They shall be like a tree planted by water, sending out its roots by the stream. It shall not fear when heat comes, and its leaves shall stay green; in the year of drought it is not anxious, and it does not cease to bear fruit. - Jeremiah 17
The most important words to say in Church are “thank you.” Say it often, and mean it, and today I say it to you. Thank you for the many gifts that you share with our community.
You have heard the familiar expression “can’t see the forest for the trees” before. We most often use it to describe that occasion in which we lose sight of the big picture while focusing on the details. Sometimes I worry that in Bolton Hill you can’t see the church through the row homes! Luckily, from my position, I often experience the blessing of being able to see the big picture of our congregation – the ministry we bring to our neighbor inside and outside the neighborhood, the impact we have on the larger community, and the ways that week after week we come together to celebrate our faith and praise God. Turns out it is a pretty big forest.
And I get to wander amongst the row homes ….. oops, I mean trees! And I get to hear how much it means to people from all walks of life that we are here. From the small shoot reaching out from its seed and finding the sunlight, to the mightiest tree, standing tall, showing strength, offering sheltering love to those who need it. You are those trees, each drawing strength from our meal and showering the world with the love and grace you have come to know here. I am blessed in that here in our congregation, I can see both the forest and the trees!
When I walk through a forest, I am aware of the tangle of roots, how one tree is connected to another. Trees use these networks, secretly talking to each other through their roots, passing information along. Adult trees share their sugars with young saplings, a dying tree can send its remaining resources back out to help the community. These networks, these roots of abundance, keep trees in place just as much as they free them to grow and share. There is a richness in that soil, in those roots that you can’t always see but it lies just beneath the surface.
The theme of our annual pledge campaign this year is Rooted in Abundance, and we are reminded that we are a mighty forest comprised of ancient trunks and sprightly saplings, each of us contributing our gifts to a world that needs us. On Sunday, October 15 , our annual Pledging Campaign begins. As you hear the messages and stories of abundance this season, take note of how our generosity can spread and widen our root structures of faith and action.
In gratitude,
The Rev. Grey Maggiano
Rector, Memorial Episcopal Church