Rev. Rebecca’s Note - Citizens of Where?
These are strange times in which we’re living. The United States has made it to 250 years. At the same time we’re in the midst of some of the most challenging, divided national politics that we’ve seen in our lifetime. And then, too, in the midst of this, we are still God’s people and followers of Jesus.
Some people “don’t do politics,” because it’s not a “nice” topic of conversation. Now it’s true that as a church we don’t do partisan politics. With Jesus as our ultimate example, he managed to love everyone and to live out that love in tangible, visible ways. But it is equally true that he was also political - if by political we mean interested in the ways by which we organize our shared life together as communities and societies. His Basileia tou Theou, often translated as Kingdom, Realm, or Kindom of God, would have also read as Empire of God - understood as an alternative to the Roman Empire. In that regard, as Christians, whatever nation we’re part of, we’re also citizens of God’s realm/kindom/empire.
Kelly Brown Douglas talks about what faith looks like in this “dual citizenship”: “If faith is about partnering with God to help ‘mend the world,’ then faith communities are compelled to join God in mending the world of its injustice and thus building a world where everyone is cherished for who they are. This is a world and a society where the peace of God that is justice and freedom flourishes. Practically speaking, this means that our work as religious thinkers and leaders as well as our lives should be a place of sanctuary and witness.” As she continues, this means we must work to make ourselves and communities safe places with particular attention to those who feel unsafe in Trump’s America, and remembering who Jesus was and what he did in our own lives, actions, and communities, witnessing against oppression in the many forms in which it comes.
As time draws closer to the Aug 4 election, we have work to do. As members of Metropolitan Congregations United we are invited to a training on Tuesday online to learn about being a voter hub for this election season. I hope you’ll consider attending to learn about what voter hubs are and how we can participate!
Source:
Kelly Brown Douglas, “Trump’s America: What Will We Do About It? in Faith and Resistance in the Age of Trump, ed. Miguel A. De La Torre, (Maryknoll, Orbis Books), 2017.
- Rev. Rebecca
MCU Voter Hub Training
As a faith community that understands action toward justice to be a core part of our identity, we often walk a fine line between living out justice in our community life while maintaining the very important separation between “church [or congregation] and state.” Our IRS 501(C)3 status, in short, allows us to engage in a certain amount of issue advocacy work, including endorsement of political issues, but not political candidate endorsement. One of our most important partners in this work is Metropolitan Congregations United. As part of our work with them, we will be a congregational voter hub for this year’s August and November elections, which means we will offer voter support in the form of helping people check their voter registrations, provide election information, and issue education. MCU is offering a training this coming Tuesday evening at 5:30pm on Zoom so that we can be ready for this - please sign up here to attend if you can! https://secure.everyaction.com/wH8J7pgZx06-moNvwkC94g2#!
It’s Craft o’Clock Somewhere!
You’ve probably noticed it’s just rough “out there.” It can feel challenging just to be human sometimes these days - as if the default setting isn’t already challenging enough, our current national situation adds extra challenges. At the same time, it’s important that we spend time together just hanging out, being creative, or maybe even just being!
So with these things in mind, we invite you to please stop by on Thursday evenings from 5-7pm for our Crafty Hour(s)! Bring whatever you’re working on, a snack, and a friend, or just yourself, and let’s enjoy making stuff together or just talking and being in community if that’s what you need!
The People’s Theological Library
One of the foundational parts of TPA is the People’s Theological Library, stemming from Rev. Rebecca’s dual experiences of not experiencing church as a safe place in which to ask and explore questions of faith, as well as marveling at the wealth of amazing and readable theological resources at the Eden Theological Seminary library when she went to seminary. We are absolutely adamant as a faith community that all people should have access to reliable, informative, and expansive theological resources that help us explore our theological questions and give us space to meet God and each other in the ongoing conversation that theology is - begun for us in the Bible, and continuing to this day in works of theology and culture. Find God’s Politics here in the PTL!: https://www.librarycat.org/lib/thinkprayact/item/303392166
TPA Online - Braving the Truth
How’s your faith/life journey going? Do you ever feel like you’ve had to wrestle with some very tough questions without quick or easy answers? Ever wondered what the implications of those answers mean for your life as a whole? You don’t need to do this alone! Our online spiritual group, discussing Braving the Truth: Essential Essays for Reckoning with and Reimagining Faith by Rachel Held Evans, will go on for the rest of the summer. You are welcome to join us anytime. Each time we’ll have a brief spiritual practice and discuss a couple short essays.
| Join us on Wednesdays at noon For the Online Spiritual Group aboutBraving the Truth |
South City/Tower Grove Youth Group
Youth group is taking a break for the summer and will reconvene in August.
What’s Next
| July 5-11 | Daily Bible Reading Ezra 4 - 10 |
| Tues, July 7, 5:30pmOnline | MCU Sacred Votes: Congregational Voter Hubs TrainingCome learn what we can do to support democracy as a faith community with MCU! |
| Wed, July 8, noonOnline | T+P+A Online: Braving the TruthWhat about Jesus stirs your imagination? Did he fail? What have your own failures taught you about life? |
| Thur, July 9, 5pmTPA, 2725 S Jefferson Ave, StL 63118 | It’s Craft O’Clock Somewhere!Come be expressive in community! |
| Sat, June 11, 12:30pmTPA, 2725 S Jefferson Ave, StL 63118 | T+P+A Gathering: Our Dual Citizenship as ChristiansWhat does it mean to be both Christian and American? |
| Wed, July 15, noonOnline | T+P+A Online: Braving the TruthWhat about Jesus stirs your imagination? Did he fail? What have your own failures taught you about life? |
| Thur, July 16, 5pmTPA, 2725 S Jefferson Ave, StL 63118 | It’s Craft O’Clock Somewhere!Come be expressive in community! |
| Wed, July 22, noonOnline | T+P+A Online: Braving the TruthWhat about Jesus stirs your imagination? Did he fail? What have your own failures taught you about life? |
| Thur, July 23, 5pmTPA, 2725 S Jefferson Ave, StL 63118 | It’s Craft O’Clock Somewhere!Come be expressive in community! |
| Sat, July 25, 12:30pm2725 S Jefferson Ave, StL, 63118 | T+P+A Gathering: MCU Listening Campaign TrainingThe core of our faith is relationality. Let’s learn about engaging each other and the community around us through 1:1s! |
What to Know about Think Pray Act:
We are an open and affirming faith community that strives to maintain open and free theological learning as an act toward justice. We welcome all spirit seekers into full participation in the life and membership of the community. We actively and faithfully accept as they are people of every race, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, nationality, ethnicity, relationship status, physical and mental ability, family type, and economic background.
We believe God calls us to do justice and love kindness, giving assistance and healing to others and the planet by following the teachings of Jesus. We promise to love our neighbors, respect differences, and build authentic relationships by learning who we are, taking just action, and breaking bread together. In our actions, God’s love moves and shines.
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