Saying "no" is not always the easiest thing to do in the world. Try saying it to a cute little child or your dog when they make that face...not so easy. However, I have become a master at it. Having done my fair share of youth and children ministry and now with the work I do it has become a very important word. I'm there to ensure that those entrusted into my care, for no matter how short of a time, are to be taken care of and that they learn things. Often the word no gets met with anger and resistance. Why can't I (fill in the blank)? But I want too. These are just two of the common responses I get. Well the answer is that I say no because in my assessment of the situation it is in your best interest to say no. Maybe what you think you want is not a healthy choice. Maybe it will benefit you but at the cost of someone else. And while I could say no, sometimes, just to say no and be mean, I find that I do my best to limit those occurrences. Yet it's interesting that probably the hardest time I have saying no is with myself. No I will not take on that person's attitude, assumptions or just plain old bad energy. No I'm not going to continue to be a part of this negative cycle. No I'm not going to let you put me in some box. No is a very powerful word and can help us be whole we are authentically meant to be. You just have to have the commitment to use the word which is often harder said then done. Saying no isn't about not wanting to do something or to be mean. It's about loving yourself and others to know when to say it. I pray that I can embody that lesson more for myself each day.
For years now, I have heard in preaching and clergy circles about being political in sermons; the good, the bad and those who state that church shouldn’t be political. There are workshops, books, and podcasts talking about politics in the church with a variety of opinions. What do people mean when they make the statement that the church shouldn’t be political? The IRS has the most say about the rules for the separation of church and state/politics. If your church wants to be tax exempt, there are rules: don’t endorse any candidate or party, if you allow one party to use your space, other political parties also must be allowed to use the space, etc. The UCC’s general counsel, Heather Kimmell, has a webinar on this topic if you’d like to hear a more detailed explanation which can be found on the UCC’s YouTube channel. Churches have gotten “creative” in how to get around this, often partnering with another non-profit group to give support to a particular group. The UCC is proud to claim...
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