Chaos has broken out somewhere in ancient Palestine because it seems as if a blind man can now see. "What really happened?" the authorities want to know.
Today, if this were to happen, reporters would smother the purportedly "cured man" with their microphones, a blur of TV cameras would jostle for a better vantage point, YouTube videos from cell phones would go viral, skeptical op eds would be published, medical experts would tweet, conspiracy theorists would be sure they'd spotted double-dealing, neighbors of the man would be interviewed to confirm or deny whether he was ever blind in the first place, and hawkers of "alternative facts" would have a field day.
In 30 CE, it wasn't so different, and the man who now can see is incredulous. "No, I can't tell you what kind of powers this healer had - if it was magic, or the devil at work, or God's grace. I only know this thing: I was blind, and now I can see."
Have you ever thought that the way ahead was only fog or heavy darkness, everything you tried a blind alley? You could barely grope your way forward, unsure when you might stumble or crash over a mountain side? In these times, did you ever sense something shift, so things became more clear, less confused, manageable again?
"It was you whose eyes he healed," the Pharisees shout at the man, who now can see. "What do you say?"
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Concert Season Finale: Bach Family Reunion
Sunday March 26 | 5 PM | The Back Story!
Almost 60 years ago, a young man invited a young woman to go on a date to attend one of the very first concerts in the newly founded King's Chapel Concert Series. They had such a wonderful time that night that it led to a long and happy marriage. Jay and Suzette Schochet became members of the church and were both deeply involved in our community and governance. Eventually they semi-retired to Newport, but have remained loyal supporters of both the church and Concert Series all these years.
On Sunday night, we will celebrate this very special bond.
As many of you will recall, Jay Schochet passed away early last year, and his memorial services took place at King's Chapel and in Newport last June. At the time, Suzie decided that she wanted to further honor Jay's love of music with a celebratory concert this year.
The program is based on an idea that came to mind from Suzie's recollections from that fateful concert ca. 1959. She remembered hearing the Wir eilen duet from Bach's Cantata 78. So the King's Chapel Choir, soloists, and a chamber orchestra consisting of flute, oboes, strings, and organ, will perform that cantata in its entirety, along with works by two of Bach's cousins, representatives of the greater Bach family dynasty of composers. One of these works, Johann Ludwig Bach's Die mit Tränen säen has another KC connection: Daniel Pinkham was a collaborator on Angela Owen's 1962 edition of this work, surely the first modern edition published in the US. Especially in the early years of our series, much of Dan's work was in the pioneering effort of reintroducing Renaissance and Baroque music, that in many cases had not been heard in centuries, to modern audiences.
As it happens, the recent edition published in Germany that we will be using in the performance still includes the English translation created for the 1962 edition by King's Chapel Choir soprano and Pinkham collaborator Jean Lunn, whose memorial service we held just a couple of years back at our Parish House Chapel.
Please join us this Sunday at 5:00 for this celebration of Jay and Suzie Schochet and musical history!
Tickets are now on sale, click HERE to purchase. As always, you save $5 by getting your tickets in advance.
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Holy Week at King's Chapel
Palm Sunday | April 9th | 9 AM & 11 AM
We mark Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem with palm branches and procession, but our shouts of acclamation and praise take a sharp turn as we begin the holiest week of the Christian year. We observe Palm Sunday with a traditional service of Morning Prayer with full choir and sermon. Children help lead our 11 AM procession. Any families participating should arrive by to the church by 10:30 AM.
Maundy Thursday | April 13th | 6 PM
On Thursday of Holy Week, we worship with a service of Foot Washing and Holy Communion to commemorate the Last Supper of Jesus Christ. The service ends with a stripping of the altar to mark the transition to Good Friday.
The word Maundy come from the Latin mandatum (also the origin of the English word "mandate"), meaning commandment. This refers to Christ's command to his disciples that they show love and service to one another by washing one another's feet as he did at the Last Supper.
Good Friday | April 14th | 12:15 PM & 8 PM
The most somber day in the Christian calendar is marked first at 12:15 PM with a service of prayer, silence, and the reading of the Passion of Jesus Christ. A sermon reflecting on Good Friday will be offered.
At 8 P.M. We greet the setting sun with this service of shadows, readings, and music by members of the King's Chapel Choir. The word tenebrae, meaning "darkness," refers to the darkening of the sky at the time of the crucifixion, and to the darkening of the church during the course of this service.
The Great Easter Vigil | April 15th | 8 PM
This service of light begins with the kindling of a small flame and guides us to the full light of the resurrection. The Easter Vigil features readings, renewal of baptismal vows, and Holy Communion as we keep vigil and await the empty tomb of Easter. The music is based on the Orthodox Liturgy and is sung by King's Chapel Choir.
Easter Sunday | April 16th | 11 AM
With triumphal music and gladness, we greet the empty tomb and give God great thanksgiving for the hope brought to us through the mystery of the resurrection. The church is filled with the sweet fragrance of Easter lilies and springtime joy. On Easter Sunday we celebrate the mystery of the empty tomb with a festive service of Morning Prayer. As is our tradition, we open our historic painted glass window on this day! Be sure to arrive early.
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| Sunday Art Presentations after Morning Prayer 12:30 PM
This Sunday| March 26 | 12:30 PM
The Architecture of King's Chapel: Sacred Space Created by "America's First Architect" Peter Harrison
"Holy Places, Sacred Spaces" - Longtime member and architect Todd Lee, FAIA, will offer thoughts on the architecture of our church, and how design, materials, light and color are used to create sacred space. Learn about Peter Harrison, often termed "America's First Architect."
This presentation is part of the ongoing Lenten theme, "Discovering the Sacred Through Art."
Sunday April 9 | Creating Contemporary Stained Glass Windows for Sacred Spaces - at the Parish House
Emanuel Genovese, stained glass artist, will share images of may of his stained glass windows that he has created for area sacred spaces.
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Lenten Group Continues | Wednesday at 7 PM @ the Parish House | Using Art to Understand Scripture
Last Wednesday, a new group gathered for a light dinner, and to read the scripture upcoming on Sunday. We considered photos and paintings people have created that reflect themes embedded in the lessons: "thirst" and images of water pouring out abundantly. Some of us created art - depicting beaches, oceans, Calvary, or molded clay shapes. New participants are always welcome. |
Easter Flowers
If you would like to contribute flowers for the Easter Services as a
memorial to a loved one, please send name of person being remembered, along with your name and contact and a check for $50, to the Parish House, with memo "Easter Flowers". The deadline for ordering is
April 3.
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Black Lives Matter | Minns Lectures
Friday and Saturday | March 30-April 1
The Minns Lectures is an endowed annual lecture series sponsored by King's Chapel and First Church Boston. This year's topic could not be more relevant or vital to our country's social and religious situation.
The upcoming lecture series is called, "Historical and future trajectories of Black Lives Matter and Unitarian Universalism." The Rev. Mark Morrison-Reed will speak on Friday, March 31, at 6 PM at First Church Boston, at 66 Marlborough St. in the Back Bay. The Rev. Rosemary Bray McNatt will speak at 3 PM at First Parish in Cambridge, 3 Church St. in Harvard Square. The lectures will be a unique chance to learn about important historical African American leaders in Unitarian Universalist congregations. These two leading African American Unitarian Universalist scholars will offer valuable insight into the challenges and opportunities the contemporary Black Lives Matter poses for religious liberals today.
More information and on-line registration, please go to www.minnslectures.org/. And please join the speakers for a wine-and-cheese reception after each lecture!
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Visit Lewis D. Brown Peace Institute Wednesday April 26, 5:00-7:00PM
Meet at the Parish House and travel to the Lewis D. Brown Peace Institute in Dorchester. Learn of their work and how our support of them helps to address violence in our community. For more information contact Carol Genovese,
carol.m.genovese@gmail.com
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Racial Justice: Addressing Whiteness | Wednesdays in May
The committees for Community Action and Adult Religious Education have come together to offer "Racial Justice: Addressing Whiteness," a program for both King's Chapel and the broader community. We will explore what it can look and feel like to be intentionally accountable to the advancement of racial justice in our contemporary moment. How would we do that?
The first session, on Wednesday, May 3 will be an Open and Honest Communal Reading of a powerful speech by James Baldwin followed by open conversation on race, rights, and the lasting legacy of American slavery.
The second session, on Wednesday, May 10, will be a group visit to the nearby museum and slave quarters owned by a former member of King's Chapel, Isaac Royall, for a book talk by historian and author, Wendy Warren. Warren's book, New England Bound: Slavery and Colonization in Early America (2016), was favorably reviewed by he New York Times. The book describes the ascendancy of the New England, in substantial part because of the growing slave trade in which New England merchants were involved, and the value of enslaved labor accrued to many New Englanders. For more information, see http://www.royallhouse.org/.
The four sessions to follow (on May 17, 24, 31 and June 7) will be a book club about Waking Up White by Debby Irving. Book purchases can be made after church or at the Open and Honest event. Please read chapter 1 by the first session on May 17.
All sessions will be at 6:30PM at the Parish House, with a light dinner served.
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Adult Religious Education (ARE) in our Community
In our continuing effort to show solidarity and support for our Muslim friends and neighbors, the ARE is working with the Islamic Boston Cultural Center (ISBCC) to arrange a visit to their mosque in Roxbury on Thursday afternoon, May 4. The King's Chapel group will plan to leave the Parish House at 3:45 pm on May 4 and arrive at the ISBCC at 4:30 pm for a two hour tour - which will include the opportunity to witness the Muslim form of worship.
Please contact John Natoli, chair of Adult Religious Education, at jfn777@gmail.com if you would like to attend or have any questions. John will assist in arranging transportation to the ISBCC for those who need it. |
Last Sunday, we heard the story of Jesus meeting a Samaritan woman at Jacob's Well and what he told her about living water. We painted our own images of life using watercolors as we were reminded that life cannot exist without water (the painting reads: "My Fish Quentin"). This Sunday, we'll read about Jesus healing a blind man, make "mud pies", and learn how we can imitate Jesus' example as the light of the world. If you have any questions about our Church School program, please contact Ryan at
church.school@kings-chapel.org
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The Chancel Window Unveiled
Last Sunday after church, former King's Chapel Archives Chair Bill Kuttner convened a mock Annual Meeting at which current members re-enacted a debate held in 1952 about the "Jesus Window" in our chancel. Should it remain in its place, be covered with heavy cloth or shutters, or be removed entirely, as several other painted chancel windows have been, since they were first installed in the 1860's? Do the windows infuse our sanctuary with sacred hues, or do the windows clash with the design of the church? Opinions varied widely then, as they still may today.
To read more, including a sermon offered by our Minister Emeritus Carl Scovel on the subject in 1981, and historic pictures of the windows in various stages of display or cover, click HERE.
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Fund for Scovel Portrait and his Companion to the Prayerbook
We are pleased to report that a portrait of Carl Scovel, our beloved senior minister from 1967 to 1999, has been commissioned with the Vestry's concurrence and Carl's approval. The artist is a noted New England portraitist, Mary Minifie, who recently painted the portrait of Chief Justice Margaret Marshall of the Supreme Judicial Court. Artist Minifie's work can be viewed on her website, www.maryminifie.com. She and Carl have been engaged in a number of sittings for his portrait over the last few months, and we anticipate that the portrait will be finished and ready to be presented to the Parish in the early fall.
If you would like to participate by making a contribution towards the cost of the portrait and also towards the publication of Carl's book, A Prayerbook Companion, A Guide to Christian Worship, please send a check to the Parish House, payable to "King's Chapel" with the note "Scovel Project" on the memo line. Carl has expressly asked that donations to this project not be in lieu of Stewardship giving to the Annual Appeal, to ensure that this project does not diminish funds for the Annual Appeal. He has also asked that any surplus funds contributed to this project be donated to the King's Chapel Minister's Discretionary Fund
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Our 11 AM Worship | The Small Order of Service
For the last four years, the church staff has produced each week two orders of service for the 11 AM Sunday services. For years, the Large Order of Service format had been used during major Christian worship periods when many newcomers join us, such as on Palm Sunday and Easter. The church understood that for newcomers and less frequent worshippers, it can be difficult to participate fully in our 11 AM worship, when they must move between multiple worship resources: the small order of service, the prayer book, our pew hymnal, and inserts including those hymns not found in either our 1937 Unitarian pew hymnal or in our prayer book.
As a result, upon the Rev. Fallon's arrival, we extended the use of the Large Order of Service throughout the year, as a way to welcome newcomers to the church each Sunday. The majority of worshippers at King's Chapel now use this Large Order of Service.
However, other worshippers find it most meaningful to read prayers and responses directly from their prayer books, relying on the prior Small Order of Service. We have continued to provide the small Order also, with the appropriate hymn inserts. The process for creating two Order of Service each week requires staff to fully complete one Order accurately each week, and then to create a second parallel Order which includes all the same components. With all the weekly details of 3-4 changing hymns, 3 changing scriptures, 3 changing chants, and weekly new lectors, lay readers, ushers, flower donors, and announcements, this has been a challenge to accomplish accurately.
With the departure of the Rev. Fiedler last Sunday, our full-time staff engaged in preparation for the Sunday 11 AM worship is reduced from 4 to 3 (senior minister, music director, parish administrator). Each of these staff, and our part-time front desk administrative assistant also has many other duties.
After much consideration, we have concluded that we are unable to continue to provide the second, small Order of Service at Morning Prayer. We regret this. It was a difficult choice, because we understand that some of our members prefer to read our prayers directly from our prayer book, rather than from the text in a printed order of service. As a result, we have made every effort to include in the Large Order of Worship all of the prayer book page numbers for every worship component, so that members can continue to have an Order of Service that fully allows them to use the Prayer Book for worship. It is our hope that the Larger Order of Service will continue to enable members to worship directly from their prayer books, for those wishing to do so.
We shared this information about the needed change with the Vestry and Parish Council last week. We hope that church members understand. For those who have previously relied upon the Small Order of Service, we urge you to try to use the Large Order of Service on upcoming occasions, and share with us your thoughts.
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Moral Revival Quarterly Community Meeting
Monday March 27 | 6 to 8:30 pm
(dinner provided)
(orientation for new members & dinner 6-6:30pm)
at the UU Urban Ministry |
10 Putnam St, Boston, MA 02119
Dear Massachusetts Moral Revival Supporters,
The last few months have yielded quite a few challenging developments as the spirit of intolerance has been manifested in so many national policies. As people of faith and conscience it is more important than ever to be in solidarity with our neighbors and to call for a better commonwealth.
At our last community meeting in January we heard about a number of key issues from immigration to racial justice. We formed groups to work on different issues and we have mobilized on a number of fronts.
Now it is time for our quarterly meeting to come back together, share what we have done over the past few months and chart a path for the next three months. In particular we will hear about opportunities to engage around immigrant rights, racial justice and climate justice.
We will also get feedback on what is the right structure to harness our energies without duplicating the good work of other groups. We hope you will join us for this important meeting.
In faith and courage,
The Massachusetts Moral Revival Leadership Team
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"We Rejoice with Those Who Rejoice, and Weep with Those Who Weep"
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We rejoice that Herman Woerner is being released today from the hospital and returning to his apartment, where he will be receiving in-home physical therapy. Calls and visits are welcome.
We also rejoice with Leo and Dorothy Johnson that Leo has returned home from the rehab facility and is recovering at home in Dedham. Cards or phone calls would be appreciated.
We mourn with Carol Genovese on the death of a friend, Elizabeth Buffet, for whom we prayed last week. May God grant her family comfort and strength. |
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Morning Light | 9 AM
Church School | 10 AM
Holy Communion | 11 AM
The Rev. Joy Fallon will Preach
- Sylvia Soderberg, Lay Reader
- Anne Sexton, Lector
- Anne Sexton & Paul Luca, Head Ushers
- Charles Perry, Usher in Charge
- Marie Wells, Judy & Paul Luca, Ushers
- Lia Atanat, Verger
The Readings:
- Psalm 23
- Old Testament:
- New Testament:
At the communion rail following the service, Marie Wells
will greet those interested in learning more about King's Chapel.
After the service, all are invited to Coffee Hour,
hosted by
Gregg Sorensen and friends of the Hospitality Committee.
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Wednesday Service
March 29
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Evening Service | 6 PM
- Dan Perry, soloist
- Lia Atanat, Verger
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From the Bench:
By Heinrich Christensen
In order to warm you up for
Sunday afternoon's concert, the prelude this week will be Buxtehude's settings of the chorale
Nun lob, mein Seel, den Herren, which will be heard again as the final chorale of Johann Michael Bach's
Liebster Jesu on the concert program.
The choir will sing
O vos omnes continuing our series of Spanish Renaissance composer Victoria's Lenten Introits.
You will also hear Heinrich Schütz's version of Psalm 126:5-6, "Those who sow with tears shall reap with joy", a text that will also be heard in the afternoon, this time set to music by Johann Ludwig Bach.
And for the offertory you will be given an a cappella preview of what you will hear accompanied by our chamber orchestra in the afternoon, Johann Ludwig Bach's
Das Blut Jesu Christi, quoting 1 John 1:7:
The blood of Jesus, the Son of God, cleanses us from all sin.
We sincerely hope you can join us for our final concert of the season Sunday at 5.
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Tuesday, March 28
12:15 PM
Zina Schiff, violin
Heinrich Christensen, organ
Clarke, Paradis, Price, Still, Zwilich
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Upcoming Meetings
Tuesday March 28:
Buildings and Grounds 9:30 am
Vestry 6:00 PM
Tuesday April 6:
Parish Council 6:00 PM
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Anyone can help!
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Enter your email and select a spot to fill. New volunteers may choose to co-host with a buddy. Questions? Email
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Interested in Membership?
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Contributing to Between Sundays
Our enewsletter is sent each Thursday afternoon. Want something in Between Sundays? Feel free to email Brad at
brad@kings-chapel.org with a written piece and/or pictures before Wednesday at noon!
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Accessibility Assists
Our beautiful Georgian sanctuary designed by Peter Harrison and completed in 1754, has been lovingly maintained by the congregation since its completion. One of the box pews has been made wheel-chair accessible. Ushers are available to assist those who are wheelchair-bound to that pew.
A sound system has been installed in the sanctuary of The Chapel to amplify the sound during worship services. Hearing assistance devices are available for your use. Please see an Usher for assistance.
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