There were not many jobs to be had.  Not many regular jobs, at least.  It was a bit easier to find a limited gig that would pay you for three days, or two days, or one day at a time.  The economy was based on full availability.  If there was a chance to work, and you turned it down…well, you might not get called again. 
 
That’s what happened the time my grandfather took a day job shoveling out a railroad car during the Depression.   At that time, you didn’t know when the next job might present itself, so you took a job when offered, and you were grateful for the chance to earn something, when the next guy might get nothing.  So he took the job shoveling out the railroad car.  He spent a hard day shoveling salt.   And by the end of the day, when they dished out the day’s wage?  Well, instead of feeding the family, it had to go to buying him a new pair of boots to replace the ones the salt had ruined.

That sort of deal didn’t end with the New Deal.   It’s just as prevalent here at the beginning of the twenty-first century.  Some call it ‘Working in Retail’.  Some call it ‘The Sharing Economy.’ Others call it On-Demand Staffing or 'Flexible Staffing Practices'.  Full Availability is a system where it seems the employer has all the rights to organize the employee’s time.  It is not uncommon in retail – and increasingly, in other sectors – to receive your schedule shortly before the week begins, and to be notified that you are “on call” in case of an unexpected surge in customers, expected to report on as little as two hours’ notice.  All of this for the extravagant wage of $7.25 to $10 an hour.

Of course, with your employer’s needs as your central organizing principle, you have precious little energy to devote to organizing anything else: child care, or a search for a better job, or your fellow employees.  It goes beyond paycheck-to-paycheck and ends up being more like hand-to-mouth.  

On January 4, 2015, our worship focus was on the Slaughter of the Innocents and the Holy Family's flight to Egypt as found in Matthew 2:13-23.   We reflected on the ways in which the vulnerable are still threatened by those in power.  During our Faithful Conversation, we took time to bless fleece blankets that were tied by our youth at their last church overnight.  The blankets will be delivered to Domestic Abuse Intervention Services to give comfort to those fleeing domestic violence.  Our prayers will be with those we may never have the chance to meet. 

photo credit: Carolyn Bell

For this Sunday's service, we invited the project's organizers to speak.  Mr. Jeff Kunkle, a faculty member at McFarland High School who was highly involved in organizing the project, along with other faculty and students, will be present to share reflections on the experience.

The “Facing Intolerance” exhibit will be on display at the Overture Center until Dec. 7.   The exhibit features black-and-white portraits of students who have been victimized by intolerance, combined with anonymous quotes explaining their feelings.   It was originally presented at the McFarland High School in coordination with performances of The Laramie Project last year.

This is the second Community Heroes award presented by the congregation; in 2013, Katie Gletty-Syoen of the McFarland Community Garden was the recipient.  

The theme of our November 16 service is “Turning Swords into Plowshares,” based on a Bible passage from the book of Isaiah.  Our music, prayers, and reflections will focus on turning what is destructive into a force for good. 

In addition to the opportunities above, we also support the work of the wider church.  McFarland UCC is proud to be a "5 for 5" congregation in the UCC!  That means we contribute to Our Church's Wider Mission (which helps sustain the ministries of our association, conference, and national resource staff), as well as four special offerings each year:

• One Great Hour of Sharing (ministries of compassion & disaster recovery around the world)
  
• Strengthen the Church (supporting new UCC churches and renewing churches like ours!)
  
• Neighbors in Need (ministries of justice & compassion in the US)
  
• The Christmas Fund (pension supplements for retired clergy, spouses, and Christian educators)
  

We are currently accepting gifts toward the Neighbors in Need (NIN) offering.   Here's what NIN does:

One way we're living out our commitment to be a Church with Heart this week is by helping stamp out hunger.  

According to the UN World Food Programme Web site, 805 million people—or roughly one in nine —don’t have enough food to eat to lead a healthy lifestyle.  Poor nutrition causes 45 percent of deaths in children under five years old.  Hunger kills more people annually than AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis combined. Here in McFarland, the local Food Pantry helps hundreds of local residents on a monthly basis.

 Roger Brooks and Martha Olsen are coordinating our efforts in this very important event to help those who have little or nothing to eat. You may pledge to support MUCC’s team here, or see Roger Brooks after worship on Sunday, October 19 to make a cash or check donation.

We invite you to pray for our walkers (Dawn Algrim, Roger Brooks, Barb Baumgartner, Lisa Ludwig, Martha Olsen, Pastor Kerri, Heather Ross, Rachel Saladis, Randy Zoran), for those our team's fundraising will benefit, and for all those who struggle to access enough healthy food to sustain them.

For billions of people around the globe, poverty turns life into a struggle for survival.  Roughly half of the world’s population lives in poverty.  Many survive on less than $2.50 a day, the price of a cup of coffee at a local café.  

In an effort to increase understanding of issues related to poverty, and encourage conversations about what faithful people are called to do in response, Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice is holding an economic justice film festival this month.


McFarland UCC hosts the kickoff on Thursday Oct. 16 with the film Why Poverty?. This provocative animated feature pinpoints the causes of poverty by taking us on a journey through time and space and examining poverty across history and cultures. A discussion will follow after the film.

We're excited to welcome back MUCC member Kristin Gorton, who is working as an intern for Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice as part of her seminary education, and is helping to coordinate this event.  

Other movies that make up the Economic Justice Film Festival will be shown at locations throughout the Madison area over the next several weeks. Find the schedule at wisconsinfaithvoicesforjustice.org

If you’re free on Thursday evening, we invite you to help out as McFarland United Church of Christ takes a turn sponsoring the Shared Table Community Meal.   The meal is served each week in the McFarland Lutheran Church’s gymnasium.  Doors open at 5 p.m. and food is served from 5:15 to 6:15.  

This is an easy way to jump in and try your hand at mission.  It’s a one time commitment for just a few hours, and older children and youth are welcome to participate with adults.    

 “It takes a lot of people working together,” says Lavon Geasland, a regular coordinator of MUCC’s involvement.  “About 30 people help supply the food and clean up afterwards.”

Lavon said volunteers find the experience of preparing the meal rewarding.