©2010 by Morehouse education resources • all rights reserved • www.livingthegoodnews.coM • 1-800-242-1918

Winter A • 2010-2011

Jesus’ Beatitudes are statements of blessing upon persons who struggle. Matthew and Luke differ in the way these statements were remembered and passed along to Jesus’ followers. Luke’s conditions are objective and external (the poor), where Matthew’s conditions are essentially internal (the poor in spirit). For this discussion, we’re using Matthew’s version. Since each person struggles with something, we claim that these statements are relevant to all human beings.

The Poor in SpiritThere are many ways to be poor and the gospel urges us to minister to all of them. Matthew’s ‘poor in spirit’ isn’t just about financial need; it’s about lacking the vital principle (spirit) that gives life. But he doesn’t mean dead people!

How would we describe someone whose energy and optimism is gone? These are the poor in spirit. That poverty can be found many situations including the affects of racism, injustices in the work place, or mental health challenges.

The United Church of Christ (UCC) is committed to respect for creation and humankind. The UCC ministers to the ‘poor in spirit’ through practical initiatives that bring help, hope, and healing.

In 2010, the UCC’s Neighbors in Need (NIN) annual appeal, one-third of the gifts received supported the Council for American Indian Ministry (CAIM). The ancestor denominations of the UCC established churches in North and South Dakota, Wisconsin, and Northern Nebraska. Today, there are 19 UCC congregations on reservations and one urban inter-tribal congregation in Minneapolis. The UCC continues its support for our Native American sisters and brothers.

Two-thirds of the NIN offering was devoted to the UCC’s Justice and Witness Ministries (JWM). JWM provides grants to projects focused on meeting basic needs and addressing local human rights issues. The Worker’s Interfaith Network (WIN) in Memphis, Tennessee is one such grant recipient. WIN assists low-wage workers who have suffered wage theft by an employer. Wage theft occurs when employers pay less than minimum wage, fail to pay overtime, or simply do not pay workers.

The UCC reaches out internationally as well through direct support in times of crisis, such as the Indonesian tsunami or the flooding in Pakistan. Such gifts from the annual One Great Hour of Sharing offering meet the immediate needs of the poor in spirit around the world.

On a hands-on level, the UCC’s Council for Health and Human Service Ministries (CHHSM) facilitates networking among 71 corporate members, operating 359 facilities and programs that provide health care and services to children, to people with disabilities, and to the aging. CHHSM also facilitates connecting health care workers, development specialists, house parents, and others with those facilities and programs.

Finally, the United Church of Christ Mental Illness Network (MIN) seeks to raise awareness, understand-ing, and inclusion for those left out of our churches and communities because of mental illness or brain disorder. These too are among the poor in spirit.

The UCC-sponsored national gathering, “Widening the Welcome” in St. Louis, MO, provided a three-day opportunity to learn about including mental health ministry in the local church and what an Access to All (A2A) congregation is.

One in four families is affected by brain injury or disorder, or mental illness. Drug abuse and post traumatic stress disorder are also part of the big picture concerning mental health and wholeness. Spiritual support for healing and recovery is essential and involves individuals, families, and communities.

The UCC’s Mental Illness Network is not often in the news but it ministers to the poor in spirit where they are, day by day.

St. Francis of Assissi said, “Preach the Gospel by all means; and if necessary, use words”. That’s an important reminder that true shalom, wholeness, means walking the walk by ensuring that the poor in spirit indeed find blessing.

To learn more about any of the UCC’s ministries and initiatives, see www.ucc.org

The UCC and Social Justice

SR-00-WA-10-U-The UCC And SoCiAl JUSTiCe