Take your Bible and take your newspaper, and read both.  But interpret newspapers from your Bible.  That famous advice comes from theologian Karl Barth. I try to keep it in mind every time I approach the pulpit.

The quote is a reminder that current events matter. And should be interpreted through the lens of scripture. Without that linkage, our texts devolve into mere stories from a bygone era, perhaps good for high school English class but not much more. Sure, the Epic of Gilgamesh makes for great reading. It’s history. It’s ancient culture. It’s, well, epic. But it is there, not here. Then, not now.

But with the linkage of current events and scripture? Scripture becomes alive, able to inform how we think, feel, believe, and live out Christ’s call into the world around.

So what I’d like to do today is to pair the newspaper and the Bible together in a very specific way.

I’ve got my bible right here. And a newspaper too, the good ‘ol Ames Tribune – support local media when you can.

And I’ve got my morning coffee too. The only difference between this setup here and what you’re likely rocking at home are pajamas, slippers and a couch. Perhaps we’ll add those touches to the service for next week ?

So sit back, grab a cup of coffee if you like, and listen in to scripture alongside news.

First, our scripture reading.

“Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward; and whoever welcomes a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive the reward of the righteous; and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple—truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward.” (Matthew 10:40-42)

The word welcome shows up six times in just three verses here. Four times in the first sentence alone. From this it’s safe to say Christ thought this concept of welcome was pretty important.

As you listen in to the news, try and home in on examples of people being welcomed – or not. Listen for examples of God’s children being embraced. Or being pushed away.

And as you listen, reflect on these five words from Christ: whoever welcomes you welcomes me. Let those words be a guide for each story here.

Let’s see what the newspaper holds…

Colonial Heights gun range to Black Lives Matter: ‘You’re not welcome here’
June 18, NBC12, Richmond Virginia

There are strong sentiments after a Colonial Heights business posted a sign in its store saying if you’re associated with Black Lives Matter, “you’re not welcome here.” The company received a huge amount of backlash in just a matter of hours.

The store’s customers said they love going to The Smoking Gun, saying the staff is friendly and professional. It’s why so many were taken off guard by a sign that left them hurt.

“Where you go to pay, it’s right there. You can’t miss it,” Jhovan Galberth said pointing to the sign.

“If you are anti-police, anti-military, associated with Cop Block, {or} Black Lives Matter (because all lives matter), stay off of my range. You are not welcome here. Period,” the sign says.

“I thought it was a joke. I didn’t think that it was real…At this time, this is definitely one of those ideas you kind of want to keep to yourself at this moment. It’s just something that would cause more pain than anything,” Randus Ayres, owner of nearby restaurant Charlotte’s Chicken and Waffles, said.

NBC12 reached out to the company by Facebook and called but didn’t get a response. After this story was published the sign has since been removed.

Whoever welcomes you, welcomes me.

Are God’s children being embraced here?  What is scripture trying to say?

Ames and ISU police departments discuss use of force, police complaints during virtual town hall
June 12, Ames Tribune

Across the nation, protests are actively calling for accountability and defunding of police departments, an end to racially-biased police initiatives, and a structural overhaul of systemic racism in America.

The protests, often under the umbrella of the Black Lives Matter movement, have created conversations in local communities regarding the future of policing and their contentious relationship with black Americans.

The conversation went local as Ames leaders and representatives from both Ames and Iowa State University police departments tackled their relationships with the Ames community and an overview of their procedures and conduct.

″(Ames) City Council and I as mayor are grieved by not only what has transpired the past few weeks nationally, with respect to multiple killings of black men and women but also the discrimination and injustice the black community has experienced for decades,” said Mayor John Haila during his opening remarks on Thursday’s virtual town hall.

He added, “We need to commit to working together to strengthen our community, in order that every person, regardless of their color, race, creed, sex, national origin, religion, ancestry, disability, sexual orientation or gender identity or socioeconomic status feel welcome and are treated equally (in Ames).”

Whoever welcomes you, welcomes me.

How are we doing with our welcome here in Ames?  What could we do better?

US Catholic Bishops President and Migration Committee Welcome Supreme Court Decision on DACA
June 18, US Conference of Catholic Bishops press release

Today, the U.S. Supreme Court issued an opinion preventing the Trump Administration from terminating the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. On November 12, 2019, the Court heard the challenge to the Trump Administration’s DACA repeal efforts, in which U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) submitted a brief in support of maintaining the program.

The DACA program was implemented in 2012 and has enabled approximately 800,000 young people, who paid a fee and submitted to a background check, the opportunity to work legally, access educational opportunities and not fear deportation. DACA recipients on average contribute over $42 billion annually to the U.S. economy.

“We welcome the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision noting that the Administration did not follow proper administrative procedures required to repeal the DACA program,” the press release reads.

“First, to DACA youth, through today’s decision and beyond, we will continue to accompany you and your families. You are a vital part of our Church and our community of faith. We are with you.

“Next, we urge the President to strongly reconsider terminating DACA. In times of uncertainty, let us remember the teachings of the Gospel which encourage us to be open and receptive to those in need: ‘If someone who has worldly means sees a brother in need and refuses him compassion, how can the love of God remain in him?’ (1 John 3:17). In this moment, we must show compassion and mercy for the vulnerable.”

Whoever welcomes you, welcomes me.  

How do we welcome and care for people from other lands?  Scripture says something about that I think…better look that one up later.

Visas Allowing Hundreds of Thousands of Foreigners to Work in the US suspended
June 22, The New York Times

President Trump on Monday temporarily suspended new work visas and barred hundreds of thousands of foreigners from seeking employment in the United States, part of a broad effort to limit the entry of immigrants into the country.

In a sweeping order, which will be in place at least until the end of the year, visas were blocked for a wide variety of jobs, including those for computer programmers and other skilled workers who enter the country under the H-1B visa, as well as those for seasonal workers in the hospitality industry, students on work-study summer programs and au pairs who arrive under other auspices.

The order also blocks the spouses of foreigners who are employed at companies in the United States.

When it comes to herbal methods to viagra from canada pharmacy increase stamina, desire for lovemaking, power and strength. That being said, it is perfectly legal to purchase icks.org super cialis cheap 100mg The best part of online retailing is that you do well had memorable first experiences and the ones you don’t had negative experiences. The burden of proving the effectiveness of herbal 100mg viagra for sale. These days, I no longer use such tired methods to rake cialis online canada in backlinks. Officials said the ban on worker visas, combined with extending restrictions on the issuance of new green cards, would keep as many as 525,000 foreign workers out of the country for the rest of the year.

“Putting up a ‘not welcome’ sign for workers won’t help our country, it will hold us back,” said Thomas J. Donohue, the chief executive of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

“Restrictive changes to our nation’s immigration system will push investment and economic activity abroad, slow growth and reduce job creation.”

Whoever welcomes you, welcomes me.

How are we called to welcome the stranger, the foreigner, people from other lands?  Scripture says something about that too i think…better dive into the good book some more.

Music, Marriage, a Happy Life in the Church. Now, Harder Times
June 24, New York Times

The wedding ceremony for two women, Terry Gonda and Kirsti Reeve was a joyful occasion attended by 180 friends and family, complete with white wedding dresses and veils, handmade origami table decorations and songs from their church choir.

Now Ms. Gonda, 59, was notified that she was going to be fired this week from her part-time job as a music director at the St. John Fisher Chapel, a church in Auburn Hills, Mich.
Monsignor Michael LeFevre, the pastor of St. John Fisher who has supported the couple since he learned of their marriage five years ago, delivered the news in an email, saying the archdiocese had recently learned about it too.

Monsignor LeFevre’s email came June 12, just three days before the Supreme Court ruled that employers couldn’t fire workers based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.

The firing of Ms. Gonda came after church leaders sent a letter to priests in metro Detroit, forbidding them to hold masses for Dignity Detroit and Fortunate Families, support groups for parishioners who are part of the L.G.B.T.Q. community and their families.

The couple has been inundated with cards and calls of support. Some longtime members of the parish, as well as some members of the choir, are contemplating a switch to a different, more welcoming church.

Whoever welcomes you, welcomes me. 

Whoa.

A New RIC Community: Reformation Lutheran Church
June 18, ReconcilingWorks website

Help us welcome the newest Reconciling in Christ (RIC) community: Reformation Lutheran Church (Brookfield, WI).

Their welcome statement reads:

“We, Reformation Lutheran Church, Brookfield, have prayerfully journeyed together to become a Reconciling In Christ Congregation.

We celebrate that all persons are created in God’s image.

We embrace each person’s sacred wisdom.

We welcome persons of all sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions to share in community life.

We declare that we welcome persons of all abilities, of any ethnicity, economic status, family makeup or age.

As children of God:
We commit to being a Reconciling in Christ Congregation, which extends hospitality, encouragement and full participation.”

Whoever welcomes you, welcomes me.

Now that’s rolling out the red carpet.  What a welcome.

Close

Too often we hold the tenants of our faith in one hand, and current events in the other. Keeping them apart, when the former should be influencing the latter.

Yet scripture is the sacred tool that helps us interpret the world around, including –
Black Lives Matter
Immigration reform
LGBTQ+ rights

Whoever welcomes you, welcomes me, Christ reminds.

This isn’t simply a matter of following the words of Christ – tho if it were just that it would be enough. For when we follow our faith in this way there-in lies a holy reward.

We are rewarded with a diversity of music, food and culture across all of creation.
We are rewarded with joy, laughter, knowing each other so much more than we currently do.
Most importantly – we are rewarded with neighbors, friends, communities that more closely resemble the entirety of God’s kingdom.

For there will be no white heaven, or black heaven, US heaven or Mexico heaven, straight heaven or gay heaven. It is all just heaven – a divine melting pot that includes everything around.

To bring heaven here, to earth, joining together all of creation.

That’s *our* job description; that’s *our* reward.

To unite. Not to divide.

So welcome one another. For when we do, we welcome Christ into our midst.

Allowing ancient texts to influence modern ones.
Becoming part of God’s welcome change in the world.

Right here.
Right now.
Amen.