Compassionate, Safe, and Effective Responses

Today’s message has two unrelated topics. The first has to do with a concern on our church campus; the second is about a theme that we will follow in worship and beyond, during the month of October. 

For many reasons, the bus depot on the other side of San Joaquin Hills Road has long been a way station for persons who are homeless. Because of that, we often get homeless persons who might approach the church during the week, asking if we distribute bus passes or simply looking for a comfortable spot to escape the heat, charge their phone, etc. Our encounters with these visitors are usually brief and cordial, although there have been a handful of exceptions during my time here. And, on occasion, someone will enjoy the comforts of our buildings, the company of our people, and the taste of our food quite a bit and keep returning. That is largely a positive thing. But, it raises some concerns as well. 

Many homeless persons – as a cause or an effect or a cycle of both – live with mental illness. That is why housing the homeless is a far more complex matter than finding an empty apartment or offering rent subsidy. And – depending on the degree of the illness – it can make it difficult to be in community together. I’m using a lot of qualifiers because these kinds of generalized observations are often used unfairly against persons with mental illness, and I don’t want to contribute to that unfairness. But, taking mental illness seriously is necessary if we want to safely, compassionately, and effectively be in community with our homeless neighbors. So, let me offer three questions that might help us find paths that are safe, compassionate, and effective.

1. Is someone acting inappropriately? We have had persons who have not respected either the people or the property here. In that case, the staff addresses it directly and usually the behavior changes. Sometimes it takes a while, especially if the person involved is a member of the church. If the behavior does not change, we may either insist that they leave the property or we may get the help of the Newport Beach Police, but we do address it directly. Please report any inappropriate behavior to the staff and we will respond to it the best we can. 

2. Is someone threatening? Even if someone is not actually doing something inappropriate, some actions can be intimidating – such as when someone is on the property as a single person arrives alone to prepare for an event, or someone whose presence on the patio is okay, but whose presence up near the preschool is not. “Threat” is always a judgment call, full of gray areas. But, here is the key: If you feel threatened by the presence of someone on the campus, please tell the staff. You need to be able to participate in the worship and work of the church without feeling threatened. So, it matters and we will try to respond appropriately. 

3. Is someone discomforting? This is a little different from the second question above. If someone lacks access to customary practices of hygiene or if their behavior is erratic, but not inappropriate – it can be discomforting. We want to maintain the difference between being uncomfortable and being threatened, because someone who causes us discomfort may be exposing flaws within our society or prejudices within ourselves. But, again, these are gray areas and I encourage you to err on the side of caution. So, even if you are unsure of whether you are feeling uncomfortable or threatened, talk to the staff. We do not have perfect answers either, but we will try to respond appropriately. 

If there is no staff present and you feel threatened, do not hesitate to call the police. They handle these matters very well. For emergencies call 911. For non-emergencies, call the NB Police main number 949-644-3681 or Officer Tony Yim, the liaison with the homeless community: 949-432-0240. 

On the whole, the people who are St. Mark do a marvelous job in practicing hospitality to those who typically experience hostility. It is the way of Christ. At the same time, we are responsible to one another and your staff is here to help us make the critical decisions that allow us to be a welcoming place. We take that role very seriously. 

And now our second topic: During the month of October, we will be following the theme with the hashtag #TheWorldWhereItHappens. We will study the church in Antioch, whose story is in Acts 11, and through that we will have assignments to go out during the week and to look for places where we discover the kin-dom of God taking place in the world. So, get those cameras and phones ready to capture some glimpses of the kin-dom of God and share them with each other. I’ll show you how next week as we turn our eyes toward #TheWorldWhereItHappens.  

Mark of St. Mark 

International Peacemaker, Pt.II

Last week, in my Friday Blast, I wrote about Muna Nassar, the International Peacemaker from Palestine who will be visiting with us at the end of the month. Muna will be offering a lunchtime workshop at the meeting of the Presbytery of Los Ranchos (click here for information and here to register), and she will be speaking about her work at our Saturday 5:00 pm and Sunday 9:30 am worship services. As a reminder, Muna is part of a community called Kairos Palestine, which is based on the profession of the Kairos Palestine document (which you can read here.)

This week, I want to lean in to one thing I said last week: “It is hard to find a topic that generates more controversy between Jews, Muslims, and Christians than Palestine/Israel. Even among PCUSA commissioners when the G.A. meets every two years, the conversations are difficult and decisions are negotiated very carefully.” Allow me to mention two areas where the conversations, and even the agreeing to the terms of the conversations, are particularly difficult. 

1. One area of serious controversy within our Presbyterian conversations has to do with whether boycotts, divestments, and/or sanctions are legitimate or effective ways of bringing about change. You will hear these approaches referred to as the “BDS movement.” That topic is far too complex for me to address fairly in a short essay. But, let me at least point to a recent example of how it is an active point of contention. Last year the governor of Kentucky signed an executive order that would bar that state from awarding contracts to companies that support the BDS movement. The PCUSA objected and you can read what our Stated Clerk, J. Herbert Nelson, wrote to the governor here.

The Kairos Palestine document address the BDS matter very carefully, saying, “Palestinian civil organizations, as well as international organizations, NGOs and certain religious institutions call on individuals, companies and states to engage in divestment and in an economic and commercial boycott of everything produced by the occupation. We understand this to integrate the logic of peaceful resistance. These advocacy campaigns must be carried out with courage, openly sincerely proclaiming that their object is not revenge but rather to put an end to the existing evil, liberating both the perpetrators and the victims of injustice.” 

2. Another space where the conversations regarding Palestine/Israel are difficult is in how one recounts the history and tells the story of the current situation there. For example, the Kairos Palestine document makes reference to the non-violent attempts to bring about change in the First Intifada, while many Jews would recount their experience of violence during the Second Intifada. The Kairos Palestine document say that oppressive actions like the separation wall and settlements have brought about the violence; while supporters of Israel would say the violence has brought about the need for the wall and settlements. 

It is very hard for those of us who live in the U.S., with limited or no first-hand experience to fully appreciate how people living in the region experience the struggle. There are learning trips that are organized by Jewish, Islamic, Christian, and educational institutions, each of which offers to help people see the reality of the situation and many of which are suspicious of the real intentions of the others. There are testimonies from Palestinians and from Jews, each of which will rend the heart because of the real pain that people have experienced. And it seems that voices from every side of the controversy feel as if their story is being misrepresented or underrepresented in mainstream channels of information. So, the sources on which we rely, the vocabulary that we use, and the history that we assume are all important. They require both diligent deliberation from us, as well an openness to learning more. 

We are welcoming Muna Nassar to our presbytery because she is part of our International Peacemaking program. Her testimony is consistent with the actions that the General Assemblies of the PCUSA have deliberated and have supported fairly consistently over the years. Her testimony may challenge some of our perceptions and assumptions. In that case, we should lean into those challenges hear her story with an open heart. At the very least she will enable us to understand better why the PCUSA has made the decisions that we have over the years. At best she will open our eyes to the gospel’s call for justice and peace in this troubled region of our world.

Mark of St. Mark

International Peacemaker

You have probably seen in various St. Mark missives that we will be welcoming an International Peacemaker from Palestine, Muna Nassar, to our area at the end of September. Muna will be presenting at the Saturday and Sunday worship services at St. Mark on September 28 and 29, and will offer a workshop at the Presbytery of Los Ranchos meeting on Saturday, September 28 at St. Peter’s by the Sea Presbyterian Church (16911 Bolsa Chica St. in Huntington Beach) at 12:30pm. Muna will also be meeting with our youth and others from the presbytery during her stay here. 

A few introductory notes may be in order. 

1. “International Peacemakers” is a ministry of the Peacemaking Program of the Presbyterian Church (PCUSA). They invite leaders of partner churches to share their experiences from around the world as peacemakers. This is one of the missions supported each year by our Peacemaking Offering, which we receive on Worldwide Communion Weekend, the first weekend in October. 

2. Muna is part of a movement in Palestine called “Kairos Palestine.” The word “kairos” is from one of the two Greek words in the New Testament that refer to time. The other is “chronos.” “Chronos,” as you would imagine, refers to chronological time, the succession of seconds, minutes, hours, days, etc. “Kairos” has come to mean something more like “the right time,” a propitious moment that calls us to take a stand, offer a word, etc.  

3. In 1985 Christians in South Africa issued a document called The South African Kairos Document, issuing a call for churches to recognize the realities of life under Apartheid, to resist, and to demand change. Similar documents were written in other contexts, such as Central America, Zimbabwe, and India. In 1989, a group of Christian Palestinians issued the Kairos Palestine document, officially entitled, “A Moment of Truth: a word of faith, hope, and love from the heart of Palestinian suffering.” You can read the Kairos Document here. It is not a brief read, so you will want to give yourself time. 

4. In 2010, the General Assembly (G.A.) of the PCUSA approved a report from the Middle East peacemaking committee and commended the study of the Kairos Palestine document to all members and churches of the PCUSA. They also directed the peacemaking group to write a study guide for that document, which you can find here.

It is hard to find a topic that generates more controversy between Jews, Muslims, and Christians than Palestine/Israel. Even among PCUSA commissioners when the G.A. meets every two years, the conversations are difficult and decisions are negotiated very carefully.  In 2003, the G.A. approved a study entitled “Resolution on Israel and Palestine: End the Occupation Now.” In 2008, the G. A. approved a more moderate approach, arguing for the need not to “over identify with the realities of the Israelis or the Palestinians.” Even so, the PCUSA has consistently recommended studies that help to show the realities of injustice with which Palestinians live daily.  

When Muna Nassar visits us, we will have the opportunity to speak someone who can offer us a Palestinian Christian perspective on Israel/Palestine. I invite you to prepare for her visit by reading the documents that I have linked above, formulating your questions, and opening your heart to her testimony and witness to us. As the authors of Kairos Palestine said, “As Palestinian Christians we hope that this document will provide the turning point to focus the efforts of all peace-loving peoples in the world, especially our Christian sisters and brothers … We believe that liberation from occupation is in the interest of all peoples in the region because the problem is not just a political one, but one in which human beings are destroyed. We pray God to inspire us all, particularly our leaders and policy-makers, to find the way of justice and equality, and to realize that it is the only way that leads to the genuine peace we are seeking.”

Mark of St. Mark 

Y’all Come

I've decided to quit trying to swim against the current on this one. I’ve decided to listen to the wisdom of that felicitous King James translation of Acts 26:14, “It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.” I’ve decided to throw in the towel and quit suppressing that which lies deep within. Rather than fight it, I’m embracing it.

I'm embracing the word “Y'all.” I have now for several years. But even more defiantly and more recently, I'm embracing the phrase “Y'all come.” 

At the risk of sounding like Gomer Pyle, I think the word “Y'all” is as acceptable as any other contraction. I don't tend to use the phrase “All Y'all” except for a very rare point of emphasis, particularly when someone has been previously excluded. But, I'm all about the “Y'all” and accidentally used the phrase “Y'all come” this weekend. 

That’s when I knew I was doomed to say it. So now I’m embracing it. 

My grandmother used to say, “Y'all come see us” or the reductionistic, “Y'all come!” all the time. It drove me crazy because she'd say it repeatedly as people were leaving her house. At the time my thought was, "We just came to see you! It's your turn to come see us!" But, still she'd say it without hesitation, “Y’all come.” I would think to myself, “That’s something I’m never going to say.” 

Then, it happened. In St. Louis. Last weekend. We were saying goodbye to folks whom we had not seen for years, the end of the kind of joyful reunion that weddings can be on occasion. We really did want people from our past lives to come see our current lives and all of us were hoping to see them again. That’s when I realized I was saying, “Y’all come see us” or at times “Y’all come.” 

I was becoming my grandmother. 

In retrospect, I can see that she had a gift for hosting people. That would explain why so many family Thanksgiving celebrations were populated by a sailor from the Naval base or an airman from the Air Force base or a soldier from the Army base who was stationed nearby, far away from their home, and she had met them at church and offered them a family for the holiday. Most of them ended up getting free room and board for a year or so. 

When Margaret Adams said, “Y'all come,” she meant it. And now, despite the protestations of my youth, I'm embracing the “Y'all” and even the “Ya'll Come.”

This weekend, we begin our new season of what functions for St. Mark as “ordinary time.” On Saturday we will worship and our Youth Group will begin worshiping with us as they move their weekly meetings to Saturday evenings. On Sunday, our choir will be back in the loft, our children will be back in their Sunday School classrooms, and one hopes that our Summer activity travelers will be back in their seats. During worship on Sunday we will distribute Bibles to various ages of children and after worship we will have an All Church Picnic filled with good fun and good food.  

So, “Y’all Come!” 

Y’all come, just as you are. Y’all come, even more casual than you are. Y’all come ready for worship and a picnic. 

Bring a friend and make it “All Y’all.” 

And if that's not enough of an invitation for you, give this a listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWn0HmvDexQ  

Mark of St. Mark 

Thank You, St. Mark

The results of our contribution toward the United to End Homelessness (U2EH) “30 by August 30”* campaign are being finalized today. St. Mark has contributed well over $100,000, making us the largest contributor to this campaign. We set a goal to assist four households and in the end we received enough to assist seven householdsinto homes. By the end of the day, I’m confident that the overall campaign will be a success as well, raising over $500,000 and meeting the needs of all 30 families. As a reminder, because we have met this goal, one of our partner organizations is able to apply for 300 more vouchers for the future. 

Thank you for being such a responsive and compassionate congregation. I applaud our Finance Commission, our Session, and especially those of you who have been able to be so generous for our county’s most vulnerable and needy persons. 

There is one thing about our fundraiser that I want to reflect on with you briefly. When I first made the announcement about the “30 by August 30” campaign, there were – both on Saturday evening and Sunday morning – some persons in the room who are currently homeless. Over the five and a half years that I’ve served here, we have had several of our members who have been homeless, often living in their cars. Sometimes you would know it at one glance; sometimes you would never guess, because homelessness has many looks. 

So, a question arises whenever we are engaged in advocating for solutions to homelessness, or contributing of our resources to help people we may not know: 

Why don’t we just help the people who are right here, within our own church community by providing them a place to stay? 

It is a good question, but there is also a good response to it. If you are not already familiar with it, I encourage you to get to know the meaning behind the phrase, “Toxic Charity.” If you want to read about it, Robert Lupton was a featured speaker at a NEXT Church annual gathering a few years ago, and he has a lot of wisdom in his book, Toxic Charity: How Churches and Charities Hurt Those They Help, And How to Reverse It. 

“Toxic charity” describes attempts to help, which come from a good place and never intend to be harmful. But, the reason it is toxic is because the lasting effects can often be more harmful than helpful. Someone who has a mental illness, for example, may never be able to live on their own, without a very deliberate and capable network of support services. To simply give someone with a severe mental illness an apartment, or to take them into your home, might feel like “the Christian thing to do,” but it is almost never helpful in the long run. For someone who is mentally ill, homelessness can be a symptom of the illness as well as an exacerbating factor of the illness. But, providing that person with a home is only “helping” if there is also a set of services in place that can address the mental illness itself. What is often missing from “toxic charity” are support and accountability. 

That is why I am totally on board with two things to which U2EH is committed: 

First – and this is true of most of Orange County leadership – U2EH is committed to a “housing first” approach to chronic homelessness. While housing aloneis never an adequate approach, housing is a very important first stepthat provides a stable environment for wraparound support services to be effective. 

Second, the best solution to chronic homelessness is Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH). PSH can be found in intentionally-built communities that have on-site clinics, offices, and other places for support right there on the premises; or it can be scattered site housing where the support services go out to the homes wherever they are. The point is, there are supportive services and accountability built into the housing. I have seen U2EH put a project on hold until they could ensure that the support services would be up to high standards, because the last thing we want to do is to put someone in a position where their care might be compromised. 

It would be an example of toxic charity for us to house someone who is chronically homeless without the supportive services they need to thrive. A more effective and compassionate response is to support approaches that assist when assistance is needed, empower when empowerment is needed, and have an accountability system in place to recognize the difference. 

That’s the kind of effective compassion to which St. Mark has contributed so generously in the “30 by August 30” campaign. Bless you for your continued generosity and commitment to this work of justice and hope. 

Mark of St. Mark

* It took a while for us to land on the best name for our campaign. “30 by August 30” was one way to state our goals and not to confuse what we’re doing with other projects that bear similar names.