74 South Common St., Lynn MA 01902 |
May 2011 |
Throughout Eastertide, our Sunday lectionary includes readings from the Acts of the Apostles telling of the spread of the church in the first century. The apostles and early converts traveled all over the Roman Empire telling of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and inviting people into new life in him. Much to the dismay of the political and religious authorities, the church spread fast. Countless thousands affirmed “Jesus as Lord.” The challenge confronting the apostles was that no one knew what it meant to live as followers of Jesus Christ. Jesus said, “I did not come to abolish the law but to fulfill it.” Were new Christians required to follow the Law of Moses including circumcision? How were they to obey Jesus’ new commandment to “love one another as I have loved you?” And with Jesus gone, who had authority to speak for the community of Christians? When disagreements of practice or belief came up, who decided who or what was right? And were all leaders equal or were the teachings and baptisms of some better than others? As we read from the Acts of the Apostles and Paul’s letters, we know the early Christians struggled to be faithful. Several weeks ago I had the opportunity to hear theologian Phyllis Tickle speak about “the great emergence.” Tickle contends that every 500 years, we experience a fundamental shift in the expression and organization of Christian faith. She describes Jesus as “the great transformation.” Then, in the 6th century, we see the “decline and fall” with the dawn of the dark ages, and in the 11th century the “Great Schism” between Eastern and Western Christianity. In the 16th century, we mark the “Reformation,” with the rise of Protestantism and our focus on scripture. And finally, she describes the 21st century as the moment of “the great emergence.” She says that each of these shifts in Christian identity has as their primary question, “Where is the authority?” During these epochal shifts, people lack clarity about who is making the rules and how they should live as people of faith. Certainly, these core questions seem evident in Acts and the epistles. The challenge for us, if we accept Tickle’s analysis of history, is how we engage our moment of transformation. Pointing to the 15th chapter of Acts, she would contend that “Jerusalem,” which embodies the established church (that means us!) needs to make space for “Antioch,” the rapidly growing gentile Christian community. Jerusalem needs to stay in conversation and be open to being changed. Tickle identifies the elements of emergent Christianity as an emphasis on listening to and for the Holy Spirit in the context of prayer and community conversation; a desire to feel the Spirit in the context of worship; a commitment to making the connections between God’s story and our personal stories; an expectation of living our faith according to Micah 6.8—“do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with God;” and an aversion to structures, dogma, rules and buildings. |
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REPORT OF THE RECTOR ST. STEPHEN’S MEMORIAL EPISCOPAL CHURCH SUNDAY, JANUARY 30, 2011 |
| Micah 6.1-8; Psalm 15; 1 Corinthians 1.18-31; Matthew 5.1-12 Blessed are those who struggle week after week to make ends meet because they are un- or underemployed, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who have lost someone they love, for they will be comforted. Blessed are those who work tirelessly for the church with limited recognition and no pay, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who stand in line at the Food Pantry or dine at My Brother’s Table, for they will be fed. Blessed are those who are addicted and depressed not knowing how to live with the emptiness inside, for they will be filled. Blessed are those who quietly make a difference caring for children, elders, mentally ill and sick, for they will receive mercy. Blessed are those who pray fervently and faithfully for the church and the world, for they will see God. Blessed are those who work with ECCO and other community groups to bring new life to our city, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are ostracized and criticized, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who proclaim the Gospel in word and deed even if it meets with indifference or disparagement, for their reward will be great in heaven. Perhaps this reading of the Beatitudes, this naming of those who are specially blessed by God sounds strange to our ears. But believe me, it sounds no more strange to our ears than this morning’s Gospel sounded to the people of first century Galilee. In naming as blessed the suffering and struggling, the poor and persecuted, the quiet and contemplative, the activists and agitators, Jesus gave notice that earthly and heavenly standards do not use the same metric. Jesus announced right from the beginning of his ministry that he came to turn social, political, and religious hierarchies upside down. A few weeks ago, I was part of a conversation about how we measure success in the church. In 2009, for the first time in decades, the Diocese of Massachusetts witnessed an increase in attendance and in giving in the majority of its congregations. St. Stephen’s was part of the shift as both giving and attendance increased here. For us, 2010 looks as though it continued the trend. Thanks to growth especially in our Kiswahili congregation and our ministry with young people, numbers are up. And we finished the year with a very-close-to-balanced budget thanks to responsible fiscal management by the Vestry and the generous dedication of the congregation in pledging, fund raising and donating time, talent, and lots of stuff. These numbers surely are part of how we do and must measure the success of our church. Yet, I think Jesus of the Beatitudes would use a different metric altogether. Numbers are part of worldly success and Jesus did not care much about them. In fact, every time Jesus seemed to be drawing a crowd or becoming popular, he went off to the mountain to pray or traveled to the other side of the lake. And if the rich and powerful happened to get interested, he managed to offend them or provoke a conflict. I suspect that the measures of success Jesus might use would speak to the questions in the baptismal covenant that we affirm every AWE Sunday and whenever we baptize. Have we continued in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in the prayers? Surely, our answer to this question in 2010 must be a resounding yes! While the Annual Report details countless stories that speak to our success, I just want to highlight a few stunning moments. The establishment and expansion of our small group ministry delights me—and, I think, God as well. When we began with Jesus Was an Episcopalian during Eastertide, people exclaimed, “16 weeks!?! You’ve got to be kidding.” Now people eagerly anticipate the weekly gathering of their group and regret absences and cancellations. The lay leaders of the groups have grown in confidence and commitment. The groups have drawn members into deeper relationship with God and one another. And the good news is that there is no limit to the growth in numbers or faith formation or community building of this new ministry. For those who have not yet found your way into a small group, now is the perfect time to join or form a group. There is no better way for us to ground our lives in God and to strengthen St. Stephen’s than for us to expand our small group ministry. During Holy Week, I watched our teenagers enter deeply into the passion and resurrection of Jesus. They came Good Friday morning for brunch and reflections on the meaning of crucifixion and resurrection in their lives. They finished the morning flying kites on the beach. Then, after spending the afternoon together at a Fair, they returned for Good Friday church, some serving as acolytes and others simply worshiping. Saturday morning they returned to clean, carry, dust and polish. Saturday evening, they offered leadership in singing, acolyting, and presenting the story of salvation history at the Easter Vigil. Sunday morning, they were back at 8:00 and 10:00 dressed in Easter finery, bringing their families to church, and relaxing into the flowers, music, and fanfare of Easter. I don’t know another church in the Diocese in which teenagers gather and serve and evangelize in the ways ours do. More than anything, our teens need the support and encouragement of adults who will be their companions on the way. And finally, I want to name our faithfulness in prayer. This past year three experienced ministers have offered their time and talent to St. Stephen’s in various ministerial internships. Tom Mousin, Tricia DeBeers, and Althea Smith have spent time with us nurturing various aspects of our ministry. As I have worked with each one, I have heard repeated again and again, “You know these people really pray.” Or “When these folks tell me that they are praying for me, I know they mean it.” Indeed. And last January, on the Sunday following the devastating earthquake in Haiti as we gathered at the altar all those immediately affected by the disaster, we held our brothers and sisters in prayer. We sent what money we could but mostly we prayed. The prayer of this place is an awesome gift to the work of God’s kingdom. In all things and for all things, we need to deepen our prayer to form ourselves and transform our world. Do we persevere in resisting evil, and whenever we fall into sin, repent and return to the Lord? We walk a challenging line at St. Stephen’s welcoming each person as a beloved child of God and challenging each person to turn from worldly distractions and desires and to reorient their lives to God. Many Christian communities around us view human beings as inherently sinful and focus their ministries on sin and salvation. They preach a long list of people and practices that are unacceptable to God. This would not be our way in the Episcopal Church or at St. Stephen’s. We affirm the sacredness of creation and the blessedness of humanity as part of God’s creation, which is very good. Our message of radical welcome has brought to our pews this year increasing numbers of gay and lesbian individuals and same-sex couples as well as people in recovery, survivors of abuse, single parents, and divorced people who do not feel fully welcome in other Christian communities. Yet even as we preach and do our best to live the radical hospitality of the Gospel, we all fall short and stray from God’s way. Our AWE Sunday last Lent provided space for each of us to name those things that separate us from the love of God and to claim those practices that strengthen our faithful living. Our healing ministry on Sunday mornings, Thursday noontimes, and with the clergy offers opportunities for people to lay down crushing burdens and invite new life by God’s grace. Being honest with ourselves and each other in community is hard work. Owning the ways we distort and destroy the image of God in ourselves and others challenges us. Likewise, claiming our blessedness as God’s beloved also proves challenging. Both are our kingdom work here at St. Stephen’s. Do we proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ? While we still have in boxes far too many of our parish brochures, and not near enough of us have invited people to join us here at St. Stephen’s, I know we understand deeply what it means to show Christ-like hospitality. When 600 Episcopalians from all over the Diocese came to St. Stephen’s for Diocesan Convention, we offered a welcome that transformed diocesan thinking about hospitality in general and Convention in particular. Demonstrating the variety of gifts bestowed by God and reflecting the diversity of the body of Christ, we gathered the community of the church energizing and inspiring the Episcopalians of Eastern Massachusetts. Now, why we can step up to Convention but not manage a weekly coffee hour or invite people to church is beyond me. But I do know that we have the capacity in great and significant ways to proclaim by word and example the good news of God in Christ. Do we seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving our neighbors as ourselves? When the Diocesan Convention came to Lynn, they saw in our halls and on our walls, all the people of God here at St. Stephen’s. They met people from all over the Communion and from a wide range of backgrounds. They saw the amazing video of the Oasis Film Project, which speaks to the challenges, hopes and dreams of our teens. They heard about our community ministries with Kids in Community, the Food Pantry, Christmas Presents for Pantry Kids, and My Brother’s Table. All that they heard and saw about us is remarkably and impressively true. Yet, we know that we struggle to involve fully all those who come to and through our doors. Everything from Church School to building use to parking to budget has been challenged by the growth of our Kiswahili Congregation. While we work to build relationships and strengthen structural support within the parish and from the Diocese, we will not be the community God wants and needs us to be unless we commit as a combined congregation to grow together. This will not happen without time and effort of people in both the English and Kiswahili congregations. Us and them language limits our growth and distorts the body of Christ in this place. Strengthening and expanding our programs with and for young people will make a difference. Our conversations about the Anglican Communion during February and March offer us a new opportunity to bring together adults as we work to build up the body of Christ. While Kids in Community offers a fabulous summer program to over 100 children and employment for 16 teenagers and several young adults, we continue to struggle with how we might welcome those children to St. Stephen’s throughout the year. How might God be inviting us into deeper relationship with our neighbors? What does it means in the year ahead to show Christ-like hospitality to children and youth? Through KIC, Oasis Community Youth Group, Oasis Film Institute, the Spot Teen Drop-in, Church School, and acolyting, we do a lot with young people but are we doing all we might? Are we inviting in all the young people we could? Do we have the adult engagement and support to make the kind of transformative difference in the lives of young people that God desires? Our Food Pantry provides a safe, comfortable place for people to receive a bag of groceries each week, and our teens make sure that the children of our patrons receive Christmas presents. This is good and important work. Yet, changes in the policies and practices at the Boston Food Bank in 2010 put the ministry at risk. The Food Bank no longer delivers any food and, even when we go into the city for pick up, eggs, cheese and meat are no longer available. Old Neighborhood has generously filled some gaps for us but the cost and effort of stocking our shelves have increased and we lack the variety of basic foods people want and need. In addition, the Pantry’s move to the Community Room provides us with some unexplored opportunities in terms of hospitality and advocacy with those who come to the Pantry. The leadership team with Neil and Karen O’Donnell, Sally Gosselin and Harry Jackson are focused on our challenges and opportunities but we will need people and partners within the congregation and in the community to step up for our Pantry ministry to thrive. Are we striving for justice and peace, and respecting the dignity of every human being? Certainly, our efforts this year to revitalize our St. Stephen’s ECCO Local organizing Committee involved dozens of people and culminated in a spirit-filled Action on Youth Summer Jobs that inspired Mayor Judith Flanagan Kennedy to prioritize youth summer jobs. Similarly, our work with the state-wide Safe Teens/Safe Communities Coalition recently led to Governor Deval Patrick making youth a priority and, in these challenging economic times, recommending an increase in funding for youth jobs and positive youth development programs. Our organizing has been effective and new adults and teens have claimed leadership within ECCO but we still struggle to maintain commitment and energy during the research and planning phases of our work. Too few carry the burden of one-to-one listening, meeting with decision makers and stakeholders, and planning future action. For far too long, deepening community engagement has been viewed as the work of a few on behalf of St. Stephen’s. We let Neil, Judie, Jason, the teens and the clergy step up for us. Their witness has been impressive, but it is not enough. Our ministries through ECCO, at My Brothers Table, in the Pantry, at the Cookouts, with teenagers, through Kids in Community and in the broader community lack the commitment and conviction God would ask of us. In our reading this morning from the Prophet Micah, the people of Israel are on trial. God reminds them of all the ways God has saved them, all the ways that God has blessed them. And then the prophets asks what God’s chosen ones have done in return. Micah then tells them what the Lord requires. He is clear that God does not want token acts of worship and service; rather, God wants our lives dedicated to the Lord. The faithful are to “To do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.” By the measures of Micah and Jesus, there is no doubt that St. Stephen’s in 2010 did God’s work in the world. Following Diocesan Convention, I was quick to concur with bishops, priests, deacons and lay people that St. Stephen’s in an extraordinary place in which people live into God’s mission in inspiring ways. Yet, I am equally clear that the reign of God has not yet dawned here on South Common and that we still have work to do among ourselves and in our community. Our work is not about doing more, but about going deeper. In prayer, study, worship and service, we need to be drawn closer to God and to one another. We need to invite God into our lives and into our community knowing that if we open ourselves to God’s will and way, we will be changed. We need those on the outside to be brought in and those on the edges to come to the center. We need to risk challenging expectations and assumptions so that barriers and burdens with which we have learned to live get confronted and exposed. We need those who lead to know that they have support in praying, giving and volunteering for the living out of God’s mission. In 2011, we will see changes in staff with Rev. Courtney moving to North Carolina in May and Charlie Knuth completing his internship with us in August. But the ministry of this place is owned and lived by the people of this place, not the staff. We will meet and learn to love new people who will bless us with their gifts for ministry. We know that the bishops and people of the Diocese understand the importance of the ministry of St. Stephen’s Lynn and I believe we can trust their continued support. Our challenge is to be worthy of the confidence they place in us as we live into God’s future boldly. This year, the Vestry led by our extraordinarily gifted and committed wardens Victoria Harriss Provost and Christopher Trahan will evaluate our ministry and set our mission priorities for the next five years. They will need the voices and vision of the entire congregation feeding into their prayer, conversation and decisions about our future. The ministry of this place is not about a few. It is about all of us. May we together “do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God” as we know ourselves to be abundantly blessed. Amen. |