Change

To everything turn, turn, turn
There is a season turn, turn, turn
And a time to every purpose under Heaven

A time to be born, a time to die
A time to plant, a time to reap
A time to kill, a time to heal
A time to laugh, a time to weep

(Pete Seeger, based on Ecclesiastes 3)

Life is changing again.

Here we go.  Are you ready?

It has been said that August is the Sunday night of summer.  I think that’s especially the case for teachers and students who are starting to count down the remaining weeks of freedom.  Although we still have another month of summer weather, many of us are feeling the season grind to an end.  We’ll transition from the lazy days of summer to a tighter schedule, and earlier wake-up times.

Some of us are preparing to send young adults off to college.  Some of us are about to become empty nesters.  Some are awaiting the birth of a child or grandchild.  Others are watching and waiting as loved ones fade away.  Some are facing the challenge of a worsening health condition or are scheduling intimidating medical procedures.  Still others are hoping for good news regarding employment status or a resolution to financial concerns.

As a nation we face major changes in the next few months.  Some are frightened of the possibilities, while others are encouraged.  On a global level, we are witnessing tragedies and anxiously await resolution.  Things are also changing in our parish, in our families, and communities.  

How do you deal with change?  Do you embrace it, running toward the next phase of life?  Do you stiffen your upper lip and brace yourself?  Are you afraid, seeing change as a bully forcing you into the fight of your life?  

Some of the changes will be joyful, some bittersweet, still others will elicit sorrow and pain.  We prefer having control over our circumstances, but that is generally an illusion.  No matter the outcome, we know that still water becomes stagnant.  Change is a necessary part of life.  But we can take comfort in knowing that our faithful God is unchangingly present, walking with us, providing “strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow.”

Rooted in Love

I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name. I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love. I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Ephesians 3:14-19

The parish of St. Mary the Virgin in Painswick, near Gloucester, has one of the most striking churchyards I have ever seen. I visited it briefly on Tuesday evening, just before sunset, as I took a day’s break before heading to Wales for the Oratory of the Good Shepherd’s General Chapter and retreat. It was actually my second visit to this church; the first was almost exactly 40 years ago. I was 12 years old, tagging along with my dad on an extended business trip to chemical companies in England and Scotland that supplied the raw materials for making nylon. At the time, I knew the church was beautiful. Now, I can see the theological depth that beauty contains, and there are three things in particular about the church in Painswick that I’d like to share with you. 

First, the churchyard is full of yew trees, traditional symbols of eternal life. In some places, they have grown close enough to form arches over the cemetery paths. In order to reach the church, you walk through the ‘great cloud of witnesses’ of the parish, surrounded by trees that proclaim our resurrection hope. It is a faith that is rooted in the soil and reaches to the heavens. 

At the entrance to the churchyard is a beautiful lychgate, added at the beginning of the 20th century. Dating back to medieval times, the lychgate was the place where funeral processions waited for the priest to meet them to receive the body. Over the entrance to the cemetery are the words of the Magnificat, Mary’s song of God’s world-changing victory in Christ. At this boundary between sacred and secular space, the building itself rejoices in what God has done for us in Jesus. 

Finally, the parish of St. Mary’s has a traditional yearly festival called the “clypping.” “Clypping” is an old English word that means embracing, and that is what they do each September. The members of the parish stand in a circle around the church building, hold hands, and sing a hymn - quite literally embracing the church. 

This, I think, is the kind of love that St. Paul is talking about in Sunday’s lesson from Ephesians. It extends out of the present moment into the past and the future. It is all-embracing, and it is the occasion of tremendous joy. This is the perfect love that casts out fear. 

May you, too, “know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”

Yours in Christ,

Kara

P.S. I will be back towards the end of next week, so if you need me I will be available in person then. While I will not open my email during the days of silence between Friday night and Wednesday morning, I will be checking before and after those times. 

On Earth as in Heaven

I was very struck by Mtr Kara’s sermon last week, particularly her acute observation that our current social malaise, described by so many people as “unprecedented,” is in fact quite precedented. The violence, famine, war, hatred, prejudice, injustice, political intrigue — the list goes on and on. We’ve seen all of this before. And a cursory glance at almost any book of the Bible confirms our propensity towards what might be most accurately described as “sin.” The natural reaction to all of this might be screaming and cursing the universe, running away and distancing ourselves, or burying our heads in the sand. Fight, flight, or freeze, well-known stress responses that our primal brain uses when we feel in danger, responses that can keep us alive. But is there another way? A better way?

I am being utterly sincere when I say that I cannot think of a better time to be a Christian. I read something dire almost every day about the rise of agnosticism, the decline of the Church, the end of Christianity. Which is perhaps all factually true. What is also true is that depression is on the rise, loneliness is on the rise, suicide is on the rise, addiction is on the rise. In the words of the old spiritual, “If we ever needed the Lord before, we sure do need him now.” It may very well be that we are in the midst of a second Reformation, a time to reclaim the Gospel from the bondage of Christian Nationalism and false teachings. What an incredible opportunity we have as people of The Way to make true the sacred words that were put down on paper 2000 years ago, “On earth as it is in heaven.”

In his compelling book Do I Stay Christian, Brian McLaren writes, “Religion, at its best, is what re-ligaments or reconnects us to God, one another, and creation. It challenges the stories that pit us against each other: us over them, us overturning them, us competing with them, us isolating from them, us in spite of them, us purifying ourselves of them. It tells a better story—some of us for all of us—a story in which there is no them, a story in which we tear down the walls that have divided us—and from the rubble build bridges.”

I was talking to Kara this afternoon and observed that one of best things about The Episcopal Church is that even as we embrace differences, cherish diversity, and think creatively, we are bound together by our liturgy, and most importantly, by the Eucharist. We come together at a common table to eat and drink, not despite our differences, but because of our differences. On earth, as it is in heaven.

Holy Laughter

“Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, “The LORD has done great things for them.” (Psalm 126:2)

If you’re at all like me, you might be finding yourself in need of some laughter these days. We find ourselves navigating an onslaught of bleak and depressing headlines, we seem unable or unwilling to end war or famine, we despair as our planet literally burns, and we find it increasingly difficult to imagine a bright and equitable and peaceful future for our children and grandchildren. It’s grim. What is there to laugh about, rejoice in, celebrate? 

When was the last time you laughed so hard that you cried? I remember being a teenager and staying up late watching ‘Saturday Night Live,’ laughing until I was short of breath and my stomach hurt. It was an absolute release. The SNL jokes and sketches were often raunchy and certainly not appropriate for the Trinity Church ePistle. But the laughter - it was holy. 

Anne Lamott says “laughter is carbonated holiness.” Have you ever heard Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s laugh? Holy.

The humorist (and Episcopalian) Garrison Keillor quipped, “You know you are a Episcopalian when it’s 100 degrees, with 90% humidity, and you still have coffee after the service,” and “You hear something really funny during the sermon and smile as loudly as you can.” Can you feel yourself grinning and nodding in agreement and recognition?

I think there should be a yearly church commemoration of Robin Williams ‘Top 10 Reasons to be Episcopalian.’ Williams, a cradle Episcopalian, was a master of not taking oneself too seriously, and we were all blessed by his ministry of holy (and unholy) laughter. So here’s the list. Feel free to add your own. Maybe we should nail them to the door of the church, like Luther’s 95 theses. Enjoy. 

Robin Williams’s Top 10 Reasons to be Episcopalian: 

10. No snake handling.

9. You can believe in dinosaurs.

8. Male and female God created them; male and female we ordain them.

7. You don't have to check your brains at the door.

6. Pew aerobics.

5. Church year is color-coded.

4. Free wine on Sunday.

3. All of the pageantry - none of the guilt.

2. You don't have to know how to swim to get baptized.

And the NUMBER ONE reason to be an Episcopalian:

1. No matter what you believe, there's bound to be at least one other Episcopalian who agrees with you.

Wishing you the blessing of carbonated holiness,

Wesley

The Presiding Bishop-Elect's first sermon

Last week, I introduced Presiding Bishop-Elect Sean Rowe to you. While we are enjoying the holiday weekend, here's Bishop Rowe's own introduction to his new role: his sermon at the Closing Eucharist of General Convention. I commend it to you! 

In Christ,

Kara

https://www.episcopalchurch.org/publicaffairs/81st-general-convention-of-the-episcopal-churchclosing-eucharist-sermon-by-presiding-bishop-elect-sean-rowe/

Bibles and Newspapers

I don’t know how I became a “news junkie,” but I suppose it was the same way that anyone becomes addicted to anything: I got a taste of something that made me feel good and informed and excited (and smugly superior), and so I gradually needed more and more of it to satiate my desire, and before I knew it I would go into withdrawal unless I got my daily dosage.

The problem for many of us who grew up with the seemingly limited selection of only 3 news channels (CBS, ABC, NBC) is the overwhelming choice, the sheer volume of information coming at us, in amounts that our brains may not be designed to absorb. Naval Ravikant, American entrepreneur and investor warns, “The human brain is not designed to absorb all the world’s breaking news, 24/7 emergencies injected straight into your skull with clickbait headline news. If you pay attention to that stuff, even if you’re well-meaning, even if you’re of sound mind and body, it will eventually drive you insane.”

The renowned theologian Karl Barth said that pastors should “Take your Bible and take your newspaper, and read both. But interpret newspapers from your Bible.” 

I think some of us do quite the opposite and “interpret the Bible from our newspapers.” I wonder what Barth would have made of our endless 24/7 news cycle, clamoring for attention with seductive clickbait. I wonder what he would’ve said about my reaching for my phone and NY Times updates, before I reached for my Book of Common Prayer and before doing my morning prayers. It seems that we (I) have put the cart before the horse. 

How can we see Louisiana’s recent law requiring that the Ten Commandments be displayed in public schools through the lens of scripture? What does the Bible have to say about Oklahoma‘s new law requiring the Bible to be taught in public schools? And does the Bible have anything to say about the Presidential debates? 

One of the most dangerous phrases in history is “The Bible is clear..” and so I’m certainly not going to proscribe specific biblical passages that speak to our current political landscape. 

But what I will invite us to do, is before we gorge ourselves on the non-stop toxic smorgasbord that is the news, we spend some time with scripture and in prayer and meditation. 

Our Old Testament lectionary reading this week could be a good start:

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:22-23)

As Episcopalians, we are called, commanded even, every week to “Go in peace to love and serve the Lord” and our ecstatic response is “Thanks be to God. Alleluia! Alleluia!” 

With God as our guide, with love as our song, the news of the world is an opportunity for us to serve. And I think then we can heed Barth’s call and actually change the world through a Christocentric lens.  And what could that change look like for us? For the world?

Trinity Church Campaign: Remember, Reflect, Renew

As you may well have heard, it is an exciting time for the Trinity Church community as we explore a potential multifaceted campaign to raise funds to strengthen the church, now and in the future.  The campaign will be focused on how we Remember all that was, Reflect on all that is, and Renew for all that will be. 

The crucial first steps are underway in partnership with a nonprofit consulting firm, The Munshine Group, which is leading one-on-one and group conversations for a Campaign Planning Study.  As part of the study, many members of the church family representing various roles have been or will be interviewed to get a broad cross-section of input. Approximately four dozen interviews and a few focus groups are anticipated in what will be a process lasting some three to four months.  If you would like to participate in one of the individual interviews or a focus group that is scheduled for July 9th, please reach out directly to Annie Bryson at brysona@trinityprinceton.org. 

In addition, we have established a Study Advisory Group to ensure we keep with our role as conscientious stewards of Trinity Church as we do our due diligence each step of the way in discerning next steps.  Prior to the start of his sabbatical, Father Paul was instrumental in the conception of the need for a campaign as well as its initial planning phase. And while he is out on sabbatical Father Paul is being updated on a periodic basis.  Upon his return, Father Paul will be provided with a full picture regarding how the planning phase has progressed. 

We look forward to sharing information along the way, as well as the recommendations that ultimately are formed by this work.  If you have any questions or input, please feel free to reach out to David Schneider, Senior Warden at david.c.schneider@outlook.com or at 206.407.8612.

Peace,

David

Honoring Juneteenth

Dear friends, 

On this day, the United States commemorates the end of slavery in this nation. It was on June 19, 1865 that Major General Gordon Granger ordered the final enforcement of the Emancipation Proclamation in Texas at the end of the Civil War. While our nation has come a long way since then in the struggle to ensure that justice and equality applies to everyone, we will always have work to do in seeking "a more perfect union." 

For Christians, we are called to this work not because of secular ideologies but because God has created all of humanity in his image, redeems us equally at the Cross, and adopts us as heirs of the promise equally. As one of my professors said in a class years ago, if we take baptism and the Eucharist seriously, if we are made members of the household of God together and share the same blood of Christ, are we not called to care for each other - and care about the injuries done to each other - as we would members of our own family? I believe that we are. 

Today, I invite each one of us, as members of the Trinity Church family, to pray that God will continue to show us what we may be called to do as Christians to work towards a just society. 

Almighty God, who hast created us in thine own image: Grant us grace fearlessly to contend against evil and to make no peace with oppression; and, that we may reverently use our freedom, help us to employ it in the maintenance of justice in our communities and among the nations, to the glory of thy holy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. 

(Book of Common Prayer, p. 209)

Yours faithfully in Christ,

The Rev. Canon Dr. Kara Slade

Associate Rector