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Siblings of the Highway,
I was recently invited to provide a reflection for a LAMPA’s (Lutheran Advocacy Ministry in Pennsylvania) pre-election devotional series. I chose to reflect on Leviticus 19: 33-34:
33 “When an alien resides with you in your land, you shall not oppress the alien. 34 The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the native-born among you; you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.”
It is perhaps worth mentioning at the onset that there is no substantial archeological evidence for the story of the Exodus as it is recorded in the Hebrew Bible. Nevertheless, the Exodus is considered a central story for the people of Israel, and therefore also, through Christ, an essential story for Christians to understand the nature of God as one who liberates from oppression and slavery. Who God is in God’s own nature is not one who oppresses, not one who enslaves, but one who undoes those very things in our world. And there are other lessons from Exodus, too. God forms people into community during dire circumstances. God gives the promise of freedom and abundance. God walks beside us in our wanderings. God teaches and gives the Torah, the way of life. And, lest we forget, God overthrows oppressors who won’t listen or remember God’s teachings.
So, what does this mean for us during an election year?
First, we must remember who we are and where we’re from. There are no people, anywhere, whose ancestors always have been from the place they currently reside. It is important to remember that there are indigenous or first nation peoples in almost every land whose ancestors have lived there a very long time, and those folks’ relationship to the land should be honored and protected without exception. But if you go back far enough, nobody ended up right where they started from. People move, species move, even continents move! Everything is in motion -- just very, very slow motion. I am from Wisconsin, then I moved to Minnesota, and now I live in Pennsylvania -- I have three homelands, each with its own wonderful relationships and memories. I remember where I have lived over the last 39 years. But before me came my dad, Glenn, and his dad, Wallace, and his dad, George, and his dad, Charles, and his dad, Christian, who moved to Rubicon, Wisconsin in the 1860’s from Ruppertenrod, Germany near Frankfurt to start a farm and a family. Sadly, I don’t have the same depth of historical timeline for my mother or grandmothers, but it was my great-aunt Pearl who treasured the family history and shared the stories that she discovered in her research. I know more about who I am and where I’m from because of my Aunt Pearl.
Another way we might think about this text from Leviticus might be: “If you’re not an alien now, then you, your children, or your grandchildren may become one soon.” Who knows where the human species will have to relocate unless we drastically reduce the blanket of pollution suffocating the Earth’s atmosphere and accelerating climate change? We are already witnessing a large migration of folks from Central America seeking refuge from unchecked violence and economic instability, both of which are exasperated by a changing climate. Many are seeking new life as asylum seekers to the United States, but the system that grants asylum is woefully unprepared to process the folks who are seeking it. We are now seeing politicians on both sides of the political spectrum calling for either mass deportation or at least tougher enforcement at the border, neither of which bodes well for these neighbors of ours. The words of Leviticus call to us from the ancient past and resonate with the stories of our own ancestors, whether they came from Europe, Africa, Asia, or the Americas. Can we remember our humility? Can we remember our compassion? Can we remember who we are and where we came from? Can we remember who God is in God’s self?
Let us pray:
Spirit of refuge, help us to know you in our own lives. Help us to feel safe, and free, and kind, so that we do not fear our neighbors, but walk with them, as you walked with the people of Israel in the wilderness, and as Jesus walks among us. Help us to remember who we are and who you are, the God of refuge, freedom, and love. Amen.
Together in Christ,
-Pastor Ryan
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Message from our Church Council President
As you read this, my family and I will be on a plane returning home from our summer vacation in Hawaii, and Eric and I will have celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary. Every year when August rolls around, we find ourselves asking, “Where did the summer go?” For me (as I have stated previously), the first 2/3 is always spent on various softball fields in NJ, PA, and OH. The last 1/3 is split between vacation and getting ready for back to school. Next to Christmas, my favorite time of the year is the 1st day the kids go back to school and I reclaim the house again. There is a video on YouTube from 2014 by Whats Up Moms called “Back to School Moms Go Wild” that still cracks me up. It shows three moms sending their kids off to school and then having the time of their lives together at Target -- snoozing, snacking, and only buying things for themselves. That will be me on August 22nd!
Because my OCD seems to be getting worse as I age, I appreciate the regularity that school brings. I like having a set schedule: wake up at this time every M-F, have dinner ready early on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, do laundry on Mondays, run Zoe to her hitting lesson on Thursdays, watch football on Sundays, etc. In the summer, I can never keep track of what day it is because every day of every week is different. There are lots of spur-of-the-moment activities, people dropping by unexpectedly, and things that don’t get done. Control is constantly out of my reach.
The worst example of things we cannot control was the news I received a few weeks ago that a former co-worker, friend, and bridesmaid in our wedding was killed in a car accident, along with her best friend, near her home in North Carolina. Another driver was trying to pass a car and hit her vehicle head-on. It was like a rug was pulled out from under me. This was the person who, ironically, had dropped everything in her life to stay with me for a few days when my first husband was killed in a car accident nearly 24 years ago. News like that always makes you stop and reflect on your own life and how it could be cut short at any time. One thing my friend, who was a devout freewill Baptist, used to always say in her southern drawl was, “We ain’t promised tomorrow.” Ugh – I get goose bumps thinking about that now.
So, to honor my friend and in the spirit of not knowing what tomorrow will bring, I call on each of us to do something fun we’ve been putting off because we haven’t had the time. I’m not sure what that means for me yet but, in the meantime, I’m going to work on being more spontaneous. Bring on the chaos -- let’s all live la vida loca (at least for a little while)!
Wendy
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Rally Day
Includes Blessing of the Backpacks & Celebration
Join us on Sunday, September 15, for Rally Day as we celebrate the start of the new school year! During the service, we will bless your backpacks, so be sure to bring your school or work bag. We will also say a special blessing for everyone working with youth this year and for the youth themselves. After the service, stay for a Rally Day celebration with activities for all ages. Mark your calendars and stay tuned for more information!
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412YOUTH Welcome Back Bonfire!
Calling all middle schoolers and high schoolers! Join us for the 412Youth Welcome Back Bonfire on Sunday, September 15, from 6-8 pm at Heritage. Invite your friends for an evening of food, fun, games, music, and a bonfire. We can't wait to see you there!
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Youth Sunday
Join us on Sunday, September 15, for Youth Sunday! Our youth are invited to lead us in worship. If you're interested in helping, please see Ted. We need readers, ushers, and more. Let's come together and support our youth as they share their gifts with the congregation.
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Outreach News
Thanks to your support, the following donations have been distributed this year:
- The pull tab collection generated $20.00 for Ronald McDonald House Charities.
- The Mother’s Day Card sale generated $120.00 for the Church World Service.
- The Father’s Day Card sale generated $200.00 for Lutherlyn, our agency of the year.
- In total, PHLC has donated $530.63 so far this year to Lutherlyn to support their activities.
- Cleaning supplies were delivered to North Hills Community Outreach.
School Supplies Collection
Please remember our School Supplies Collection continuing through August 18 to benefit Mars Home for Youth. MHY Family Services was founded in 1878 by the women of the United Presbyterian churches of Pittsburgh and Allegheny City. In 1996, the organization was reincorporated as Mars Home for Youth as the mission continued to evolve to meet the needs of at-risk youth through residential and community-based services. Your donations help to support the mission of MHY for the 2024-2025 school year. Click here for the requested school and snack items.
Ongoing Camp Lutherlyn Donation Request
Craft and Building Supply Replenishment Drive – Camp Lutherlyn would appreciate gift card donations from Amazon, Walmart, Lowes, and Home Depot (any denomination would be appreciated). Gift cards can be placed in the collection plate. Read more...
Upcoming!
The Winter Coat collection to benefit Light of Life Mission will begin in September. The collection schedule will be posted to the weekly bulletin once we receive the details from Light of Life.
The Light of Life Thanksgiving food collection will begin in October. Additional information regarding the requested food item will be forthcoming once the sign-up is available. Thank you for voicing your concerns about last year’s assigned food item. We will work with the agency to make a better choice for PHLC.
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Reminder for our End-of-Summer Events
- Vibrant Seniors, August 18 -- details
- Queer Ballroom: Beyond the Binary, August 23 -- details
- Marshall Township Community Day, August 24 -- details
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Perry Highway Lutheran Church, a member of the ELCA, is a Reconciling in Christ congregation. PHLC welcomes all!
Visit our website here.
To learn more about the ELCA, click here. To learn more about RIC, click here.
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