The View from Bolton Street
Green Team events on Tuesday September 25
Free Lecture Open to the Public on Tuesday, September 25th, at 7pm at Brown Memorial in Bolton Hill- Entomologist Doug Tallamy, nationally renowned expert on the benefits of restoring our landscapes, bird populations, and pollinators using native plants, will present his highly regarded lecture about the many ways home gardeners and institutions alike can make great strides in restoring the Chesapeake Bay Watershed by becoming more aware of the relationships between plants, birds, insects, and local habitats. Green Team co-lead Dick Williams vouches for Tallamy’s beautiful slides (a good share of which are his own), his easy delivery of the material and his well-placed wry humor.
Baltimore Voter Education Town Hall at Blue Water Baltimore Headquarters Office, Tuesday, September 25th, 6-8pm- Sponsored by the Maryland League of Conservation Voters and other non-profit advocacy groups, this public town hall meeting serves to:
(1) raise the profile of environmental issues in statewide legislative races;
(2) educate the public on major environmental concerns that will be facing Maryland in the next legislative term;
(3) offer public information on citizen activism, legislative action, voter registration information, election participation, and civic engagement; and,
(4) provide an opportunity for candidates to meet with voters/constituents, and generally learn more about the environmental issues that impact the communities where they live and serve.
Blue Water Baltimore’s offices are located at 2631 Sisson St, Baltimore, MD 21211
The View from Bolton Street
“Many women have done excellently,
but you surpass them all.”
Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,
but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
Give her a share in the fruit of her hands,
and let her works praise her in the city gates. - Proverbs 31:29-31
We are asking the wrong questions. As so often happens when public discourse becomes focused on a few people’s personal lives, we are tempted to focus on their lives and not our own. This also happens with scripture! This week we read from Proverbs 31 about the “capable wife.” This is often used to detail how a woman should behave in marriage, predictably demure and subservient, awaiting the praise of her husband.
But when we read this text we find a very different story! First, the speaker is not the husband, but God, praising a woman for taking care of her family. And she does so by being strong, shrewd, clever, diligent and brave. As so often happens, when we don’t let people speak for themselves the story gets distorted. And God’s word is frequently distorted - particularly when it pertains to how the wealthy and powerful should treat the least of these.
As we watch another story of a woman attempting to tell her own story, it seems everyone has an opinion; and a nasty word for the other side. I will refrain from claiming any special knowledge of what DID happen, but anyone who has had experience with prep school boys, or drunk young men in general in the last 40 years, will hear familiar refrains of stories they have heard or of events that happened to them.
So as you are tempted to say callous things about Ms. Ford, remember you may be saying it to someone who has lived a similar experience, or worse.
And as you are tempted to label Mr. Kavanaugh a monster, an abuser, or whatever else - remember that we still live in a society where what he is accused of happens all the time. And we have done precious little to stop it. In those 35 years, what has been done to protect and empower vulnerable young people at HS parties, college frats, late night raves, or even in church youth groups.
Yes, even the Church. Abuse and harassment are by no means limited to the Catholic Church. I have had to file reports of sexual abuse in the Church before, and I suspect I will have to again. And much responsibility rests with the Church. We have a rich scriptural tradition that talks about needing to protect the bodies and souls of the most vulnerable, and particularly calls out the sins of using money, power and religion to take advantage of another’s body — yet we still are mostly likely to blame young women and LGBT individuals on the margins for our own sins.
To the extent that Kavanaugh is guilty he is not the only problem. He is a symptom of a much larger problem. And we are all responsible for fixing it.
May we also be worthy of God's praise like the woman in proverbs for our strength and bravery.
Harlem Renaissance Centenary - Campus Conversation November 9, 2018
Paul Evans, dapper dresser, author, poet, and adjunct member of the Humanities Faculty at Coppin State, invites us all to join Coppin as they kick off their multi-year celebration of the Harlem Renaissance. This should be both a fascinating lecture, as well as a great entertainment illustrating the breadth of artistic endeavors begun in 1919 at the north end of Mahattan Island, and continuing today. All are invited, but please RSVP by Friday October 19! Click here to RSVP.
Bingo Night! - October 5
We are very excited to announce that Memorial will be hosting it's very first Bingo night October 5th, 2018! Tickets are $20 for the first ticket and $10 per after the first ticket is purchased. Each ticket comes with 8 game cards, a slice of pizza, and a beverage. There will be 10 games in total, including the special prizes games. Special prize games game cards are $10 EA and the prizes will be a Coach purse and an Amazon Kindle Fire 8 HD. Looking for a way to get involved in donations, at the door, or for the Bake Sale/ Food Table??? Email or text Fin f.fox.morrow@gmail.com - 443-823-0161
We are hopeful that everyone sells at least 10 tickets, and they will be ready for pick-up this Sunday at Church. PLEASE spread the word!
Hurricane Florence - what you need to know
Memorial Storm - This weekend a major hurricane is poised to hit the east coast. While it does not look like it will directly impact Baltimore, Memorial staff is on alert, and if there is inclement weather on Sunday we will send a notice out regarding Sunday services. In the meantime please take this opportunity to prepare yourself for ‘hurricane season’. For a complete list of hurricane supplies click here:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/15318905451/permalink/10156769807850452/
Parish Conversation - September 16
Parish Conversation -
Join us as you are able following Sunday’s Service for an important conversation about the vision for Memorial going forward for the next three years. General Convention is coming to Baltimore in 2021, and this presents some interesting opportunities and helpful goal setting for our community and for the city at large. If you would like to be involved in considering where Memorial is going, join us following the 10:30 am service.
If you cannot attend - a written summary will be provided and (if possible) a recording as well.
Bible Study 2018
The office has heard your calls for additional bible study times! We will keep our 12:30 pm on Tuesday Bible Study time, but if you would like to see Bible Study at 10:00 am on Wednesdays or 4 pm on Thursdays, please email office@memorialepiscopal.org with your preference. This will be a Lectionary based bible study - looking at the readings for the week and focusing on parts that will not be covered in Sunday sermons.