by John in this way, to affirm his ministry to the outcast, the lost, and the forgotten.

Jesus brought his message and the kingdom to the people who needed it most, traveling to them rather than teaching only in the synagogues. Walls had been built around the Law and the prophets, that only the pure could approach them and inherit their blessings. Jesus taught that the center of the Law is love and that barriers of any kind--physical, attitudinal, economical--did not belong in the kingdom nor could they thwart it.

How can we make Christ's body, we the Church, accessible to all in a concrete way? How can we bring the Church to others?

January 2008 - Accessible to All

Instructor: The Rev. Cynthia Robinson, member of Monroe Congregational Church, United Church of Christ.

Scripture References: Psalm 139: 14a; Isaiah 40: 3-5; Luke 4: 16-21; Romans 8: 38-39; 1 Cor. 12: 12-26; 1 Peter 4: 8-11a.

“From the begining of the UCC until now, we have come to know that an extravagant welcome honoring the fullness of God’s image in the lives of those the world sees as limited and handicapped, disturbed, or disturbing also requires a conversion of heart.”
–– John H. Thomas, general minister and president, United Church of Christ

Introduction

One definition of grace is the removal of obstacles, such as fear, prejudice, ignorance, shame, pride, between God and humankind, that we might know the fullness of God. (1) This is also true of the Church being accessible to all people. When barriers such as these are uprooted, it becomes easier to remove the physical ones. Jesus said to his disciples in the gospel of John to keep the commandment to love, that by doing so we would have the joy that was in Jesus and that our joy would be made complete in us (15: 11). When we love one another without fear, without regard for ability but conscious of the image of God within each one of us, we have joy and abundant life. The work of accessibility is the work of grace and justice, that we all might live in the fullness of God.

The Rev. Dr. Harold H. Wilke

If this 'conversion of heart' is to occur, it usually happens through personal experience and/or through relationship. I'd like to introduce you to someone you may have heard about, whom I've come to know through the writing of this Bible study:

The Rev. Dr. Harold Wilke (1914-2003)

“We don’t think our way into new ways of acting; we act our way into new ways of thinking.” --Harold Wilke

Rev. Harold Wilke was one of our own. He was an ordained UCC minister and a tireless advocate for the civil rights of the disabled.

I learned from Dr. Wilke that wholeness has little to do with the body. - Dallas Dee Brauninger

He was a founding board member of the National Organization on Disability and a member of the U.S. Council for the Year of Disabled Persons. He served on the faculty of Union Theological Seminary. He founded and directed The Healing Community, which served to educate congregations and create awareness about access to a life of faith. He published a newsletter entitled The Caring Congregation, as well as numerous books and articles to help congregations to not only include the differently-abled in church life but to promote them as leaders and to discern the gifts of any who desired to serve God.

He also opened doors and sipped tea with his toes. Harold Wilke was born with no arms.

“The word 'sacrament' means an outward sign of an invisible reality. For the disability movement, Harold is our sacrament. Harold makes visible that to be an effective pastor or church executive or world leader or visionary, you do not have to shake hands; that you can claim ‘Leaning on the Everlasting Arms’ as a favorite hymn when you do not have arms. This sacrament — this outward sign of a too often invisible reality was his life and ministry among us.” — words offered at Harold Wilke’s memorial service by David Denham.

Harold embodied what it means to be made in the image of God. Before he was due at a speaking engagement in Fargo, ND, the local pastor who was to host Harold at his home spoke with his daughters to prepare them for their guest. Wanting to avoid any embarassing comments or inappropriate staring, he told his girls that a man with no arms was coming to visit. Later, as Harold and his host sat at the kitchen table, the girls and some friends came in for a snack and to meet their guest. Harold chatted with them with his gracious charm, all the while drinking his coffee with his toes. That evening, when getting ready for bed, one of the daughters asked her father, "When is the man with no arms coming?"

On July 26, 1990 he offered the blessing at the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act into law.

“Move [us] to discard those old beliefs and attitudes that limit and diminish those among us with disabilities.” - From Dr. Wilke’s blessing at the signing into law of the American Disabilities Act, 1990.

Harold Wilke was a giant among us, with an incarnate faith in Jesus Christ and a heart that embraced each person.

All of us are differently-abled. None of us can do it all. Yet most of us have access to buildings, schools, health care, employment, leadership positions, and resources. Most of us do not have a stigma attached to our inabilities. Jesus aligned himself with the minority, the least of his society, and saw the image of God within. He subverted the boundaries of his time, reaching out to those considered unclean by the purity system and putting them first in line for his kingdom.

The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA)

July 26, 1990 - President George H.W. Bush signs the Americans with Disabilities Act. Harold Wilke looks on, upper left

It is a tremendous piece of civil rights legislation. Within its comprehensive scope are aspects of daily living that most take for granted: employment, public transportation, telephone relay service, education, health care, housing, parks and recreation, even agriculture.

The ADA has its roots in the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s, including voting rights and fair housing, the latter amended in 1988 to include families with children and people with disabilities. In 1968 the Architectural Barriers Act was passed but only mandated that federally funded facilities be made accessible to people with disabilities. It was not civil rights legislation and was poorly enforced, mainly because it lacked the legislative teeth that were yet to come. It wasn't until 1973 when the federal Access Board was created by Congress that the Disability Rights movement began to be taken seriously. Still, there was a long road ahead and Dr. Wilke had yet to become the first chair of the UCC National Committee for Persons with Disabilities (now the UCC Disabilities Ministries).

The Disability Rights movement found its inspiration in the Civil Rights and the Women's movements, which partly had their roots in the gospel of Jesus Christ, grounded in the law and the prophets: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength, and your neighbor as yourself.

One of the Five Historic Commitments of the UCC

Along with United and Uniting, Multi-Racial and Multi-Cultural, Open and Affirming, and Peace with Justice, Accessible to All is a historic commitment of the United Church of Christ. These commitments have risen out of the struggles, prayers, and celebrations of past General Synods. They have been embodied in local churches as they strive to witness to the Spirit moving amongst them. Our general minister and president, John Thomas, has said that an extravagant welcome takes evangelical courage--courage to live out the message we have received in Jesus Christ.

The Synod Resolutions

General Synods 11 (1977), 13 (1981), 14 (1983), and 15 (1985) all passed resolutions affirming and reaffirming full participation of persons with disabilities in the life of the Church.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) did not put a legal bind on most religious institutions, organizations or local places of worship.

In 1995 in Oakland, CA General Synod 20 passed a resolution whereby:

• Each person is affirmed to be created in the image of God; all persons incarnate the nature and presence of God.
• When we allow barriers and obstacles to stand between persons with disabilities and the work of the Church, we turn our back on the Creator.
• The Body of Christ is disabled and less whole when any of its members are denied worship or church programming because of inaccessible buildings and/or attitudinal barriers.
• The whole United Church of Christ is called upon to embrace the spirit of the ADA and to be morally bound by the conditions of the act.

In 1999 the United Church of Christ went further still, passing two resolutions with these provisions:

• To include persons with serious mental illnesses (brain disorders) such as schizophrenia, bi-polar disorder, depression, obsessive/compulsive disorder.


• That these persons are to be treated like any other biologically-based medical problem.


• Recognize that there is still great inequality in health-care coverage.


• Strong social stigma and discrimination against those with mental illness.
  
• One in four families are affected, including church families.


• 30 million Americans, 12 million children.


• The Church is called to be community for all--without fear, offering hope.


• Call for education about these disorders and encourage congregations to be truly inclusive.
  
• The Pension Boards of the UCC are to provide adequate coverage to those affected.
  
• The UCC will be an advocate in State legislatures and in Congress for health care equality and anti-discrimination legislation.

In addition, a campaign was instituted to assist clergy with disabilities in the search process. Educational programs and resources for local congregations were to be made available. UCC-related seminaries were urged to remove barriers of all kinds which would prohibit persons with disabilities from receiving the same preparation as non-disabled persons.

At General Synod 25 in 2005 the Church was "Called to Wholeness in Christ", calling on the UCC at all levels--national, conference, association, congregations, seminaries, campus ministries, camps, and covenanted ministries--to include 'every body' in the work and witness of God's people on earth. This resolution recognized that even with all the work that has been done, more is still needed.

"Barriers that diminish the access of any diminish the wholeness of all." --from the theological rationale of the resolution "Called to Wholeness in Christ".

Personal Experience with Differently-Abled Persons

In Oaxaca City, Mexico, in the village of San Agustin de Las Juntas, are the children of Casa Hogar. It is one of the few facilities in southern Mexico that will accept children with special needs. Two of the children's caregivers, Vicky and Jacinta, are in wheelchairs themselves, having had polio when they were younger. A current project underway is to raise funds to build Jacinta and Vicky their own living space as they continue to love the children in their care.

I've played the card game Uno with deaf children like Luz and Luiz, not knowing a single sign. I've sang songs with Ester, blind from malnutrition. I've pushed Ricardo to church in his new wheelchair. I've hugged Eufronia and had her drool on me. I was able to do these things not because of something in me but because of the hospitality, hunger for connection, and image of God within each of these beautiful children.

Accessible to All is not only every body having access to the Church, but also having access to one another, to the richness of every body's experience of the life in the Spirit.

Questions for reflection and discussion

1. What experience/relationship brought accessibility to the fore of your consciousness?

2. How would you respond to a search committee's candidate for pastor who gets around in a wheelchair? Is blind? Is being treated for a brain disorder?

3. What attitudinal barriers still exist within you?

4. How have you 'acted into new ways of thinking'?

5. Is there a differently-abled person who is a hero to you? What about this person inspires you? What action could you make to honor them?

6. What work still needs to be done in our church so that it is truly accessible to all?

Resources

Access Sunday - 2nd Sunday in October

Any Body, Every Body, Christ's Body: A Congregational Guide for Becoming Accessible to All

Shine, God's People: A Resource on the Five Historic Commitments of the UCC

United Church of Christ Disabilities Ministries

General Synod resolutions on disability

Americans with Disabilities Act Home Page

The Children of Casa Hogar

Notes

1. Philip Gulley and James Mulholland, If Grace Is True: Why God Will Save Every Person (New York, NY: Harper Collins Publishers, Inc., 2003), 14-15.

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December - Health Care

This month's study has been posted by Judy Weindling.

Scriptural References:
Matthew 9: 2-8, Matthew 9: 27-30, Mark 5: 21-43, Mark 13: 10-17, Luke 5: 12-15, Luke 9:2, 6, Acts 3: 6-9, Acts 14: 8-19

INTRODUCTION
Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then has the health of my poor people not been restored? Jeremiah 8:22

This month we will explore the issue of health care. I must admit that I was overwhelmed by the depth and scope of the topic. Health is a multidimensional concept, encompassing the entire human being, including every aspect of mind, body and spirit. To be healthy is to be whole, productive and capable of living up to one’s potential as a person made in God’s image. The health of a community is dependent upon the health of each of its members and it is incumbent upon society to ensure that each person has the tools and resources necessary to maintain their optimal level of health.

Central to the idea of maintenance of health is the concept of healing. As Christians, who seek to create the kingdom of God on earth, we attempt to emulate the example of Jesus, the consummate healer and to live out his admonition to feed the hungry, welcome the stranger, shelter the homeless, clothe the naked and comfort the sick and imprisoned (Matthew 25:31-46). To this end we could study a broad range of topics including access to care throughout the world, including nutrition, the promotion of healthy lifestyles, human sexuality and reproductive issues and medical and bioethics. Perhaps at some time we will be able to examine them all, but in this study will cover the issue of access to health care and health care justice in the United States.

SCRIPTURE & HEALING
Throughout the gospels Jesus performs the miracle of healing both as an act of compassion and as a way of establishing his position as the Son of God. At times he uses these acts as a way to illustrate that the promise of God is for all people by healing the social outcast. The interplay of mind, body and spirit is illustrated by the variety of conditions that Jesus heals: making the lame walk, the blind see, casting out demons and stopping hemorrhage. By healing the lepers, Jesus restores them to wholeness and makes them clean and able to return to society. At times his acts are socially risky and place him under deeper scrutiny by the authorities, creating an element of risk. Ultimately, the healing stories give us a template for compassion, caring and love that transcends social norms and self concern. Healing is indelibly bound to the greatest commandment, that we love one another. Reading further in the New Testament we find that the disciples emulate the example of Jesus by themselves performing miracles of healing despite personal risk. The spread of the good news of Jesus is accomplished through personal sacrifice, toil and the emulation of the love and healing of Christ.

HEALTH & HEALTHCARE IN AMERICA
Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health care is the most shocking and inhumane”. Today in America, the richest nation in the world, people die each day because they cannot access the care they need to keep or make them well. Lack of access occurs for a variety of reasons. Poor rural areas often lack facilities and qualified providers, in urban areas resources are overwhelmed, and many Americans cannot afford to pay for healthcare. According to public opinion surveys health is the top domestic concern. 18,000 Americans die each year because they cannot afford health care, this amount to two deaths every hour. One in seven or 45 million people lack health care insurance coverage, including over nine million children.

The Twin Scandals
Social programs, which should provide a safety net, are difficult to access, provide limited coverage and are consistently the target of governmental budget cuts because the people who benefit from these programs are not well represented politically. The persistent correlation between poverty and lack of access to health care has been called the “twin scandals”, which also is the name of a movement to raise awareness among church members about this disparity and to move this constituency to use their political voice on behalf of the vulnerable and the disenfranchised (see www.ucc.org/health/twin-scandals.html). The gospel is clear that Jesus’ healing power and presence was for all. What does it say about us, as his followers, that we fail to notice and act to alleviate the suffering of our brothers and sisters who cannot be healed because they simply cannot afford health care? Speaking up, taking a political stand against this injustice may involve the risk that we will be seen as too liberal, too fiscally irresponsible. It may involve stepping out of our comfort zone and drawing attention to ourselves. It may tax our already overloaded schedules. Did Jesus, our role model, worry about speaking out?

The SCHIP Debate
The debate over health care access is in the news almost daily as the legislature grapples with how to design and fund programs. While some embrace the concept of universal health insurance, others declaim the idea as socialism. Many worry about the cost in tax dollars. In October, President Bush vetoed the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) Reauthorization Act (H.R.976), which sought to expand coverage to more of the nine million uninsured children, and both legislative branches, without a veto-proof majority, passed a weaker bill that is on the President’s desk as you read this. What does it say about us, as the followers of Jesus, that we fail to provide for the very ones about whom Jesus said “theirs is the kingdom of heaven”.

The Problem of Inadequate Coverage
Even for those with health insurance healing may be difficult to attain. Health care costs are the leading cause of bankruptcy and almost 70 percent of the uninsured live in families with at least one full time worker. There is persistent social stigma associated with some conditions, creating a parallel with biblical lepers. Mental illness and HIV/AIDS are two conditions that still evoke feelings of shame. For people suffering from these illnesses access to care may be compromised by limits on coverage, even for those with private insurance. Our elderly face age related declines in health and are often left with inadequate resources to manage their health issues. Existing medicare plans force out of pocket expenses for medical tests, treatment and prescriptions that force many elders to choose between health care and basic necessities such as food.

Being Present in Another’s Suffering
In the Jewish tradition there is a mitzvah, an obligation or commandment found in the Torah, to visit and to pray for the sick. As Christians, an important display of compassion and love is to be truly present in the suffering of another, whether the pain is physical, such as illness, emotional, such as depression or grief, or spiritual, such as feelings of loss of community or connection to God. In the act of being present there is great comfort. In this day of the global village, how can we be present for those who suffer who we “know of” but do not know personally? Perhaps if we use our collective voice to speak out against the injustice of unequal access, perhaps if we speak loudly enough that those who suffer know that they are not abandoned we can fulfill the mitzvah and in doing so become better disciples of Christ.

THE UCC ON HEALTH CARE
The United Church of Christ has a long history of recognition of the disparity of health care access. In 1975 General Synod 10 called for a health policy emphasizing universal access, comprehensive benefits, government financing and reform of delivery. The 1977 General Synod 11 resolved to work toward the creation of a national health care system. A 1991, General Synod 18 pronouncement affirmed the moral and justice imperatives of equal access for all to high quality and affordable health care. General Synod 21 passed a resolution reclaiming the church’s ministry of health and healing and called for the establishment of health ministries which are “ rooted in the ministries of Jesus and empowered by the Holy Spirit to continue Jesus’ ministries of compassion, justice, and wholeness for all God’s people”. Please access www.ucc.org/health to view these related ministries and find out how to join the UCC in advocacy for these vital issues.

Other Resources
The Children’s Defense Fund
http://www.childrensdefense.org/
God is Still Speaking about Healthcare,
www.ucc.org/justice/God-is-still-speaking-about-health-care-booklet.pdf
www.WebMD.com/election2008/default.htm

QUESTIONS
1. Does our faith obligate us to be aware of the political climate surrounding health care? What do you know about the Presidential candidates’ views on health care?
2. How can we as a church make a difference in the lives of those who lack access to health care? Do we know if this problem affects any within our congregation?
3. The problem of access to health care is a global one. Can you think of examples of this that have been in the media recently? How has the UCC and MCC responded?