Dear Friends,
Many of you were moved by the recent sermon of Fr. Brandt Montgomery, and of his personal story as a school chaplain who came face to face with discrimination because of the color of his skin. As he shared his personal story, I am sure all of us were taken by the way that he reacted with love and compassion to those who had treated him so badly. His epilogue at the end of his sermon proved that continuing in his role as chaplain, in spite of hostility, and not responding in-kind was the right thing to do and clearly had a profound effect on the main perpetrator.
A number of parishioners have since asked if we can explore more deeply what it means to be a Beloved Community. Bishop Dietsche has used that catchphrase of Dr. Martin Luther King often, and it is certainly close to my heart; I love the fact that so many introductions in our traditional liturgy begin with the words ‘dearly beloved!’ But what does a beloved community look like? During the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, we thought about the prayer of Jesus that ‘we should all be one;’ the Christian Community is called to unity in diversity. Jesus also gave his disciples a new commandment – to ‘love one another,’ and he showed that love by washing their feet in the upper room and stretching out his arms on the cross. On that cross, he prayed ‘Father, forgive them.’ So, the Christian community is also called to be a place where the love of Jesus is nurtured, and forgiveness practiced.
Mo. Lee-Pae has written an article on the beloved community that you will find below and, on Sunday at 11am, I will reflect a little on what it means for a Church to be a beloved community. Then, during Black History Month, our Head Lector Pamela Lewis, who writes regularly for the Living Church Foundation, will write four articles on the four ‘emancipators’ who are portrayed on the tower of our church: William Wilberforce, Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King Jr., and Mary McLeod Bethune. We invite responses to those articles from parishioners and they can be sent to [email protected]. They will be used in preparation for a Lenten Study Group that will meet on Saturday, March 2 in the Parish House. Refreshments will be served from 9:30am. The group will gather at 10am, led by Pamela, and will conclude with mass at 12 p.m.
I have also asked my clergy colleagues to provide examples of art, poetry, and prayer by means of a reflection each week.
On Saturday, March 9, there will be another study group exploring the wider understanding of community in a post-pandemic, digital-age. The Rev. Dr. Sam Wells will join us from our link-church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, London. He will give a presentation on St. Martin’s and their ministry which is similar to ours; a magnificent historic church based in the center of a metropolis that has as many visitors as New York. St. Martin’s has a fine musical tradition, an expansive concert series, a remarkable social-care project, and a ministry to people of Asian descent. They have also formed The Nazareth Community – a group who commit annually to vows of monastic life while in their everyday lives. They meet for silence 3 times per week as well as for fellowship meals, devotional time and acts of service through the month. As we re-kindle the relationship with our link-parish, halted by the pandemic, Dr. Wells will help us explore how they, and we, are changing as Christian Communities that have a growing number of on-line members and worshippers. What does it mean to be St. Martin-in-the-Fields and Saint Thomas Fifth Avenue when so many feel they belong but live so far away? What can we do to build community in the new age that we find ourselves in?
Affectionately,
Your Priest and Pastor,
Carl
