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From the Pastor

Dear Community UCC Friends, 

Take a deep breath. Exhale. Take a deeper breath. Exhale again.
Think of a time in your life when you felt at peace. Allow that feeling and that moment to cross the boundaries of time as we know it, and claim that space again.  Rest into this peace and allow it to rush into your mind space, fill your body, and settle deep into your spirit. 

Now, Imagine yourself suspended in air without worry, or fear, or pain or stress, only peace and tranquility surround you and support the weight of your body. Rest into this experience as long as you are able... 

When your feet hit the floor again, Remember. Remember what it felt like to choose a quiet mind, and to steady your heartbeat with a calm surrender to a timeless and infinite peace. This experience is similar to living life with faith. Choosing faith and God's love, and a peaceful center, in the face of fear. 

Today, like too many other days, we are hearing unsettling/frightening/violent news from so many directions. The Supreme Court's upholding of the racist anti-Muslim Travel Ban, their siding with a CA anti-abortion pregnancy center, the continued hateful rhetoric around under-documented persons, a zero-tolerance "for-love-and-human-dignity" policy that further harms black and brown children, the looming threat of a catastrophic economic recession, and the growing anxiety within our nation for fear of an autocratic regime's rise to power.  All of this news is beginning to sound like "noise". We want to turn it off, we want to wake-up from the nightmare, we want it to end, to see the clock turn back time, and for this never to have happened. 

But it is happening. And it has happened before. 

This noise is like dissonance to the harmony of God's peace within us. This noise is the internal moral compass of the human spirit made alive in God's love sounding an alarm calling God's people to faith. Remember, faith is simply calling upon the peace and calm presence of God's Spirit to rest into your body, your mind, your soul and an inward turning towards love as your guide.

As this noise grows louder and louder, some of us prefer to take action, to participate in turning down the volume. For those of you who are looking for opportunities to raise your voice, to walk your feet, to stand your body next to others, there are many ways to get involved (see below). And for all of us, who need to be reminded of God’s peace and its readily available presence in our lives, rest into the truth of these words: 

Philippians 4:7-9 
“And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.”

 Upcoming Events:
Saturday, June 30 at 10:00am
Families Belong Together March

From the organizers:
March starts at City Plaza, downtown Raleigh, located at 400 Fayetteville St. Raleigh 27601 and will end at Bicentennial Plaza, 1 E. Edenton St. where a rally will take place (directly across the street from the NC General Assembly). While we’d love to have you march with us, if you prefer to just join us at the rally please do! See you on Saturday with your best signs!

Also, consider supporting one of the 6 persons in sanctuary in NC right now, 4 of which are in Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill. To learn more about supporting the Sanctuary Coalition contact Rachel Baker at the NC Council of Churches, at rachel@nccouncilofchurches.org.

Spirit is leading the way, 

Rev. Jenny Shultz-Thomas