I Have Arrived!

I am hot, sweaty, but oh so happy to finally be in La Ceiba, Honduras. After a round-about ride to and through Newark, NJ with Brother Will, a quick flight to Atlanta, an almost sleepless night on a pay-as-you go massage chair in Atlanta next to a dinosaur, a packed flight to San Pedro Sula, and a 3 hour drive along the northern coast of Honduras, I have finally arrived at my home for the next 10 months.

I was greeted at the airport by Mike, the principle of Holy Trinity Episcopal School and Javier, my friend from my last mission trip to Honduras and the new father of a 3 month old baby girl. Javier guided us through the moving maze that is Honduran traffic all the way to my new apartment right in the center of the city where Betty, Mike’s wife and a teacher at Holy Trinity was waiting. What a spectacular place. It is a two room apartment with lots of windows, a bed with leopard print sheets, very little water pressure, and a built-in breakfast counter. Paradise! I am about seven blocks from school and two blocks from the mall where I can shop in the comfort of air conditioning. Mike and Betty spent a ton of time finding the place for me, which will covered by Holy Trinity as part of my stay. Muchas gracias a ellos.

Mike and Betty took me out to dinner (Chinese food) and we got to talking about the school year and living in La Ceiba. Betty counseled me to ask every question that comes to me because if I do, I will probably get what I need and if I don’t, I probably won’t. It made me remember the plane ride I took this morning.

I of course skipped breakfast, forgetting in my sleep deprived haze that Delta did not serve complementary lunch on the planes anymore. So when it came time for the free drinks and snacks, I pleaded for some extra pretzels. When the flight attendant asked why, I explained my predicament and the he laughed and gave me some extra bags. He asked if I was allergic to peanuts then walked to the back of the plane. Puzzled, I expected I had scored a couple bags of peanuts as well. However, when he came back, he had a huge peanut butter and jelly sandwich, his plane ration that he didn’t want to eat. It absolutely made my day.

I hope that this mission trip is full of these exchanges and I can be on the other side, providing what I have to offer to those who need it. I just have to figure out what they need, which I don't think will always be as easy as a PB&J sandwich. With God's Help. Off to bed. Meetings all day tomorrow with the other teachers. Thanks for all your support and prayers!

Sermon, July 26, 2009 by The Rev. Frances A. Hills, Rector

In Ephesians, Paul prays for his readers (who by extension include us, because we’ve just read it!) that we may be “strengthened in our inner beings…as we are being rooted and grounded in love.” What an incredible prayer! And I love to think that someone is praying that for you and me…praying we are inwardly strengthened and rooted and grounded in love!

It is a wonderful prayer, yet how could it possibly happen to us—this strengthening and rooting and grounding in love? Well, one way I know it is happening is through our children. These past few months have been a time when over and over again, it’s been our children who have strengthened, rooted and grounded us in love. They’re the ones with what we need.

We are reminded of this today as Tyler plays the saxophone and so freely and graciously shares with us his amazing talent for jazz improvisation.

We were reminded of this in April when Peter and Lucas, our rising rock musicians, so generously gave the proceeds of the sales of their CDs at St. James to enhance our outreach programs.

Then a few weeks ago Jake strengthened and grounded us in love
when he asked us, his home parish, for some help so he can spend next year as a teaching missionary at an Episcopal School in Honduras.
Jake will teach math to 9th and 10th graders in a country where a 6th grade education is the norm.

And I don’t know about you, but I am also strengthened and grounded
in God’s love whenever I look at Dorree’s paintings…such joy and generosity of spirit comes from this Little One among us who’s been our July Artist of the Month! And Dorree is the one who says she’d like to return someday to her native Tanzania, and become the Prime Minister, so she can “help all the poor people.”

On Friday night, I had the privilege of spending the evening with parishioners and their granddaughter Christy. Christy shared with us about the two-month mission trip she took to Ivory Coast. She told of the people, their simple life-style, their suffering, their joys, and their needs. Christy hopes to complete her B.S. in nursing next year then dedicate her life to doing medical missionary work wherever God sends her. Knowing about her call and commitment strengthens me in my inner being. She strengthens all of us, and roots us and grounds us in God’s love.

Finally, there’s Gideon’s Garden. Remember it started as a dream, just a kernel of an idea some of our youth had last December: “Wouldn’t it be nice to grow a vegetable garden and to give the food to hungry people?” Yesterday I was looking on our web page at the pictures of the day in early June when we blessed and planted Gideon’s Garden. There were about 30 people there, half youth and half adults. There were some tiny seeds and a lot of small plants. There was a third-acre of land that frankly looked like an awful lot of ground for us to garden. In those pictures, it seemed to me there was a lot more dirt than people or plants. But the youth had taken their dream, planted the seeds in the ground, dedicated the ground to God and asked for God’s blessing. They wanted to supply food for the Breaking Bread Kitchen, the Stockbridge Open Table, and the People’s Pantry. On that day in early June, I couldn’t imagine how we were ever going to raise enough food for all of that.

But I understand there’s already been at least one generous donation to the Pantry. And last Tuesday, as the rains came down, a handful of kids harvested an amazing amount and variety of food: Carrots, zucchini, yellow squash, broccoli, onion, all kinds of lettuce, cucumbers, green peppers, Swiss chard and some tomatoes! Sally said her Prius was packed to the gills with vegetables. I also heard Darra’s car needed to be detailed after the muddy harvesting crew got home!

Then on Thursday night at Breaking Break Kitchen, seven of the youth came and joyfully served their harvest, along side our wonderful adult crew. Pennie introduced the Gideon’s Garden Gang to the diners, and they received a hearty round of applause. There was salad and cooked mixed vegetables for the 60 diners. Although I couldn’t be there, I heard it was, “Absolutely delicious because it was so fresh”. And, I might add, because it was so rooted and grounded in love!

After the meal, there were tables full of bags of fresh vegetables for everyone to take home. And there were salad and cooked vegetables for everyone to take home. There were even fresh vegetables for Margaret to take home to her chickens!

Jesus looked up at the crowd of 5,000 and asked Philip, “Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?” Philip said, “Six months’ wages would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little.” But then Andrew said, “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish.” ‘Didn’t seem like much, but it was the child who had what they needed. So Jesus took the boy’s fishes and loves and blessed them. And the people ate and were satisfied. Then they gathered up the food that was left over. “They filled 12 baskets.” Amen.

what the tide brings in: The Rt. Rev. Barbara Harris preaches Integrity Eucharist

what the tide brings in: Barbara Harris preaches Integrity Eucharist

Sermon, July 19, 2009 by The Rev. Frances A. Hills, Rector

I don’t know how many times I’ve driven by St. James since the wall collapsed last year. I don’t know how many times I’ve parked the car and walked up to the building, around the building…
Prayerfully, thoughtfully wondering…

What will happen to this place?
What will happen to us, the people of St. James?
What does the future hold?

And I’ve also gazed up at St. James’ clock tower and thought of that famous speech of Joshua after they crossed into the Promised Land and built a stone monument, ”When your children ask their parents in time to come, ‘What do these stones mean?’…”
What do these stones mean?

A couple of weeks ago we got the official report back from our engineering firm. We shared it with the congregation last Sunday. We also wanted to let the wider community know what we’re dealing with as a congregation. So last Thursday, St. James hosted a public meeting at Berkshire Community College-South County Center, right across Main St. from the church building. Forty or so came to the meeting, and about two-thirds of us were parishioners. We did an expanded form of the report we gave here last week.

After the meeting, I noticed several walked across the street to St. James, and others stood on the sidewalk and just looked across to the church. No doubt they were asking similar questions to mine and wondering similar things…

What will happen to this building?
What will happen to our congregation?
What does the future hold?

What do these stones mean…

To me personally?
To the congregation?
To the Town of Great Barrington?
To the Diocese of Western Massachusetts?

In her sermon at the closing Eucharist of General Convention, Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori spoke of “The blessings of leanness.” She said, “People get creative wandering in the wilderness. They get creative when they don’t have great structures behind them. They get creative when they don’t have big fat bank accounts.” She was referring to the Episcopal Church in general, but it felt like she was speaking directly to us at St. James. God knows we’ve gotten creative, and God knows we’ll need more of that gift as we move into the future!

I must admit it’s not every day that I’m actually thankful for the words attributed to
St. Paul in the Bible. However, today’s words from the Letter to the Ephesians, although they address a very different situation, are balm to the ears. They remind us of the SOURCE of the creativity and strength we’ve received and continue to need. The SOURCE is the cross of Jesus. Ephesians tells us that through the cross, Jesus has brought together both God’s Chosen People . . . the ones who were “near” and those who did not worship the God of Israel… the ones who were “far off”. By Jesus’ death and resurrection, the “far off” and the “near” miraculously come together and become the Church. They share Jesus’ “peace”. Paul says Jesus has taken the wall, the hostility, that stood between these groups and broken it down. He’s torn down a wall in order to create a new, united humanity, reconciled to God.

It’s like the African concept of Ubuntu, which was the theme of this year’s General Convention. It means, “I in You and You in Me.” The Chosen (the “near”) and the Pagans (the “far off”) are united in Christ as the Church. Ubuntu. So the people with all their different backgrounds and points of view (Paul says) “are all members of the household of God built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone.”

So no matter what our situation at St. James, we can just relax. No matter what we decide we should do about the building; no matter what time, talent, treasure and energy; no matter what infusions of creativity it takes to get to God’s preferred future for us: We’re standing on the solid foundation of those who have gone before…united together in Christ. Ultimately our solid ground is Jesus Christ, the cornerstone.

It is in Jesus’ masonry—not the bricks and mortar—that the whole structure of the church
Is joined together. It is in Jesus’ grace—not in all our hard work—that we grow into a holy temple. It is in Jesus’ Spirit—not in a particular building—that we are built together spiritually into a dwelling place for God. It is in us, God’s people, that God dwells.

It is we who are God’s holy temple. So, I hope we will take our companionship with one another very seriously…God dwells in and among us! I in you and you in me. Ubuntu.
Together as Christ’s body we will receive the creativity God gives us. We will entrust ourselves to God to show us the future God wants for us, and to answer those questions we ask as we gaze up at the building. Christ is indeed the cornerstone, solid and secure, and we are being built together spiritually into a dwelling place for God.
I in You and You in Me. Ubuntu. Amen.

Thank you, John

Many thanks to John Cheek for giving us a window into General Convention. The descriptions and photos helped us to enter into the pageantry, worship, arduous debate, friendships, history and challenge that is GC.
Ted

Our work is done! Thanks be to God! Even God rested on the 7th day. We had to wait for the 11th!
Frank Wade our chaplain evoked William White priest in Philadelphia in the early days of our church believed in the ministry of all the baptized, Priests , Deacons and Lay. It was the foundation of the polity of our church which is still unique in the AC.
We powered through a huge consent calender with 58 resolutions.
I will point out that Secretary Straub wore a different colorful Sport Coat every day. His outfits are all perfectly coordinated and he is unflappable and often very funny
Our Eucharist began with Jeremiah 1:4-10, the Gospel was John 21:15-17. 'feed my sheep"
The sermon was given by the PB. You have heard many words . Jeremiah put words in your mouth. She also invoked William White who modeled the gift of Anglicanism. The tension of disagreement keeps us alive. The choice between Inclusion and orthodoxy is a false one. Jesus says , if you love me, Feed my sheep. How will you feed the sheep you see every week?
We concurred in a vote by orders on C056 which authorized gathering liturgical resources ( changed in the HOB from liturgies) for same sex couples. One priest said we were covering the church with shame, but most agreed. One deputy with a lesbian mother said I am an episcopalian because the church accepted her. Prayers were offered before the vote. Tell the story of GC in ways that others can understand. Public narrative may help. Speak peace to a world that desperately needs it.
Our deputation met for lunch and we planned a meeting in August. We will decide how to present our report to the Diocesan Convention in October.
The afternoon session featured a dizzying array of legislation, such as
A099 recruit youth music leaders
C078 rites for loss of a companion animal
D006 amend canons in disagreement between rector and vestry
B029 consent to Episcopal elections
A064 addiction education for ministers.
A055 Tithe as minimum standard of giving. Deputies asked to sign pledge to do this.
D018 address global warming
C061 access to ministry for all amended by Bishops
Bonnie Anderson , our president reminded us that we were deputized to vote our own minds and to exercise leadership in our dioceses.
There were a round of thanks to the many volunteers who made this convention possible.
Frank Wade sent us off with a prayer from the NZ prayerbook.
Lord, it is night.

The night is for stillness.
Let us be still in the presence of God.

It is night after a long day.
What has been done has been done;
what has not been done has not been done;
let it be.

The night is dark.
Let our fears of the darkness of the world and of our own lives rest in you.

The night is quiet.
Let the quietness of your peace enfold us, all dear to us, and all who have no peace.

The night heralds the dawn.
Let us look expectantly to a new day, new joys, new possibilities.

In your name we pray. Amen.


Bottom to top pictures. Waiting to speak, Bonnie Anderson President HOD, Back of Secretary Straub's jacket. Top L. My chariot. (I am now walking normally)

GC July 16

We are nearly there! Only one more day.
This mornings session began with consideration of the triennial budget which we received yesterday. It is a large and very complex document the product of much committee work. We began with a lot of parliamentary maneuvering over how to discuss it. The committee presented it under the rules which only allowed them 10 minutes. They told us some of the bad news. Our short term reserves are almost depleted. GC in 2012 will be shortened . The HOB will have their travel expenses reduced. Normally they meet 3 times a year. Many worthy programs have been cut or eliminated. Quite a few will lose their jobs at 815 2nd avenue in NYC.
The debate was split into canonical, corporate, and missional. Many offered amendments. Micromanaging such a complex document in the HOD is usually a very bad idea. All amendments were defeated and the budget passed as submitted to us.
There was a resolution recommending a single payer health care. It passed by a very narrow margin 51 to 49%.
Resolution Co23 was to work against the defense of marriage act. Many feel it is a civil right. This also passed in a vote by orders , but not without considerable objection. Lay 64% in favor Clergy 55%.
At the morning Eucharist, I ended up at a table with 3 Bishops including Jerry Lamb of re formed San Joaquin, and Carolyn Irish , Utah retired.
The celebrant was the Rt Rev Wilfrido Ramos-Orench Bishop of Ecuador Central.
Our reading was II Corinthians 5:17-20, and the Gospel was John 1:35-42.
Our sermon was given by Brian McLaren author and activist. He spoke about evangelism and about how that is not thought of as being something Episcopalians do. But he urged moderate and progressive Christians to share their faith. He spoke of three distractions.
1.Institutional conflict
2. Institutional Identity. Focus on self preservation
3. Institutional rigidity mentioning in particular the complex path to ordination.
The Bishop celebrated mostly in Spanish but did switch into English at times.
The music, while certainly very good , has not been as memorable this time compared to Columbus. Perhaps it is budget cuts. But there is still a great variety of styles, gospel, spirituals, traditional hymns, and Hispanic music. I will put a favorite Hispanic one on a video at the bottom of this post.
After a quick lunch and a short meeting with our deoutationI raced around the exhibition hall to find some bargains. It closed at 2pm.
The afternoon session was very full. We went though mountains of legislation. Here is a sample.
B031 hope for reconciliation in Honduras. Much discussion of this and whether we knew enough about the situation. Several people from Honduras spoke in favor of it and it did pass.
C014 Domestic violence training for clergy. Testimony was offered, one from a woman who had lost her daughter to this. Without proper training, clergy may make a situation worse.
A number of courtesy resolutions were passed.
In the middle of this , I went to say hello to the rector of All Saints Waterloo Belgium who I visited while in Brussels in April. Kempton Baldridge has a daughter starting at Smith College this fall and is a clergy alternate for the Convocation of American Churches in Europe.
D066 would have give the youth presence a vote. They now have only seat and voice. This was discharged and did not pass.
D075 World mission mission is the heartbeat of the church says the PB.
There were more courtesy resolutions, but we finished a bit after six and have no evening session. Hallelujah!
Pictures at the top. Our own senior deputy Dr Debbie Harmon-Hines and the Rt Rev Barbara Harris, the first woman Bishop of the Episcopal Church. Dr Louis Crew, founder of Integrity, and the Bishop fashion award.

Video below, the not so frozen chosen at daily Eucharist

GC July 15

Today was a grueling slog in the HOD through massive amounts of legislation. We passed the denominational health plan. This was a vital step to help cut costs. It will eventually be mandatory. and should save the whole church at least 10 %. I had attended a one day seminar on this in the spring.
We completed voting on the Executive Council, and Trustees of General Seminary. It took time, even with electronic voting.
Our Eucharist today was paperless with prayers and Hymns projected on video screens. The music mixed the traditional with less well known. I sat at a table with Ron Taylor , retired Bishop of NY now serving in Jamaica. As usual, I picked a table at random as they are not assigned.
Steve Charleston assistant Bishop of California delivered the sermon and it was masterful and compelling, a call to arms about global warming. I want to lift your spirit and serve our planet, this island home. I speak for our mother earth and my ancestors here. The clock is ticking. The alarm is ringing for anyone who would hear it. If it takes a prophet to say it, I am that prophet.
Bishop Taylor leaped to his feet and said to me, "That is the best sermon I have heard in many years".
After lunch we slogged through many resolutions beginning with passing the Lay pension plan making it mandatory for lay employees with more than 1000 hours in a year.
We then had a joint session as our Bishops joined us. See the picture. The PB presided as the budget was presented. "Mission is out reason for existence", said the PB. We must have creativity in responding to the reduced budget. There will be Resurrection. Many reductions in our budget because of reduced income. Our General Convention will be shortened by 2 days and will be mostly electronic. I am glad we are going to computers and internet, because the paper notebooks are cumbersome, slow and expensive. But it will be very difficult to deal with less days of legislation. It is already exhausting!
After the bishop left we ran through a lot of legislation. Here is a sample.
A 074 Inter religious dialogue
D 039 Fix broken labor laws
D 012 support transgender civil rights
A 167 protection from human trafficking
B027 Peace between Israel and Palestine Tear down the wall, end land confiscation, a sovereign state
D 035 Repudiate doctrine of discovery rights of indigenous people
D 054 Eucharistic sharing with Methodists.
Towards the end of this, my head wanted to fall down on my notebook. But we finally finished a bit after 6.
Tomorrow we will probably have an evening legislative session as we are still behind in the calender.
I spoke with our song leader and the hymns in the HOD were pitched correctly today. He said he had a cold.
The bishops in the picture above all have come from our diocese. They are left to right -- John Tarrant (Bishop-elect of South Dakota), Lawrence Provenzano (Bishop-elect of Long Island), John Bauerschmidt (Bishop of Tennessee), Gordon Scruton (Bishop of Western Massachusetts), Mark Beckwith (Bishop of Newark) and George Councell (Bishop of New Jersey)

good morning to you all
John

GC 14

This mornings session began with consideration of "Holy Women, Holy Men a monumental addition to our saints calender. This takes up several hundred pages in the blue book. It has attracted some controversy because some think it is focused more on what people accomplished than what kind of lives they lived. It includes WEB Du Bois, Bach, Purcell, and John Henry Newman. This work has been carefully crafted by the Prayer Book Liturgy, and Music committee for trial use over the next trienium. In spite of this , several deputies offered amendments. The floor of our house is not a good place for such nit picking. We have much legislation to get through and this slows things down to a crawl. Nevertheless, we managed to pass it.
Before we broke for worship, we had a number of vip guests visit. Usually this is just seen as an impediment to our legislative work. But this was different. A Jewish Cantor sang a prayer in a fine lyric tenor voice. His artistry was beautiful to hear. Next came an Imam a deep baritone who also came out with mesmerizing sounds. A minister then sang more traditional Chrsitian music. Then they all sang together. It was breathtaking!
I sat right down front for the daily worship. Some lively hispanic music got us in the mood. The first reading was Isaiah 61:1-4. The Gospel was Luke 4:14-20.
The sermon was by Abagail Nelson President of programs forERD . She was very young. Shhe tied the MDGs to Jusus saying the spirit of God is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. The communion was Baisically rite I with the Healy Wiilan service music. The Celebrant was Bishop O Neil of Colorado. The PB sat quietly near the side of the altar.
Ater our deputation lunch, we went back into legislative session. Our first order of buisiness was to concur on the HOB's approval of D025 with slight amendment. The opposition forced a vote by orders and tried various parlimentary maneuvers to slow things down. But we passed it!! Then came C 014 a commission to do a theological study of marriage including Gay and Lesbian relationships. This also passed. There was considerable debate on C067 which called for the disclosure in advance of how much money we spend on litigation of property disputes. This was defeated after a moderate conservative who is also a lawyer argued that it would give away our strategy to people who want to steal from us. Another consrvative accused him of violating the decorum of the house by offering personal attacks.
Just after passing a resolution about the humane treatment of animals, the song leader attempted to get us to sing "All things bright and Beautiful". But he pitched it about a 4th too low to my frustration, so it sounded like a bunch of elephants.
Later after much debate and maneuver, we passed A052 which gives retired bishops seat and voice ,but no vote in the HOB. It was also a vote by orders, a slow process.
We are at least two days behind on our daily agenda and under huge pressure to move things along, so it is frustrating to have so many deputies go to the mic for frivolous reasons.
Our session ended at 5 for provincial caucuses. After that we enjoyed the province one dinner at a restaurant in "Downtown Disney". It was a long walk home after that.
!

GC July 13

Our HOD morning session began with speeches from our youth presence which has seat and voice but no vote. Zach Brown zeroed in on that fact as he deplored the lack of youth involvement. He said you can't grow the church without the youth. Will you let us be leaders?
We then returned to debate about the consent to the Bishop of Ecuador Central, a diocese that is very conflicted. Much testimony was in Spanish with translation sentence by sentence. Their debate time was doubled to make up for this. Most of the testimony was in favor of consent, but the opposition was obviously very unhappy and alleged impropriety in the process. Still most of this testimony was in favor of consent, and we eventually voted for this.
We have also been told that the Venezuela deputation had been refused visas in spite of intervention by the church.
We spent a lot of time voting for candidates for Pension Fund Trustees and the committee for the trial of a bishop.
Our Eucharist featured a wonderful children's 'choir, Young at Arts. They did a great arrangement of both versions of 'This Little light of Mine".
The Gospel was Luke 10:29-37, the good Samaritan. The sermon was by Courtney Cowart Head of disaster response Diocese of Louisiana. She spoke of the dark forbidding road to Jericho known as the bloody way. All angels hold their breath. There is a new reality with one catalyst, a Samaritan. The choice to act with mercy was revolutionary. Two thousand ears later there is another Jericho in a hurrican ravaged city with thousands abandoned. A woman holds a sign, "I am American too". Thirty Seven Million Americans live in poverty. Come , find Ubuntu in New Orleans.
Communion was celebrated by Bishop Singh of Rochester. We used the Missa Appalachia by Johnathon Dimmock, a friend of Meredyth Ward , one of our clergy deputies. The Bishop has a fine singing voice and the setting is beautiful. There were also some fine music to sing during the communion including "Precious Lord"
Our deputation met for lunch and we discussed what might happen with D 025 in the HOB.
Our afternoon session was a long slog and we attempted to shorten it b suspending certain rules to speed things up. We are behind in our calender. We voted several more times in order to get a majority of votes for candidates. WE voted changes in title IV disciplinary canons , a long and complex revision. To my great frustration, several people attempted to make amndments on minor matters which slowed things to a crawl. Such work is best done in a committee, not a house with over 800 members!
We went past the 6 pm quitting timee , but refused to extend it further. We were invited to a reception by the diocese of Long island to celebrate their new Bishop Larry Provenzano who was a menmber of our deputation until his election this spring. It was a very nice party, and just before that, I learned that D025 had passed the HOB with only minor amendments. This is tremendous news! I spoke with Bishop elect Provenzano about the decision and he said that hearts were changed during the debate.

peace and good night
John

Resolution D 025

http://www.episcopalchurch.org/79901_112451_ENG_HTM.htm

GC July 12

We began this Sunday with a festive Eucharist at 10am. When I walked in the door, the organ was thundering Holy Holy Holy, Lord God Almighty. After this came a wonderful sequence of drums and dancers with streamers. Then came the opening hymn Christ is Made the sure foundation.
Our first lesson was Isaiah 2:2-4, then Psalm 96 1-7. The Gospel was Luke 10 1-9 which you will remember was used by St James for the Missional Church reflection. Curiously, they left out the part about shaking the dust from your sandals.
Presiding Bishop Katharine preached the sermon. She began by telling us about a truck driven across the country from NYC with electronic equipment used in our convention. Then she spoke about conversations on our list serv about what to bring to Anaheim and how to dry your socks. The gospel says travel light. Our love for order and structure can become an idol. Expect hospitality. Are you open to receive what is offered here? What will you leave behind in order to take what is given you? Offer the shocking news that God's reign is here. Are you ready to go ahead of Jesus?
The offertory sung by the Episcopal Choral Society was a gospel number that reminded me how much our music is enriched by our ethnic diversity.
After communion, the Presiding bishop processed out accompanied by her two predecessors. Everyone cheered as they went by. O , did I mention that there were maybe 7000 people in attendance?
Western Mass was invited to the Tens (The episcopal Network for Stewardship) lunch. Several of us attended includiong Bishop Scruton. Four people were honored. The three living ones offered passionate speeches . "Kamakaze giving, Banishh fear borne of scarcity, Only a Church generous with its resources can speak with moral authority to a Government. We are the hands of God.
Our short afternoon HOD session proved to be very difficult and contentious, though decorum was maintained. Resolution D 025 dealt with where we are 3 years after B033. It states that we want to be full members of the Anglican Communion and that all our baptized are eligible for all orders of ministry including the Episcopate. As we began, three dioceses called for a vote by orders ( lay and clergy) which makes it more difficult to pass a resolution. Other parlimentary maneuvers included attempts to split the resolution into 2 or more parts. All failed , and after considerable debate the resolution passed by about a 2/3 majority in both orders. In our deputation it passed in the Lay and was divided 2/2 in the clergy which is the same as a no vote under our rules. It now goes to the House of Bishops.
We also passed a Strategic vision for reaching Latinos/ Hispanics. This is a huge and very well planned vision for connecting with the 2nd largest Spanish speaking country in the world, the USA.
The session ended with a short prayer.

peace
John

GC July 11

Hello all,
Saturday was a bit easier. Even my knee is cooperating as long as I remember to elevate it as much as possible. We began with a short legislative session and passed some significant resolutions, including a second one on life long Christian formation.
The morning Eucharist began with the singing of "Christ for the World we Sing". The readings were Proverbs 2: 1-9, Psalm1, and the Gospel was Luke 14:27-33.
The sermon was given by Ray Suarez of NPR. It was energetic and passionate. He loves being an Episcopalian! He immediately attacked the old stereotypes "summer used as a verb" Republican party at prayer", and an old joke about what happens when you cross a Southern Baptist and an Episcopalian. It knocks on strangers doors, but does not know what to say when someone answers. He got really burned about that! He spoke with pride about our prayer book " a jewel of the English language" and the Hymnal 1979. He said he was bilingual, speaking English and church. In speaking about struggling churches in decaying urban centers he said the neighborhoods need us and that we need to reclaim our place in the common culture. Many need what we have got, but we don't yet know them. It was a fiery call to evangelism. He spoke with great pride about our decision to ordain women and the struggle for the full welcome of GLBTs.
Spanish is often used interchangeably during the service indicating the growing number of Hispanics among us.
After our lunch break, we returned for a second public narrative session. This one focused relating stories based on our common experiences. We invited a small table to join us. There were two Chaplains on Air force and one army, she was a Kenyan and offered us the African perspective on ubuntu the theme of the convention. For Africans "I" does not exist they speak of everything as "we". She also told us how disappointed she was when first attending church here in the USA because it was so solemn and not exuberant and joyful like at home.
The shorter afternoon session featured addresses by several from Ghana, Brazil, Canada, and South Africa. One of these was Dr Jenny Te Paa, Principal of Te Rau Kahikatea at St Johns College in Auckland , NZ who had give a sermon in Columbus in 2006 She urged us to act without fear and noted how much our participation was valued and needed in the Anglican Communion. I will see if I can find and post a link to her speech which was difficult for us to hear because of bad microphone pickup coupled with her accent.
We voted for people on the court for the trial of a bishop and did a second ballot for the pension fund trustees. The doo hickies worked well this time thank God.
We adjourned and went out for a bit of dinner.

peace
John

GC July 10

It was nearly a 15 hour day. beginning at 7:30. My knee was worse and kept me awake in the night. I had overdone the walking and not kept it elevated or iced. Will not make that mistake again!
Our morning session in the HOD was mostly taken up with debate as a committee of the whole. About 50 people spoke for 2 minutes each. Let me remind everyone that the house rules forbid applause or other signs of approval or disapproval unless specifically authorized. This makes a profound change in the debate process. Many spoke in favor of changing or moving beyond B033. Some spoke in favor of it for the sake of the Anglican Communion, but they were clearly in the minority.
The daily Eucharist followed our morning session. There was a large children's choir. The lesson from Ephesians 4: 1-6 was read in Hawaiian. The Gospel was Luke 10: 25-28.
The sermon was delivered by Bonnie Anderson President of the House of Deputies. It had astonishing relevance to our St James. She related a story about visiting a church in the reorganized Diocese of Fort Worth. The majority of the diocese has chosen to leave TEC. This parish has lost its building and meets in their small town's aging arts center. The stage was set for a production of Hansel and Gretal. The altar was positioned in front of the boiling pot of the witch. But when the Altar Guild had finished, it became a sacred space. She was moved by a sense of openness, lack of fear, and welcome. She said that such communities need to be open to the changes that newcomers bring. We are moving to full communion with the Moravians. Welcome them she said let them teach us how to sing ourselves. Take on unity as Christian practice.
The deputation met for lunch and we then had a very long HOD session from 2 until 6 with essentially no breaks.
We passed a number of resolutions with little debate including (Lee will be glad to hear) the one on Lifelong Christian Formation. We also began the voting process for Pension Fund trustees with the dreaded "doo hickies" with which we had endless trouble in Columbus in 2006. (see above photo). Things went more smoothly this time.
We also heard of some controversy surrounding the election of a new Bishop in Ecuador Central. There will be more debate about this. The diocese has a history of difficulties.
After the session, I grabbed a quick bite and headed to the Integrity Eucharist in the big ballroom of the Hilton. There was a reception outside. I went in and is usual for us folks in the scooters was ushered right to the front where I had a fantastic seat right in front of the Altar and next to the VIPs which included former PB Browning, Bonnie Anderson and others. There was an atmosphere of joy and exuberance. Just as Bonnie Anderson had described in her sermon, the space had been transformed. There were liturgical umbrellas from St Gregory of Nyssa, streamers, and a beautiful altar surrounded by candles, and incense filled the air. Louie Crew the founder of integrity gave the opening invocation and was followed b the rev Susan Russel the current president. the R Rev Gene Robinson Celebrated and the R Rev Barbara Harris preached a memorable sermon in her inimitable style punctuated by "Amens" and "Tell it sister". Before this we renewed our Baptismal vows and had the thanksgiving over water. The Gospel procession went on for about ten minutes. It was a South African traditional song punctuated by great drumming. Huge streamers accompanied the gospel book which went several times all around the room. See the video below.
After the sermon, there were prayers for the ministry of all the baptized. All who have led in the fight for equality of GLBTs were invited to come forward. Then all the GLBT clergy and families were invited and those no longer with us were remembered. I wept.
The offertory was a Kenyan Folk song performed b All Saints Pasadena choir. See the video below.
Bishop Gene celebrated communion after a brief speech honoring the former PB Browning for being first to welcome all to Gods table.
I received from Susan Russel and Elizabeth Kaeton.
We Processed out to "We are Marching in the light of God" with the streamers umbrellas and incense. In spite of the brutal day, I felt as light as air. What a joyful spirit filled end to the day.

peace
John

GC July 9

This post better be good as it will also appear on the diocesan website. I am the designated deputation blogger today
Today began a bit later for me with a public narrative process at tables of 8. This is a way of telling a story of self, a story of us, and a challenge. It is highly structured and we have only 2 minutes to do this. Then the others at the table offer suggestions on how to improve or clarify what you have done. I have found the process very useful. Many Episcopalians are not good at Evangelizing, and this project offers a way to refine a personal story of Faith. Some of us, however, are not convinced and consider it a waste.
The above process segued into Eucharist. The choir was made up of Bishops and spouses and they sang an anthem in Welsh. John Bruno Bishop of Los Angeles presided and conducted most of it in Spanish. There was a bilingual program.
The Archbishop of Canterbury offered what was called a meditation. He began by stating the obvious. Our process in the Anglican Communion has been difficult and will not get easier. He thanked us for our willingness to engage and acknowledged the deep bonds between us.
He spoke of how God's word brought light to the darkness, and how Jesus faced death (nothingness). He quoted William Stringfellow who he called perhaps the greatest American theologian who said that Jesus looked death in the face and declared it overcome.
The deputation met for lunch, and I went off afterwards to the Prayerbook Liturgy and Music Committee and heard testimony on several resolutions involving Gay Marriage and same sex blessings. The vast majority of the speakers were in favor of some form of this, but there were a number of dissenters. Some of this was deeply moving, especially that of a 17 year old girl who described her experience as an Episcopal camper. When she was ten, she went to camp and met and made many friends. One boy was gay . He told them that this one week was the only time he felt like he was accepted. They spent several summers together at camp Later as a teenager he committed suicide.
After the testimony we had a session of the HOD. After quickly passing some resolutions, we attempted to start voting for the pension fund trustees. But problems with the electronic voting devices forced us to postpone it.
Instead we entered into a " committee of the whole" in order to debate how to deal with B 033 the resolution passed in the final hours of GC 2006. Under pressure to respond to the Windsor report, we at the urging of our new and old presiding Bishop agreed to "refrain from elevating to the Episcopate anyone whose manner of life presented a challenge to the wider communion. Many of us want to move on and declare that all the baptized and eligible for all orders of ministry. We reached picked a partner and had a 3o minute discussion on what to do about this.
The house was adjourned and I called it a day.
M knee is a bit better today. I can walk a bit, but still use the scooter as much as possible.

peace
John Cheek

GC Jul 8

Our day began with a session of the House of Deputies at 8am. Much of this was rather mundane stuff. We have agreed to meet as a "Committee of the whole" later this week to debate how to move beyond B 033 from GC 2006. This was our response to the Anglican Communion and the Windsor Report where we agreed to refrain from elevating to the Episcopate anyone whose "manner of life" presented a challenge to the wider communion. These sessions will allow for extended debate on how to move forward. We will not be able to pass resolutions during this time.
Our first Eucharist followed this session. I sat with one of our clergy deputies, Meredyth Ward. Exuberant African drums ushered us into the space. Our old Testament reading was Ezekiel 36:24-25 from which PB Jefferts Schori took much of her sermon. "A new heart I will give you". Pumping keeps TEC's heart healthy. We will turn to stone unless we reach out to the unchurched. We will receive new life in our heart like a pacemaker. Her final whispered words " Mission is heartbeat".
The offertory Hymn was Hallelujah, we sing our praises" a South African melody accompanied by great drumming.
But the highlight of the morning was the magnificent gospel style piano playing of "Breathe on me breath of life". It was a moment of transcendence. The music just slowly rocked along with an irresistible inevitability and 3000 people stayed perfectly together. We also sang another favorite of mine " I want to walk as a child of the light".
We walked out feeling very light indeed and I spent a good while perusing the Exhibition hall talking with many different people. Folks seem extra friendly to someone in a "scooter".
The deputation met again for lunch and we agreed to attend several committee meetings. I went to Prayerbook, Liturgy, and Music where they discussed a number of projects including a proposed world music collection, revision of Enriching our worship, prayers for women who have had stillbirths or abortions and a project to remove anti Judaism references from Christianity. Over all this is the pressure of very limited funds.
The afternoon session of the House of Deputies featured the confirmation of the Election of two Bishops, both of whom have served as priests in our diocese. John Tarrant former rector of St Pauls Stockbridge was elected bishop of South Dakota. and Larry Provenzano elected this time as one of our clergy deputies (rector St Andrews Longmeadow) Bishop of Long Island, where he grew up. See the T shirt in the above photo worn by his deputation.
Immediately after this session which ended about 6 pm we rushed over to the Hilton Ballroom to hear the Archbishop of Canterbury speak. He was introduced by our PB Bishop Katharine who got a huge ovation from the large assembly. Rowan's subject was about how to carry out the Gospel in a time of scarcity. or as he put it 'The economy of salvation. Much of his talk centered on the emptiness of the promise of wealth built on thin foundation and how we could not return to the old ways. We then heard from 3 young people including a native American, and an African doctor about how the experienced and carried out the work of the Gospel.
It has been a long day, but a good one.

peace to you all
John

GC July 7

Well, today did not turn out quite like I had imagined. I had had some pain in my knee which got worse during my travel yesterday and this morning I could barely walk . A visit to the first aid station at the convention center produced a possible diagnosis of a strained ligament or tendon. Our senior deputy Dr. Debbbie Harmon Hines convinced me to rent a "scooter". This has made m life much easier and given me a vividly real perspective on the importance of curb cuts and automatic doors. It hurts like hell, but the scooter is a lot of fun to drive!
This morning Eliot Moss and I took a cab in and after getting our credentials, we sat around drinking coffee while I iced my knee and the committees met for the first time. Our deputation joined by Bishop Scruton, had lunch together.
This afternoon featured an introduction to "Public Narrative" , a process we will use during our meetings. After that, we met in the house of deputies for an orientation session. A humorous skit with players in funny hats demonstrated proper parliamentary procedure and decorum. The players enacted their parts with gusto.
I have come back to the hotel early to get some needed rest. The house of deputies meets tomorrow morning at 8.

peace
john

In Anaheim

I have arrived in Anaheim as has my roommate (the Rev)Eliot Moss
My ride in from the airport on the super shuttle was fun as the van was filled with Episcopalians including the new Bishop of Virginia and deputies from Kentucky, Arkansas,and Florida.

peace
John

Ruminations: "The Prayers of the People" done right

By Fleming Rutledge
Monday, June 22, 2009

As a visitor to a great many Episcopal churches all over this country for many years, I can attest that the general state of "The Prayers of the People" is deplorable. The revision of the 1928 Prayer Book was supposed to move us away from rote prayers. With very rare exceptions, this has not happened. Most of the prayers in most of the churches are recited in a boring, repetitive fashion, week in and week out--and changing from Form 1 to Form 6 (or whatever) does not improve the situation. We never actually ask anything; instead, we reel off a list of names without differentiation, or we say "For (fill in the blank)" without ever identifying what we are pleading with the Lord to do "for" whomever or whatever.

I can remember only two congregations in my decades of churchgoing where the prayers were prepared and offered with imagination and deep commitment. In both cases they were composed and read by lay people who had obviously been identified as gifted in this ministry. I have never forgotten the way that these lay ministers presented immediate local problems for prayer, while directly upholding community, national and world concerns. The thanksgivings were specific, the world-wide church was remembered in its various needs, and there was a sense that God was really being personally addressed. These liturgical prayers were composed Sunday by Sunday by these gifted lay people, who used the forms provided but expanded them to meet the season, the need, the location, the current situation.

It has been about ten years since I last heard this done really well. On this past Sunday, I heard it again at St. James in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. This is a congregation under great strain because their historic building, the oldest church in town, has been deemed unsafe and they have been forbidden to use it. They are meeting in a local rental hall. Yet in the main service last Sunday, the prayers were beautifully composed, earnest, and above all directly related to the concerns of the contemporary situation--from the needs of the specific congregation to the demonstrators in the streets of Tehran. Even better, they were designed to arise out of the biblical readings for the day.

The Rev. Francie Hills, rector, began by identifying two people in the congregation with these specific gifts. She gave them copies of Prayers for Sundays and Seasons, by Peter Scagnelli, published by Liturgy Training Publications (Roman Catholic). There are three books, one for each liturgical year. Francie explained, "We adapt these significantly for our use at St. James," meaning that they add and subtract according to the Episcopal Church and to the local situation, but they have a splendid liturgical template on which to base their adaptations.

Their offering certainly fell upon my ears and heart like manna.
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Reposted here with permission. Original link: http://www.generousorthodoxy.org/ruminations/2009/06/prayers-of-people-done-right.htm

Luke 10:1-12

Some St James members and visitors may want to continue to use the Luke lesson we listened to Sunday June 7th and then we were led in an exercise to Dwell in the Word. We will continue to use this lesson throughout the PMC process over the next few years.

Peace
Elizabeth

Luke 10:1-12

Jesus Sends Out the Seventytwo
1After this the Lord appointed seventy-two[a] others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. 2He told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. 3Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. 4Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road.

5"When you enter a house, first say, 'Peace to this house.' 6If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; if not, it will return to you. 7Stay in that house, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house.

8"When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is set before you. 9Heal the sick who are there and tell them, 'The kingdom of God is near you.' 10But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, 11'Even the dust of your town that sticks to our feet we wipe off against you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God is near.' 12I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.

Vine and Branches

(Sermon preached on 5th Sunday of Easter, 2009 by The Rev Ted Cobden)

I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit. (John 15:5 NRSV)

I want to explore that image of the vine and the branches with you this morning. See in your imagination a grape vine. See the main stem and the branches coming out from it. See it in May as it leafs out and buds. Then imagine that it is getting to be fall and picture the clusters of grapes hanging from the branches.

The image of the vine and the branches is powerful to us Christians for three reasons. First it shapes the way we understand our fundamental relationship with the risen Christ. Second, the image suggests how we understand our life’s purpose -- how our lives can be fruitful. And third it gives us a graphic perspective of our relationship with each other as Church.

To begin: when the risen Jesus says to us, “I am the vine and you are the branches,” he wants us to appreciate how we are connected to him -- how we abide in him. The Easter message tells us that being bound into the Risen Christ is the promise of eternal life -- life which overcomes death and those forces which challenge the energy of life. Jesus is the vine which keeps bringing newness of life to those who are open to engagement with him -- those who are open to those renewing energies in body, mind and spirit.

For thousands of years philosophers have proposed that human beings are wired in a way so that we are capable of connecting with the eternal one. They suggested that we have an innate capacity for God. For thousands of years theologians have affirmed that we are made in the image of God. We have an affinity for the divine as a wax seal bears an imprint of the divine stamp. God and human kind are made for each other.

Now, in recent decades, the neuroscientists -- those who study the human brain -- are discovering just how truly wired we are to perceive the transcendent. This next Wednesday the St. James book group will be discussing “My Stroke of Insight: A Brain Scientist’s Personal Journey.” The author Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor was a specialist in the anatomy of the brain and was teaching at Harvard med school when she had a stroke which affected the left side of her brain. It took her 8 years to recover her faculties. She is now able to put together her scientific knowledge and her personal experience to describe the amazing capacity of our human brain. She describes how our neurological circuitry can enable us to connect to a universal source of peace and joy and compassion. She says some folks may choose to ignore this connection. Some may be unaware of the potential of this connection. But each of us has the mental capability of connecting to this inexhaustible well of peace and joy and good will.

The relationship we have with Christ -- this abiding in the Living One -- enables us to connect with the unending source of energy and hope. Each day is filled with challenges. Bad things happen. We make mistakes. We hurt others. We try to climb mountains and stumble and fail. Discouragement lies close by. We can become impatient, frustrated, fearful, exhausted. If we did not have the ability to open ourselves to the sustenance of Christ, we would lose hope. But being grafted into Christ, we can take into us the newness of life which refreshes our spirit, renews our centeredness and peace, and resets our vision to see what’s right with the world instead of only what’s wrong.

I invite you to envision on a daily basis your connectedness with Christ. Take time to be still and sense your breathing. Sense your breathing in as a taking in of the spirit of the living Christ and the breathing out of the stuff you want to let go.

A second implication of the image of the vine and the branches is the promise that as we are connected to Christ we will be very productive. Jesus promises that we will bear much fruit.

Each of us is unique and special, but the fruit we bear derives from a common vine which has the life force in it of love, peace, wisdom, justice -- all those virtues you think of when you think of God. So the manifold fruits each of us produces are discrete aspects of this common energy. So some of us having this energy of joy and celebration have special gifts of music and sing in the choir and help us all to worship more effectively. Others with this life energy and love have the ability to nurture and teach children. Others having this energy for the common good have the calling for organizing and managing economic enterprises for the well being of people and our society. Others use God’s energy within them to bring healing to others and others to bring peace and justice to our community.

I invite you to think of the work you do and see how it is connected to the Christ within you. Consider even the small things you do -- the little acts -- the phone calls you make to check on a family member or friend. Might this be Christ reaching out in concern for another through you? Being aware of the Christ within us helps us to see that we have renewable resources within us. This will help us from thinking we rely solely on our own energy. Some of our feelings of exhaustion may be due to that. Instead allow yourself to be replenished by the energy of Christ within.

The third aspect of this image of the vine and the branches that I would have you consider very briefly is the way we are connected to each other as Church.

Paul uses the image of the body of Christ to describe the church. Christ is the head and we are the various other members of the body: the hands, the feet the mouth. We each have different functions, but we coordinate as one body.

As an organizational image it’s clear. But how about the vine and the branches as an organizational chart? Everyone is intertwined. How are we going to know where everyone fits in?

I smiled to myself when I considered that Jesus used this image of the vine and the branches 2000 years before we started to envision and --use with increasing rewards-- the world wide web. How about that as an organizational chart?

What might the implications of this understanding of our organizational structure be for our congregation? From the perspective of the vine and the branches: How do we connect with each other, rely on each other, care for each other?

What might the implications of this image of the vine and the branches be for the Episcopal church as it relates to other members of the Anglican Communion in our diversity?

What are the implications of this structure of the vine and the branches as we relate to other congregations: in the way we may worship together or work together to bring compassion to our community?

Jesus’ image of the vine and branches tells us how blessed we are to be vitally connected to the source of all life. Second how we bear fruit. Third how we are interconnected with other branches of the vine as Church.

Episcopal Tourist in Brussels

Some of you may know that I am in Brussels singing Mendelssohn's Elijah. Today is his 200th birthday and the concert is tomorrow.
This morning long before any of you were awake (I hope), I got up, had breakfast, walked down to the Central station and caught a train to Waterloo, yes, that bad place for Napoleon.
It was about a 20 minute ride with lovely , o so green Belgian fields spread out everywhere. It is spring here with trees in full bloom. At the station, I grabbed a taxi for a short ride to All Saints Episcopal Church. How many of you know of the Convocation of American Churches in Europe? It was started in the 19th century to provide for the spiritual needs of Americans in Europe. The convocation is now multicultural, multinational, multiracial and multilingual.
I was greeted warmly as soon as I opened the front door of the church.The gentleman said "You look lost" to which I replied "But now am found". He quickly introduced me to several people including a Franciscan who preached the sermon.
I went and took my seat. The church has moved to this new building quite recently. I understand it is a former nightclub, a real switch from churches turning into nightclubs. It is a lovely very bright space with clear windows letting in the rare Belgian sunshine. , It is just a bit bigger that our Crissey Farm space.
As I prayed, the organ, an old Allen electronic, began playing the opening hymn "At the Lamb's High Feast". The style here is to just play a short intro, not the whole verse, so by the time I found the correct page we were nearly halfway through the first verse. Except that no one was singing. So I chimed in loudly and soon had them going.
It was Low Sunday and there was not a large crowd. There were maybe 40 or 50, but quite a few children came in later
We began with the collect for purity and launched into the readings. Texts were not provided and the reader's clarity made in unnecessary. The Epistle, however, was read in excellent though not native French with a translation provided. Belgium is made up of Walloons, French speakers, and Flamands who speak Flemish. English is widely spoken also, especially by Flamands.
The Gospel procession was lead by the very young Crucifer who took his job with great seriousness.
The sermon was by Mark Barwick , a Franciscan and Priest who was without his stole today. He preached on the Gospel. Doubting is good he said going back to ancient Judaism where skepticism was very much respected. He encouraged us to think very hard of the meaning and importance of the words while saying the Creed. We need to see with our heart through eyes of faith.
The prayers of the people were led in impeccable Queen's English. We exchanged the peace and the rector introduced me and another visitor , an EU representative who lives in Seoul Korea.
We celebrated Communion with Prayer C, AKA the Star Wars Eucharist. I was impressed and moved that the rector addressed me by name when serving the Host. The recessional was Alleluia, Alleluia, by Sir Arthur Sullivan.
I listened to the brief postlude and went out to the coffee hour. Everyone was very friendly and I had no moments of feeling lost. Coffee was served in china cups and there were some lovely cakes to be had also. When I spoke with the rector Kempton Baldridge, I found out that I will see him in Anaheim this summer for General Convention as he is a clergy alternate deputy. Amazingly, he had just returned yesterday from Northampton,Ma as his daughter is in Smith College. This is a very interesting and diverse group of people. There are quite a few British Anglicans. One lady said how she loved the familiarity of the service even if it is a bit different than the C of E. The Organist and I chatted. He is also carillon player. He pointed out another older gentleman nearby who had studied with Maurice Durufle the famous French organist and composer. Episcopalians are just interesting people!
Mark Barwick gave me a ride to the station and I got my train back to Brussels.
Peace to you all!

Easter Day Sermon April 12, 2009 by Rev. Frances A. Hills, Rector

It’s been a long, hard, dramatic week. We excitedly waved Jesus into Jerusalem Last Sunday with our palm branches, and we danced in procession to Tyler’s great, jazzy saxophone. But then the mood changed. We heard the passion story. We were reminded he had to die.

On Thursday, there it was again. We heard the passionate stories of the women who loved and followed him, “The Other 12 Apostles.” Then we heard about the foot washing and the meal…the last meal before Friday, the day he was brutally crucified. We participated with Christ Church-Trinity in getting ready for that Friday Story as we helped them strip the altar of its adornments.

And then Friday came with its cold, hard, awful story about the hard wood of the cross (unvarnished) and those seven words he spoke in agony.

It’s always hard for me to try to write the Easter morning sermon during Holy Week because I so like “walking through the drama.” To me it seems a bit schizophrenic to be writing about “the glorious resurrection” when we haven’t had the Supper or the Cross.
But of course living in the 21st century on this side of Easter, we really always know about the Cross and the Resurrection.

Well this year in the process of going through The Week and reading the prayers for Holy Saturday yesterday morning before daylight, it occurred to me how very important it is for us, right now at St. James, to remember the Resurrection. It’s important because there’s a sense in which as a parish, we’re sort of caught right now in Holy Saturday. What I mean by that is that we know only too well about Good Friday. It’s fresh in our minds. If we need a refresher, all we have to do is take a drive around the backside of the building at Main and Taconic.

But right now although it IS Easter morning, for us as a parish it’s still in a sense a time before the Resurrection. It’s that time between. That time when we, like the disciples, are a bit bewildered and tired, wondering what will happen to us. What will happen next? Maybe on that Saturday not only the disciples but also even Jesus himself was wondering exactly what was next. That’s why it’s so important for us to hear the God News today…
THE LORD IS RISEN! THE LORD IS RISEN INDEED!

One contemplative (Richard Rohr, Richard’s Daily Meditations)http://www.cacradicalgrace.org/getconnected/subscribe.php) wrote about Holy Saturday, “Jesus trusted enough to outstare the darkness, to outstare the void, to wait upon the resurrection.” Now I think that’s what we at St. James are called to do right now: We’re called to outstare the darkness because we live in faith and hope. We can live in faith and hope because Jesus conquered all darkness…even death itself! We live on this side of Easter. WE KNOW!

In today’s Easter Gospel from John, after Mary tells them the stone is rolled away, Peter and the Beloved Disciple hot-foot-it to the tomb. John, the Beloved, looks in. Peter goes in, and John follows. The gospel tells us simply, “(John) saw and believed.” The empty tomb, the linen wrappings were signs enough for the Beloved Disciple.

I’m reminded of that enigmatic Holy Week story in Mark about the fig tree. It comes the day after Palm Sunday. “As they left Bethany the next day, Jesus was hungry. Off in the distance he saw a fig tree in full leaf. He came up to it expecting to find something for breakfast, but found nothing but fig leaves. (It wasn’t yet the season for figs.) He addressed (cursed?) the tree: ‘No one is going to eat fruit from you again—ever!’” (The Message, a paraphrase of the Bible by Eugene Peterson) This story has always puzzled me: Since it’s not the season for figs, why is Jesus so upset?

The Bishop of Virginia Peter Lee ponders this question and suggests that Jesus asks of us, his followers, to be Signs of New Life, Signs of Resurrection…even when we’re “out of season.” (The Living Church, April 16, 1995) We’re called to be signs of new life even during this in-between time of exile for the parish, even during this time of such uncertainty in our nation and world, even during this time when some of us and/or our loved ones are in the midst of serious health problems and real suffering. In these “out-of-season” times, it would be easy to give up and give in to negativity, the “what ifs,” and the “worst-case-scenarios.” But as Resurrection People we’re called to act differently. We don’t deny that these difficult things are real. They are very real. But we’re called to look in them (like a tomb), to outstare the darkness, and to find within them Signs of New Life. We’re called to be Beloved Disciples: to look in the tomb, see the signs: To see and believe.

In fact in our ironic, last-are-first/first-are-last Christian faith, it’s exactly in these dark places, in the tombs, that we will find new life…in season or out-of-season. The core, the essence of our Christian faith is this very thing…this dying and rising cycle, which Jesus embodies in his life, death, and resurrection. So with confidence we can look in those dark places and be assured that THERE (exactly THERE) we will find New Life! ‘Even more amazing is that from THERE (exactly THERE) from those dark places of our lives, we will find our most valuable and authentic gifts. And the gifts we will find in the darkness will be the things that best proclaim to others the profound reality of our faith in a crucified and risen God.
So wherever we are in our journeys…in season or out-of-season or somewhere in-between, let us proclaim the joy we share this Easter morning…Alleluia! Christ is risen! The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia! Amen.

Coffe Hour

The Episcopal Tourist, Write III

This morning at the suggestion of Ed Hutchinson, Lee and I attended All Saints Church in Dorchester just outside of Boston. This is an Anglo Catholic Parish founded in 1867. The present building dates from 1897 and is an architecturally significant structure of great beauty.

We arrived about 15 minutes before the service, found a bulletin and made our way to a pew. The magnificent interior featured high ceilings and clerestory windows with some fine stained glass. The altar was of elaborately carved stone with a richly detailed last supper and painted scenes with gold leaf above. The choir stalls were made of intricately carved wood and there was an elaborate cross high above the choir that also appeared to be part of a rood screen. There were also side chapels. The pews were of wood with no cushions.

The relatively new Fisk tracker organ was shown off to great advantage in the prelude, Improvisation in F# Minor by Buxtehude. The conclusion filled the church with mighty and beautifully balanced sonorities.

The congregation was a diverse mixture. There were many African Americans including two elderly church ladies in matching pink skirt, jacket and wide brim hats. All appeared devout and most everyone genuflected entering and leaving the pews.
The service was called a Solemn Mass, which indicates the presence of incense and chanting. Ed had told us that the church was a training ground for acolytes and this was evident in the precision of the service team. The choir, torchbearers, thurifer, Sub Deacon, Deacon, and Priest entered from the rear and executed some precise choreography reverencing the altar.

I should note that in the pews were the 1940 Hymnal and the Anglican Service Book which seemed to be mostly rite I with some additions. Today we had just the trebles from the choir of Men and Boys. There were only 5 of them, but they were very well schooled and confident, needing only occasional direction from the choirmaster. They sang an introit in Anglican Chant. We began with an opening acclamation and then knelt for the Decalogue, confession and absolution.

Lee noted that they were following the Roman Catholic lectionary, not the RCL. No amplification appeared to be used during the service and it was definitely needed. We both had difficulty understanding readers, priests and others.

The congregation was censed 3 times during the gradual. All bowed their heads each time. The gospel procession was executed with exquisite precision, and then chanted superbly right next to us as the incense rose heavenward. The children were joyfully led out by a torchbearer to Sunday school. Lead kindly light!

The sermon was delivered by the rector, Father Michael J. Godderz. He preached on the Epistle, Ephesians 2:4-10. It concerned the gift of God’s grace. We do not have to do good works to be saved. We are already saved, and our good works are the fruits of that gift of salvation. Lee took exception to some other conclusions of Father Michael and had a lively impromptu discussion with him on the way to coffee hour.

After the creed, prayers of the people, and peace, the trebles sang a lovely anthem by William Byrd I have longed for thy saving health.

Portions of the Eucharistic prayer I were chanted. The priests celebrated in the old manner with their backs to the congregation facing the high altar. All movement was done with great reverence and grace. We went up and received at the altar rail to the strains of Bach’s Bist du Bei Mir, Be thou with me, sung in quite decent German by the boys.

After prayers and dismissal we sang the final hymn. This was followed by a recitation of the Angelus. All stayed to listen to the Voluntary, Buxtehude’s O Sacred head sore wounded, as the altar candles were extinguished by another team of acolytes. This must have been the training class as they had a few small missteps along the way.

A member in an adjacent pew invited us to coffee hour and gave us directions. We went as instructed to the back and up some stairs. There was handicap access via a motorized chair lift. Their Great Hall is a large and graceful space with high ceiling and beautiful wood. It is flooded with light from many large windows. There were a number of happy children running around. It took a while, but we were finally approached by a man and later his wife who engaged us in conversation. This gentleman had been at this church since 1935!

Our impression of this church was of a very devout, vital and engaged community. From my childhood and some other experience, I have always pictured the Episcopal Church as an essentially patrician and definitely white community. What was truly heartening about this church for me was the diversity of the congregation and the obvious strength of their devotion. This is not a wealthy community for the most part and it appears that this church provides much needed structure in the lives of its members, especially the children in this working class neighborhood. The music program is of special interest to me. It is obvious from the musical skills the boys displayed that they have been taught with great care and intensity. One announcement concerned prayers for a choirboy whose home had been destroyed by fire. The bonding, sense of purpose, and community this program fosters must be of great value here.

We heard hints that there had been controversy in the church, presumably something to do with the “current unpleasantness” over sexual matters.

Personally, I might have trouble making his my spiritual home because of the conservatism of the theology and liturgy. The priest did depart slightly from the printed liturgy at one point by using more gender inclusive language, but this was the exception. The old liturgy, while very beautiful, poetic, and majestic, seems to me now to be a relic of an earlier era. I also question the use of the fine, but very outdated 1940 hymnal. Nevertheless, the Anglo Catholic tradition is well represented here with beautiful ceremony, liturgy, music, and community.

Episcopal Tourist part II



This Sunday I attended Emmanuel Church. Several things brought me here. First they are unique in that they incorporate a Bach Cantata into their service, second they share space with a Jewish Congregation and their Rabbi preached the sermon today, third, they describe themselves as a Church that welcomes everyone and strives for justice and peace.

Instead of the snows of last week, it was a very bright sunny day. Only a strong wind kept it from feeling really balmy. So it was a long but pleasant walk for me over Beacon Hill and across the Public Garden.

I was greeted warmly at the door and ushered inside. This is a truly grand Gothic space with very high ceilings and beautiful stained glass including what looks like a Tiffany. The altar is huge with very elaborate stone carvings. The choir stalls are of intricately carved wood. I would estimate the congregation at 150 or more. There is room for many many more. The organist played Bach’s Praeludium in G minor

We began with announcements, followed by the opening hymn. In contrast to last week, this was definitely low church, though there was a nice procession with adult choir and guest children’s choir, crucifer, torchbearers and two priests, both women. After the collect for purity, came the lessons and a very nice unattributed plainsong Kyrie. In place of the psalm, the children’s choir sang a moving anthem Make me one with the darkness,with music by James Primosch and words by Wendell Barry

At night, make me one with the darkness
In the morning make me one with the light
When I rise up, let me rise joyful like a bird
When I fall, let me fall without regret like a leaf.
Let me wake in the night and hear it raining and go back to sleep

Rabbi Howard Berman’s sermon was riveting, expertly delivered, and very well constructed. He began by referring to the Genesis reading and reminding us that three faiths have arisen from Abraham. He spoke of the rise of monotheism and its novel concern for how we treat each other. He compared Noah and Abraham noting that Noah was not as righteous as the scriptures have him appear. Noah blindly obeys God. He does not question what will happen to the righteous during the flood. When God will destroy Soddam and Gomorrah, Abraham takes great risk by asking God what will happen to the righteous and the innocent when those cities are destroyed. Rabbi Berman reminded us that in Jewish tradition and increasingly in Christian tradition also, that the sins of Soddam and Gomorrah are not thought of as sexual sins, but those of lack of hospitality and violence to strangers. This was a powerful reminder of our duty to care for and respect the dignity of every person.

After the prayers and the peace, we celebrated Communion. The choir sang a short anthem by the acting Music Director John Harbison, a very distinguished composer and conductor.

It was now time for the Cantata. Many of you may remember hearing recordings from here on the late Robert J. Lurtsema’s Sunday morning NPR program. The musicians quickly set up. There were 2 recorders, 2 violas de gamba, portative organ and strings. This was # 106 Gottes Zeit ist die Allerbeste Zeit. God’s time is the best time. Also known as Actus Tragicus, this is one of Bach’s early masterpieces. Atypically, it is made up of a number of smaller segments rather a few large ones. It is intended for use at funerals. It begins with a Sonatina a gently weeping piece for recorders and gambas. Then follows the first chorus Gottes Zeit. The tenor arioso follows “Ach Herr, Lord teach us to consider that we must die so that we may become wise. The bass solo answers Bereite Dein Haus, Put your house in order for you will die. The soprano arioso answers Komm Herr Jesu Come Lord Jesus, and the chorus accompanies saying It is the ancient law, human, you must die. The instruments also play a chorale against all of this. It is the miracle of Bach that he can present this deeply gloomy text and still uplift the spirit. The alto sings In Deine Hande” Into your hands I commend my spirit. You have redeemed me Lord God. The bass answers with Heute Wirst du mit mir, Today you will be with me in paradise. Against this is juxtaposed the chorale With peace and joy I depart. The final chorus is a miracle of lightness and joy. Glory Praise, honor and majesty be prepared for You, God the Father and Son, for the Holy Spirit by name. The divine power makes us victorious through Jesus Christ, Amen.

We said the final prayers and sang the recessional. I went out to greet the tenor soloist, an old colleague.

There was much to ponder here with great texts and great music to illuminate the meaning. It is a beautiful sacred space with a fantastic music program. But what was missing for me in my experience today was a sense off community. Unfortunately no one spoke to me or welcomed me during or after the service. Now I did not hang around very long, but no one invited me to coffee hour or even shook my hand except during the peace.

The Episcopal Tourist, an occasional series

Today in Boston I attended the Church of St John the Evangelist. The priest in charge describes it as a liturgically ceremonial, socially progressive church.

It was snowing as I made my way up the steep front steps. I found out later that handicap access is not available because of difficulties complying with historic district regulations.

As I entered, a special needs woman gave me a service leaflet. I found a pew, sat and took in the lovely interior of the church, built in the mid 19^th century. It had begun as a congregational church, but the Episcopalians have tarted it up quite well. The focal point is a beautiful reredos with wood carving and painting with gold leaf. The altar faces out, above it were seven brass lanterns and above that a large elaborately carved ornamental Cross hanging from the ceiling. There are also wooden choir stalls that are not used as such. The choir, organ and organist are in the rear balcony. Everett Titcomb, the noted organist and composer of church anthems played here for many years. The organ prelude was Bach’s O Mensch Bewein Dein Sünde Gross.

The Crucifer, Priests and Thurifer entered engulfed in clouds of incense. We began immediately with the Great Litany in procession. The congregation followed along as instructed. We processed out to the narthex and up and down both aisles and across the Altar. The lay chanter was expert and his words were crystal clear. Copious clouds of incense wafted throughout the sanctuary.

The psalm was done in simplified Anglican Chant and the gospel was accompanied by much more incense. The thurifer stood beside me and I was engulfed.

The priest in charge was on vacation in the Virgin Islands. So the sermon was delivered by a young African American seminarian from EDS April Alford. She did very well in tying the readings together and asking us what we would make out of the Lenten season.

I had been concerned that the small congregation of about forty seemed rather distant, but all exchanged the peace with warmth and inclusiveness

The choir, actually a quintet of excellent voices, sang an offertory anthem by Alessandro Scarlatti

As we sang the hymn Forty Day and Forty Nights, the thurifer censed the altar and vessels, unfortunately also knocking over the chalice. At this point we had just finished the penultimate verse, and the organist skillfully improvised for about 5 minutes as the mess was cleaned up and a new chalice prepared. We were led into the last verse and then a guest presider, the Rev Kathryn Piccard celebrated the Eucharist. We came up to the Altar and received standing up. The choir sang a short anthem by Richard Farrant. The closing hymn Lead us heavenly Father was played with spirit and I enjoyed singing it.

The postlude was more Bach Ich Ruf zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ.

I spoke with the celebrant and preacher on the way out and they invited me to coffee hour. There was quiche and Irish soda bread. I chatted with several people including the organist Jeffrey Mills and a retired priest whose son is an opera singer in Berlin at the Stadtsoper Unter den Linden.