The View from Bolton Street

The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery; You shall not murder; You shall not steal; You shall not covet”; and any other commandment, are summed up in this word, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfillment of the law.

Paul's Letter to the Romans

When I was in High School, Homecoming had a very different meaning.  It meant a football game, and a dance, a parade with floats, and a whole spirit week that felt like a sprint up to the big day... 

On second thought, maybe Homecoming at Memorial is not that different. Well, except for the floats (Maybe next year?) 

Of course, one big stress for any High School student was "Who am I going to the dance with?' 

Will we go in a big group? Will we rent a limo? Will I ask someone I like? Will we go as "just friends"?  Will I ask the person I have a crush on to go as just friends and then spend the night trying to get up the nerve to tell them how I really feel?  Will I skip it because dances are 'lame' but secretly wish I had gone to see what the fuss was all about? 

Over the summer a young couple came to Memorial to visit and when I asked what brought them there they said 'Actually it is our first date!'  I don't know how the rest of the date turned out, but I was amazed at the bravery behind asking someone to Church on a first date, and a little inspired as we come up to Homecoming this Sunday.  

Maybe we should all invite someone to come to Church with us this week?  What about someone that you haven't seen in church in a while? Someone who used to love Memorial but hasn't been here for some time? Or someone you think would really love this community, who is seeking a deeper relationship with God and with God's people?  

Or maybe that someone... is you?  If you are reading this and haven't been with us for awhile.  

You don't even have to pay for lunch, we will provide it for you!  

See you in Church!

The View from Bolton Street

A Season of… Creation?

This past week the Episcopal Church has announced the launch of the ‘Season of Creation’, running from September 1- October 4th, the feast of Saint Francis of Asissi (https://seasonofcreation.org/) in the Episcopal Church. Unlike other seasons in our church life, this is not a liturgical season (like advent or lent) but a thematic one, and one that is too be celebrated ecumenically with our siblings in Christ of various denominations.

Borrowing from Pope Francis, “In this Season of Creation, let us dwell on these heartbeats: our own, those of our mothers and grandmothers, the heartbeat of the created heart and that of God’s heart. Today they are not in harmony, they do not beat together in justice and peace. Many are prevented from drinking from this vigorous river. Let us listen then to the call to stand with the victims of environmental and climate injustice, and to put an end to this senseless war against creation.”

While this may feel like just liberal politics, we can see the impact of environmental degradation everywhere around us. Poorer air quality in urban neighborhoods leading to higher rates of asthma, higher rates of pollution in predominantly black neighborhoods in Baltimore, ‘heat islands’ where the temperature is 5, 10 or even 15 degrees higher in certain parts of the city than others.

This is a season both to mark and remember that ‘our island home’ is indeed fragile, and we need to care for it; and also to reflect on what actions we can take as a congregation to make an impact and change that current reality.

Over the next few weeks our prayers, homilies and music, as well as our outward work, In the reading from Exodus this week, we are reminded of Moses’ encounter with God in the burning bush and that where he is standing is indeed ‘holy ground.’ Keep in mind that Moses was not anywhere special. He was in the wilderness, not somewhere most people would consider Holy. And yet it was.

Our community is full of such sacred spaces. From the Sunflower Garden at Harlem Park to the St. James Square pocket parks, to Sumpter Park, and the Filbert Street Garden, we have lot and lots of Holy Ground right around the corner. Over the next few weeks I hope we are able to get to know those places and spaces better.

But first - we have some work to do on our own Holy Ground. If you haven’t noticed, the flower planters ,and tree pits, memorial garden are looking a bit overrun around the church. While some of our neighbors have taken on the work in the Rectory garden, there is still plenty of work to do outside.

So I want to invite you to labor with me this Labor Day weekend, weeding, straightening and planting to make our outdoor space reflective of the care and love we have for God’s creation.

I hope you can join us SUNDAY at 11:00 am (after Church) and MONDAY at 9:00 am, for about two hours each day. We should be able to make a sizable dent in making this space shine.

The View from Bolton Street

When Natalie had finished speaking all* these words to all Israel, She said to them: ‘I am now Seventy Four years old. I am no longer able to get about, and the Lord has told me, “You shall not cross over this Jordan.” The Lord your God himself will cross over before you.

Deuteronomy 31:1-3 (sort of)

The final words of Moses to the people of Israel has been going around inside my head for the last few days as I contemplate Natalie’s retirement. Despite having only known each other a few years,it feels like she has been a part of my life for so much of it.

Some of that is practical; in the last five years Natalie has been a pastoral counselor and confidant through some of the most challenging parts of my life, and I have attempted to be the same for her.

She also has played a significant role in my growth as a rector, as a priest, and as person of God, helping me through some of the most transformative moments of my ministry. And likewise I have attempted to try and be a similar support to her through significant moments in her life and ministry.

I do feel a little bit like Joshua, being left at the shores of the River Jordan with similar words of comfort… “Don’t worry, its all going to be fine.” But I wanted to take a moment in this reflection to let Natalie, and all of you, know that I do not feel abandoned. In fact, I feel energized, emboldened, empowered to do all this work that Natalie has set before us.

And a little bit scared.

But look at these words that Moses left for Joshua, and that Natalie in turn leaves for us:

See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, death and adversity.If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God that I am commanding you today, by loving the Lord your God, walking in his ways, and observing his commandments, decrees, and ordinances, then you shall live and become numerous. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and holding fast to him; for that means life to you and length of days.

As a community of faith, as co-laborers in God’s vineyard we have decided to choose life, and to choose it abundantly. Churches all over this country are dying. Drying out on the vine. Slowly losing people, energy, space and place.

But we have chosen something else. And we have Natalie to thank for that.

So I hope you will join me this sunday at 9:30 am as we say well done good and faithful servant to The Rev. Natalie Conway, as we listen to her farewell discourse, and as we consider how we continue to choose life here at Memorial.

The View from Bolton Street

She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.”

This retort to Jesus stings. There really is no way around it. Jesus makes a trip to Tyre and Sidon, north of Israel. It is a Gentile country, and a Canaanite woman approaches him asking for help.  Jesus' response is to say "It is not fair to take away the children's food and give it to the dogs." 

Now. AT BEST. Jesus is trying to make a joke. AT BEST. No matter how you interpret this, he is likening Canaanites to dogs and reminds his disciples that he is only called to the lost sheep of Israel. There may be many a lot of contextual reasons for Jesus' comment, many likely lost to history. We can even go ahead and put the blame on Matthew, the collator of this Gospel. But we still have to wrestle with Jesus saying this and, perhaps even harder to deal with, that the woman talks back to Jesus and he agrees with her. 

There are a lot of directions you can run with this text. But for me, as a man in a position of power, I prefer the simplest. 

It is not a sin to be wrong. It is not a sin to correct your bad actions. And it is not a sin to acknowledge when you messed up. 

Let me say that again: 

It is not a sin to be wrong. It is not a sin to correct your bad actions. And it is not a sin to acknowledge when you messed up.

When you are in leadership - whether in the church, government, the private sector, or even in your own home, humility is such an important and yet often forgotten attribute. But as Jesus demonstrates, there is tremendous power in humility. Jesus is able to both model to his disciples how to recover from a mistake, and to model to the Canaanites how to break down barriers between cultures, especially when there is mistrust and pain involved.

It would have been easy for Jesus to follow his disciples lead and ignore the woman, or to respond antagonistically to the challenge. But he takes another path. A path that perhaps more leaders today should take.

He listens. He reflects. and he responds by changing not just his words but his actions, then AND going forward. This is not a one off appeasement to avoid getting cancelled. Jesus from this point on changes his view on salvation for the gentiles which is pretty good news for us.

What else could change in your life if someone showed a little more humility? What could change if you did as well?

The View from Bolton Street

When the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified . . . and cried out in fear.  But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, “Tale heart, it is I, do not be afraid.” Matthew 14:26-27

Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, ‘You of little faith, why did you doubt?’ Matthew 14:31

Well, Jesus, it’s easy for you to say do not be afraid.  You’re the one walking on water. Peter tried to come to you, but fear overcame him, and he began to sink.  Jesus grabbed his hand and said: “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” 

How many times have we heard that line in Scripture—do not be afraid.  The most commonly repeated phrase in the entire Bible, in both the Old Testament (over 100 times) and New Testament (about 44 times), is “Fear not! or “Have no fear!” or “Do not be afraid!” or “Be not afraid!’ 

Everyone is afraid sometimes, about something.  I have a fear of heights, snakes and other crawling things, and lately, falling.  We live in a world that offers plenty of chances to fear.  We can also creatively think of new things to be fearful of.  So perhaps, that’s why the phrase “do not be afraid” is often repeated in Scripture.  Trusting in God will counteract the effects of fear. Even though the admonition is not to be afraid, the implication that trusting is having faith in God.

This week, on August 15th, is the celebration of the Feast of the Virgin Mary. The Annunciation is the perfect story of fear that turned into faith.  A young woman, a virgin, is visited by the angel Gabriel who has been sent from God.  Gabriel says: “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus.”  Not only is Mary perplexed but I believe she was also afraid.  Gabriel tells her that her cousin, Elizabeth, who is advanced in age, is also with child.  Gabriel says: ‘For nothing will be impossible with God.’ Then Mary said, ‘Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.’  All her fears and doubts were erased by her faith in God.

If we don’t focus on the fear but increase our faith, then we have nothing to be afraid of.  Focus on our relationship with God, focus on God’s nearness, focus on that light that burns inside of us to erase some of the darkness of the world.

Be Not Afraid (song by St. Louis Jesuits) Chorus:

Be not afraid,

I go before you always

Come follow me

And I will give you rest.

The View from Bolton Street

Leaps of Faith

At the end of June, we heard Father Grey’s announcement and call to action.  An Afghan family that was being granted asylum to the United States would soon arrive in Baltimore, and would be aided by Memorial Church.  As a member of the Memorial Vestry, my mind had dwelt on the pressing financial issues that our church faced post-COVID. Would we be able to take on this new challenge, and would we have the resources and energy to bring an unfamiliar family into our care? Nevertheless, I found myself raising my hand to help create a Welcoming Circle for the Afghan family.
With less than a week's notice, volunteers from Memorial, the Episcopal Refugee and Immigrant Center Alliance (ERICA), St. Thomas at Owings Mills, and the Chizuk Amuno Synagogue sprang into action.  This was my first introduction to ERICA and to members of the other houses of worship, but I found myself quickly and happily drawn into their cooperative fray.  I was thankful for their advice, as many of them had had experience working with refugees and asylum seekers, and their guidance gave us a format to support the newcomers.  In record time, the volunteers, including a few Afghans who had only arrived a few months prior, transformed two unoccupied floors of an old house, quietly cluttered with stored items and years of dust, into a new home and refuge for the newcomers.  Furniture and household items were procured, and a positive energy radiated into the house.

I did not know very much about the family that Memorial would be supporting, but I did wonder about the threats that they might have endured, the traumas that had forced them to leave.  I wondered what hopes and fears they harbored as they left behind family and home, as they made a leap of faith into the unknown.  I wondered how they viewed America and Americans - what they would expect from us when they arrived?

“God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,
though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble at its swelling.”
Psalm 46:1-3

Of course, I need not have worried about my fellow Memorialites feeling stretched thin.  We have welcomed the new family and witnessed the joy of their reunion with loved ones. Many parishioners continue working tirelessly to help address medical, food, clothing and scholastic needs. I am thankful for those who have shown the family local resources and the charms of our neighborhood, and who have helped them adapt to the quirks of living in a lovely but old building.

“Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.”
I Thessalonians 5:11

Joys aside, the road ahead for our guests is long and uncertain, and I expect that we will experience miscommunication and misunderstandings as we learn to understand each other.  The family is eager to build new lives in the United States, and Memorial is committed to help them on the road to independence. But I understand from my own experiences, as an American transplanted back to the United States after a childhood in Singapore, that adaptation to American life will require patience from all sides. As the boundaries of unfamiliarity and language fade, however, I am hopeful that we will get to know the family well.  I look forward to hearing their stories, to learn more about their extended family, culture and about Afghanistan. I hope we truly get to know them in a meaningful way, as members of our community.

The first few months of the family’s arrival are particularly critical.  We are partnering with the Samaritan Community to collect non-perishable foods, toiletries and supplies for the family during this time.  Please contact Wendy Yap at wendy.yapper@gmail.com or other members of the Memorial Vestry for more information on how to provide support.

The View from Bolton Street

Reflecting on my journey developing Parenthesis on Parenting, I think of my walk with Christ. The two journeys began at the same time.

Throughout my professional career, I have chosen many paths of serving others, from healthcare to running a food pantry. In my personal life, I have taken several spiritual paths. The goal for both has always been to find purpose and help others. Through prayer, diligence, and obedience, God has shown me to use what he has taken me through and saved me from as a ministry to help others. He told me to use my life as a testimony to help others. I told God I had overcome adversity and never wanted to shine a light on my hardships. God told me to use my life as a ministry to help others.

Ultimately, that's what I did. I looked at my family, I looked at my friends, and I looked at my community for ways to use my journey to help others. I looked at all I overcame through Christ Jesus and discovered my calling and purpose: family restoration. We live in a city where children cry for help, and we are searching for a solution. The solution to this problem starts by helping mothers and caregivers. This is why I began Parenthesis on Parenting and my ministry to help mothers in need.

During one of Memorial's Lunch and Learn Reparations events, I openly discussed the organization's mission and goals. The Rev. Grey Maggiano, our Rector, asked if we could schedule an appointment to discuss things further. After that conversation, he asked me when I would be ready to move from contemplation to action. His response was the confirmation I needed. God affirmed my journey, and through a partnership, he orchestrated the means to begin Parenthesis on Parenting was granted.

Philippians 4:6

Philippians 4:19

The View from Bolton Street

After starting today’s reflection several times on various topics, then deleting (the 2023 version of scrunched up pieces of paper on the floor), I looked around the room for a sign. A book that was given to me after my dad died caught my eye. The cover is teal blue and stands out on the bookshelf. It is a “prayer of the day” book, which has always felt “too churchy” to me. [Can I say that in a church reflection?] However, thinking, “What harm can it do?”, I decided to look up today’s message. And bam [face palm emoji].

“Bring me all your feelings, even the ones you wish you didn’t have. Do not hide from your fear or pretend it isn’t there. Anxiety that you hide in the recesses of your heart will give birth to fear of fear. Bring your anxieties out into the Light of My Presence, where we can deal with them together.”*

The best messages are the ones you didn’t even know you needed. I read this and I physically felt a lifting of fear and anxiety that I didn’t realize I was holding on to. Though, I shouldn’t be surprised. Between work and home, there are a variety of transitions going on and some have unknown outcomes. Through writing this reflection, I’m realizing that I haven’t given myself space or grace to consider how I feel about these transitions – whether it be a new boss or a new school.

What fear or anxiety might you be holding on to? Remember that God is there to help lighten the load. Take time to reflect and see where God is in the situation.

- Stacy Wells

*An excerpt from the book “Jesus Calling” by Sarah Young. The July 19 message is from Ephesians 6:16; 1 John 1:5-7; and Isaiah 12:2.

The View from Bolton Street

It really is “All About Love” in Baltimore.

Today concludes the Episcopal Church’s “All About Love” Festival here in Baltimore.  Many of us came to the Festival/Conference/Revival not entirely sure why we were there. Was this about evangelism? Racial reconciliation? Was this a ‘make-up’ conference for General Convention? A vanity project? WHY ARE WE DOING THIS? 

Let me say, quite truthfully, that none of that mattered.  Because what we remembered when we got down to the convention center is that, above all, it is good for us to be together. It is easy to forget, after all, that the value of gathering communally is usually NOT the content of workshops, programs, trainings, whatever it is.  

The value of gathering together is the small conversations with new and old friends, the ability to share dreams, hopes, visions, ideals, and to contemplate new ways of being with each other.  

Perhaps the true genius of the Stations of the Cross walks we have been doing is not in the selection of the sites, or the prayerful petitions and responses, but in the time built in between stops for people to reflect, pray, converse, share, and wonder with no set agenda.  

Because it is in those moments, the unplanned, unscheduled encounters with the divine that we truly see love in action.  That is when we see God at work, when we allow space for the Holy Spirit to act in our lives.  

Perhaps, not everything need have a purpose? Perhaps we should make time in our life for unplanned interactions.  For quiet. To experience God’s love, to taste God’s joy, and to experience God’s hope. 

I hope you will allow some time to be surprised this season.  

The View from Bolton Street

I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.

Romans 7:15

I feel you, Paul. This is basically me when I eat too much pizza. Or “forget” to go to the gym. 

But seriously, this is Paul at his best. Human. Down to earth. Connecting with us. Reminding us that sin is not always some big evil awful scary thing, but is just the reality of being human. We all sin, we all fall short, we all need grace. Even Paul. Even you. Even Me. 

The rest of this passage is admittedly not very clear to our modern ears, but in Paul’s day there was a lot of discussion about the applicability of the law if Jesus came to abolish/fulfill it. Basically, if Jesus came to forgive our sins, then why should we worry about following the law? Can’t we just say sorry and we’re good? (I had a roommate once who argued this point) 

But ‘the law’ does not exist to provide salvation. It’s just there to keep us on the right path. There are thousands of old testament commandments and laws. Thousands more were interpreted after the fact. And while the Christian interpretation of “It all boils down to Love God, Love your Neighbor” is helpful… it clearly does not fill in all the gaps. 

And I have bad news. I don’t know which laws really matter and which don’t anymore than you do. (Please see above comment regarding pizza) Sure some seem pretty obvious: murder, stealing, adultery. But we have a whole lot of very polemical instructions around human sexuality, and less polemical instructions on mixed fabrics and tattoos. Don’t worry, though, neither Paul nor Jesus expect us to make it up on our own.

A mentor described sin and the law as being a little like pinball. They exist to keep us on the field and bounce us back into right relationship with God. They are gentle (and sometimes less than gentle) reminders that something is not going quite right, but can be if we listen to those signs and symbols when we find ourselves doing the things that we hate, the things that make us feel distant from God and from others.

Now, people usually prefer something a little simpler. “Do this and you go to heaven. Do that and you don’t.” The Bible for dummies, or something like that. I appreciate that desire, I really do, but the reality of God’s divine love and of our human existence just doesn’t allow for simple step-by-step guides.

We all sin. We all fall short. Sometimes intentionally, but usually not. There is no shame in making a mistake, even when the world tries to tell you there is. We just shift our focus and try to be more intentional about doing better next time. And there is certainly no shame in being who God made you to be, even if others say it is sinful and wrong. God doesn’t make mistakes, and if God does, you aren’t one of them.