Dear friends in Christ,
The Episcopal Church is much in the news this week. Our small footprint in Christianity was seen by the world. For context, The Episcopal Church, of which Trinity Concord is a part, is a small US denomination, with fewer than 1.6 million members with 344,000 people attending worship services on Sundays. This data is from 2022, the latest year for which the numbers are available. The mission of the Episcopal Church, as stated in the Book of Common Prayer’s catechism, is “to restore all people to unity with God and each other in Christ.” Throughout the fall, and continuing this Sunday, at Trinity we pray “A Prayer for Unity” as part of the Prayers of the People in our Sunday worship services.
Grant, O God, that your holy and life-giving Spirit may so move every human heart, and especially the hearts of the people of this land, that barriers which divide us may crumble, suspicions disappear, and hatreds cease; that our divisions being healed, we may live in justice and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (Book of Common Prayer, p. 823)
Praying for unity is not a plea for us to all think alike nor minimize the particular gifts God has bestowed upon each of us. In his letter to the Corinthians St. Paul reminds us that each of us are given different gifts and have different calls placed upon our hearts by God-some are prophets, some teachers, some apostles, some healers, some interpreters of the world around us. In this diversity of gifts and expression, Paul reminds us that we are one Body in Christ: “Just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body--Jews or Greeks, slaves or free--and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.”
(1 Cor. 12:12-13)
The unity we celebrate and pray for is the unity Jesus leads us to through the waters of baptism. In our baptism we are joined with Christ and with each other in God’s love and promise of new life, resurrected life, a life of freedom in the One who knows us and loves us and calls us Beloved. The One who has made us siblings with Jesus and with each other. In the week that has passed and in all the days and weeks to come, my commitment to you–Jesus’s commitment to all of us–is that all are welcome here. Trinity Church is a bold witness of this unity in the Spirit, where each one of us is called to be a part of the Body of Christ, using our gifts, offering our prayers, caring for each other and for the broken and longing world we inhabit for now. We can talk and listen to each other, with curious and loving ears when we disagree, asking questions with kindness and truly open hearts when we don’t understand each other. Jesus promises that “whenever two or three are gathered in his name,” he is part of the conversation too. How will we listen and learn, honoring the dignity of every person in our parish, every person we meet on the street, every person we share this earth with- each of us breathing and hoping and living our lives only by God’s grace and mercy?
I know that many, many people are feeling fearful and raw, perhaps afraid and unsteady. In her Family newsletter this week Rev. Julia Freedman shared her personal story in an honest and hopeful way; as she was reminded of God’s promise to her in baptism. Each of us is grappling with how to manage our intake of unrelenting news, disappointments and hopes about our political system and the actions of elected leaders; fears for loved ones, friends and neighbors who may be particularly vulnerable in these uncertain days. My prayer is that no one feels alone nor be alone in these times of uncertainty and struggle. Call, write, text, come for a visit, come to worship where we are in community and communion and not alone.
We are One Body in Christ, and when we gather here, around God’s table, eating the bread and drinking the wine, shoulder to shoulder, on our knees, we are both reminded of our unity in Christ, and we are witnessing to the world that this unity is not simply an idea, but is a physical reality. We manifest God’s love when we love; when we are kind to each other, when we speak with love even in disagreement, when we honor and defend the dignity of every human being as we promised in our baptism.
Back in early November, many of you asked me “what can I do?, what can we do as a church?” I reiterate my response below as these concrete things are always available and pertain to our lives as followers of Jesus all the time. Our time is in our hands; we can choose to come together each week to be strengthened by God’s power and mercy and love; and by affirming that with each other.
Ways to connect in the Spirit of unity bestowed upon us at our Baptism:
Come to Sunday worship–this is where we support and encourage one another in our faith. As we participate in the Eucharist, we are a physical manifestation of Christ’s promise of unity and wholeness.
Pray the Psalms. For thousands of years, people have lamented and cried out to God in times of struggle. Ask God to show you how you are called to serve faithfully right now. The psalms may be found on p. 585 in the Book of Common Prayer.
Come to on-line Noonday Prayer on Wednesdays. This is a mid-week opportunity to connect with your clergy, staff, and other parishioners in a 10 minute service followed by a few moments of fellowship and conversation about whatever is on your mind.
Schedule a "Porch Chat" with your clergy. Inside or outside, we are always happy to meet with you and your family.
Commit to a practice of mindfulness and calm, perhaps as one who grieves, but who does not grieve without hope.
Commit to prayerful discernment about next steps for yourself, your family, and this community. Align yourself with Love and hope, committed to your Baptismal promises in all your words and actions.
With gratitude for God’s unfailing mercy and love,
Nancy+