The View from Bolton Street

On Missionaries, Martyrs and us

This week the church recognizes Henry Martyn, an 19th century martyr who served as a missionary in central Asia. Among his achievements were translations of the Bible into Farsi and Arabic as well as some other regional dialects. He died from an illness he contracted in his travels. We will celebrate his life at the peace and justice service this coming Tuesday morning at 8 AM. Wink wink.

I want to take a moment to lift up Henry because, as you know, I have been working with some friends and colleagues on various Afghan relief efforts. And, there are some Christian groups that feel it is important to only help Christians get out of Afghanistan. Now, this is obviously not in keeping with the life and ministry of Jesus, but I think there are other reasons why this is not just a bad idea but also bad theology.

Henry’s work and other missionaries of his era was less about only helping people who had converted, and more about opening up people's eyes and ears to the never failing love of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. What they did with that information was up to them, but his role, and I would say our role, is merely to make it plain that we have love for all of God‘s people and that we work with all of God's people to bring about the kingdom of God.

The missionary field has gotten a bad rap in recent years, and many of you probably would think that it was a terrible idea for someone to become a missionary, especially in a foreign country.  In my service on the national churches standing commission for world missions I have discovered that we are as a denomination exploring a whole new way to view mission work. That it is not just about conversion, or even about providing badly needed resources to those in need, but about relationships. The work of the missionary is to develop relationships between a local community in the church and the church, and let God do the rest.

I hope you will join us Tuesday morning to hear more about Henry Martin, and perhaps to reflect on what a modern missionary is.

The View from Bolton Street

Of Camels and Needles

Another week, another passage that challenges even the most ardent biblical literalist. Is it even possible for a camel to fit through the eye of a needle? Given that most everyone reading this reflection is wealthy, in global terms, does this mean none of us will make it into the Kingdom of God?

To be sure this passage has generated its share of metaphorical renderings, even some historic renderings (based on bad history) about camels and the gates of Israel. (No it is not true that this is about Camels bowing their heads to go through the gates of Jerusalem)

However, have we stopped to consider that maybe… Jesus meant what he said?

That God looks at a world where we have rich and poor, vast wealth disparities, and an acceptance that poverty is not only inevitable but acceptable, and says “this is sinful”.

This is a particular challenge here in the United States where our economic system is not just capitalism, but increasingly unbridled capitalism where profit is the only measurement of success.

Now, as a moderate person politically, I don’t have any active distaste for capitalism. But historically capitalism in America has also been aligned with a strong moral compass. As such, the goal was not profit but rather the betterment of society.

In my lifetime, however, the goal went from uplifting the community to uplifting the individual. We are all in a fight to get to the top of the pile, and all that matters is “how much I have”.

Jesus, it seems clear to me, weeps at this. Particularly because the more you have, usually the less you give. Billionaires give fractional percentages of their wealth away, Millionaires much more percentage wise, but still less than the upper middle class, and much less than the percentage of what the lower class and destitute give.

Churches of course are not immune! How Churches allocate their time, talent and treasure, is a reflection of their values. When churches spend money on lawsuits, or airplanes, or lavish events, while locking their doors to those in need, it reflects badly on the church and on the body of Christ. I am very proud of Memorial for committing this psalter year to renovating our sanctuary so we could open it up more fully to the community, and also committing a huge percentage of our annual budget - 20% - to our justice and reparations initiative.

What does your personal budget say about you and your values? And in the face of this capitalist system we inhabit… how do we act as Christians and not as profit producers?

All Souls Sunday

All Souls Sunday

October 31 at 10:30 AM

On Sunday October 31 we will commemorate the feast of All Souls. This is the service wherein we remember the souls of loved ones who have died. If you would like to have names read in the necrology, please email the office. If necessary, please include a pronunciation guide with your names.

Deadline for submissions: October 28th

The View from Bolton Street

“Lord for your faithful people life is changed, not ended.”

This line from the Book of Common Prayer funeral liturgy is one of my favorites and a poignant reminder of what we believe about this life and the life to come. In the classic Christian traditions we believe that whatever comes after this is an extension of our short life here on earth.

A loving God awaits our return to God’s presence and Christ sits at his right hand offering to us eternal life and eternal peace. Which means that all those people that you love but see no longer are waiting at Jesus’ side for you as well.

But this theology of life being changed not ended is not only about the hereafter. When we encounter cataclysmic life changing events, moments when we are tempted to shout “my life is over!” Christ is right there to remind us that this is just a small change in the long arc of our lives, by no means the end.

For some of you the whole last year has felt like that, for others more recent events have tested your patience, your resolve, even your sense of self. For some of us, it feels like the world is crashing down on us, and others perhaps are too acutely aware of our own culpability in our current state of affairs.

No matter your condition or your state of mind, however, Christ is standing next to you to lift you up, hold your hand and remind you that life IS changed, but not over. There is a lot of life ahead, and Jesus can’t wait to walk with you through it.

Fall Sheng Zhen Practice in Rutter Mill Park

Hi Friends,

We still have many lovely fall afternoons ahead. Please consider joining us to practice Sheng Zhen Meditation in Rutter Mill Park for our weekly sessions.

We will continue to meet every Tuesday and Thursday from 5-6 PM in the Rutter Mill Park behind On the Hill Cafe, between Mosher and Lafayette on Rutter Street.

Please only join us if you are vaccinated, and maintain social distance. Masks optional outdoors. Unless it is raining, I will be at the park for class, so feel free to join me.

Wear comfortable clothes you can stretch in, and if you have a meditation stool, please bring it, as we often do seated forms. There are also benches at the park for those who do not have a stool.

Beginners and onlookers are always welcome. Come join us and see if you like it.

All classes are free with a suggested donation of $10/class to the International Sheng Zhen Society to support Master Li and our work. Donate here.

Hope to see you soon. With love,

Peter

OnRealm Training - October 3

OnRealm is our online tool for managing the business of the church. All members known to the treasurer already have a profile of some kind at our OnRealm site. What you may not know is how you can manage that profile to simplify the ways that you give of your time, talent, and treasure. This Sunday, October 3, at around 11:45 am following the end of the service, we will be holding a reasonably brief training session to familiarize ourselves with OnRealm. We will be covering the following:

• Creating your own log-in and editing your personal information

• How to find and express interest in volunteer roles

• How to give to specific missions or pay your pledge

• How to find and search the online membership directory

A brief self-directed overview is included below. To get here, look for the invitation from Memorial that came from OnRealm.org. It should have a link to set up your login. Once you have logged in you should see the following page:

When you log in to OnRealm.org you will land on this Newsfeed page. We will, in the future, be updating the newsfeed weekly to coincide with the e-News and any updates that may fall between e_news blasts.

To access your profile, click on your name in the upper right hand corner, circled in red here.

When you click on your name you will see a few account management options. For now, click on the My Profile option.

From here you can Edit your profile, circled in red; check events upcoming (when we have put them on the Realm calendar); check your pledge status or donate to a specific mission (e.g. flowers, or Afghan refugees) in the blue circle; see which groups you are a member of; manage your serving roles, including your availability; and search the directory to communicate with other members. Lets start with Serving

If you click on the 3 dots, circled in red above, you can edit which days of the week you are available to serve, and let us know which dates, typically which Sundays, you are definitely not available. This is incredibly helpful when we are crafting a schedule for Sundays, and the more dedicated we all are to this, the fewer emails everyone will get asking for clarification!

If you are interested in trying something new, or something old that you are not currently doing, you can click on the Opportunities tab, circled in purple toward the top of the screen. When you do, you will land here:

Most of these roles come with a description. Some of those descriptions are, as yet, incomplete. We will be filling them out in the days to come. Some roles require training and approval - we are MORE than happy to train any and all, all it takes is your indication of interest.

That is all for this week. We will have another self-directed overview as we get closer to Stewardship Sunday.

The View from Bolton Street

Luke 9:1-5

9Then Jesus* called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, 2and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal. 3He said to them, ‘Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money—not even an extra tunic. 4Whatever house you enter, stay there, and leave from there. 5Wherever they do not welcome you, as you are leaving that town shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.’ 

Many of you know that I spent quite a bit of time in and out of Afghanistan prior to my ordination. I served in a variety of capacities, but one constant through all of those different roles is the security profile I had to take.  Whenever we left the embassy we travelled in armored cars, with bulletproof vests and armed guards.  Not exactly 'take nothing for your journey', right? 

In contrast the Afghans who work with us, as interpreters or lawyers or advisors, showed up in taxis, with no body armor and often the only thing they had to protect their identity was a pair of sunglasses so that the Taliban couldn't identify them.  

And now we have left them largely behind, with no staffs, or bags, or extra tunics, to fend for themselves against a violent and unstable regime. They need our prayers, our support and our hospitality when and if they are able to make it to the United States. 

As they come to our towns, much like the disciples came, let us ensure that we don't turn our backs on  them, so that they wipe the dust from their feet when they leave.  These are indeed God's people, and it will be up to us decide whether we are God's people as well. 

Flowers and Candle Dedications

Every Sunday the talented members of the Flower Guild bring some of the beauty of Nature into the church to brighten up the space in front of the altar. You can dedicate the flowers, or the aumbry candle, to a loved one or for a special event, or just for no reason at all.

To dedicate the flowers, or candle, please click here . Below is a screen shot of the giving page for Memorial. You will need to select Flowers and Candles from the drop down menu on the right side (circled in red below) and if you would like to commemorate something or someone, with either the candle or the flowers please use the memo line (circled in purple).

Coffee Hour Sponsors

Remember loved ones! Celebrate a birthday or anniversary, or anything you would like!

As we begin to transition back to in-church services, we’re also transitioning back to in-person fellowship. For now Coffee Hour will remain outdoors, but if you have not been back recently, you may have missed our new collaboration with Ovenbird Bakery. Ovenbird is providing us with delicious baked goods every other week, but they are not free. Sponsorship of coffee hour is a great way to celebrate a birthday or anniversary or any event you would like to commemorate, while helping the church to offset the cost of refreshments.

Just click here and you can let us know what you are celebrating in the Memo section. On the right side of the page (where the red circle is) you can select Coffee Hour Donation. If you wish to dedicate the Coffee Hour to something or someone specific, please include it in the Memo (in the purple circle).

Monthly Prayer Service for Peace - Zoom 7:30 pm tonight, September 22, 2021

The Rev. Stewart Lucas and The Rev. Charlie Cloughen have been holding a monthly prayer service for peace on the 22nd of each month for some time now. In light of the recent events in Afghanistan, Grey+ will be sharing a meditation and leading a discussion after the service. If you would like to join the zoom link is:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7062840024

For those who may not know, here is a bit of Father Grey’s bio:

Grey+ has also served parishes in Miami and Sterling, Virginia. Prior to entering seminary, Grey was a Presidential Management Fellow and Foreign Affairs Officer focused on justice reform efforts in Afghanistan. He oversaw anti-corruption and gender justice initiatives and maintains close relationships with Afghan and international organizations. He has also spent two years studying the intersection of faith between Islamic, Christian, and Jewish communities in Jerusalem.