Death Dealing Judgment

First Sunday of the Month Worship
Sunday, March 7, 5:30 pm, 618 Locust Street

Within the last few weeks, both Haiti and Chile have experienced major earthquakes, and various "judgment theologies" have been offered for these natural occurrences that became tragedies. "Judgment theology" is all too familiar and recognizable; it sounds something like: "God sent the earthquake because some of the Haitian people practice voodoo" or "Chile had an earthquake because some of the citizens are drug users" or "God sent that devastating disease to get her attention."

This Sunday, our worship service will engage and reevaluate the death-dealing way of judgment theology and invite us to turn toward a life-giving way of joining God and each other in the work of healing and wholeness.


Sunday's Offering

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered people are familiar with judgment theology as they are often the focus of it. The Gathering, however, believes all people are reflections of God. We proclaim:

The Gathering affirms the inherent dignity and sacredness of human beings and the value of all life in the universe. We welcome and celebrate persons of all racial and ethnic heritages, all gender identities and sexual orientations, and all faith perspectives into the full life and ministry of The Gathering.

On January 30, 2010 the Transgender Caucus of the United Church of Christ (UCC) held a conference call with 44 people to discuss opportunities for further connection within the UCC.

Historically the transgender community has not been adequately represented in the life of the church, also transgender persons have not had a place at the national level to connect with other transgender persons around their issues and concerns.

As a result of this conference call, a gathering has been scheduled for Cleveland for transgender people affiliated with the UCC. The meeting has been called to address various areas of inclusion and ways of affirming transgender people in the life of the church. To facilitate this gathering the Transgender Caucus is raising funds to provide scholarships for transgender people who want to participate in the meeting. The estimated cost per person for travel, lodging, and food is $570.00. Izzie was one of the conference call participants and has been invited to participate in the May 5-7 gathering. Sunday's offering will go towards the scholarship fund for the Cleveland event. It will be our way of joining with the Transgender Caucus of the UCC in recognizing and affirming the Divine Image in all of us.

Wesley Daily Soup Kitchen
Saturday, March 13, 2010

People who are homeless and those who don't earn enough to adequately feed their families also experience the sting of judgment theologies. We have the privilege of preparing and serving lunch to these who dine at the Wesley Daily Soup Kitchen. This time we will partner with the Nontraditional Students Organization from Angelo State, and they have a plan and menu already in place - which means it'll be a pretty easy day for us. We need to provide bagged salad, carrots and tomatoes for the salad, salad dressing (Ranch and Italian are the favorites), and bodies to help work on Saturday, the 13th. Since we aren't opening up, though, we don't need to be there until 10-ish and after. Please let me know (thegatheringsanangelo@yahoo.com) if you can participate by bringing salad fixins' or being a worker-bee. Thanks, y'all!


Upcoming Gathering - Sunday, March 14, 5:30 pm
Together in the Light: Quaking in the UCC

Quakers have a distinct way of worship, doing business and living in the world. But the "Quaker way" can inform and enliven any and maybe all organized groups of spiritual seekers. Elisa Dale, the "Lone Quaker of Eden, Texas," will share with us a brief history of the Society of Friends, Friends' testimonies and the divergent paths taken by unprogrammed (silent meeting) Friends today. Friends define their worship as "expectant listening."

Elisa will share how this is understood by Conservative Friends, "christo-centric" Friends, universalist Friends and "nontheist" Friends. A Quaker writer recently wrote that "We are held together by the way in which we are a religious group, what I have called a 'behavioral creed: the way we worship and do business and areas of testimony". This unity, the glue that holds Friends together, is derived from a commitment to each other and our shared goals, rather than agreement on Friends' notions about it all.

The Society of Friends is a religious tradition that appeared to have done away with the clergy but Friends say that the opposite is true: Friends have done away with the laity. How do things get done or problems dealt with in a religious society when each member is a pastor, a bishop? Why should one be a Quaker today or be "Quakerish" within one's own faith tradition or denomination? What do Quakers have to offer the UCC? Elisa will lead us in discussion of these issues and we will close in silence, in the manner of Friends.

National Week of Prayer for Healing of AIDS
March 7 to March 13

The National Week of Prayer for Healing of Aids brings together people of faith to unite with purpose, compassion and hope. Through the power of God's love we will educate every American about HIV prevention, encourage and support HIV testing, advocate for the availability of compassionate treatment and care of those living with the disease in every American community and love unconditionally all persons living and affected by HIV/AIDS. The United Church of Christ General Minister and President, the Rev. Geoffrey Black, serves as a national spokesperson for the National Week of Prayer for the Healing of Aids. You can find his statement of support of this week of prayer on the UCC website, ucc.org.

Our Purpose:

Our dynamic community offers you an inclusive spiritual home. We gather as works-in-progress in a chorus of Divine Mystery, committed to the possibilities in all God's creation through authentic relationship.

Our Practices:
Service, Integrity, Inclusiveness, Love, Compassion, Humor, Joy

Holding in Divine Light

We celebrate spring!
We celebrate Becky and TeeJay's square dance graduation.

We hold in our souls:
Those living in Chile, Haiti, Darfur, Iraq, Afghanistan, Mexico.
God's children and creatures without adequate home and refuge.
Sharon and her broken arm.
The Geen family.
Those traveling near and far.
Those living in pain - physical, emotional, spiritual, mental.
Our city, state, and country and the hostile and violent ways we are debating and demonizing people of other perspectives.
The people served by the San Angelo AIDS Foundation.

Closing Inspiration

It is a delight and privilege to explore and share our faith journeys together. If ever there was a time to partner with the Divine and each other to bring healing to the Universe, it is now. So let us continue seeking Divine Guidance for the trip, keep recognizing Sacred Presence along the way, and keep taking turns Shining the Light for each other.

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