This weekend I returned to "my old Kentucky home" to officiate a friend's wedding. I've managed to see family and meet my two new 2nd cousins. I've seen other friends from various aspects of my life. I've been to the restaurants that scream Kentucky cooking like no others. I've stopped by my favoritee "head shop," and several other places that I'd considered my "happy places." But as I drove around Lexington, thinking I'd take pictures of the places I'd been I couldn't take the pictures. Seeing places I've lived, worked and studied at it hit me. I used to call Lexington home and would run to it. Lexington is no longer home. It is a place where I have friends and family. It is a place I can visit for a while but it's not home. It was home when I needed it to be home but I've changed and outgrown Lexington. The energy is gone from this city that once drew me here. It now repels me. It tells me that staying here would be a retreat to a person that does not honor who I truly am or want to be. So tomorrow I will pack up my car and leave, not sure if or when I'll return. I will be heading towards being the person I'm meant to be. So let it be I pray.
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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