Crossroads II, Sunday, November 12, 2023 Our Church/Ourselves:  Living the Life and Teachings of Jesus  Justice for All:  A Teach-in on Peace, Palestine and Restorative Justice The class will be held in the Session Room (and on Zoom).

We have invited our friend and neighbor, Manal Fakhoury to return to Crossroads this Sunday.  When asked to describe her various roles, Manal replies “P-soup: peace activist, prison counselor, parent, philanthropist, public speaker, and Palestinian-American.”  Manal is a vital leader in our community, and she is the National Board Chair of CAIR, The Council on American-Islamic Relations.
 
Judith Bullen will read one of her poems, and both she and Joanne Ohlman will introduce Manal and facilitate the discussion.  The discussion will pick up from the last two weeks, and will focus on justice and peace near to home and across the world.
 
*The devotional for this week by Ray Ruark is attached to this email.

Please join us for coffee (and on Zoom) at 8:45 and class will begin at 9:00.

Meeting ID: 832 1163 8783
Passcode: Micah6:8
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Our Church/Ourselves:  Living the Life and Teachings of Jesus 
Session 10:  Justice for All
A devotional reflection 
by Ray Ruark

JUSTICE in general is the standard by which the benefits and penalties of living in society are distributed. This is the basic meaning of the 143 times the word justice is found throughout the different books and types of writings of the Bible. Biblically, justice is not just a minor emphasis. It ranks as a coequal partner with love. It is the challenge to make human life fair for all. 

Justice is founded in the being of God, for whom it is a chief attribute. God is the sure defender of the poor and depressed, grounded in God’s role as the sovereign creator of the universe. The demands of God’s justice extend beyond the nation of Israel.

A concern for justice is demanded of God’s people. When they properly carry out justice, they are agents of the divine will. Paul presents God’s justice as a grace flowing into and through the believers to the needy. Need is the criterion for distributing benefits.

A special focus is upon the oppressed such as the poor, widows, the fatherless, slaves, resident aliens, wage earners, and those with physical infirmities. Justice is associated with the basic requirements of life in community. These needs include land, clothing, and shelter. Justice is a deliverance, rectifying the gross social inequities of the disadvantaged.