| Not Out There, but In Here |
 |
One week ago today, Trinity hosted a Mass Meeting of the Poor People's Campaign: a National Call for Moral Revival. I was so excited to hear the famous Rev. William Barber preach. I was expecting to hear some Gospel; some deep incorporation of our spiritual wellspring with our political, national, civic lives. I wanted to hear a preacher call me home, call me to God, and help me know my place in the world. Barber's work wishes to find its roots in the preaching of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He makes the connection that Jesus and the prophets made between spiritual health and social equity. If our society is unjust, then our society is not in right relationship to God.
But I was in for a surprise. Barber's talk left me cold. He rehearsed a familiar, and true, narrative about the roots and patterns of systemic oppression in this country. He spoke with confidence and assurance about where we as a nation must go in terms of our policies. And yet he did not, for me, get to the heart of the matter.
So I've been chewing ever since then about what
is the heart of the matter. And I realized that what I found exhausting in his platform was the pervasive sense that the problem was 'out there.' That the problem is faceless and vast and, while I may know I participate in the pattern, I did not feel drawn into knowing how or where my daily life relates to the headlines.
And where is God in this? Sometimes God, too, can be removed from me by being too vast and too abstract. Sometimes God can vanish from my sight in the haze of religious language the way that justice and love of neighbor can vanish in the haze of headlines and memes.
But a task from my work week helped me land, as it were. I'm heading up a new Equity Committee on the church staff, and we are trying to look for the traces of the patterns of injustice right here in our own workplace, our own offices, our own behaviors. It was my job, at a meeting this week, to help open up a conversation about this. I asked Simone John for help, and she gave me
a set of conversational guidelines she got from Adina Davidson, who heads up the embedded Trinity presence at the McCormack School. It began with this line: "Real change begins with the simple act of people talking about what they care about."
And that, for me, has been the guiding light in this moment. The idea that in conversation, we can think together. In conversation, we can learn to listen to one another. In conversation, we can accept that messiness is a part of progress, and that progress is not linear. In conversation, we can stay curious about each other. In conversation, we can learn to leave the broad, impersonal strokes of punditry and find one another. In conversation, we can learn to love one another, even if we don't agree.
And this feels like Jesus. Jesus who did not run for office but who spoke with people. Jesus who continued the long conversation of God with us, and people with each other about God. Jesus who started new conversations with people who agreed with him and people who did not. Jesus taught us that the way to fight for justice, the way to challenge the faceless authority of wealth and violence is to refuse to be reduced to easy categories, but to encounter one another in conversation.
The Rev. Rita Powell
Associate Rector
|
|
|
Holy Eucharist
7:45 a.m., 9 a.m., 6 p.m.
Morning Prayer
11:15 a.m.
Sacred Silence
7 p.m.
Choral Compline
8 p.m.
TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, & FRIDAY
Noonday Prayer
12:10 p.m.
WEDNESDAY
Choral Evensong
5:45 p.m.
THURSDAY
Holy Eucharist with Prayers for Healing
12:10 p.m.
|
Boston Book Festival at Trinity
Sat., October 28
All Day
Copley Square
Five of the headlining events at the BBF will be hosted at Trinity -- including a panel with Maureen Dowd of the New York Times and Tom Ashbrook of NPR. It's going to be an interesting a provocative day! Learn more...
|
Spiritual Journeys: Cancer Support
Sun., October 29
11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
Parish House LL-A
Spiritual Journeys, Trinity's cancer support group, will meet twice this month. If you are planning to attend for the first time please contact
Perry Colmore.
|
Nigerian Christian Fellowship
Sun., October 29
12:15 p.m.
Forum
Trinity's Nigerian Christian Fellowship meets the last Sunday of the month following the 11:15 a.m. service. The whole family is welcome as we gather for Bible study.
More...
|
|
Fauré Requiem for All Souls
Sun., November 5
6 p.m.
The Trinity Choirs will perform the Gabriel Fauré Requiem, a choral setting of the Mass for the Dead, during the evening Eucharist on All Souls Sunday. More...
|
|
Small Great Things: ART's Book Discussions return!
Sun., November 5
12:15-2 p.m.
Ferris Library
The Anti-Racism Team will host a discussion on the compelling Jodi Picoult novel and on the very current issues of race, equity, and our common life it raises. Once you start reading, you won't be able to stop!
More...
|
|
|
| Forums |
Engage with the Parish Profile Process
Sun., October 29
10:15 a.m. & 7:15 p.m.
Forum
Join us when the Parish Profile Committee reviews its vision and plan. It will be the first opportunity for the congregation to give input into the profile process. The committee looks forward to talking about the opportunities we are creating for input and to hearing what ideas parishioners have, especially as the Committee constructs the survey and develops questions for small group conversations.
More...
|
ABB Symposium: Dr. Nancy Krieger on the Fight for Health Equity
Sun., November 12
10:15 a.m.
Forum
As part of this year's Anne Berry Bonnyman Symposium, "Is Inequality Bad for Our Health?" Dr. Nancy Krieger will speak on "Scientific racism, embodiment & fighting for health equity: Black Health Matters."
More...
|
12 Lives Forum:
Bishop Guy Erwin (ELCA) on Martin Luther
Sun., November 19
10:15 a.m.
Forum
In the 12 Lives Forum series, guest speakers (including academics, clergy, activists and artists) will introduce us both to powerful personalities from faith traditions and to the transformative role these men and women have played in their own faith and lives.
More...
|
Last Week's
Sermon & Forum |
|
Miss last Sunday, or just want to experience the sermon or Forum again? We invite you to listen or watch on our website:
Last Sunday's sermon:
by the Rev. Rita Powell, Associate Rector
Last Sunday's Forum:
With Professor Mark Jordan of Harvard Divinity School
|
Is Inequality Bad
for Our Health?
RSVP to Anne Berry Bonnyman Symposium
Sat.-Sun, November 11-12
Trinity Church Boston
Learn from expert speakers and preachers about the inequities that people of color face in accessing health care and in receiving quality care in a complex health care system. Explore the issues in discussion groups, and develop concrete steps that people of faith can take to create positive change. Learn More & RSVP...
|
| Make a Difference for Boston's Students
Ongoing volunteer
opportunities available
Multiple locations
The school year is picking up speed and our school-based ministries are underway! Join our team of volunteer librarians at McCormack Middle School, or support classroom teachers at Blackstone Innovation School and Henry Grew Elementary.
Interested in learning more? Email Simone John.
|
|
The Conversation Project: End-of-Life Care
Wed., November 8
11:30 a.m.
Forum
Lunch served; please RSVP
Join us for lunch with Rev. Rosemary Lloyd of The Conversation Project,
an ordained Unitarian Universalist minister and a graduate of the Metta Institute for Compassionate End-of-Life Care.
More...
|
|
Northern Harmony Folk Singing Workshop & Concert
Sun., November 12
Workshop 1 p.m.,
St. Andrew's Hall
Concert 3 p.m., Church
The unique world music choir ends their 2017 tour at Trinity, bringing harmonic traditions from cultures around the globe in a workshop and concert. Learn more about the workshop
here and concert
here.
|
|
|
|
