United Christian Church, Levittown, PA - United Church of Christ

REFLECTIONS ON MY FIRST EXPERIENCE AS A VOLUNTEER AT CODE BLUE

by Al Krass

I have to confess I was nervous when I went for my first night of volunteering. Who were these people? Why were they homeless? Were they
— anti-social types?
— visibly confused or hostile?
— physically obnoxious? (e.g., odorous) ? (you see, I’m really paranoid!)
Would I be able to have a conversation with any of them?

I wondered all these things – unnecessarily. There were 6 men and 2 women. They looked like anyone you might meet at a Wawa or a bowling alley or in a waiting room or on a bus. They were friendly (a) to me and (b) to each other – very anxious to read my name tag and to welcome me as a first-timer (most of them have been every night people since Code Blue began.) They were excited to see that one of their number had brought a new card game, and they engaged in spirited play after eating supper.

I noticed that the way they regard themselves is primarily as homeless people, as people who – through a combination of their problems and the lousy economy – had either no work or were working for minimum wage. “We’re homeless and we’re most of us jobless,” one said.

They all – with either more or less hope – foresee a positive change in their situation sometime in the future – they may live in tent encampments now but they don’t want to stay there any longer than necessary.

In the meantime they were glad we’ve set up this Code Blue program.

And I, too, am glad. I encourage you to find out for yourselves. You’ll be glad you went.

Dear Church Family:

On this eve of the new year I continue to "thank my God in all my remembrances of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, thankful for your partnership in the gospel . . ." (Philippians 1:3-5)

As I give thanks for each one of you I rejoice in your love of and commitment to the gospel – the good news – of God's love for us, for all God's people, and for the whole of God's creation. I give thanks for your work for justice and peace. I give thanks for your ever-widening definition and embrace of our neighbors.

We do not and can not know all that this new year holds for us, but we can trust that God holds our future and will walk with us into and through it. Thanks be to God!

As we begin the journey of this new year together I invite you to take a moment to pray for one another and the part of the body of the living Christ that is the people of United Christian Church.

As a beloved community of and in Christ we have so much to offer each other and the wider communities in which we live and work and play. As unique and precious members of this beloved community everyone of us brings particular and vital and necessary gifts to our common life, our common vision, and our common calling. Thank you for your generosity of spirit and your commitment to Christ and one another in this time and place.

I close this greeting with the spirit and these slightly adapted words of a Franciscan Benediction:

My God bless us with discomfort
at easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships,
so that we may live deeply within our hearts.

May God bless us with anger
at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people
so that we may work for justice, freedom, and peace.

May God bless us with tears
to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation, and war,
so that we may reach out our hands to comfort them and turn their pain into joy.

And may God bless us with enough foolishness
to believe that we can make a difference in the world,
so that we can do what others claim cannot be done to bring justice
and kindness to all our children and the poor and marginalized people of the world.

May it be so.

A blessed and healthy and holy new year to you all.

Peace,

Shelly

Our Sunday Worship Services are at 9 and 11
We look forward to welcoming you!

Worship Services Sunday 9 a.m. and 11 a.m.
Communion open and inclusive of children
A Nursery Room is provided

Sunday School for Children during the 11 o'clock service: Preschool-K, Grades 1-4, and Grades 5-7

Lively Discussion Group for Adults 10:10 a.m.

United Christian Church is a union congregation of the United Church of Christ and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) whose mission is to actively participate in the transforming ministry of Jesus the Christ in the world by:

Affirming the presence of God in all persons;
Supporting all persons in their search for truth and meaning;
Encouraging spiritual practices that lead to wholeness;
Building a caring community that pursues peace through justice;
Being good stewards of God's creation.

Open to all who believe in Jesus Christ. We affirm the dignity, worth, importance and personal gifts of all people - inclusive of gender, sexual orientation, age, race, ethnic background, marital status, economic circumstance and/or difference of ability. As we continue to learn and grow in understanding, we pledge to provide a safe, supportive community in which all persons - as they share in worship, fellowship, and leadership - may find the guidance and love of God in their lives.

Hearing God's call to bring about justice and work for permanent peace in the world, United Christian Church covenants with God to walk in ways of peace and justice. We Promise:

to develop a spirituality of peace in our personal and congregational lives, through worship and prayer, meditation and action.
to reflect commitments to peace and justice in our personal and congregational stewardship.
to educate ourselves about the causes of injustice in our world.
to develop relevant programmatic responses to situations of injustice and conflict around us.
to organize for action on issues that arise and serve as advocates.

May God, by the spirit, guide us to fulfill this covenant as servants of the Prince of Peace. Adopted December 18, 1988

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Our Sunday Worship Services are at 9 and 11 We look forward to welcoming you!

Our Sunday Worship Services are at 9 and 11
We look forward to welcoming you!