The Good News of St. John’s

This Sunday: March 12
How We Pray: Worship in the Episcopal Church
Parish Hall from 1:00-3:30

Have you ever wondered why we do the things we do during worship? Where did all of these practices come from? What do all the symbols mean – the colors, the white robes, the gestures? What is in the Prayer Book? What is the liturgical year? What is the deeper meaning behind the services of Holy Week? And what is “prayer” anyway? Phew… lots to talk about here. Bring all your questions!

All are welcome to join in our Inquirer’s Class. Come to the whole series or come to the topics that interest you the most. Learn more or register, here.

What is “Inquirer’s Class?

Whether you are new to the Episcopal Church or you have been here for years and want to learn more, this class is for you! We take a deeper dive into our Christian faith and how that is expressed as Episcopalians through 6 class sessions. Come to all of them or just come to the sessions where the topics interest you the most.

This class also serves as preparation for adult baptism, confirmation, or reception into the Episcopal Church. Speak with Rev. Michelle to learn more.

During the Week at St. John’s

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What We Have Left Undone

Soon after my arrival in the Diocese of New York about 7 years ago, I began to hear about a group called the Reparations Committee, which eventually became the Reparations Commission. What is this work?

Those who are engaged in reparations work have made the moral decision to examine and explore our collective historical involvement in the enslavement of Black people and, subsequently, our ongoing involvement in systems that continue to oppress and marginalize Black people.

It’s often not an easy conversation. There are people who still argue that slavery is a “Southern thing” despite the knowledge that, not only did people own slaves in the north (we have our own Sojourner Truth here in Ulster County) but that much of the wealth that built New York City were profits from the slave trade itself. There are also people who say, “this happened before I was born and I never did anything wrong.” Yet, all white people, no matter what socioeconomic class, have benefitted directly from systems of privilege (including wealth) that were designed to prevent access to Black people.

My beloveds, these are not opinions. These are facts. And the continued denial of these facts has raised a heinous demon in the soul of our society. You all know me well enough to know that I don’t use that word every day but that is exactly what it is – a demon that conflates rhetoric, opinion, and truth in the attempt to justify the continued oppression of others as “the cost of doing business” or “collateral damage” or, worse.

Meanwhile, the entire trajectory of the Hebrew Scriptures speaks in outright opposition to this evil. Which leads us to Jesus.

Last week, in the Gospel, we read about Jesus talking to Nicodemus. And Jesus says to him: “Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen; yet you do not receive our testimony.” Who are we, then, if we are not willing to receive the testimony of our own siblings who tell us of their oppression? We must be willing to look past the line we have drawn in the sand and see where Christ is pointing.

So, let us begin by acknowledging that slavery is and was a sin. In so doing, it is proper to look at our Confession: Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. 
By what we have done… and by what we have left undone. Dear Ones, this is the key phrase.

We have left so much undone. We may not have been alive when slavery was the law but, we have to take seriously the continued effort to “undo” this sin because it still infects our systems and our institutions and, therefore, it still infects us.

The Diocese of New York is collectively doing this work of undoing. And the Reparations Commission is leading all of us in this effort. You can learn more here.

On Saturday, March 26 Bishop Andy Dietsche will be joined by Bishops Mary Glasspool, Allen Shin, and Bishop Coadjutor Elect Matt Heyd in a special service of apology. I am going as a vested member of the clergy. Ana is going as one of the musicians. And I ask you to consider going. Please do. And let us fill the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, the largest Gothic cathedral in the world, with a prayer of apology that resounds far and wide, shakes the very ground under our feet, and opens our hearts to God’s deeper truth and grace that will lead us in our undoing.

And then, let this be for us at St. John’s what carries us forward into an exploration of our own complicity in the evil of slavery.

I’d like to end by saying this, and it’s something I have said before when it comes to our collective anti-racism work: We do not do this work to feel superior to those who do not do it. It’s much too important for it to be an ego trip. I will not tolerate anyone demeaning others or gossiping about others. Afterall, Nicodemus came to Jesus in earnest. Confrontation is one thing, and it is necessary. But we must always endeavor to speak the truth in love.

In God’s love and mine,
Rev. Michelle

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Announcements for March 12
The Third Sunday in Lent