I do not know that we can overestimate the scarcity, desperation, and danger that fill the landscape of Naomi and Ruth.

The integrity of the judges in Israel broke down eroding the social ethic to self-interest. Famine came and seems to have further torn at the social fabric. Hospitality and neighborliness have fallen out of favor; the cultural ethos of the land has become similar to Moab where no one asks or demands anything from anyone else. It may be another time where “the strong do what they can and the poor suffer what they must.” Boaz seems to be a man of integrity and doing his part to rebuild the ties between kin, tribe, and community, but the whole climate is harsh.

The food has run out and Naomi and Ruth are in great need. Naomi is too old to glean. Ruth is able, and she is also foreign, beautiful, and new to this. Quite simply, she is incredibly vulnerable.

Farmers did not always take kindly to gleaners, even though it was commanded to do so. If gleaners were permitted entrance into the field, they were often targeted as the more powerful understood their condition.

Ruth is not naive about any of this. And so before she goes out into the day, she says to Naomi what she may also have prayed to God:

“I would like to go to the fields and glean among the ears of grain,
behind someone who may show me kindness.”

The hope and prayer is not, “Remove this hunger from me.” It is not, “Grant us a just world now!” The desire within her is find someone out there in this field of thorns that she could trust to stand next to her. One who would look out for her as she would for them. One whose presence and heart may become something of a shield and shelter for the work to be done.

Boaz might be that answer to the prayer. But it is also answered by the maidservants. It is also answered by another gleaner - or perhaps a few of them - who put their trust in one another to take care of each other.

All of this is to say that there are critical moments in our lives when the first and most dire longing is not for everything to be made well, but for some kindness to make some small measure of the world more gentle and good. We hold that profound agency and ability to offer that kindness.

Kindness

Before you know kindness as the deepest thing inside,
you must know sorrow as the other deepest thing.
You must wake up with sorrow.
You must speak to it till your voice
catches the thread of all sorrows
and you see the size of the cloth.
Then it is only kindness that makes sense anymore, only kindness that ties your shoes
and sends you out into the day to mail letters and purchase bread,
only kindness that raises its head
from the crowd of the world to say
It is I you have been looking for,
and then goes with you everywhere
like a shadow or a friend.
~ Naomi Shihab Nye

Kindness is a gift that will be longed for, even when each and every law is just; when each and every person has integrity; even when all of creation is free to be as abundant as it can be. Even then, kindness will still be necessary. Vulnerability is a certainty. Kindness is a gift in the best of days, an how much more valuable and powerful is the gift of kindness when the landscape wanes from justice to injustice - from tranquility to hostility. Neither justice nor injustice removes the need for or the demands to offer kindness in this world this day.

As any day begins, there is someone whose greatest hope may be,

I would like to go to school…
I would like to go to work…
I would like make this day’s journey…
I would like to go back home…
behind someone who may show me kindness.

Let us not dismiss the need nor the potential of kindness to make a difference.

Let us not leave it to someone else.

Your kindness is an answered prayer.

Peace,

Rev. Chris McCreight

Manuscript and Video to the sermon, “Standing Up for Kindness”

p.s. Apologies to the listener and John Denver for my “attempt” to sing…

Welcoming Dr. Adam Smith!

What a joy it was to welcome our new organist, Adam, to worship this last Sunday. Adam and his family are still in the process of moving from Pennsylvania - so this was a special gift for him to come play and meet the congregation the day after the move!

The congregation has been blessed and enriched by the musical gifts of our pianists and organists throughout the years, most recently with Sarah Park and Drew Hinkle, as well as musical directors such as Dale Lacan and Tina Dreisbach. In addition, we are blessed by the gifts of music within the congregation who share their talents of flute, piano, violin, voice, trombone, cello, French horn, and more…

We look forward to this new partnership in ministry and to the gifts of music that enhance our worship and spirit.

With over ten years of experience serving as pianist, organist, and music director at multiple churches representing multiple denominations, Dr. Adam Smith brings a passion for inviting people into worship through music. With musical interests ranging from classical to contemporary, Adam aims to create space for diverse musical expressions. As an educator, Adam encourages and coaches others to share their musical talents and interests in worship. In addition, Adam works in higher education, focusing on professional development related to teaching. He is relocating to Northeast Ohio with his family (wife, Hsin-Yi, and daughter, Eleanor) and their Bichon Frisé, Maggie.

In Our Church and Community: