Happy Thanksgiving!

This week, I'd like to share a bit more about what we're doing for Advent adult education. Each year during Advent and Lent, a small group gathers in the choir room at 6:30 for a simple Eucharist, and eats dinner over discussion in the rector's office (beginning at 7:15). This year, we'll meet to talk about economics and faith. Having worked on our capital campaign all fall, I've been much in the mindset of giving-the results of that campaign and our stewardship for 2012 show that you have been as well! And with the recent Occupy protests shining a light on the tremendous wealth inequality in the US, the moment seemed right to spend some more time thinking about inequality and faith. What are our responsibilities? What needs to be done, and how? How bad is it, really? Our conversations will be based on the work of radio journalist Krista Tippett, whose show, On Being is on each Sunday morning. We'll listen to short excerpts of her conversations with thinkers and activists in a variety of fields and discuss ways to integrate their ideas into our own lives. Below, I'm sharing a prayer-poem written by Jenifer Gamber, an Episcopal educator in Bethlehem, PA, which is one of the opening prayers for the third week in Advent.

Please, please join us-and let me know if you want to cook dinner!

Blessings,
Sara+



People Like Us
by Jenifer Gamber

Someone put his children to bed hungry tonight. Again.
Fill his emptiness. With hope. His soul. With strength to face the morning.
Fill our hearts with generosity. To share your bounty.

Someone like me today could not go to school to learn.
Grant her wisdom and perseverance. To seek justice. For herself and others. Teach us to spread the light of knowledge to all people.

Someone like me cannot read a book to his children today. Protect him. From hatred that would subdue the spirit. Lift our voices. Grant us strength. To advocate for parity.

Someone like me watched a four-year-old son today. Die of measles. Comfort her. Gather her son in your arms. Empower us to witness to your dream: a world where all children receive medical care.

Someone like me died today of AIDS. Five children orphaned. Receive him into your kingdom. Strengthen the minds, bodies and spirits of his children. Knit us together as one family. With determination to serve those affected by AIDS.

Someone like me died today. Giving birth to her daughter. Let her pain turn into a song. Of homecoming. Help us provide skilled health workers. For women during childbirth.

Someone like me today. His lips parched by thirst. Quench his thirst for water. His desire for justice. Save us from whatever hinders our stewardship of creation. And threatens clean water.

Someone like me needs a sewing machine today. To build a business. Sustain the spirit of enterprise. Her dream of providing for her family. Help us offer partnership with all people. As we work toward economic independence.

By Jenifer Gamber, modified by Krista Tippett.
From Lifting Women's Voices: Prayers to Change the World

Dear Friends:

It's been nice to be back in the office after my retreat, which was quite restorative. As we wrote in last week's email, longtime parishioner Otho Kerr died on Monday, and I spent the week with his upcoming burial in the back of my mind. Even with a few text messages sent back and forth with one of his sons, it was still a good time away. It was also a time to reconsider whether my family (and beloved parish!) could handle me being actually on retreat for real, say, in another state, for actual nights away--I think the answer is yes. But the funeral on Saturday was quite frankly one of the most moving I've ever participated in, and certainly I never would have missed it. Of course every time we gather to celebrate someone's life and mourn their death is special, but there was something about the reflections offered by sons, the beautiful rendition of the Lord's Prayer that Gregory Kerr sang, the readings, the Gospel-it was really the best of our tradition all together. Otho and his wife, Julia, had been married for 61 years, and I know we will all keep her in our prayers as well. Otho Kerr III, in his remembrance, talked about how he had run the New York City Marathon the day before his father died, and how Otho had been sharing his son's stats with the nurses at Spaulding Rehab. What a gift for both of them.

Otherwise, things move along-and quickly!-this weekend is the final "Commitment Sunday" for our capital campaign and our concluding week of stewardship speakers and events. Thanks to Victoria and Michelle who have shared their stories so far--Jose will talk a bit this Sunday about his journey in giving. As always, your generosity has been breathtaking, and I am so thankful for all of you who are still considering how you are able to support our capital campaign (gifts and pledges so far total over $276,000). This building work will be so important to our hospitality and welcome to people of all generations for years to come. What's also exciting is that, in our partnership with the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts, once we reach our goal, as we have, the sharing formula shifts-so now every pledge will have 85% stay at Christ Church and 15% goes to wider mission. Stewardship also winds up this week, and it's exciting to see those pledge cards roll in as well. The gifts you give to keep the heat on, the parking lot plowed, and salaries paid is so vital to our witness. We celebrate the Eucharist more than one hundred times each year, not to mention the sacraments brought to those who are sick. There are a lot of worthy "causes" to give to, no shortage of people and endeavors that need your support. But the work of the church is the one that is, hopefully, the center of your spiritual life. When I consider my own faith, I think I need to give as much as the church needs to receive.

Meanwhile, enjoy these last days of fall before the cold descends. Take a few extra deep breaths, a few more minutes at your morning coffee. Park at the edge of the lot so you can have a little more time to breathe fresh air and move your body. Give thanks if you are fortunate enough to move your body, to engage God's creation with all your senses.

Blessings,

Sara+

Dear People of Christ Church,

This week, I actually am writing to you on Sunday in advance of mailing this out later in the week, sharing news of our diocesan convention. This week I'm on retreat, spending days at the Campion Center in Weston, a Jesuit retreat center. Rev. Norm Faramelli, our longtime friend, is filling in on Sunday the 13th. (He is a faithful 8:30 attendee and his wife, Lucie, started Grandma's Pantry almost 20 years ago). Norm is also on the board of Refugee Immigration Ministries and we'll be distributing "mite boxes" to save our pennies to help their important work with asylum seekers and immigrants. Thank you, Norm!

The Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts comprises our state east of Route 495 and the Cape and Islands and around 180 parishes. This year there weren't any big-issue resolutions, though there was some conversation on a proposal to create committees and research on ministry to seniors in the diocese. An amended version passed to uphold and celebrate ministries with the aging, but not to require any reporting or mandated action.

The big thing of convention this year was the closing Eucharist, Bishop Cederholm's last as he is retiring. Bishop Bud was (officially, the Right Reverend Roy F. Cederholm) elected 11 years ago as the suffragan bishop (a fancy word for assisting), and has been a wonderful and grounded presence over the years. The decision has been made not to elect a replacement, so Bishop Tom Shaw remains the diocesan bishop and Bishop Gayle Harris will be the only Bishop Suffragan. Canon Libby Berman will help with some of the congregational work that Bud did, and he'll be back a few days a week as a "consultant." As he says, [My wife] Ruthann wants more of me, but not all of me!" First he'll have a few months sabbatical rest, though, to fully retire before coming back. On Friday night Bud the diocese had a party celebrating his ministry, complete with hot dogs and tours and his face lit up on the screen (see below). At the closing Eucharist he preached and closed the service by returning his crozier (Bishop's staff) to the church. It was quite moving and doubtful that there was a dry eye in the house.

The other major component of Diocesan Convention was the roll out of the Comprehensive Campaign, which donors to our own Capital Campaign are well aware of. last weekend was the official announcement of the project and invitation to parishes to give and participate in collaborative campaigns of their own (as we are now). They also showed a film, which had a few split-second screens of Christ Church at worship, as their videographer was at Christ Church a few weeks ago. Jonathan Duce and Mike Balulescu are our delegates--each parish gets two--thanks to them for their service.

Blessings,

Sara+

Dear People of Christ Church,

Lee, our parish administrator, and I have been folding and stuffing envelopes with materials for stewardship all day (somehow those things always come under the wire, no matter how much we try to prepare for them!)...so this week I'm sharing a poem with you I found in my files. It's by the medieval Persian poet Hāfez, also known as

Khwāja Shamsu d-Dīn Muhammad Hāfez-e Shīrāzī. Hāfez is a pen name, which is also a word that means that someone has committed the Qu'ran to memory, which he is said to have done as a child. He died around 1389. It seems fitting to the theme of stewardship-if we only really realized how much God has given us, how easy would it be to return to God a portion of our riches?

Blessings,

Sara+



So Many Gifts
Hāfez
Trans. Daniel Ladinsky



There are so many gifts
Still unopened from your birthday,
There are so many hand-crafted presents
That have been sent to you by God.

The Beloved does not mind repeating,
"Everything I have is also yours."

Please forgive Hafiz and the Friend
If we break into a sweet laughter
When your heart complains of being thirsty
When ages ago
Every cell in your soul
Capsized forever
Into this infinite golden sea.

Indeed,
A lover's pain is like holding one's breath
Too long
In the middle of a vital performance,

In the middle of one of Creation's favorite
Songs.

Indeed, a lover's pain is this sleeping,
This sleeping,
When God just rolled over and gave you
Such a big good-morning kiss!

There are so many gifts, my dear,
Still unopened from your birthday.

O, there are so many hand-crafted presents
That have been sent to your life
From God.

Dear People of Christ Church,

This afternoon, paging through Facebook as I ate my lunch at my desk, I was struck by a headline on the New Yorker Magazine page: "In the wake of Qaddafi's death, what questions should we be asking? News came through this morning that deposed Libyan ruler Muammar Qadaffi had allegedly been killed, or captured, or shot in both legs (or all three). One rumor said that he was holding a golden pistol.

I am not proud of this, but I admit when I saw the headline my first reaction was a visceral exhaustion of more questions. Having An Important Conversation. Avoiding a Rush to Judgment. I am not a quick fix fast conclusion kind of person. I accept (even embrace!) shades of grey, faith in the midst of uncertainty, etc. But come on. Can we just be glad that a bad guy isn't in power anymore?

Ummm... no. That's not the kind of people Jesus calls us to be. As with Osama bin Laden, the church is not in the business of celebrating the taking of anyone's life. We have to ask the questions. We have to reflect on the answers we are given. Answers given by religious leaders, answers given by politicians, even those quick answers we give ourselves to get through the day.

At the same time, even though it can be exhausting, as Christians we have some resources to rely on. Lest the above text make it sound like being a good Christian is essentially good citizenship, it's the way we ask the questions and the way we hear the answers where our faith comes in. We ask our political questions in light of the resurrection; that final victory of life over death that happened then, happens now, and continues into the future. Much as we experience time in a linear fashion, God's life is not in the mere sequence of duration. We are raised in Christ already, even as our lives seem so ordinary, even as we pretend we have no need of it.

Our own desire and prayers for peace have moral weight and shape. I think, also our questions can be prayers-that there is some duty to ask them feels connected to God's will for us. A prayer, too, can have more room in it than a question-a prayer can accommodate our confusion as well as our anger, the desired outcomes we seek as well as lament and celebration. Sometimes all of them at once. In prayer, we don't have to have it figured out. But we do have to be aware of what's going on in the world and "show up" for it.

My revision: "In the light of [Qadaffi's death/Occupy Boston/Gilad Shalit/Whatever] what prayers we should be saying?" Our country is implicated in Libya's civil war, our own bombs have contributed to the current situation. Prayers for worldwide peace, for Israel and Gilad Shalit as well as the 1000 Palestinian prisoners freed as well. For Qadaffi and those he wounded. Come over to the Christ Church page to continue the conversation.


Blessings,

Sara+

Dear People of Christ Church,

This week, I've been marinating on what, exactly, is going on across the country with the "Occupy" movement. It started with "Occupy Wall Street" and has now spread all over-Alabama to Washington state. And, of course, Boston. My family went down on Monday night but were advised a few minutes into our visit that the police planned to come at nightfall (it was around 6:30 when we got there) and that it wouldn't be the best place for kids. There has been a decent response from the faith community; a group called the Protest Chaplains is blogging and visiting, and there is a sacred space tent. Bishop Shaw went yesterday for an ecumenical service of support. A UU minister who lives in my neighborhood lead vespers last Sunday night.

As a softie bleeding heart, I'm inclined to be sympathetic; after our wedding in 2003 (in New York), my husband and I cut the reception short so everyone could go downtown to the anti Iraq war protest. I love a good protest. The difficult thing about what's going on now is that the method has little do to with the problem. The financial crisis was not caused by local branches of Bank of America. It was a result of a financial system that relied more and more on abstract amounts of abstract money moving from spread sheet to spread sheet and a government that stopped regulating much of anything assuming the market would fix it all. It didn't, and here we are. Still, you could just as well occupy "the internet" as Dewey Square; there's no "there" there.

The problem is meeting an abstract problem with a concrete complaint; there is truly no way that the message can be transmitted in a "rational" way, because it is not a "rational" problem. Corporate incomes have no relationship to the production of real goods and services. CEO pay increases into the tens of millions as regular workers are laid off. The United States is closest to Russia and Iran when it comes to income inequality. The "Occupy" movement is using the most basic means of communication possible: putting a (tent) stake in the ground, putting their bodies where they will be seen.

What does this have to do with the kingdom of God?

Something about how we are in the world but not of it, how we put others' needs ahead of our own, how "the least of these" are to be cared for first, the shepherd going after the one lost sheep. That there is enough -there really is. It's not tea party vs occupiers, it's not even 1 percent vs 99 percent. It's all of us. Jesus went to the cross for everyone, not just the morally pure, not just the vegetarians, not just the poor. He didn't go just for the successful, intelligent, and brave, either. That means that each of us has a responsibility to the others. We are all just as much in need of that grace. We are all in just as much need for food and shelter and love and forgiveness.

This does not mean everyone has to go out and quit their jobs and become organic farmers who make their own clothes. I want there to be a bank and a banker when I need a mortgage. I want a small business to be able to open because someone invested their money in it. I want all of us to have well-paying jobs so we can finish our capital campaign with handicap accessible bathrooms! But I also want us to be critical enough to ask how, and why, our economy works the way it does, and to do what we can to make it a just one.

Is this not the fast that I choose; to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover them, and not to hide yourself from your own kin? Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up quickly; your vindicator shall go before you, the glory of the Lord shall be your rearguard. (Isaiah 58: 6-8)

Thanks be to God!

Sara+

Dear People of Christ Church,

On Sunday, we shared the news of our parish capital campaign, which has so far had wonderful success with the wise leadership of our co-chairs, Mike Balulescu and Cathy Hughes. Since late August, we've been meeting with folks in the very early stages of the campaign, and on Sunday we reported that of our goal of $260,000, we have so far received pledges for over 200,000! We are already so wonderfully close to our goal, but we will only reach it (and go beyond) with everyone's participation.

Giving to a capital campaign is kind of a funny thing. Year after year, I look at our budget and lament at how much of our expenses go to our building. The building. The deferred maintenance. The drafty windows. The bunching carpet. The building just doesn't seem very exciting. Heat, electricity, snow plowing-they don't exactly add up to a rousing story of changed lives. It's the people inside the building-and the people who will come-who are the story of the Holy Spirit moving in this place, not the bricks and mortar. And let me tell you about mortar--I've been learning a lot about it lately.

At the same time, when I think about the capital campaign and all the things we're talking about doing with the building, I actually get a little excited. What if the narthex (a fancy church word for vestibule) were as welcoming and bright as the people who stand there and serve as greeters each Sunday? What if you weren't embarrassed to tell someone where the bathroom is, knowing they're just going to see that peeling plaster or, worse, not be able to go inside at all because they use a wheelchair? This stuff actually matters. Contributing to the green grants programs, the intern program, B Safe, and so many other great ministries across Eastern Massachusetts, our impact along with the diocesan campaign is significant.

Our campaign pledges will be over five years; no one is asking you to break the bank and write a check today for the full pledge amount. As a pastor, it has been an incredible blessing for me to witness to the gifts that are given. In each of these conversations we've had, everyone is doing the best they can; your gift is your gift. It's just that-a gift. And we are thankful for every single gift, no matter the size. From $5,000 to $50,000-your faith and love have been remarkable. The gift of $5.00 can be remarkable. These is not an everyday event, and these are not everyday gifts. There's a reason this hasn't been done since 1953.

And, so, here we are. Given that there are a lot of details to what we're doing and how, you'll get a call in the next few weeks from one of our visiting team, who will ask to talk personally with you about the campaign. I'm going to close with what Mike said on Sunday, whose intro to the campaign you can read here (it's really worth a read, if you weren't in church-it blew my sermon right out of the water!).

So when someone asks you if you would like to talk more about this campaign, I hope you'll say "yes." If someone asks you if you would like to assist with the campaign, I hope you'll say "yes." And when your heart implores you to dream about what we can accomplish together, in one breath, in one collective, shared sacrifice, I hope your response will be "yes." Thank you.

Blessings,

Sara+