I
met a man at a social gathering who asked me what I did for a living.I
responded that I’m a minister.The
man started looking uncomfortable and tried to change the subject.I
asked him if he attended a church, synagogue, mosque, coven or some other
house of worship.With slight embarrassment
he said, “I like to sleep-in and watch movies on Sunday morning.”
“I
appreciate your honesty with me,” I replied.“Do
you watch, inspirational movies perhaps?”
“Action
movies,” he exclaimed.
“Well
then,” I said, “If you like action, then you’d like our congregation because
we don’t just watch the action, we become the actors.”
The
movement from audience to actor brings the kind of meaning and satisfaction
that entertainment alone can’t provide.Whether
the action is teaching, learning, leading, helping, deliberating, sharing,
inspiring, or supporting, each of us can find opportunities here to add
our energy and make a positive difference.
We
are a congregation that puts its faith in action
As
we join together in the celebration of life.
It
is a wondrous thing that a decision to act releases energy in the personality.For
days on end a person may drift along without much energy, having no particular
sense of direction and having no will to change.Then
something happens to alter the pattern.It
may be something very simple and inconsequential in itself but it stabs
awake, it alarms, it disturbs.In
a flash one gets a vivid picture of one’s self—and it passes.The
result is a decision, sharp, definitive decision.In
the wake of the decision, yes, even as a part of the decision itself, energy
is released.The act of decision
sweeps all before it and the life of the individual may be changed forever.
…
Here
at last is the place where we may discover ourselves
Here
we may sense the independence of self
Here we may stand on our own right as a person
Here Life claims us as a part of its vast creative power.
Let
us turn inward now to reflect on how the power of the decision to act
Will
affect our lives and its potential to release creative power and energy.
In action, we may discover in the integrity of our act
our
likeness to the greatness of what is beyond us and yet includes us.
"I
wake each morning torn between two impulses: the impulse to savor the world,
and the impulse to save it. It makes it hard to plan the day."This
Sunday and next Sunday, I’ll be wrestling with the tension between these
two impulses and how we resolve that tension in the most meaningful way.
This
morning we’ll explore the saving side by beginning with a Benedictine monk
who was responsible for the salvation of his parishioners. In
1517, Martin Luther became quite concerned that he would be unable to save
them through the usual process of repentance, confession and punishment
because they were buying papal indulgences.These
indulgences purchased expiation from sin.For
example, an indulgence could clear you with God of murder for just eight
ducats.
This
offended Luther in the extreme because he knew his role as the representative
of the church was intercession with God.He
believed God was completely free to save whomever God wanted to save and
damn whomever God wanted to damn.God
was not bound to earthly monetary transactions.October
31st, Luther decided to act and wrote his 95 Theses in protest.
Indulgences
were an example of a deeper theological concern Luther had.He
didn’t think that the Church could do anything to absolutely affect someone’s
salvation,living or dead.He
believed God was unbound by any prayer or action we could do to guarantee
our salvation.Completely mired
in sin, we could do nothing of our own will to make ourselves fully acceptable
to God.It was only Jesus’ love
and compassion that gave us any chance for salvation.Luther
believed we are saved by our faith in that love rather than by our good
works.
This
kind of thinking is anathema to Unitarian Universalists who believe that
every person has inherent worth and dignity.Our
primary concern is not focusing on what we need to do to get saved.Our
primary concern is being directed by our worth and dignity in this world
to create and maintain a meaningful life here, now and in the future.Our
concern for others is helping them do the same thing.
Unfortunately,
believing in human value does NOT resolve the faith versus works debate.The
savor versus save, or the doing versus being question remains.For
my life to be meaningful and satisfying, how much do I attend to my personal
wants and needs versus the needs of others?Total
self-absorption in indulgence or self-depletion in giving can be self-destructive.How
do I balance the two for the most inner harmony?
I
was thinking about all this when I attended the Capital Area Council of
Churches Fall Assembly dinner last Tuesday.I
sat across the table from Pastor Vern Victorsen, the minister at the First
Lutheran Church a couple of blocks away from us on Western Avenue.The
Council will again be opening an emergency overflow shelter there starting
November 15th and closing April 15th.He
was asking if our congregation might be willing to cook dinner for up to
20 people.
This
is what we generally think of when we think of good works and helping others.Jesus
urged people to feed the hungry, clothe the naked and shelter the homeless.In
the social action world this is called direct service.On
the last Sunday of the month, you’ll find an envelope in your hymnals so
you can donate money to help the Focus Interfaith Food Pantry that serves
downtown Albany.I was at the FOCUS
volunteer appreciation lunch on Friday and recognized several of you who
are faithful volunteers.This is
great work that is sorely needed.
There
is another dimension to social action that looks beyond the circumstances
and asks deeper questions.Why are
these people hungry?Why are they
homeless?Are there good actions
we can take to prevent this from happening?Are
there laws and social policies that are making things worse?If
so, what good actions, what political actions can change them?
The
example of homelessness is instructive as we ponder the value of good works
and political actions.So just what
causes people to show up in these shelters?
I
read a fascinating study this week examining this question published by
Erie County.The study was published
in 2003 so the data is still pretty fresh.While
mental illness, domestic violence, disability, military service and HIV/AIDS
were significant factors for people being homeless, sixty percent were
dealing with substance abuse and chemical addiction.I
don’t think I’m going too far out on a limb to say that substance abuse
is the plague of our time.
So
how have our political leaders decided to deal with substance abuse?Put
the abusers in jail.“It is a startling
fact,” said New York Chief Judge Judith Kaye, “that almost half of this
state’s prison population are serving time for a drug offense.It’s
no mystery why: the Rockefeller Drug Laws.The
draconian Rockefeller Drug Laws set out severe penalties, 10 to 25 years
in prison, for first offense possession and sale of very small amounts
of street drugs like crack cocaine.The
most difficult part of these laws is the mandatory minimum sentences.In
some cases for just possession, the minimum is 25 years!The
District Attorney is granted the power to decide whether to charge a person
with these extreme penalties.If
you are poor and African American or Latino/Latina, it can be very difficult
not to accept a plea bargain even if you are innocent.Think
about it.What would you do if you
had to face the risk of spending the rest of your life in jail if you lose
your case because of the mandatory minimum sentence?What
would you do if you had to face the prospect of going to trial with an
overworked public defender to defend your innocence?
In
practice, these laws are wreaking havoc on our inner city communities.Don’t
think that there isn’t just as much drug dealing in the suburbs as in the
cities.Who do you think has all
the money to be spending on them?The
people with money can hire skilled lawyers if they get caught and find
the right loopholes in the drug laws.Prosecutors
don’t slap white suburbanites with the harshest provisions of the law.If
you’re a black woman and your boyfriend starts dealing drugs and you get
caught with them in your car or house, you’re quite likely going to spend
the rest of your life in jail with your children ending up in foster care.
Thankfully,
our criminal justice system is waking up to this inequity.Inspired
by a program originating in Dade County, Florida, in 1989, then replicated
here in Albany by Judge Stephen Herrick, people charged with non-violent
drug offenses are now being sent to drug court where they are referred
to treatment programs.
A
comprehensive New York Drug Court Recidivism study released in 2003 showed
that people who enter treatment through the drug courts are
much more likely to stay in and complete treatment programs and reintegrate
into the community.Those who complete
the programs are much less likely to re-offend.
Starting
this year, all drug offenders must be screened for addiction before they
progress very far in the court systems.These
diversion programs are helping keep non-violent addicts from clogging our
court system.These steps are tremendous
in keeping the wrong people out of jail, but they don’t solve all the problems
associated with the Rockefeller drug laws.That
non-using black woman whose boyfriend was a dealer still could be headed
for a 25 to life conviction.
The
stunning upset of Paul Clyne by David Soares in the Democratic Primary
for District Attorney hinged on the desire of Albany County residents to
see these laws reformed.Clyne has
been one of the strongest opponents and Soares a vocal supporter of reform.Our
inner city neighborhoods turned out in record numbers to use the democratic
process to translate their suffering into action.Just
about everyone in those neighborhoods are touched by these laws.
Soares'
victory made state and national news as a sign that people are ready to
reform how we deal with drug offenses.We
need to keep the incentives in place to motivate people to enter treatment
yet give judges much more discretion in deciding who can enter these programs
and how long people should go to jail if they don’t.
That
desire for reform was already signaled to ARISE, our coalition of Albany,
Troy and Schenectady religious, neighborhood and interfaith organizations
at our last issues convention that put criminal justice reform high on
our task force agenda.ARISE clergy
lobbied for reform during the spring legislative session.At
our Public Meeting on Tuesday, we can take action and get commitments.ARISE
believes 2005 should be the year these reforms finally get passed.
Our
politicians, particularly Senate majority leader Joe Bruno, need to hear
the message that we want to see reform.That
message is implicit in the Soares' victory.That
message will be explicit in the demands ARISE makes at our Public Meeting.Soares
will be at our Public Meeting to respond to those demands.This
ARISE public meeting is shaping up to be one of our strongest.
Our
leaders will listen to ARISE only when we can demonstrate grass roots support.The
way ARISE shows that support is by filling a room with supporters.We’ll
be holding our public meeting again at the Egg this year, in a room that
holds 900 people.We are working
hard to fill that room and need every man, woman, and child who can come
to attend.We’ll also be moving forward
actions that support regional equity, community and job development.ARISE
is now known and respected in our community for its non-partisan advocacy
for our cities.That respect grows
and makes our efforts more effective, when we can show publicly the support
our work has in our organizations.
I’d
like to ask the people who have already decided to come on Tuesday to stand
and be recognized.If you are still
seated and are still considering attending, please talk to those you see
standing or talk to me or talk to Dick Dana, our ARISE core team leader.This
is a crucial year for ARISE and we need your support.Thank
you!
The
reality is that most of us by ourselves can have very little impact on
this issue.But by joining together
and using the democratic process we can accomplish great things.
I
received the Jim Perry award from Citizen’s Action last month for my work
advancing gay and lesbian civil rights by doing same-sex marriage ceremonies.I
was a little embarrassed to be receiving the award.I
wanted many of you to be included because of the support you gave me.The
success of that day could never have happened without you.
You
see there is another component to taking action.That
component is timing.The right action
at the right moment can effect great change.The
time was extremely ripe for doing same-sex civil marriages last spring
to advance this civil right.All
Martin Luther did was write 95 theses and distribute them to a few colleagues.But
the time was ripe for change and his action became the catalyst for the
Reformation from which we trace one source of our institutional history.Today,
I believe the Rockefeller Drug laws are ripe for reform.Researchers
have shown scientifically and convincingly that drug courts are a more
effective way to handle drug abuse than sending people to prison.What
is lagging is our state legislature.ARISE’s
public meeting could be a key action that helps encourage the reform to
happen. And that reform will
literally save lives.
But
ARISE cannot be effective without grass roots support.We
only ask for that visible show of support once a year.In
your order of service is more information about our public meeting and
a card you can fill out and turn in at the ARISE meeting on Tuesday night
so you’ll be counted.
Your
salvation doesn’t depend on showing up on Tuesday, but your faith in those
who do isn’t enough.I might consider
selling you an indulgence if you can’t come--as long as you find someone
to go in your place.What will make
a difference is our collective action on Tuesday.Please
join me as you are able.
Copyright
©2004 by Rev. Samuel A. Trumbore.All
rights reserved.