Pastor’s Word
Welcome Through Hospitality
By Rev. Racquel Ray
When Jesus saw the great crowds, he had compassion on them. In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything but is thrown out and trampled under foot. You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. People do not light a lamp and put it under the bushel basket; rather, they put it on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.”
I’m reminded that this church has stood as a lampstand to this community for hundreds of years. And in the past year, we have really had the chance to give light to those around us!
I recently received a Thank You note from a community member who attended our worship service ONCE. She is a person with physical differences and joined us with her service dog. Our greeters and ushers were there to make her feel welcome and comfortable – and someone brought her Communion in the pew. She wrote that it was the first time that she had been welcomed to receive Communion – coming from a different denomination and being a person who is a member of the LGBTQ+ community. She has carried that pre-packed cracker and juice – the Body and Blood of Christ with her since. And, she thanks YOU, the congregation, for the hospitality that was life changing for her. 
The way we care for one another and the efforts we take to show hospitality matter – even for those we will only see once. Beloved, we are the light of the world, we are the light bearers. We often do not know how great of an impact we have had on others in simply shining the light for them.
As a big, anchor church in the East Bay, we often have the opportunity to share our light in this community. In the past year, we have hosted some very large funerals, several cultural events, a few large weddings, and two large civic rallies which opened our doors to thousands of guests. In addition, we shared our space with multiple organizations and community partners . How we welcome the stranger – regardless of politics, religion, age, gender, orientation, status, or ability – matters.
Our church staff has outdone themselves by helping me organize these large events. We often joke that we are here ‘eight days a week’ (quoting the Beatles song). I have heard stories of the BCCUCC history and heard that there were teams of volunteers that used to help with these large events and hospitality. Maybe it is time to revive that tradition?!
I wonder if we can revive the culture of a volunteer hospitality team? In our recent listening sessions, in our leadership visioning events, and in our Deacon’s meetings I have heard that the congregation would like to expand our visibility in the community, grow our membership, and provide more local outreach.
I believe it is important for BCCUCC to reclaim our position as the town’s Meeting House. In my communications with our local community partners, I am quick to offer our space for community gatherings. I believe we should open our doors to weddings, funerals, baptisms as is our sacred sacramental role in the community. And, I believe we should also open our doors for sacred secular events too like concerts, guest speakers, scouting, clubs, art, theater, and social gatherings. 
I would like to open our parking lot to the Town of Barrington during the town’s anchor social events: Memorial Day Parade, Barrington PRIDE, Arts Festival, Harvest Festival, and the Holiday Tree Lighting. I wonder if you will join me in offering a ministry of hospitality during these events? I would like to set up a refreshment table in the parking lot and while citizens are parking and waiting for the town provided shuttle to Town Hall, we say hello and offer drinks and snacks and maybe a small gift. I am thinking of iced tea and lemonade in the summer, warm cider in the fall, and hot cocoa in the winter.
Would any of you like to join me in further expanding our welcome, hospitality, and outreach? Any chance we could create a new [returning] hospitality team? And, would anyone like to join me outside to welcome the stranger and love our neighbors? What a wonderful way to share our light with others so that they may see the light and receive the love of Christ – perhaps giving Glory to God for your good work!
Politics in Peculiar Times
By Rev. Joe Zarro, Interim Senior Minister
Like a lot of pastors right now, especially in the UCC, I struggle with how “political” prayers and preaching should be these days. We are trying to balance sanctuary and rest with civic engagement and social justice. It also feels absurd to ignore, or be silent about, the new levels of corruption, degeneracy and violence in our current American leadership. But while this milieu of social media, religious nationalism, and “post-truth” confusion is indeed new, the question of politics and religion is as old as the church.
Christians have long struggled with how to engage with politics and the wider world. Early Christians, a persecuted minority, initially refused military service, debated paying taxes, and refused to participate in state rituals because of pagan idols and prayers. Despite being compassionate, kind and helpful neighbors, they were accused of being unpatriotic and rabble rousers.
Early church fathers and mothers sought out the deserts and other wild places for solitude and purity, far away from cities and government buildings. Others sought the cities, and organized communities of mutual aid and sacrificial service. Healthcare, food distribution and religious education were (and still are) a big part of their ministries. They cared for the widows and orphans, the mentally unwell, and even those who got the plague!
After Constantine, most Christians became entwined with the very empire that crucified Jesus. This wasn’t all bad – it greatly expanded their ministries of care and compassion, and made Rome a less violent and brutal place (but still a brutal slave empire). It came at the cost of hierarchy, dogma, and corruption, and now the greatest persecutors of certain Christians were other Christians. Reformers pushed against the power and wealth of the priests, and the control of the papacy, which birthed our egalitarian and democratic congregational tradition.
But we weren’t done with “politics.” To the founders of BCCUCC, the question of how engaged the church should be in civic life was settled – we were the official religion of the town and received tax revenue to pay the clergy! We expected some measure of control in lawmaking and matters of morality, not as one church of many, but as the prime church.
Diversity and pluralism, especially the large influx of Catholics before WWII led us to be one church of many, and unseated us as the official “town church.” But we thrived and many see the postwar boom as the “glory days” of BCCUCC. In this era, the church was supposed to be bipartisan and “neutral” – but also patriotic and broadly acceptable to social consensus, even when that consensus was out of line with peace and justice. It was seen as “political” to preach an end to segregation or the war in Vietnam, and “feminist” to support women working outside the home and being allowed to file for divorce. The church of our ancestors would be bewildered by the silence and conformity of that era.
Many UCC Churches didn’t conform though – they chose the social gospel and a willingness to engage in these controversial issues, at times at great reputational cost. But even in the UCC, the vast majority of churches held on to the moderate, bipartisan, and patriotic norms. Even now, after early and public national stances on gay marriage, women pastors, peace and disarmament, and interfaith cooperation, our denomination remains deeply “purple” according to
polls. And there has been a backlash to the social gospel which led to the “apolitical” years of my childhood and young adulthood. The divisions and absurdities of modern politics is once again leading some churches to return to the social gospel, a dynamic present here at BCCUCC (even though my entire ministry has been steeped in the social gospel).
So I understand why some people want more “prophetic” and social justice-oriented sermons. I also understand people who want politically neutral sermons that stick to scripture and daily life – they hear enough about Trump, ICE, War and the religious right every day of the week. It’s not a sin to desire sanctuary, rest and inner peace on Sunday morning. Christianity has always been struggling with the related, but sometimes competing, needs of sanctuary and engagement, the pastoral and prophetic.
I’ve been trying to strike a balance for the last 15 years, but ever since January 6th it’s been harder to find a balance that is authentic without ruffling feathers and causing controversy. I do think there should be a sense of sanctuary and transcendence in worship. But what I think is impossible is “neutrality,” especially when Christianity is being used as a weapon and shield by people claiming to represent us. Silence is political, and the flag in our sanctuary reminds us that we live and serve in a particular place and time. We cannot escape the world around us – we can only navigate it the best we can, guided by Scripture, our tradition, reason and the Still Speaking Holy Spirit.
But let us take comfort in two things: 1) The church has 2,000 years of struggling with this very issue and has a deep well of experience, from marches to monasteries, and 2) We will get through this together, like our ancestors before us. This political moment isn’t forever. Maybe it will get better, maybe it will get worse, and please God, don’t let it get more absurd. But leaders come and go, opinions and controversies change – yet Christ endures, and so does his church. And people of faith and goodness will continue in the Way. Thanks be to God and Amen.
It’s Still Easter
By Rev. Racquel Ray, Associate Minister
The season of Easter, or Eastertide, lasts for fifty days – until Pentecost Sunday. This is where the name for Pentecost Sunday comes from, the fifty days of Eastertide. Therefore, it’s still Easter!
If you missed any of the Easter services here at Barrington Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, I am sorry. We had a robust Holy Week and Easter indeed! The church was crowded on both Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday, and the Sunrise service at Osamequin was very well attended and beautiful – even with the cold drizzle. In addition, the Maundy Thursday Tenebrae service and the Good Friday Labyrinth walk were moving and visceral reminders of Jesus’ sacrifice on our behalf. We are blessed indeed!
In the days since Easter I’ve heard from many colleagues across multiple beliefs and worldviews that they, too, had large crowds for Easter services. Perhaps, our culture is at a tipping point? Are we now coming to a place, safely removed from the trauma of the Covid-19 pandemic, where we as a society are ready to re-explore our faith? What is calling people to come to church? Or, maybe the better question is ‘who’? We heard in the Easter story that Jesus was crucified, died, and rose again to redeem humanity from our own humanness.
Easter reminds us of not only the great sacrifice that Jesus made on our behalf but also the greatest miracle – the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. In Mark’s Gospel we read the story,
“And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. They had been saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?” When they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled back. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised; he is not here.”
What do you think Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Salome, who bought spices so that they might anoint Jesus, experienced in the garden at that news? The scripture says they were both terrified and amazed. Rightly so. And later, Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene to comfort and assure her.
We often say, as church people, we are an “Easter People”. What does that mean, exactly?! We see the world through resurrection eyes. That, like Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, we continue to care for others – even in our grief and dismay. We continue to show up for one another – even when we are terrified and amazed. And we support one another when we need comfort and assurance. The ‘first Easter’ believers show us the way.
This Eastertide, as you begin to emerge from the long frozen, snowy winter, come to church and see for yourself. Continue to care for one another, show up for one another, and support each other. The doors are open and the stone is rolled away. The Good News is spoken – Jesus has been raised. Come and see.
The Faith of a Donkey
By Rev. Joe Zarro, Interim Senior Minister
It was great having “Liberty” the donkey (and “Miracle” the baby cow) join us for fellowship hour on Palm Sunday. Obviously, a donkey features prominently in the story of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, and it made our Palm Sunday that much more special to have a real life donkey. But I must confess, I missed an opportunity to share something special about donkeys during worship – they have a cross on their backs!
Legend says it’s a blessing for carrying Jesus on its back. There’s even a story about how the donkey that carried Jesus into Jerusalem also followed him to Golgotha, and when Jesus died on the cross, the shadow of the cross fell on the donkey’s back and then left a permanent blessing that all donkeys now carry.
This isn’t biblical or scientific, but it is still beautiful symbolism. The donkey is a “beast of burden” – they are asked to carry heavy loads for others. They can plow fields, travel 15-20 miles a day, and can carry about a quarter of their body weight with incredible endurance. They are also herd animals – naturally social and cooperative with each other. They may not be glamorous, but they are rugged and useful. And while known for stubbornness, their steadfastness is part of what makes them so special – they do not panic easily and are stoic through challenges and hardship.
Sheep tend to be the primary animal associated with Christians, but donkeys can teach us a lot as well. In humility, we should value service over status. In faith, we should be strong and steadfast. In community, we should be willing to work together, and be willing to bear burdens for one another.
May God bless us with the faith of a donkey.
What is Your Sabbath?
By Rev. Racquel Ray, Associate Minister of Congregational Life
As part of my on-going course work at Boston University, this semester takes a deep look into the meaning of Sabbath across Jewish and Christian understandings. Beginning with the Genesis account of Creation and the Deity’s determination to REST on the seventh day, the Jewish Law in-turn developed around Sabbath keeping. And, subsequently, the Christian practice of Sabbath keeping grew from that. In the early church, which was Jewish, believers in The Way of Jesus, practiced their Jewish Sabbath from sundown on Friday until sundown on Saturday and the sharing of the Christ’s meal on Sunday. Over time, Sunday is considered the Christian Sabbath, marked with going to church and sharing sacred space with the worshipping congregation. How do you keep the Sabbath? 
Students in my class have been assigned the work of not only understanding the historic, theological, and Spiritual aspects of Sabbath, we have been assigned the work of INTEGRATING Sabbath practices into our own lives. Most of the students are Christian pastors. How do Christian pastors integrate Sabbath practices when Sunday is the day we all work?!
Needless to say, our class cohort of caregivers has comically struggled to take time away from caring! Our work is never ‘complete’ and there are always more emails to respond to, more members to check on, more meetings to attend. And, for many of us caregiving doesn’t end when we are not at work – with families and friends to attend to as well. Our biggest challenge has been learning to add ourselves to the caregiving list. And many of us (type A overachievers) did not make Sabbath space and time until it was an assignment – for a grade!
Rabbi Abraham Heschel, a contemporary of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., wrote in his classic text, The Sabbath, that Sabbath is a “sanctuary of time”*. No longer a space set aside for the work of sabbath keeping as in the rituals of the church, the Sabbath as a time set apart for community and for self. Sabbath is a time for communion with God. It is a time of awe, rest, reflection, and a sense of ‘coming away’ from the business of the physical world. It is a time set apart from the world; a time to simply BE with God.
Imagine, the Creator of the Cosmos, resting after Creation, saying that humans are indeed very good, is waiting and resting to simply BE with you? Imagine on your busiest days, simply acknowledging that God is waiting for you to rest? God is already there waiting for you to stop and notice. Remember Moses at the Burning Bush – noticed the bush and stopped – removing his shoes in the presence of God?
What does Sabbath look like for you? What causes you to stop and notice and take off your shoes in the presence of God. It is as easy as the stillness of the pre-dawn morning; the first sip of dark coffee in the darkness of a quiet house. It is as easy as driving ‘the long way’ home to have a few more minutes with a favorite song on the radio. It is as easy as turning off electronics early in the evening and having stillness before sleep. It is as easy as taking a walk outside (weather permitting) and spending time just BEING in awe of creation. What does it look like to add Sabbath time to your day or to your calendar?
Whatever Sabbath looks like for you – in your busy lives – I invite you to stop and notice God’s presence. I invite you to set apart time with God; turn off devices, light a candle, take a breath, and take off your shoes. God is already there waiting, inviting, and with open arms says you are very good. Come and rest.
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References
*Heschel 1951, 29 (Heschel, Abraham J. 1951. The Sabbath. Paperback, 2005 ed. New York, NY: Farrar, Strauss and Giroux.)
A Beautiful Lent
By Rev. Joe Zarro, Interim Senior Minister
It is a season of fasting right now – not only did Lent begin yesterday with Ash Wednesday, it’s also the beginning of Ramadan when more than 1 billion Muslims observe the yearly fast (based on a lunar calendar). Traditionally, folks give up “sweets and meats” for Lent, but in both Catholic and Protestant churches the traditions have been changing through the centuries. These days it’s common to pick something to “give up” and/or something to “take up.”
Personally, I like to do both – I pick something common enough to be a daily reminder of my commitment, and something enjoyable or treasured enough to be “sacrificial.” Some years it’s alcohol, some years it’s social media. This year is going back to some of my teenage habits that have stayed with me – soda and video games. I also like to take up things I see as a spiritual practice, whether it’s devotional reading or time outside. This year it is music – practicing it daily.
I hope you have thought about Lenten commitments yourself, and it’s still early enough in the season to pick something now, even if it’s something you’ve done since Lent. The idea is to pick something that is both a reminder and a small sacrifice, or something that helps you grow spiritually.
One opportunity at BCCUCC is our Lenten Book Group that will continue exploring devotionals by Diana Bass Butler in her book “A Beautiful Year.” We’ll be meeting Thursdays at 7 p.m. beginning Feb. 26 and ending March 26 at this link. The book is a resource for devotional reading during Lent, and the weekly gathering is a chance to enrich your Lenten journey with discussion and connection with others in the church. I already have a small group registered for this, and we would love for others to join us.
Please let me know if you would like attend, and whether or not you observe Lent, I hope this is a season that deepens your faith. The two largest religions in the world are in an intentional season of reflection and spiritual purification – something that doesn’t always happen (Ramadan and Lent are on lunar and solar calendars respectively and rarely line up like this). May it be a season of strengthened faith for you as well.
Yours in Christ,
Rev. Joe
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“A Beautiful Year” Lenten Book Group (Online)
2026 is off to a rough start, but we have observing a new liturgical year since, Nov. 30, the first Sunday of Advent. And the liturgical year tells a beautiful story, and we are about to head into one of its most distinctive seasons: Lent. Lent is the 46 days leading up to Easter – if you don’t count Sundays, it is 40 days mirroring the 40 days Jesus was tried in the desert.
It is a time of fasting, reflection and devotion. I would like to encourage you to join us for a weekly devotional book group based on Diana Bass Butler’s “A Beautiful Year,” her new book
which is reflections on the liturgical seasons. We had a great Advent group with the same book, and now we will read from Lent. However, each “season” is self-contained and it will be easy to jump in with us.
We will gather via Zoom from 7-8 p.m. on the following Thursdays: Feb. 26, March 5, March 12. March 19 and March 26. April 2 is Maundy Thursday and we encourage you to attend the Tenebrae service. On Feb. 26 we will discuss the Lenten Introduction, the Ash Wednesday readings, and any Lenten commitments we may have made. Please RSVP to Joe@bccucc.org. We will also be inviting others from UCC churches such as Newman Church UCC, who joined us last time. If needed, we can use breakout rooms to ensure quality discussion. We have 2 more copies of the book in the church office or you can buy them online or from book stores. If you RSVP you will receive a link to our meetings and a weekly recap/reminder.
*Blog photo by Brett Sayles: https://www.pexels.com/photo/silhouette-of-cross-1343325/
Violence or Vote
By Rev. Racquel R. Ray
Watching. Waves of worry wash over us.
That will never happen here…Right??
Lurking, lingering… Stirring, recalling… hasn’t history seen this before?
Why does this look familiar?
Why does it look new?
Brown bodies know, they carry the violent history in their DNA.
Indigenous bodies know.
Jewish bodies know.
Veterans bodies know.
There was a day when white bodies weren’t harmed.
Women’s bodies know.
Violence is not new.
Until now.
Now, white men are mad. One of their own.
Now is the time to act.
This is the same violence that landed on these shores.
The city on the hill held violence.
Gunpowder and musket.
Oppression. Othering.
Evangelizing. Enslaving. Emancipating.
Integrating. Investing. Profiting.
The American Experiment.
Control the capitol, commodify the capital.
At all costs.
Where is the outrage?
Where is the voice of moral clarity? Where is the prophet?
This is oppression. Control through violence.
Be worried as waves wash. As we watch.
Be Angry.
Then, act, react, resist.
Move, mobilize, meet.
Stand, support, speak out.
Vote.
Minneapolis MARCH
By Rev. Joe Zarro, Interim Sr. Minister
In worship the past 2 weeks, I’ve been asking for prayers for a dear friend of mine, Rev. Susan Hayward. Susie and I met at Harvard Divinity School, and not only did she invite me to parties and trips, she also invited me to church – First Church Somerville became the church I regularly attended then served as student minister thanks to that invitation. We have stayed in touch for the past 17 years. Initially, she worked in Washington DC at the US Institute of Peace doing religious peacemaking in places like Sri Lanka as an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ. A couple of years ago she returned to Minneapolis to serve Creekside UCC (formerly Mayflower – they changed their name because of the colonial implications). She’s been active in interfaith work, racial justice, and human rights ever since I’ve known her. One way she’s served is on the board of Multifaith Antiracism, Change and Healing (MARCH), an inclusive, interfaith and clergy-led group with about 30 years of history.
MARCH recently put out a call to clergy to join them in witness and action in Minneapolis for today and tomorrow. The response was overwhelming and nationwide, so much so that they had to pause new registrations from a capacity and safety perspective. I know colleagues going from coast to coast, flying or carpooling, knowing full well the forecast is below zero. Those of us who can’t go are often donating to those who can. My clergy network is that committed to standing up for their immigrant neighbors and resisting the abuses of ICE, which go far beyond the murder of Renee Good.
I personally find this inspiring and righteous. If you agree with me, I want you to take comfort knowing that so many faithful leaders are answering the call to justice, and willing to resist this country’s descent. If you disagree with me, that’s OK, but please think deeply about why so many pastors, local leaders, peacemakers, and human rights experts are horrified about what is happening and how you might open your mind to our message. If you want to reach out to me, I promise to listen to you with sincerity.
But I hope everyone reading this will join me in prayers for my colleagues in Minneapolis today and tomorrow. They are there according to their conscience and deep conviction, and I regret that I am not with them. Pray for their safety, for their courage and faith, and above all, to give this nation the ears to hear the peacemakers crying out to all who will listen.
Yours in Christ,
Rev. Joe Zarro
*Image Credit (and more information about MARCH) available at: https://www.marchminnesota.org/
The Church is an Anchor in the Community
By Rev. Racquel R. Ray, MDiv
Associate Minister of Congregational Life
As the new year breaks open but has yet to reveal her secrets, we wait with darkness for dawn to enlighten our days. We reflect on the past year and are surprised at our ‘year in review’ posts, photos, and calendars. We did so much! And yet, the new year is a blank canvas; open for new possibilities and new blessings.
As I reflect on last year, I’m still thinking about a strange encounter I had at the local bakery on my street. On one Sunday morning, I was wearing my clergy collar and typical church suit, and stopped in to buy several loaves of bread to share with visitors to the church. I was going to preach on the value of hospitality and the importance of radical welcome in our congregation. A neighbor approached me in the bakery, noticed my collar and asked, “What church are you from?”. I answered and their response was, “Oh! That’s MY church. I’m a member there.”
In my four years with the church, I have never met this person. I was delighted to meet a new (to me) member. And, I was wondering how this person considered themselves to be a member of the church but not a person who regularly attends. And, I wondered how many residents of the town consider the church where I serve to be “their church” whether or not they attend. 
Last semester, I took a class wherein ministers were asked to deeply research their ministry context. We were asked to take photos of the inside and outside, video recordings, audio recordings, research the history of the land, and research the history of the buildings. We were asked to describe the congregation’s demographics, passions and ministries, gifts and talents, and the mission of the church. We were asked to identify challenges in our ministry settings and think through solutions to those challenges. Over the course of the fourteen weeks, I thought often of the church and the membership and of the ‘stranger’ who I met in the bakery.
I believe that because the church is a historic, geographic, social, spiritual, civic, and even political landmark in the town, many residents consider the church “their church” or “the town church”. It is true that when describing the town to others who are familiar with the state, people often recall the big white historic church at the first crossroads in town. Many generations have come through our doors not only for worship but also for the role we play in the community: Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Gardening Club, protests, prayer vigils, and Interfaith gatherings. The welfare of our church matters – not only to the people who regularly attend Sunday worship but also to those in town who consider it “their church”.
I’m reminded of the scripture from Jeremiah, “But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.” This scripture is from Jeremiah 29 and contains the words of a letter that Jeremiah sent from Jerusalem to the exiles in Babylon. Many of us recall the instructions that precede this plea for the city, “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease.”
Many of us have done just that. We settled in this town and raised our families with a sense of divine blessing and communal purpose. We built or bought houses, planted gardens, and watched as our children grew, married, and had their own children. The community is filled with others doing the same. And, we’ve prospered as a result. And, so has the church.
As we live into the new year, I pray that I get to meet everyone who sees the church where I serve as “their church”. I pray that the people who regularly attend on Sunday mornings invite their neighbors to their church. I pray that we value and appreciate the place that “our church” has in the community and we find innovative ways to support the church and insure its prosperity for many more generations to come. I pray for the welfare of the city and all of our neighbors. I pray that “our church” continues to be a landmark, a beacon, and an anchor for the community.
