The View from Bolton Street
2020 Tri-Church Lenten Program
Is Heaven Real? Who gets to go? Do you really believe this? What about other religions? What about my cat?” When it comes to questions of Salvation - people have a LOT of questions. And often these questions keep them from engaging fully in the life of the Church or their life in Christ. This three part series will look at the Church’s view of salvation through three lens: 1) the beginning up until the reformation 2) the reformation through World War II and the Holocaust, and 3) the Cold War through the War on Terror. Each of these events drastically challenged how we think about salvation and God has given us ‘fresh eyes’ to seek to answer these questions. Join us at 6:30 for a simple meal and from 7-8 pm for some lively discussion!
The View from Bolton Street
This week in the Gospel we have some tough texts. Jesus says some things about hate, about adultery, about divorce, and about swearing — and for some of us it doesn’t feel like good news.
When we see something we don’t like there is a tendency to reject it. To say “Jesus didn’t mean that.” Or “This isn’t about me.”
But the Gospel is almost always about me. Or better stated that the Gospel is almost always about us.
You see the text this week is talking to us about how we are together. And it is not an accident that the audience is explicitly and intentionally men. Because these texts are not just about relationships, but they are about POWER.
The power we hold. The power we give to others. The control we let others have over us and the control that we maintain. In this Gospel Jesus reminds us that we must be careful with our power and not use it abuse or mistreat others.
We should remember in 1st century Palestine marriage was not about love or relationship it was about power and control. Maintaining economic, social or religious power and relationships. Marriage (and adultery) were controlled by men and the victims were always women.
The gospel opens with Jesus inviting people to not use the courts to solve their problems but instead to work it out amongst themselves. And he is speaking to connected, powerful men saying “stop suing your poor neighbors in court and work it out” because THE judge may not look as favorably on you as that judge.
The gospel closes with Jesus reminding us not to swear. But he isn’t talking about Four Letter words — instead he is talking about swearing oaths, and invoking a higher power in our claims for justice and restitution. Don’t tell your poor neighbor that GOD says they need to pay you back, just work it out. Don’t tell your spouse, your children, your friends, your neighbors that GOD is coming for them — instead see if you can work out a better solution. Let our yes, be yes and our no, no.
Why? Because in God’s house - all the power that sustains us in the world outside disappears. Inside the Church you are not the wealthy business owner, the high powered lawyer. You are no longer the harried parent, the overwork single mother, the grandparent or aunt or uncle trying to care for children that aren’t your own. You are not an adulterer. A tax cheat. A bad spouse or a bad parent. You are not any of those things the world has tried to put on you. You are no longer food insecure, housing insecure, or love insecure.
You are a child of God. And it is only on those terms that God sees you and that Memorial sees you.
Or at least hope to.
It is fair to say that this is an aspirational statement, right? Power and money and authority still hold a lot of sway in the wider church and in any human community. But at Memorial we seek to model a better way. And this is what Jesus is talking about in the Gospel this morning.
I hope it is a source of hope for you and a vision for what this place could be.
Strong City Baltimore Neighborhood Institute
We encourage you to sign up for the Strong City Baltimore Neighborhood Institute happening March 28. This is a one of a kind opportunity to gather with people from all over Baltimore working to make this city better in big and small ways. We are particularly honored that Steve Howard and Natalie Conway will be presenting about their story of reconciliation and helping other organizations and communities think about what they can do to break down barriers and heal divisions. Sign up by clicking HERE
The View from Bolton Street
“The State of the Union”
No not THAT Union. Though we might talk about that.
Today I am reflecting on the Union between the Christian and the Jewish Traditions. A Union that has been historically difficult, but today seeks a lasting, if fragile peace. As Post-Modern Christians in a city like Baltimore we may not think much about Anti-Semitism and the need for a union or covenant between Christians and Jews, but there is a lot that remains to be done and a lot we can learn from how peace has been achieved.
But first some of our own history. In our Anglican tradition, England was the First European Nation to seek to expel all Jewish residents in 1290. The founding document of Anglicanism after Rome, the 39 articles, counts as ‘accursed’ (Article XVIII) the Jewish people. It wasn’t till 1890 that Jews were allowed to be full participants in Public Life in England. During and After World War II, only 10,000 Jews were allowed into the United Kingdom and they made it illegal for Jews to migrate to then British controlled Palestine (now Israel). We certainly have not been good neighbors. Nor have we held up to our end of the covenant as ‘children grafted on to the branch’ as Paul describes us in Romans 11.
Yet today I am grateful to have good relationships with my colleagues in the Jewish Tradition. Episcopalians and Anglicans the world over participate fully and whole heartedly in inter-faith dialogue programs be they academic (like the ICJS in Towson) or Liturgical or Missional. By and large as a tradition, we recognize that we were in the wrong for almost a millennia, we recognize that the Jewish people do have a place in the land of Israel and a place in society the world over. Most importantly we recognize that we are co-inheritors of a story. Of God’s story. And though we may not tell it the same way we believe that the promise of God’s love and the promise of Salvation offered to us by our Lord is offered to both of us without preconditions.
But we still have a lot of work to do. I confess rarely do I think twice about scheduling a Saturday community event even though it is the Sabbath and many of our neighbors will be forced to make choices between their faith and their community to attend. I don’t always check the Jewish or Islamic religious calendars either. And as a tradition we still have a lot of harmful stereotypes around Jewish people that we have not fully examined or processed. We still have work to do. But there is trust to do that work.
I share about the state of that Union because it may help us consider the current state of our Union.
The President gave his customary address to a joint house of Congress and I confess I did not watch. Maybe for the first time in my life. I have read the speech, and I continue to stay involved in civic life, but it was a sad moment for me and maybe for you. Not because of the content or the rancor, or the tearing up of pages, but because of the lack of trust.
Their is no trust left in our union. Democrats don’t trust Republicans. Republicans don’t trust democrats. A lot of people don’t trust the government. And increasingly we don’t trust each other. We need to know whose side you are on. What team you play for. Whether you are trustworthy.
It took a World War and a Holocaust for the Christian world to recognize how much damage we had done to our Jewish brothers and sisters. 6 million Jewish people. Millions more of other backgrounds. And now, 70 or 80 years later, that trust is just now returning. And is fragile. Consider how much anti-semitism there is in the world. Consider how casually people you know will say things like ‘Well Israel shouldn’t exist.’ Or ‘What do the Jews need protection for anyway?’ We have trust. But it takes work.
But in our Union? Our bigger Union? We have very little trust. In the Gospel this week we are challenged to be light to the world. And when we shine a light, we know we see the shadows more clearly too. We can’t pretend that those shadows aren’t there. We can’t pretend that Trump will go away and suddenly we will like each other again. We have got to work to make it happen. To create trust. To build bridges. To forge relationships.
Because the alternative is very, very Dark.
The View from Bolton Street
Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!
Thank you all for your time and attention during the Annual Meeting on Sunday. It was a long, but fruitful meeting, and I’m grateful to all who participated.
A quick review of the meeting follows:
1) we approved the budget! Memorial’s 2020 budget is a small increase from 2019, keeping all current programming in place, and providing small increases in funding for racial reconciliation work and for children’s programs. We did limit increases for two reasons: a) we did not meet the pledge goal of $300,000 and b) we are aware that with a significant capital campaign beginning this year we did not want to push too far ahead.
2) We elected four new and one returning member to the vestry! Thank you to Michelle, Beth, Stacy and Sarah for your willingness to serve and to John for your willingness to serve a second term.
3) We elected new representatives to Diocesan Convention. Dick WIlliams is our delegate and Jesse Milan is our alternate. We are grateful to all willing to serve Memorial.
And there were two big items of discussion; Memorial’s Name and History and the 2020 Capital Campaign.
Shortly, we will be sending out separate information on both of these efforts. But I want to thank everyone for their time, attention and their thoughtful questions and reflections on both. Here is a (too brief) summary.
‘What’s in a Name’ - After more than a year of conversation about Memorial’s legacy and the revelation in 2019 that our Deacon Natalie Conway is descended from a woman enslaved by the family of Memorial’s founding rector, the vestry believes strongly that it is time to address the Memorial’s name and legacy and re-dedicate the Church. Between now and Easter Sunday, we will be soliciting feedback in a variety of forms, including at least one public, all congregation conversation, about how it should be re-dedicated. There is also a strong feeling that losing the Memorial piece entirely would erase Natalie’s story as well, and that we need to remind future generations about the atrocities of the past in order to create a better future.
A final decision will come before the vestry, and it is their hope that we formally re-dedicate the parish in the Spring of 2020 (160 years to the day of when the cornerstone was laid) and that some physical changes be made by Homecoming Sunday of 2020 to reflect this change.
If you are interested in this conversation or have strong feelings please contact one of the members of the vestry, or participate in one of the many different discussions (online and in person) that will be announced shortly.
‘A Sanctuary Refresh’ - 2020 Capital Campaign: Due to a large gift from a former member of Memorial, the vestry voted in 2019 to put together a 2020 Campaign to Air-Condition the sanctuary, and make some additional critical improvements in our worship space in order to make it more inviting and welcoming to new and old members alike.
This includes changing the flooring to be more uniform and safe, improving the lighting in the space,and making some small adjustments to the altar space to provide better access and connection to the divine during worship.
The total expected cost of the work is $450,000. One large gift will cover approximately $100,000, leaving $350,000 remaining. 10% of that has already been pledged. I ask that you begin to prayerfully consider what kind of commitment you would be willing to make to this effort to make our space more welcoming, cooler, and more inviting for newcomers in 2021 and beyond.
All pledges will be able to be spread out over three years due to a generous loan from the Diocese. More information will be made available shortly.
The View from Bolton Street
One of the vows clergy make at their ordination is to “take your share in the councils of the Church.” This is not idle language! As Christians we believe that God is present when the people gather, and that when the whole church gathers, God can be heard more clearly.
This is why we gather annually for our annual meeting, and then send representatives to our Diocesan convention, where in turn we will send delegates to the general convention of the Episcopal Church and this summer will send our bishop to the Lambeth Conference to meet bishops from across the world.
Our meeting this Sunday is not just a “business meeting” it is a prayerful and spiritual act that is directly connected to the work of the diocese, the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion around the world.
This is why we hold our annual meeting after worship, as the continuation of this prayerful Holy Act.
God is present in that moment and God will be more present if you are there. Yes you! So please join us as we gather to pray, and reflect and share about the future of Memorial Church and the whole Church.
The View from Bolton Street
Peace, peace, peace
2020 has gotten off to a jarring start. From bombings of Iranians in Iraq to missiles launched at US troops to the steady drum beats of war from East and West, it is a shocking departure from the birth of the prince of peace.
Perhaps what is most shocking is our own anger. Anger that bubbles up in us when we see bombs exploding on our televisions and peoples voices exploding on the radio or online. What has your emotional response been? Were you angry? Upset? Frustrated? Embarrassed?
In the weeks and months to come there will be many opportunities for us as people of faith to express our sentiments about war. From protests and marches to meetings to the opportunity to vote at the ballot box.
But before we get there we have to start in here. Inside of ourselves, taking it to God in prayer. I’m reminded of the first stanza of ‘What a Friend we Have in Jesus’
what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!
When the world is raging around us, when tensions and anger is riding high everywhere else, we can’t forfeit our peace to the world. We begin with prayer, asking God not just for peace in the world, but to make us instruments of that peace. To turn our own swords into plowshares and our own spears into pruning hooks, so even our enemies see us as peacemakers - be those enemies political, social, or physical.
There is a small section in the book of common prayer that we prayed at our Peace and Justice Service this week. It is a supplication in times of war and great strife. I invite you to pray it today as well.
O Lord, arise, help us;
and deliver us for thy Name's sake.
V. From our enemies defend us, O Christ;
R. Graciously behold our afflictions.
V. With pity behold the sorrows of our hearts;
R. Mercifully forgive the sins of thy people.
V. Favorably with mercy hear our prayers;
R. O Son of David, have mercy upon us.
V. Both now and ever vouchsafe to hear us, O Christ;
R.Graciously hear us, O Christ; graciously hear us, O Lord Christ.
O Lord, arise, help us;
and deliver us for thy Name's sake.