Thank You for Serving

I am really worried.
The new governor of Ohio is none other than John Kasich, a Republican, who is also a fiscal conservative.
There is nothing wrong with being a fiscal conservative, except that it is pretty common for fiscal conservatives to favor cuts in spending which disproportionately adversely affect “the least of these.”
Cuts usually come in education, health care and social services, and other areas which help poor people stay afloat. I heard this week that a Republican is sponsoring a bill to repeal the estate tax, proceeds of which generally go to local governments to help fund needed services.
Fiscal conservatives also generally oppose tax hikes.
I am afraid and worried for “the least of these” because if some sources of financial support for “the least of these” are cut, and there are no tax increases, how will the masses of people who are suffering and who have been suffering more in the current recession ever survive?
The need for good, solid, expansive and sensitive outreach amongst churches becomes even more critical, which is why I appreciate Advent UCC so much. Despite having sparse resources, Advent has always stepped up to help, to minister to, “the least of these.”
We may have to step up even more.
We are already upping our work to feed the hungry. You are bringing food to the church which we will use to feed the needy in our own congregation and in the community. We will increase our intake of clothing so that we can make sure children in our community have needed clothing.
We are working to get a Freedom School here in the summer, and an overall literacy program to aid our youth and the youth in our community so that if cuts in education funding occur, we can still do our best to be “repairers of broken walls,” as the prophet Isaiah wrote in Isaiah 58.
Hopefully we can institute a program where we give art and music education to the youth as well, as those programs are among sure cuts in the schools.
There is so much we can do, we, the “little church that can, that always has, and will always do.” There is a place for every single one of us here to step up to reach “the least of these.” Money will come because money follows mission. If we concentrate on the mission, God will insure that we get the money to accomplish the mission.
There may be even more that we will see that we will have to do, but God will reveal it to us. We have Governor Kasich in office and some Republicans in office who may not care about “the least of these” the way we who love God are called to care. They, however, are not greater than our God.
We have all been through some rough times and times may get worse before they get better. The course of what will be for any of us is not something I know…But this I do know: that we have been given much, in spite of our struggles, and to whom much is given, much is required.
I am proud to be the pastor of a church which has so many willing servants, servants who love God enough to serve, to “do” the word in spite of their own circumstances, their own needs …and their own state government which may not, in the long run, be as concerned for “the least of these” as God calls us all to be.
Thank you ...for YOU.
Pastor Smith