About Us 2

Do you know something about life’s curveballs? The dictionary definition of a curveball is something which is unexpected, surprising, or disruptive. Some curveballs are minor inconveniences, some knock us off balance, and some threaten to strike us out and take us completely out of the game.

Wouldn’t it be nice if we knew the curveballs were coming and could prepare in advance? Unfortunately, just like in baseball, the game of life doesn’t work that way. The solution is not to avoid curveballs; they will be thrown. Jesus reminds us in John 16:33a, “In this world, you will have trouble.” Instead of wasting energy trying to avoid curveballs; we can focus on how we respond when we are at the plate, and a curveball takes us by surprise.

I came upon this quote that seems applicable when dealing with situations that threaten to take us out of the game: “Life is 10 percent what happens to you and 90 percent how you react to it.”

So how can we cope with Life’s Curveballs? God can even use the game of baseball to teach us some profound truths: we can handle life’s curveballs when we remember we are not alone in this game we call life.

It might be a helpful tool to use this acrostic C-U-R-V-E as a guide for how to deal with curveballs:

C- call out to Jesus. We are not alone. Our God walks with us.

U- use your knowledge of the past. Remember that you have made it through difficult situations in the past

R- reach out. Let other people support you.

V- view the curveball as an opportunity to grow stronger. Try to see curveballs as teachable moments for growth and maturity in your faith.

E-Expect to be thrown curveballs throughout life. Do not give them the power to create anxiety or lose hope.

And finally find a scripture that speaks to your heart. For example: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” (Phil. 4:6).

Have you encountered a curveball that has thrown you off your game? Take heart, lean on Jesus, remember your strengths, seek support, adjust your

attitude and manage your expectations. And always commit to staying in the game carrying the knowledge that our God is by your side.

The United Church of Christ (UCC) is a distinct and diverse community of Christians that come together as one church to join faith and action. With over 5,000 churches and nearly one million members across the U.S., the UCC serves God in the co-creation of a just and sustainable world. The UCC is a church of firsts, a church of extravagant welcome, and a church where "…they may all be one" (John 17:21).

The Church of Firsts

Since 1957, the United Church of Christ has been the church of firsts, weaving God’s message of hope and extravagant welcome with action for justice and peace. Together, we live out our faith in ways that effect change in our communities. The UCC's many "firsts" mean that we have inherited a tradition of acting upon the demands of our faith. When we read in Galatians: "There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus"—a demand is made upon us. And so we were the first historically white denomination to ordain an African-American, the first to ordain a woman, the first to ordain an openly gay man, and the first Christian church to affirm the right of same-gender couples to marry. We were in the forefront of the anti-slavery movement and the Civil Rights movement. Our response to the demands of our faith is woven into the history of our country.

A Church of Extravagant Welcome

Today, we continue to change lives throughout the world. We work alongside more than 200 mission partners. We labor ceaselessly to fight injustice, in the United States and abroad. We instill our vision into our youth and young adults, forging leaders who will imagine new dreams. And we sustain and develop church leaders, pastors, and our local churches to live their faith in exciting new ways. We believe in a God that is still speaking, a God that is all-loving and inclusive. We are a church that welcomes and accepts everyone as they are, where your mind is nourished as much as your soul.

We are a church where Jesus the healer meets Jesus the revolutionary, and where together, we grow a just and peaceful world.