Dear People of Christ Church,
This week, I have found myself on several occasions brought to tears in considering intensely ordinary things. I don't think it's that I'm particularly emotionally fragile, but somehow I've just felt blessed to hear about those things I so take for granted that others struggle with. This morning, for example, I had the opportunity to visit the Waltham Family School. WFS opened in 2003 as a way of meeting two needs for families in Waltham: affordable preschool for children and English instruction for parents. Four days a week, housed at the old Waltham South Jr high, parents and kids come to school. The parents are immigrants-many from Central and South America, but also from Asia and Africa. 60% of them have a 6th grade education-or less-in their home country. So they come to learn-learn to speak English, learn to read, learn how to help prepare their kids for kindergarten. This morning, I met a woman who was learning to read. Originally from Africa, when she signed her son up for kindergarten she had to have a friend come along to fill out the forms for her. She couldn't understand the notes that came home-how could she ask her friends constantly to read her mail for her?-and she tried to improvise as best she could. One day, though, her son came home from school and said that all the kids were wearing their pajamas that day. It was pajama day. Why hadn't she told him? This year, she said, when it came around again, she was able to read the notice and bought him a new pair for her son's special day. It is so, so ordinary, but it brings me to tears-all the education, all the privilege I take for granted, and and the tenacious love of a mother to make a better life for her son. Last year, the first 23 graduates of the WFS preschool entered middle school. Nearly half of them are on the honor roll, and 2011 also saw the first WFS parent earn her GED in English. It works-unfortunately last year Congress voted to de-fund Even Start programs. So the Family School has some fundraising to do for their 2013 budget, especially with 39 families on the waiting list. You'll hear more. Another tear-jerker moment came when I was at clergy conference this week. This annual event is not known for its emotional content-all the priests (and some deacons) of the Diocese of MA gather together for presentations and meetings for three days-get ready, get set, sit still!-and there was a lot of that. This year, though, we had the opportunity to screen the film "Love Free or Die" about Bishop Gene Robinson of New Hampshire (the first openly gay bishop in the Church). The film opened at the Sundance film festival this year and screenings are now taking place internationally (including at Philips Andover this evening). I've written in this space a lot about the Church and human sexuality and all the debates we engage in and what it means for our politics and our faith. What amazed me about the movie was how the Holy Spirit was so evident in the deep faith that everyone at the table shared in God and in love and in the church. Bishop Gene was initially the topic of the film-how he went to his consecration as a bishop in a bullet proof vest, how he was the first elected bishop ever not to be invited to the decennial gathering of all the bishops of the Anglican Communion at Lambeth, England. But the movie also took on the church's process at the 2009 General Convention in approving the future consecration of gay or lesbian bishops and the blessings of same sex unions (and, in our diocese, the vote that would permit clergy to officiate at legal same sex marriages as well). We heard tearful voices from both sides of the debate trying to speak their truth honestly and openly, and heard how after the votes the whole room sat in prayer and silence for ten minutes. Even those who disagreed with the majority action witnessed the Holy Spirit, and that is a wonder. Our own Bishop Tom Shaw featured heavily as well, with adorable shots of him playing at the beach with his godchildren and their dads. In the course of the film Tom said that he, too, was gay, though as a celibate monk the question is substantially different for him. After the screening when Bishop Shaw talked about why he'd made the decision to come out, he said that he never would want his godson to think that he should be ashamed of his family. In response, a colleague of mine spoke of how important that openness was to her teen son in his coming out process, and there was not a dry eye in the house. Marriage, love, parenthood, pajama day. What are the gifts that you forget to give thanks for? Pray them now, and pray you don't forget. Blessings, Sara+
Showing posts with label Gene Robinson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gene Robinson. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Bishop Robinson's Retirement
Dear People of Christ Church,
This week, I have been praying for Gene Robinson and the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire. As we celebrated our own diocesan convention in Lynn last Saturday, Dio NH also had theirs, and received the news that Bishop Robinson would be retiring in 2013. (look for something in our Quarterly newsletter about our own Convention from one of our representatives, Mike Balulescu)
Bishop Robinson was elected in 2003 and consecrated in 2004, which brought to head global conflicts that had been stirring for some time about the interpretation of Scripture on the topic of homosexuality. In his remarks, he talked about how he always appreciated the people of New Hampshire-He said "New Hampshire is always the place I remain, simply, 'the Bishop.' This is the one place on earth where I am not 'the gay Bishop." That evening, I received a call from the Boston Globe looking for comments (apparently I am the only Episcopalian who answers their phone after 9 pm on Saturdays), and got quoted the next day in the paper. When asked about the dispute in the church, I said it was "tragic"-and since I saw it in print, I've really struggled with what that means.
Is it, in fact, tragic? I think the means of the schism are tragic in a way that the ends are not. What's tragic is thinking about so much actual ministry that could have happened over the last ten years if we hadn't been bickering. Tragedy is a gay teenager killing himself. Tragedy is a mother being unable to nurse a baby because she doesn't have enough food to eat. It is sad when people who had been in communion are no longer, but it's probably not a full-on tragedy. What is perplexing about all of this as well is that these moves to enforce some kind of centralized orthodoxy are completely contrary to the theological spirit of Anglicanism that has served us so well for hundreds of years. In the overall scheme of things, 100,000 people have left the Episcopal Church in the US over this issue, but over 2 million have stayed. And how many of you are here because you want to be part of a church that recognizes the ministry of all people? How many of you feel loved by each other even though you may disagree about some things?
On Tuesday, in our politics and faith conversation we talked about why it's so hard to be civil when we disagree; in our conversation I think we managed to do so, even with people on opposite sides of some issues. In this polarized world though, we have found ourselves dividing-or being pushed-into separate corners. Hopefully, a church is a place where we can recognize each other's humanity and love each other without having to agree perfectly on every issue. There is, after all, that whole "made in the image of God" idea-it applies to everyone, whatever our opinions.
In an interview with NPR yesterday, Bishop Gene talked about how the opposition he's received-even death threats-have in some ways strengthened his faith. "Believing in the Resurrection... death is not the worst thing. Not living your life, that's the worst thing."
Let's all pray for the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire and Bishop Gene as they move forward in the last chapters of their ministry together.
Blessings,
Sara+
This week, I have been praying for Gene Robinson and the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire. As we celebrated our own diocesan convention in Lynn last Saturday, Dio NH also had theirs, and received the news that Bishop Robinson would be retiring in 2013. (look for something in our Quarterly newsletter about our own Convention from one of our representatives, Mike Balulescu)
Bishop Robinson was elected in 2003 and consecrated in 2004, which brought to head global conflicts that had been stirring for some time about the interpretation of Scripture on the topic of homosexuality. In his remarks, he talked about how he always appreciated the people of New Hampshire-He said "New Hampshire is always the place I remain, simply, 'the Bishop.' This is the one place on earth where I am not 'the gay Bishop." That evening, I received a call from the Boston Globe looking for comments (apparently I am the only Episcopalian who answers their phone after 9 pm on Saturdays), and got quoted the next day in the paper. When asked about the dispute in the church, I said it was "tragic"-and since I saw it in print, I've really struggled with what that means.
Is it, in fact, tragic? I think the means of the schism are tragic in a way that the ends are not. What's tragic is thinking about so much actual ministry that could have happened over the last ten years if we hadn't been bickering. Tragedy is a gay teenager killing himself. Tragedy is a mother being unable to nurse a baby because she doesn't have enough food to eat. It is sad when people who had been in communion are no longer, but it's probably not a full-on tragedy. What is perplexing about all of this as well is that these moves to enforce some kind of centralized orthodoxy are completely contrary to the theological spirit of Anglicanism that has served us so well for hundreds of years. In the overall scheme of things, 100,000 people have left the Episcopal Church in the US over this issue, but over 2 million have stayed. And how many of you are here because you want to be part of a church that recognizes the ministry of all people? How many of you feel loved by each other even though you may disagree about some things?
On Tuesday, in our politics and faith conversation we talked about why it's so hard to be civil when we disagree; in our conversation I think we managed to do so, even with people on opposite sides of some issues. In this polarized world though, we have found ourselves dividing-or being pushed-into separate corners. Hopefully, a church is a place where we can recognize each other's humanity and love each other without having to agree perfectly on every issue. There is, after all, that whole "made in the image of God" idea-it applies to everyone, whatever our opinions.
In an interview with NPR yesterday, Bishop Gene talked about how the opposition he's received-even death threats-have in some ways strengthened his faith. "Believing in the Resurrection... death is not the worst thing. Not living your life, that's the worst thing."
Let's all pray for the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire and Bishop Gene as they move forward in the last chapters of their ministry together.
Blessings,
Sara+
Thursday, July 1, 2010
To follow, not just admire
This Sunday, July 4, we'll be celebrating the Eucharist out on the lawn. I hope that if you're in town, you'll join us at 9 AM. It's the first Sunday of the month, which would be our usual Children's Sunday, but since there will be enough going on as it is (and it would also be hard to see and hear), I'll just preach a shorter, extemporaneous sermon. I think, though, that our outside worship will help to accomplish some of what we try to do in our those services: to unsettle our sedate habits (which heaven knows we Episcopalians have plenty of), to listen for the Gospel in unexpected places. Like our children's services, it wouldn't be appropriate to do all the time, but I'm looking forward to it. Plus it's a good time to use up the rest of the delicious communion bread that our confirmation class made us for Holy Week!
We'll continue reading the book of Kings (more about that on Sunday). Our Gospel has Jesus sending out "the 70." He's already sent out the twelve disciples on mission within Israel, but these will go on a wider journey. 70 is the traditional Jewish number of nations of the world--the descendants of Noah (Genesis 10: 2-31). The seventy are "like lambs into the midst of wolves," defenseless in the midst of hostile communities. But the coming of Christ is a reign of peace, when, as the prophet Isaiah announced, the wolf and lamb will eat together (Isa 65:25). They are sent into the midst of wolves--our Gospel tells us that they are instructed not to bring a bag or a staff, either. That's symbolic of their work--they have only themselves and their story, their hands, their feet.
The seventy just have themselves; that's all we have, too. And sometimes it can feel as though there are wolves out there. All we have is the way we live our lives. All we have is the story of the work that Christ has done in our lives, that we have been freed and forgiven, and called and sent out to give that to others. Being a church is not just about keeping it for ourselves and talking about how good we feel! Last year, when New Hampshire Bishop Gene Robinson was in Boston, I saw this quote in an interview with him:
It seems to me that the greatest danger that you and I face as a church, as individuals and corporately, is that we will be admirers of Jesus only, and not followers. We love to admire Jesus, don't we? We love to gather, and slap each other on the back, and say, 'How great it is to see you again this Sunday.' And we love to listen to those great stories about Jesus. Wasn't he a great guy? Didn't he do some awesome things? But following him is not only much harder, but the point. If the church is in danger of anything, it is in danger of being a club of admirers of Jesus, rather than followers.
We are sent out to the corners of the world with just ourselves, to tell the story of peace, love, and justice--not just tell the story of Christ's ministry, death, resurrection--peace, justice, and love--but to do his work, too. To follow, not just admire.
That's the invitation we have to give others--radical acceptance, radical growth, and radical social change--a world where no one is worth less than another, where the lion lies down with the lamb. And though I am very proud of Bishop Katharine these days for her theological poise and grace, all of the power plays of all the Archbishops are beside the point.
How does your faith impact your life? What will you do differently, in this new life you've been given? How will you be telling the story, today, tomorrow, the day after?
Blessings,
Sara+
We'll continue reading the book of Kings (more about that on Sunday). Our Gospel has Jesus sending out "the 70." He's already sent out the twelve disciples on mission within Israel, but these will go on a wider journey. 70 is the traditional Jewish number of nations of the world--the descendants of Noah (Genesis 10: 2-31). The seventy are "like lambs into the midst of wolves," defenseless in the midst of hostile communities. But the coming of Christ is a reign of peace, when, as the prophet Isaiah announced, the wolf and lamb will eat together (Isa 65:25). They are sent into the midst of wolves--our Gospel tells us that they are instructed not to bring a bag or a staff, either. That's symbolic of their work--they have only themselves and their story, their hands, their feet.
The seventy just have themselves; that's all we have, too. And sometimes it can feel as though there are wolves out there. All we have is the way we live our lives. All we have is the story of the work that Christ has done in our lives, that we have been freed and forgiven, and called and sent out to give that to others. Being a church is not just about keeping it for ourselves and talking about how good we feel! Last year, when New Hampshire Bishop Gene Robinson was in Boston, I saw this quote in an interview with him:
It seems to me that the greatest danger that you and I face as a church, as individuals and corporately, is that we will be admirers of Jesus only, and not followers. We love to admire Jesus, don't we? We love to gather, and slap each other on the back, and say, 'How great it is to see you again this Sunday.' And we love to listen to those great stories about Jesus. Wasn't he a great guy? Didn't he do some awesome things? But following him is not only much harder, but the point. If the church is in danger of anything, it is in danger of being a club of admirers of Jesus, rather than followers.
We are sent out to the corners of the world with just ourselves, to tell the story of peace, love, and justice--not just tell the story of Christ's ministry, death, resurrection--peace, justice, and love--but to do his work, too. To follow, not just admire.
That's the invitation we have to give others--radical acceptance, radical growth, and radical social change--a world where no one is worth less than another, where the lion lies down with the lamb. And though I am very proud of Bishop Katharine these days for her theological poise and grace, all of the power plays of all the Archbishops are beside the point.
How does your faith impact your life? What will you do differently, in this new life you've been given? How will you be telling the story, today, tomorrow, the day after?
Blessings,
Sara+
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
From January 28: Prayers for the President
I hope you had a good snow day and didn't have to drive too far in this weather. Thanks to everyone who attended the annual meeting and brought delicious dishes for lunch last Sunday. Our earlier joint service was very successful, and gave us plenty of time to talk and eat.
Today I'd like to share with you the prayer offered by Bishop Robinson of New Hampshire last week at the opening inaugural event at the Lincoln Memorial. They're good words for the president, and good words for us, too. You can find a link to the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire below.
...
Welcome to Washington! The fun is about to begin, but first, please join me in pausing for a moment, to ask God's blessing upon our nation and our next president.
O God of our many understandings, we pray that you will. . .
Bless us with tears - for a world in which over a billion people exist on less than a dollar a day, where young women from many lands are beaten and raped for wanting an education, and thousands die daily from malnutrition, malaria, and AIDS.
Bless us with anger - at discrimination, at home and abroad, against refugees and immigrants, women, people of color, gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people.
Bless us with discomfort - at the easy, simplistic "answers" we've preferred to hear from our politicians, instead of the truth, about ourselves and the world, which we need to face if we are going to rise to the challenges of the future.
Bless us with patience - and the knowledge that none of what ails us will be "fixed" anytime soon, and the understanding that our new president is a human being, not a messiah.
Bless us with humility - open to understanding that our own needs must always be balanced with those of the world.
Bless us with freedom from mere tolerance - replacing it with a genuine respect and warm embrace of our differences, and an understanding that in our diversity, we are stronger.
Bless us with compassion and generosity - remembering that every religion's God judges us by the way we care for the most vulnerable in the human community, whether across town or across the world
And God, we give you thanks for your child Barack, as he assumes the office of President of the United States.
Give him wisdom beyond his years, and inspire him with Lincoln's reconciling leadership style, President Kennedy's ability to enlist our best efforts, and Dr. King's dream of a nation for ALL the people.
Give him a quiet heart, for our Ship of State needs a steady, calm captain in these times.
Give him stirring words, for we will need to be inspired and motivated to make the personal and common sacrifices necessary to facing the challenges ahead.
Make him color-blind, reminding him of his own words that under his leadership, there will be neither red nor blue states, but the United States.
Help him remember his own oppression as a minority, drawing on that experience of discrimination, that he might seek to change the lives of those who are still its victims.
Give him the strength to find family time and privacy, and help him remember that even though he is president, a father only gets one shot at his daughters' childhoods.
And please, God, keep him safe. We know we ask too much of our presidents, and we're asking FAR too much of this one. We know the risk he and his wife are taking for all of us, and we implore you, O good and great God, to keep him safe. Hold him in the palm of your hand - that he might do the work we have called him to do, that he might find joy in this impossible calling, and that in the end, he might lead us as a nation to a place of integrity, prosperity and peace.
AMEN.
Today I'd like to share with you the prayer offered by Bishop Robinson of New Hampshire last week at the opening inaugural event at the Lincoln Memorial. They're good words for the president, and good words for us, too. You can find a link to the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire below.
...
Welcome to Washington! The fun is about to begin, but first, please join me in pausing for a moment, to ask God's blessing upon our nation and our next president.
O God of our many understandings, we pray that you will. . .
Bless us with tears - for a world in which over a billion people exist on less than a dollar a day, where young women from many lands are beaten and raped for wanting an education, and thousands die daily from malnutrition, malaria, and AIDS.
Bless us with anger - at discrimination, at home and abroad, against refugees and immigrants, women, people of color, gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people.
Bless us with discomfort - at the easy, simplistic "answers" we've preferred to hear from our politicians, instead of the truth, about ourselves and the world, which we need to face if we are going to rise to the challenges of the future.
Bless us with patience - and the knowledge that none of what ails us will be "fixed" anytime soon, and the understanding that our new president is a human being, not a messiah.
Bless us with humility - open to understanding that our own needs must always be balanced with those of the world.
Bless us with freedom from mere tolerance - replacing it with a genuine respect and warm embrace of our differences, and an understanding that in our diversity, we are stronger.
Bless us with compassion and generosity - remembering that every religion's God judges us by the way we care for the most vulnerable in the human community, whether across town or across the world
And God, we give you thanks for your child Barack, as he assumes the office of President of the United States.
Give him wisdom beyond his years, and inspire him with Lincoln's reconciling leadership style, President Kennedy's ability to enlist our best efforts, and Dr. King's dream of a nation for ALL the people.
Give him a quiet heart, for our Ship of State needs a steady, calm captain in these times.
Give him stirring words, for we will need to be inspired and motivated to make the personal and common sacrifices necessary to facing the challenges ahead.
Make him color-blind, reminding him of his own words that under his leadership, there will be neither red nor blue states, but the United States.
Help him remember his own oppression as a minority, drawing on that experience of discrimination, that he might seek to change the lives of those who are still its victims.
Give him the strength to find family time and privacy, and help him remember that even though he is president, a father only gets one shot at his daughters' childhoods.
And please, God, keep him safe. We know we ask too much of our presidents, and we're asking FAR too much of this one. We know the risk he and his wife are taking for all of us, and we implore you, O good and great God, to keep him safe. Hold him in the palm of your hand - that he might do the work we have called him to do, that he might find joy in this impossible calling, and that in the end, he might lead us as a nation to a place of integrity, prosperity and peace.
AMEN.
Monday, July 21, 2008
July 16: Celebration
Dear People of Christ Church,
This week, my family and I are spending the week at the Barbara C Harris Camp, our diocesan summer camp (named for Barbara Harris, a bishop in our diocese and the first female bishop in the Anglican Communion) . Noah and I are chaplains, and Isaiah is along for the ride (literally, since I’ve been carrying him around in a little front pack for much of the time). We work on worship--preaching and celebrating the Eucharist—and with the kids’ Bible study and activities. Yesterday I went along with a group of 11 and 12 year olds to beginner horseback riding lessons—church camp is not about church EVERY second, after all. And Isaiah loves the attention from the “big” kids. So we are having a good week.
Last Sunday, we had a great time with Cameron’s baptism and the blessing of our new sprinkler and flowers. We recited parts of a song from St Francis of Assisi, the Canticle of the Sun. We prayed in memory of those who died this year, in thanksgiving for those who gave to fund it, and to the glory of God. Our sexton, Gary, came and gave us a demonstration of the sprinklers, too. Special thanks go to him and to Marcia Luce, who spearheaded the project and was still putting finishing touches on the flowers over the weekend. And thanks to all the team of “Mighty Gardeners” who will continue to weed and maintain all summer! You can see pictures of the event on our website, www.christchurchwaltham.org.
On the other side of the ocean, the bishops of the Anglican Communion begin meeting today for the Lambeth Conference, which takes place in England every ten years. I hope you’ll keep the bishops in your prayers this week. Pray for Archbishop Rowan Williams, who presides over the conference and is, I believe, doing his best to keep us all together. The fact that no one (myself included) seems entirely happy with his decisions tells me that he must be doing a good job. Please also pray for Bishop Gene Robinson of New Hampshire. He was not invited to the conference itself, but has still traveled to England to meet people and try to have some kind of dialogue. Bishop Robinson just wants to be a bishop—not the “gay bishop,” not a troublemaker, just a pastor to his people. At one event, he took questions and said that he wished everyone could come visit him in his diocese where, he said, “90 percent of the time” he is performing diocesan tasks and can often be found “in a church basement with a macaroni salad.”
While it is true that our Church faces some serious challenges, parishes across the globe are staying faithful to their ministries and trying to seek and serve Christ in the people around them. It might seem odd to bless things like a boiler (as we did last year) or a sprinkler system like we did on Sunday. I think, though, that we have to take all the opportunities we can to celebrate what we have and what we are doing together. Tragedy makes room for itself—it squeezes in and derails our predictable wants. But we have to pay more attention to those times for celebration. They can too easily dart by us before we realize.
So Gene Robinson eats his pasta salad, and we bless our flowers, and the kids at camp sing to Jesus with guitars and drums and hand motions, and the church moves forward.
Thanks be to God.
This week, my family and I are spending the week at the Barbara C Harris Camp, our diocesan summer camp (named for Barbara Harris, a bishop in our diocese and the first female bishop in the Anglican Communion) . Noah and I are chaplains, and Isaiah is along for the ride (literally, since I’ve been carrying him around in a little front pack for much of the time). We work on worship--preaching and celebrating the Eucharist—and with the kids’ Bible study and activities. Yesterday I went along with a group of 11 and 12 year olds to beginner horseback riding lessons—church camp is not about church EVERY second, after all. And Isaiah loves the attention from the “big” kids. So we are having a good week.
Last Sunday, we had a great time with Cameron’s baptism and the blessing of our new sprinkler and flowers. We recited parts of a song from St Francis of Assisi, the Canticle of the Sun. We prayed in memory of those who died this year, in thanksgiving for those who gave to fund it, and to the glory of God. Our sexton, Gary, came and gave us a demonstration of the sprinklers, too. Special thanks go to him and to Marcia Luce, who spearheaded the project and was still putting finishing touches on the flowers over the weekend. And thanks to all the team of “Mighty Gardeners” who will continue to weed and maintain all summer! You can see pictures of the event on our website, www.christchurchwaltham.org.
On the other side of the ocean, the bishops of the Anglican Communion begin meeting today for the Lambeth Conference, which takes place in England every ten years. I hope you’ll keep the bishops in your prayers this week. Pray for Archbishop Rowan Williams, who presides over the conference and is, I believe, doing his best to keep us all together. The fact that no one (myself included) seems entirely happy with his decisions tells me that he must be doing a good job. Please also pray for Bishop Gene Robinson of New Hampshire. He was not invited to the conference itself, but has still traveled to England to meet people and try to have some kind of dialogue. Bishop Robinson just wants to be a bishop—not the “gay bishop,” not a troublemaker, just a pastor to his people. At one event, he took questions and said that he wished everyone could come visit him in his diocese where, he said, “90 percent of the time” he is performing diocesan tasks and can often be found “in a church basement with a macaroni salad.”
While it is true that our Church faces some serious challenges, parishes across the globe are staying faithful to their ministries and trying to seek and serve Christ in the people around them. It might seem odd to bless things like a boiler (as we did last year) or a sprinkler system like we did on Sunday. I think, though, that we have to take all the opportunities we can to celebrate what we have and what we are doing together. Tragedy makes room for itself—it squeezes in and derails our predictable wants. But we have to pay more attention to those times for celebration. They can too easily dart by us before we realize.
So Gene Robinson eats his pasta salad, and we bless our flowers, and the kids at camp sing to Jesus with guitars and drums and hand motions, and the church moves forward.
Thanks be to God.
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