November 12, 2017 The View from Poverty

November 12 2017 Nehemiah 8.1-3, 5-6, 8-10; * Luke 4.14-21 “The View from Poverty” Pastor Jacqueline Hines

Just like many of you, Jesus read the scriptures to those who gathered to listen. [slide # 1 scroll]  In verse 18 he reads from Isaiah saying that he was anointed or chosen and equipped to bring good news to the poor.

Our preschool director sent me an email invitation from United Way for a poverty simulation. [slide # 2 Bethel Christian Preschool] Most of the participants helping were students from West Chester University who were in classes to help them learn to serve lowest income families. We broke down into groups of all kinds of families. [slide # 3 families] Some had children- some great, some winding up in big messes. Some family members had jobs, others were on disability. Fortunately, there were social services. There were medical struggles and opportunities to make money legally and illegally.

We were given four fifteen minute sessions to do whatever we could to survive the system. Each segment of fifteen minutes represented one week. After that representative “month,” if we did not already know, it became clear that at the level of poverty, there is rarely enough time or money or opportunity to get out of poverty. [slide # 4 poverty ]

On Wednesday, I was inspired to ask the Administrative Council in my report, “What can we do for the homeless?” By Thursday during the poverty simulation, an answer was emerging.

We were told that in Chester County there are over 500 persons who are homeless every night. , Lauren Campbell from Chester County’s Decade to Doorways asked the audience what is the average age of a homeless person? The answer was a shocking nine years old. Twenty-five percent of the homeless are under age 17. The next level of homeless are between the ages 45 to 61.

So what is the good news Isaiah and Jesus have for the poor? The answer is: we are the good news. Decade to Doorways has a goal to end homelessness by 2022. While they know that the poor will be with us always, this organization’s goal is for every person to be healthy, housed and stable and if they are homeless, for such seasons to be rare, brief, and non-recurring. The idea that someone has a goal to be a blessing to someone so poor that they have become homeless is indeed, good news!

This weekend Bethel spent thousands of hours to create our annual Christmas Bazaar. People came from far and wide to serve, to sacrifice, to help, to join in for one purpose to raise monies, not to keep the money toward our budget which has been showing a 14% shortfall, but to send the money through the United Methodist Women who under the leadership of Mrs. Sonia Kulp, will send it to agencies so that men and women, boys and girls will hear the good news that someone cares enough to provide for their needs.

Bethel is a community of missions. We have so many missions that we cannot name them all. We have Ian’s boots providing shoes to the poor, we support a poor youth in South America, the Spring City Food Pantry, the free Clinic of Phoenixville is part of our mission through the Union of Churches, Fran Schrader is our medical missionary in Zambia, a couple came to the door a few weeks ago – hungry and thirsty – but they did not leave empty handed. Our latest mission is the Bethel Christian Preschool has helped children with special needs, physical needs, and spiritual needs. Bethel is a community of missions. [slide # 5 hands] Certainly, God has directed us. Certainly God has blessed us to be this blessing. Certainly God will continue to lead us.

When I asked the Council the question, “What can we do for the homeless?” there was no immediate answer from the group, but we can be sure that God will speak to us loudly and clearly. As for every mission, we will pray, we will organize, we will harmonize and we will unite as one on whatever mission to the homeless that God has for us to fulfill. Perhaps one of the 570 persons who are homeless tonight will be blessed because we have obeyed. Perhaps one unsettled 9 year old will smile as we bring the good news, as we become the good news that Jesus cares, that God provides, that the Holy Spirit will bring forth a mighty wind of change for the better. [slide # 6 lighthouse in storm] There will be an answer to what can I do? What can you do? What can we do to bring good news to the homeless? There will be an answer, let it be through us – according to God’s will. Amen. [slide # 7 God comforts]