Rev. Dr. Chuck Currie

A Prayer For All Workers by Edie Rasell

Loving, Working God, 

On this Labor Sunday we ask your special blessing on all people who labor, either for pay or as volunteers, in jobs or at school, in the workplace or at home, in the U.S. and around the world. 

We especially pray for your blessings on workers who do not have jobs and for those whose inadequate pay does not allow them to live the full life you intend for each of us. 

Creator God, help us to build a new world in the midst of the old. 

   A world where all workers are valued. 

   A world where those who clean houses are also able to buy houses to live in. 

   A world where those who grow food can also afford to eat their fill. 

We pray for the coming of a world where all workers everywhere share in the abundance that you have given us. 

We ask these things knowing that you give us the courage and strength to live out our faith in the workplace and the marketplace, as well as in the sanctuary. 

Amen. 

Written by Edie Rasell, Minister for Economic Justice of the United Church of Christ. She is also Vice-President of Interfaith Worker Justice.

International Day of Prayer for Peace: September 21, 2010

September 21, 2010 is the International Day of Prayer for Peace.  The World Council of Churches reports:

The International Day of Prayer for Peace offers an opportunity for church communities in all places to pray and act together to nurture lasting peace in the hearts of people, their families, communities and societies. The idea was proposed in 2004 during a meeting between WCC general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia and UN Secretary General Kofi Annan (press release), and coincides with the UN International Day of Peace. The Day of Prayer is one of the initiatives of the WCC's Decade to Overcome Violence.

Click here fore more information.

St. Louis "Grandmother" Upset Over Beaverton's Mexico's Bicentennial Celebration Promises A Visit @1190kex @LarsLarsonShow

Yesterday I posted an Open Letter to Beaverton, Oregon: Thank You For Celebrating Mexico's Bicentennial.

Washington State resident Lars Larson and FOX's Bill O'Reilly have been attacking the city and falsely claiming that Beaverton doesn't celebrate the 4th of July (regardless of the fact that America's Independence Day is a city, state and federal holiday with countless area celebrations).

My letter has prompted a few angry phone calls this morning.  Most have been polite, however.  But one woman from St. Louis, MO. called a short time ago.  There was nothing polite about her call - just a lot of yelling on her part.  I offered to talk with her but every time I started she cut me off (taking her communication lessons from O'Reilly and Larson, I suppose) and I finally hung up as her attacks became more personal.

She called back and left this message - with a promise to visit me in Oregon with her son: 

Download Upset St. Louis Caller

Larson and O'Reilly intentionally attempt to incite such anger by dividing our community among racial and cultural lines.  As a minister in the United Church of Christ, (a multicultural and multiracial denomination),I find their actions to be reprehensible.  They're more concerned with partisan politics than the common good of our state and nation.  We need to tone down the hateful rhetoric and seek to find reconciliation.   

(some browsers - like Firefox or Google Chrome - will allow you to simply click on the link and listen...otherwise click with the RIGHT mouse button on the hyperlink and choose “Save Target As” and save to your desktop or other folder – once downloaded click on the file to listen).

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Update:  The grandmother from St. Louis isn't on only person upset.  This e-mail came in this evening:

from Becky Royse <[email protected]> to [email protected] date Fri, Sep 3, 2010 at 5:09 PM subject Beaverton Mexican celebration

Rev Currie,

I have not  a problem with people celebrating their culture…but not with  my tax dollars!!!This is the united states of America..if they are here legally then they are Americans..we celebrate 4^th of July..if this is a priority for them then they should go home to Mexico and celebrate. I find this bigoted,immoral, and most of all Racisit!

B.Royse

Should We Ask Our Doctors About Their Religious Beliefs? @BCoombsLee @CompAndChoices

Compassion and Choices (a group I support) re-tweeted this tweet today (from their executive director):

BCoombsLee Good reason to ask ur doc to reveal religious views. http://smtp01.kaiserhealthnews.org/t/13476/421929/13051/0/

Here's the basic point of the article linked to:

"A doctor's own religious practice can become quite relevant to patient care, especially when end-of-life issues come into play. A new study finds that doctors who are not religious are more likely to take steps to help end a very sick patient's life, and to discuss these kinds of decisions, than doctors who are very religious. The study, published in the Journal of Medical Ethics, surveyed more than 8,500 doctors in the United Kingdom across a wide range of specialties such as neurology, palliative care, and general practice" (Landau, 8/26)

But does this mean that I need to inquire about my doctor's religious beliefs?

I've never bothered to ask my primary care physician about this topic but I have talked with my endocrinologist.  The difference between my interactions with these two professionals is relational. Because I had a pheochromocytoma several years back I've spent a lot of time with my endocrinologist.  We've had many more opportunities to talk and know each other.

In the end, it isn't the religion or the politics of a physician that matters to me (the best primary care physician I ever had was a conservative Republican who worked for Vice-President Dan Quayle before leaving politics for medicine).  What I'm concerned with are values and understandings of medical ethics.  Religion may or may not inform that understanding.  Isn't that the conversation we should be having with our doctors?   

 

Open Letter to Beaverton, Oregon: Thank You For Celebrating Mexico's Bicentennial @1190kex @LarsLarsonShow

Dear Mayor Doyle and Councilor Bode:

I was pleased to hear that the city of Beaverton would be celebrating Mexico's bicentennial this month and disheartened to learn that Washington State resident Lars Larson has once again attacked an Oregon city. Actually, attacking Oregonians seems to be the full-time job for this Washingtonian.

As you know, Mexico is a great neighbor to America.  Both nations share a history of being colonies that finally gained independence and freedom. We share a tradition of working generation to generation to improve on the dream of democracy. Oregon has been blessed to welcome people from Mexico and Mexican descendents as new citizens and neighbors. Like immigrants before them, they contribute to our state community.

Mr. Larson and his partner in crime Bill O'Reilly have unfairly attacked Beaverton (where I lived as a child and where I attended public school) for celebrating Mexico's bicentennial and not the 4th of July. Hogwash. In middle school and high school a high point of every summer was celebrating America's Independence at the Oak Hills 4th of July parade and fireworks display. Neighborhoods, community groups and houses of worship throughout Beaverton celebrate the 4th of July proudly each year.

A city-sponsored celebration of the Mexican bicentennial simply acknowledges the deep relationship between our two nations and the rich diversity of the Beaverton community. I'm afraid that Mr. Larson and Mr. O'Reilly are less interested in the truth than in using immigration and race as partisan political issues during a campaign year.  As a minister in the United Church of Christ (a multicultural and multiracial denomination),I find their actions to be reprehensible.  They seek to divide Americans - to divide Oregonians - when our nation needs unity. The city of Beaverton should be commended for reaching out in ways that strengthen the common good of our state.

Thank you for your leadership and public service.

Sincerely,

The Rev. Chuck Currie

On The New York Times Website: Watch My Conversation Re: Comprehensive Immigration Reform

This past week I had an online conversation with Michael Brendan Dougherty of The American Conservative on Bloggingheads.tv regarding comprehensive immigration reform.  Part of that conversation is being featured today on The New York Times website. Check it out.