Good

Sermon podcast from today at St. Paul's UCC in Downers Grove, IL.  Genesis 1:1-2:3
"Good" podcast.  (Includes a reference to the statement from the leadership of the UCC on the US withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accords)

This is Good

This week's "scienc-ey" Bible reflection (Getting along) grew into today's not at all controversial sermon at St. Paul's UCC in Downers Grove, IL.
"This is Good" podcast

Getting along

Sound thoughts. . .

Evolution happened, happens, and will continue to happen.  It takes place over long, long, periods of time.  It’s science.

God is the creator of the universe.  God created, creates, and will continue to create. It’s religion.

Science and religion have coexisted for as long as people have been thinking.  They are not at odds.  Science is not attacking religion.  Religion is not attacking science.

Not everyone agrees.  People attack religion.  People attack science.

But science and religion – they get along just fine.

This is what it is.

Here's this week's Bible reflection:

Let me just throw a few of these out here.

Evolution happened, happens, and will continue to happen.  It takes place over long, long, periods of time.  It’s science. 

God is the creator of the universe.  God created, creates, and will continue to create. It’s religion.

Science and religion have coexisted for as long as people have been thinking.  They are not at odds.  Science is not attacking religion.  Religion is not attacking science.

Not everyone agrees.  People attack religion.  People attack science.

But science and religion – they get along just fine.

Let's talk about race

This week many congregational across the United Church of Christ and a few other denominations are beginning a long-needed Sacred Conversation about Race. It's not an easy topic to preach about -- but it's necessary. It began with the Bible study blog entry for i.ucc (Fingerprints) and now here's tomorrow's sermon at Union Congregational Church, United Church of Christ in Somonauk.
"Let's talk about race" text
"Let's talk about race" podcast

Fingerprints

This week many congregations in the United Church of Christ are starting a sacred conversation about race. Here's this week's Bible study blog entry for i.ucc that starts the process from the story of creation from Genesis 1:1-2:4a:


Fingers have fingerprints.

Every fingerprint is unique.

Even identical twins – who have the same DNA, have different fingerprints.

Families and close relatives can have similar fingerprints, but they are still not identical.

Human beings, in many ways, have similar fingerprints – with similar looking whorls, loop or arches.

As far as I know, even though we may recognize the diversity of our fingerprints and even celebrate their uniqueness, we don’t use fingerprints to isolate or marginalize anyone.

All of humanity share marked similarities in gross anatomy, and at the same time we have many differences.

We have different eye colors, body shapes, hair color and skin color.

And we have used all of those to isolate, marginalize people.

What is it that made human beings think that diversity of things like fingerprints are something to notice and to celebrate as unique while things like skin color are things to separate and to marginalize?

This week’s reading from Genesis 1:1 – 2:4a tells of a creation where God (literally Gods), as part of the creation of the world, create human beings and say that they are good.

God’s fingerprints (OK – I’m using it metaphorically) are all over humankind – every single person.

I think that any attempt, desire or plan to isolate or marginalize a person or group of people based on something like the color of their skin runs contrary to the whole concept of God’s creation.

What are your thoughts?