WHAT: An open forum engaging the community-at-large, community organizations and community leadership in healthy discussion concerning the documented incidences of police brutality involving African American women in 2015 around the United States.
WHEN: Saturday, November 14, 2015, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
WHERE: First Congregational Church, 1024 Center St. North, Birmingham, AL 35204
Continue reading She Matters forum at First Congregational UCC
The following was Rev. Angie’s charge to Rev. Paul Eknes-Tucker, the new pastor at our sister church Pilgrim UCC, on the occasion of his installation service Sunday, October 4th, 2015 in Birmingham, Alabama.
I charge you to love wastefully.
Cast seeds of love everywhere
Without thought of where they land,
Without worry about whether
Under the dark earth
They are beginning to sprout
Or whether they will bear fruit.
It is not your job to bring fruit from a seed,
That is God’s work.
Your work is to sow the seeds
Of wanton, prodigal love
In the hearts of your people
And to remember that
All people
are your people.
Continue reading A charge to our neighbor, Rev. Paul Eknes-Tucker
You are invited to the Alabama-Tennessee Association Annual Meeting at Covenant Community Church Friday October 2nd through Saturday, 3rd, October 3rd, 2015. This meeting will begin on Friday with a dinner at 6 pm and will conclude on Saturday afternoon around 3.
On Friday evening, we will hear a keynote address from Rev. Traci Blackmon (shown above), pastor of Christ the King Church UCC in Florisant, Missouri, who is a voice for justice in Ferguson and beyond. We will also enjoy worship led by Rev. JR Finney and the worship team at Covenant.
Saturday, we will have workshop discussions on race and will continue the business of the AL/TN Association of the UCC.
For details and a registration form, please contact Mr. Joe Griffin at Covenant Community Church, 205-599-3363.
Join our retreat at Birmingham’s Fresh Air Farm in Bluff Park to discuss our spiritual life, God’s work in our community and our direction as a church.
Friday, October 9th (evening): Church Council retreat
Saturday, October 10th, 9 am – 3 pm: Full church retreat
All are welcome! The cost is free, but we welcome donations to help defray the costs of food and lodging.
You are invited to the public premiere of a film featuring our Beloved Rev. Lawton Higgs, about his journey from a racist upbringing to founding a multiracial church. This screening is free and open to all, Friday, October 9th, 6:30 pm at Beloved.
More details from the Kickstarter campaign: “In 1984, the Rev. R. Lawton Higgs, Sr. had a religious epiphany standing in the turn lane of 8th Avenue N., in Birmingham, Alabama.
‘I discovered that my beliefs were incompatible with God’s call to love one another,’ he says. In that moment, Lawton became a ‘recovering racist,’ and in the years to follow, he founded a multicultural, multiracial church in the heart of downtown Birmingham, ministered to the homeless, and became an advocate for the poor.”
Sunday, October 4th through Tuesday, October 6th, we need volunteers to help us host homeless families at Baptist Church of the Covenant (2117 University Boulevard).
Volunteers are needed to stay overnight from 7 pm-7 am (a twin bed will be provided in a private room; you only need to bring bedding). You will be able to socialize with the guest families who are staying at the church and make sure they have what they need.
Volunteers are also needed to provide dinners, breakfast foods and sack lunch ingredients.
Beloved supports this ministry by partnering with Baptist Church of the Covenant four times a year. Family Promise is unique because it is a network of churches offering up their buildings for homeless families to stay together. It is one of very few programs that can accommodate entire families without splitting them up. Family Promise also provides a case manager to help families get back to stable housing.
Contact Linn Groft to volunteer!
I used to think that Jesus’ admonition to “shake the dust off your feet” was a silent, nonviolent and slightly snarky protest against those who didn’t welcome the followers of Jesus.
But recently I joined faith leaders from across the country in a deep immersion in Honduras and Guatemala seeking to understand root causes of migration.
Now I hear Jesus saying,
“When you go into a community, go with your hands and pockets empty. Bring no gifts that leave room for empty promises, no gifts that can be used to manipulate, no gift that may insult or mislead. Come with empty hands and an open heart. If the community does not receive you, then leave, and as you leave, shake the dust off your feet. Take nothing that is not freely given, not even the dust on your feet. If the community doesn’t welcome you, leave it just as you found it.” Matthew 10:9-14.
Continue reading Shake off the dust: or, leave it as you found it
Alabama Arise is our featured ministry for the month of September. Arise is a coalition of groups across the state advocating for low-income people at the state legislature. Rev. Angie was a co-founder of Arise in the late 80’s, and since then, Arise has won victories on tax fairness and tenant-landlord rights.
Some issues that Arise has been working on this year include:
-protecting and expanding Medicaid to provide healthcare for all low-income Alabamians
-funding for affordable housing, education and public transit
-protecting borrowers from predatory payday and title loans
As a member group, Beloved can send up to 6 voting representatives to the Arise annual meeting in Montgomery to help decide on our issues and strategy for the coming year.
The meeting will be held Saturday, September 12th, from 10 am – 3 pm at Aldersgate United Methodist Church in Montgomery.
Click here to RSVP and talk to Robyn about carpooling!
This Sunday, August 30th, we’re celebrating the end of summer and the beginning of school with our usual fifth Sunday potluck after the service!
We’ll have the dessert portion covered, with homemade ice cream and all the toppings. You just need to bring yourself, friends or family and your favorite dish.
See you Sunday at 6!
