Beloved,
COLD. Boy is it cold. I’m sitting here in the pahsonage with a busted furnace, and thinking of Haitians living in tents outside because they’re afraid ever to be under a roof again. I’m thinking of Haitians climbing into boats to escape the chaos and smell of death, only to be intercepted and put in tents in Guantanamo. I’m thinking of Marie Dorcena, an erstwhile First Churcher (now in PA with Jacques and baby Anais, warm and safe, thank God) who moved to Boston as a tweenager, midwinter, from Haiti years ago, and finding it cold, cold, cold here.
Cold. We have weather to battle with, and can only do so much with tempermental furnaces. But what can we do with our hearts? What can we do with our words? What can we do to be invitational, to climb inside the stories of others, stay there a while and huddle for warmth, bring fuel to fan the flames of justice, create sanctuaries here within, a roof under which people may safely stay, sheltered?
We’ve been talking about race, immigration, justice, and the (multiracial?) future of First Church for four weeks now. This Sunday is the last in our series: Rev. Hank Peirce, a friend of mine and the pastor of the UU church in Medford, and I are swapping pulpits. I’ll go preach for his people, and he will come preach for you: on his congregation’s amazing work on immigration over these last few years, the blessings and curses of doing this work. I know you will welcome him warmly, admire his ink, ask him about his punk-rocker past, listen closely to his interpretation of God’s holy word, take inspiration from him and his church’s work. Gary is our able liturgist. Laura Ruth will welcome, pray.
After church, at coffee hour: if you are already planning to go on the all-church retreat next week, find someone who isn’t and tell them how great it is! Make a personal invitation! If you’re not already planning to go, and you don’t have other plans, be open to the personal invitation! You won’t regret it.
After church, at 2p: Sing! Prayer and Praise! For the first time in many, many moons, First Church Somerville is hosting an event for the entire Massachusetts Conference of the UCC! Come, sing groovy songs in a worshipful setting from the new hymnal that our former music director and current member Branden Grimmett had a strong hand in shaping. There’s nothing like singing as if your life depended on it to warm the blood.
brrrrrrrressings,
Molly
Beloved,
Somehow, I just started calling you Beloved, a while ago. Somehow, Beloved Community slipped into our argot, as our name for ourselves as a group. Somehow, Building the Beloved Community became the task we set for ourselves. It harks back to Dr. King’s exhortation that this is the work people of good will do, if they really want to change themselves and change the world, turn it away from the competition that erodes love and the ranking that breeds bitterness and violence.
We’ve been talking in church about rank, about the power our words have to create our reality, and about closing up schisms, crossing lines to integrate our communities. But what about our own sanctuary? It’s pretty white. It’s pretty middle-class. What can, what should (the S word!) we do if we want to make it sanctuary for all, not just for some? Do we want to do this work? It might be harder than we think.
I’ll be preaching Sunday about sanctuary, and what it might really take to build the beloved community inside our walls. John is our lovely liturgist, as the previous scheduled Owen was whisked off to Haiti to do relief work in public health (God be with you, Owen!). Laura Ruth will help us pray.
We will receive 12 beautiful new members! New members, you make us proud, and see our strength.
After church, Annual Meeting! We vote on the budget that Finance has carefully prepared, thanks to your incredible outpouring of pledged commitments for the new year: pledges are up over 20%, in a recession, and our 2009 budget has shown that we have very nearly closed our deficit gap, for the first time in many a year! Hallelujah!
Sunday evening, re/New at 7p for your deep spirit: how to be a Christian in a multi-religious world. People, re/New is exactly what it claims to be: you won’t leave unrefreshed.
blessings, all,
Molly
This workshop is designed to help churches introduce and integrate Sing! Prayer & Praise, the new praise and worship song book from the United Church of Christ, into services and times of worship.
Attendees will become acquainted with selected songs, while learning how they can incorporate Sing! into traditional services with congregational singing, or more contemporary forms of worship, where singing groups and praise bands are often utilized.
This program is open to all churches, clergy, musicians, and worship leaders within the UCC Massachusetts Conference, plus all UCC New England-area churches. Choirs, church musicians, ministers, leadership teams, praise bands, singers, and worship planners are encouraged to attend.
Sunday, January 31st, 2-4:40 PM, $10 love donation.
To register online, follow the below link and click Sign Me Up, or contact Tiffany J. French, frencht@ucc.org / 216.736.3759
Beloved,
Blessed 2010! I pray that your spirit, if not your senses, can tell that the light is growing stronger. I pray that if your holidays were good and mellow and filled with easy relationship, that the loveliness of those days lingers. I pray that if your holidays were hard, hard; full of travel delayed and peace denied, that you have been able to shake it off, to return to vocations that gladden your heart, and to chosen family who love you just as you are, just as God loves you.
Laura Ruth has started our new sermon series on Race, Immigration and Justice last week, with a moving sermon on Rank. This week, we are so, so lucky to have Elena Letona preaching for us. Elena is one of those people for me, whenever she talks, I hang on every word. She’s that passionate, and warm, and wise, and loves God so much, and GETS what Jesus was about, and never leaves me without a new nugget to ponder, a new piece of the puzzle in place. You might remember her from the panel discussion on race last spring. You won’t want to miss her preaching.
She’ll be preaching from Genesis and Matthew: Genesis, God’s act of creating by speaking things into being, and Matthew, Jesus’ homily on evil speech–and a bona fide scatalogical joke (about talking trash, only it’s not trash he’s referring to). Elena will examine our use of the word “illegal” in regard to human beings, as in “illegal alien,” and what that does to our psyches and our spirits.
Andrew is our newbie liturgist (say a prayer for him!), Laura Ruth will lead us in prayers, and I’ll offer a children’s time. Thom and Joe and choir are back! Hurrah! It will be good, good to be together again, in a new year.
Our small group Rooftop People follows worship, for all those in caregiving and helping professions. We’ll be talking, on this Baptism of Christ Sunday, about Jesus’ baptism and our own opportunities for new practices and commitments with the new year. All are welcome!
Also following worship: Newcomers’ Tour for those preparing for formal membership at First Church, and those just curious about the nooks and crannies.
And just in case you thought I forgot: church directory photos happen today, tomorrow, saturday! Y’all have done an amazing job signing up, but there are still 20+ of you who we’d love to include.
Don’t be left out! Come in, come in!
blessings
Molly
