As I am in the final lap of service to the Birmingham Unitarian Church outside Detroit, Michigan, I have a new appreciation of how important a liberal congregation is for the community during times of economic distress.

While sometimes congregations disagree about this or that policy or direction, it seems to me that we all, and at all times, need to pull together to help the most economically distressed in our communities. The Birmingham Unitarian Church continues to serve the poor in the Detroit area and in Pontiac, providing clothing, school supplies, food for the food pantries, shelter, tutoring, and much more. Certainly, they are good examples of the fact that serving the poor while helping to heal the sick at heart is not for religious fundamentalists alone!

In addition to helping the poor, the members of the liberal church also add a much-needed global perspective on local issues when the media come to call. The global and local problems are not going to disappear, but without that educational role, the problems may not even be recognized for what they are.