Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana Racial Reconciliation Service - Jan 18, 2014

On Saturday January 18, our Diocese (EDOLA) held an historic service at Christ Church Cathedral, New Orleans. The Presiding Bishop, The Most Rev'd Katharine Jefferts Schori preached and witnessed the gathering. The purpose of the service was to mark several years of conversation surrounding the issue of racism and explore how The Episcopal Church (TEC) can more fully live into the calling of Christ. From what I understand, this was a national initiative. I remember at Gen Con 77, the theme was reconciliation and involvement was with the Native American community. Those services were AMAZING. This special service, entitled Seeking Christ in All People: A Service of Commitment to Racial Healing, Justice and Reconciliation  was both a culmination of the Year of Reconciliation and a celebration of the life and ministry of the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.
All were welcomed and we had a jazz reception following the service.

Rehearsal Fri night, me w/ Jarrett Follett (Dir of Music of Christ Church Cathedral), Jazz reception (Victor Atkins behind piano), and Tyrone Chambers (Excellent tenor and friend living in NYC)

I was VERY fortunate to be a team with that makes up the EDOLA Music & Liturgy Commission. It literally makes my heart sing to be able to share ideas at the diocesan level! My dear friend Jarrett, who is music director at the cathedral, invited me to conduct the service on Saturday. YAY! SO EXCITED! Over a period of a few months, we gathered a few folks from around the choirs of the diocese for a large group of singers. Our choirs: St. Paul’s Episcopal in Lakeview and the Christ Church Cathedral, were the two main choirs and the hosts. Friday’s rehearsal was terrific and I was truly able to bring out some very nice things in the music. Everyone was super excited to be there and I was able to make some music and bring alive the spiritual connections from the texts and our purpose that weekend!

Victor Atkins took this picture, from the piano, of me conducting :-)

This kind of work is THE BEST and again, it literally makes my heart sing! Our anthems were:

1.    Amazing Grace – Stephen Hatfield

2.    My God is So High – Moses Hogan (Tyrone Chambers, tenor soloist)

3.    Draw Us in the Spirit’s Tether – Harold Friedell

"Amazing Grace" by Stephen Hatfield. Maria Elliott, Oboe

I felt that Amazing Grace needed to be included in the service, BUT I wanted a combination of the non-traditional and the hymn we all know. So, how about something where the choir NEVER actually sings the melody in its entirety?! The Hatfield arrangement allows for an instrument to perform the melody and I chose the Oboe, loosely reminiscent of the strength and edginess of bagpipe, but way more manageable J

Here is the program booklet for the service: http://cccnola.org/BULLETINS/011814.pdf

Here is a link to the audio from the entire service: http://cccnola.org/RECORDINGS/RR.mp3

Here is Presiding Bishop Jefferts-Schori’s sermon: http://episcopaldigitalnetwork.com/ens/2014/01/21/presiding-bishop-preaches-on-racial-reconciliation-in-new-orleans/#.Ut5nmEEX6Z4.twitter

Here is the link to the EDOLA Facebook page album of pictures from the event: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151842759416227.1073741832.110612321226&type=1

She did a really fantastic job with this. It wasn’t a “comfortable” service for many people, but she stressed that we were leading The Episcopal Church in speaking on this issue and in reconciliation. She named the provinces around the globe and I think that some who never realized the breadth of places in the Anglican Communion, well…their eyes were opened.

Presiding Bishop and Primate of The Episcopal Church, Katharine Jefferts Schori. Photo by Debbie Edens

One of the difficulties in the service was when the litany spoke of guilt associated with current people for past slavery. This made a LOT of people uncomfortable and one of my students said he was looking around and actually saw a lot of red faces. We personally may not have been responsible for the acts of our grandparents and / or other relatives or even – OUR OWN ORGANIZATIONS such as the Episcopal Church itself in Louisiana (and New Orleans proper), BUT it is amazing to see what a bit of give in that area makes. It makes a difference to those whose lives HAVE been affected in the past, present, and I daresay – the future. It also seems to me that one of the first steps in healing is to recognize the NEED for healing, regardless of situation. For this, I am so proud to be a part of The Episcopal Church. We are willing to come to the table, to discuss, to question, and to challenge ourselves and others. This kind of tolerance and openness is certainly not unique to TEC, but it is a most definitely a strength of it.

This strength and spiritual confidence is something from which I can learn. I sometimes forget that I can proactively apply this example to my own habits and my spiritual life. It’s a good reminder. Being open and willing to present an idea and perhaps to argue a point - with the understanding that there are varying facets of any argument - is a huge risk. I will never EVER forget when one of my friends working in TEC described death threats that he had received. They were from people whose opinions were different.

Katharine Jefferts Schori with Bishop Morris Thompson

I admire our PB. She’s a scientist, a warm and kind person, an introvert, thoughtful, BRILLIANT, a great writer, she’s a pilot (so cool and I’m slightly jealous), a runner, and a woman. Her office ends in 2015 and the new PB will be installed that Fall. I was not able to snag a picture with her this visit, but I did the last time she was in New Orleans and I’m happy to have had the opportunity to meet her during the House of Bishops in 2007 and at Bishop Thompson’s consecration three years ago. I also greatly admire our Bishop Morris Thompson and what he and the diocesan clergy and staff are doing here in Louisiana!

I’m going to sign off with a prayer that has been in my life for the past twenty years and that speaks to me deeply. After Bp. Thompson’s first annual visit to St. Paul’s, I Iearned that he also uses it and that makes me very happy!

My friends,
Life is short, and we do not have
much time to gladden the hearts of
those who travel with us, so be quick to
love and make haste to be kind.
And may the blessing of the One who
... made us, and the One who loves us, and
the One who travels with us, be with
you and those you love this day and always.
AMEN.

Adapted from Henri-Frédéric Amiel (1821–1881)

Solomon Episcopal Conference Center

It's a cool Sunday evening and while dinner is simmering, I've come to realize that I am FOREVER behind in my posts.  Nonetheless, I thought I'd write a few quick notes about today's experience at the Solomon Episcopal Conference Center in Robert, Louisiana as it set the tone for a wonderful day!

Our Bishop, The Rt. Rev'd Morris K. Thompson and the Solomon Episcopal Conference Center invited everyone in the diocese (EDOLA) to celebrate 20 years of service and hospitality to EDOLA and neighboring communities with a Bluegrass Eucharist followed by a picnic and activities on the grounds. Brilliant! This was SUCH a fantastic use of
"low-Sunday". I was not able to stay the whole time, but I did go up for the service. The bishop said that he was hoping for 200 people and that we had far exceeded that number! I saw an update from Canon Mark E. Stevenson this evening and it read: " Nearly six hundred people attended today's celebration at the Solomon Episcopal Conference Center. For the first time in history, three bishops of the Diocese of Louisiana vested for the same liturgy. It was a glorious day indeed!" It was a wonderful service and as I looked out onto the lake while listening to the music and the lessons, I could feel layers of stress fading away. I had to leave right after the service, but I definitely will plan on coming back and I highly recommend anyone going to the center to experience the restful and spiritual atmosphere!

Here is a link to the history of the center.
Bishops Brown and Jenkins were here today and participated in the service. Bishop Brown told us that Teddy Solomon, who had become involved with supporting the center in 1982, had passed away. I was struck at how amazing a moment this was - all of us here, celebrating the beauty of this place and his passing in the night. Truly, I am sure that he would have been thrilled at today's service.

The Last Chance Bluegrass Band played for us today and while the keys were low for the singer types on some hymns, it went well and was a great idea to have them! I enjoyed hearing them.

Everyone brought folding chairs, blankets, or used rockers and chairs provided. Children were everywhere and I even saw a CUTE PUPPY that someone brought with the family! :-) My friend Bonnie and I sat down front and sang harmony to all the hymns. My shirt was a hit! I thought that since it was a bluegrassy day, it was very appropriate :-) (Here's a link where you can get the shirt from Altar Press)

One more picture from the service - Bishop Thompson leads us in prayer. He is a wonderful and kind man and I am so happy to have had this experience today.

 

I am planning to visit the center before I go to Innsbruck this summer. I need it. I need to competely immerse myself in thought and prayer. Who doesn't these days? For many years now, I have had spiritual tuggings to further my work and service in The Episcopal Church. For the past three and a half years, it's been more pronounced and the last six months has not gone away from my thoughts. It's been much closer to the surface in my activities. The level of student counseling / listening I do has more than quadrupled in the last few years as well. I will be beginning spiritual advising soon and see where that takes me.... That is certainly a loaded topic about which I will blog some this summer when I have time in Austria! It is certainly not new and those who are close to me know this, but it's new for me to discuss out loud with more than a handful. I am currently in a stage of reading recommended books.

 

I'll leave this post with one more view of the Solomon Center. Blessings to all! :-)