Welcome the stranger ...
... are words found multiple times in the bible, in both the Hebrew bible and the Christian bible. Yet people of faith around the world seem to have forgotten these words as our Congress refuses to pass any kind of immigration reform or in Europe as thousands of immigrants are drowning off the shores of Italy and others are struggling for acceptance in EU countries across the continent.
The Hebrew scriptures remind the people of God to open their hearts and homes to strangers because they once were strangers themselves and thus know what it feels like. The scripture was referring to the time that the Israelites were aliens in Egypt. But it could be true for us, a nation of immigrants, who seem to have forgotten our own family roots and our faith roots as well.
The Christian scriptures tell the story of Mary and Joseph fleeing to Egypt with the baby Jesus and then Jesus warns his followers himself, “I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me … just as you did to the least of these you did to me.” Hmmm…
We who call ourselves people of faith seem to have selective memory. We forget our own family stories of mistreatment and discrimination as new immigrants. Most Americans assume that their ancestors came here legally when they don’t really know whether they did or not or their ancestors came at times when immigration laws were very flexible or even non-existent. Just as we seem to forget that some Americans came as unwilling immigrants, forced into slavery for generations. Or we forget the laws passed to keep immigrants from certain countries from coming here legally. Selective memory at best.
Pope Francis has spoken to the need for Europe to respond to the human rights disaster that occurs in the waters of the Mediterranean every year as thousands of immigrants, mostly from Africa, drown as they try to get into Italy. But there is no indication that government leaders are listening.
Here at home, we have seen in every generation in this nation the enormous gifts that immigrants bring to our nation — new energy and vitality, new ideas and worldviews, new foods and music, new love of freedom and of this nation. We are a better nation when we welcome the stranger — not in a lawless way, but in a welcoming way with real steps toward citizenship. Our experience is that every so often our immigration laws need re-setting, so to pass new immigration laws would be nothing new. Yet our legislators in Washington seem to be immobilized. So the Dreamers, the children of undocumented parents, and their parents find themselves in a precarious place. And many employers who rely on immigrant workers, find themselves trapped with their workers in a work system that requires half-truths and lies. There is a better way for us all.
Welcome the stranger. Those words were just as powerful millennia ago as they are today. Too bad we can’t seem to live by them.
In Peace,
Pastor Bernice
revbpjackson@ucctampabay.org
Sunday, May 10
The texts for Sunday are:
Psalm 98
John 15:9-17
Readers: -
Quench- Dove Wimbish
11:00 AM - English - Daphne Thomas
Spanish - Marco Barros
Rev. Bernice Powell Jackson will preach on "Not a Choice"
SUNDAY SERVICES:
9:00 AM - Quench, 
Quench your spirit’s longing for God and community in an intimate service of message, music, and media. Communion every Sunday.
11:00 AM - Worship Service
a larger service with prayer, choir, sermon and children's church
Prayer requests
Pat Allen; Doris Rampolla, Joyce Bresee; Alice Wilber; Karen Mattheis' daughter, Shandy; Rev. Bernice’s brother, Nick; Lois Whitehurst; Diana Legg, Leroy Herschberger, Bob Mitchell, Kenn Antonelli and Kenn and Steve Antonelli's mother, Antoinette; Caleb DeNote, CL Townsend, Paul D'Agostino and his father, Paul, Sr.; Ly Sanchez' mother, Alba, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Gail Gray's father, Bill Ott, Robin Hill, Willy Emerson, Carl St Meyer, Fonda Harris' sister, Jeanine; Joyce Christison and family, Maureen Baez and family, Janet Stephenson and family, Laurie Hope, Carol Barker's son, Sarah Powell's sister and brother-in-law
Meetings and important events
Yard Sale
Friday June 11 and Saturday June 12
8 am - 2 pm
Volunteers needed! See Bonnie and Kit Megathlin or Lynn and Tom
SOCIAL ACTION COMMITTEE UPDATE
Farm Workers Delivery:
Volunteers are needed for a delivery of food. Contact CL Townsend to see when the next delivery is scheduled.
Sunday adults' discussion group
The adults' discussion group has resumed! They will be reading The More Beautiful World Our Hearts Know is Possible by Charles Eisenstein. Join them at 10:10 in the library.
Words of Compassion
The Golden Rule requires self-knowledge; it asks that we use our own feelings as a guide to our behavior with others. If we treat ourselves harshly, this is the way we are likely to treat other people. So we need to develop a healthier and more balanced knowledge of our strengths as well as our weaknesses. Before we can make friends with others, we have to make a friend of our own self. Without denying your faults, remember all the people you have helped, the kind things you have done that nobody noticed, and your successes at home and work. A sense of humor is also important: we should be able to smile wryly but gently at our feelings, in the same way as we tease a friend.
~~~Karen Armstrong~~~
HOPE latest news
On May 6 25 members of HOPE went to the Hillsborough County Commission to urge them to find funds for an Affordable Housing Trust Fund. Several Housing Task Force committee members were allowed to speak, but then were cut off until the end of the meeting. One school teacher, who had taken the day off to speak on the need for affordable housing for her students, did not get to speak until the end of the day. Some of the Commissioners spoke to the subject but then there was much conversation about how they don't like the Nehemiah Action way of asking direct questions. (We call that deflection.) There was little discussion about how to fund this critical Fund in a county where 64,000 low income families are spending half of their income for housing, which means they do not have adequate funds for food, transportation, clothing and health care.
Earlier, on April 30 about two dozen of us, including six clergy and four of us from First United, went to Mayor Buckhorn's office to try to meet with him. We have made a number of requests to meet with the Mayor to talk with him about Fair Chance Hiring but he has refused to meet with us. After the Nehemiah Action
we sent him a letter once again asking for a meeting and indicating that if he would not give us a time to meet we would be there on April 30 at 11:00 to meet with him. He sent us a letter this week not even acknowledging our request to meet with him and telling us what the City Council has done on this issue already, as if we were the ones responsible for their actions. We asked his staff person to give us a date when he could meet with us and she refused to do so.
So, like the widow and the unjust judge in the bible, we will continue to try to meet with the Mayor and will keep going back until he sits down with us and looks us in the eye and listens to why we think Fair Chance Hiring is important for Tampa. We will keep you informed.
Meanwhile, on civil citations, HOPE is scheduled to make a presentation to the Public Safety Coordinating Council, the decision-makers about civil citations in Hillsborough County, on Friday, May 15 at 8:30. On the state-wide level, our bill to increase the use of civil citations to second and third misdemeanor offenses was passed in both houses in the state legislature and is awaiting the signature of the Governor. We did not win all we wanted in that bill, but we believe we made a good first start.
How many people have been killed by guns since Newtown?
Click here to see an updated tally.
Listen to sermons online
Now you can listen to recordings of Sunday sermons on our website, www.ucctampabay.org. Tell your friends!
Please help us on Sundays
If you are the last one to leave the church property on Sunday, PLEASE be mindful to check that all doors are locked. Thank you!
Sunday School news
Sunday School classes are as follows:
Primary (ages 4-10) - The children will be in church for the pastor's time. Then they will leave for class with the teacher at approximately 11:10 AM.
Nursery (ages 3 and under) - The children can be with parents and participate in the pastor's time until all children go to the classrooms.
You can visit www.sermons4kids.com and www.kids2kidsmissions.org to see the kinds of activities that are in store for your children. If you have any questions, please call Debra Warner at 813-909-0591.
Needed! 3-4 more teachers and 1-2 teacher's assistants. Would you consider being a teacher or assistant at least once a month? Our children need you.
2 x 3 = 6
Six hours spread over three months – the amount of time Hospitality Hosts contribute to making our Sunday Fellowship Time the best. Each host “team” member agrees to serve once a month for three months – providing food, enjoying rich fellowship and – yes – cleaning up.
You are invited to become part of this continuing ministry. As a regular member of a team – pick your Sunday – or as a substitute available as needed. One further note – Paul D’Agostino and Jim Roney come early every Sunday to make coffee in addition to serving as fifth Sunday hosts.
First United name badges
We are ordering name badges for members, friends, and visitors. The cost is $10.00. Please contact the church office at 813-988-4321 or churchoffice@ucctampabay.org.
Submitting items to Courage in the Struggle
We hope you enjoy receiving Courage in the Struggle, the weekly e-news of First United Church of Tampa. If you would like to submit an item that would be of interest to the members and friends of First United, please email it to webservant@ucctampabay.org. Attach your submission as a Word document. Submissions may be edited for length or clarity. For events, be sure to include the date, time, location, and cost (if any). Thank you!
First United Church of Tampa
7308 East Fowler Avenue, Tampa, FL 33617 - 813-988-4321
Founded in 1885
www.ucctampabay.org
OUR FOUR CORE VALUES:
EARTH CHARTER
MULTIRACIAL AND MULTICULTURAL
OPEN AND AFFIRMING
PEACE WITH JUSTICE
