Dear Friends,
I don’t think you’ll be surprised to hear that your clergy have been approached by people who are dismayed, hurting, and/or afraid as they’ve experienced the disruptions that have occurred during the first several days of the new administration.
The four of us–Patricia, Gabriel, Rose Anne, and I–have spent time talking about how we as priests can respond to parishioners’ concerns as well as how St. Paul’s as an institution can respond. St. Paul’s being in transition certainly doesn’t mean that this faith community is on “pause.” God’s work continues, whether or not a “settled” rector is in place!
Let me share some of our very preliminary thoughts with you:
First, we recognize that St. Paul’s parishioners, like parishioners of many other congregations, aren’t necessarily all of the same mind. And we are well aware of the common criticism that “the church should not get involved in politics” or that there should be a “separation of church and state.” But we don’t believe America’s separation of church and state requires banishing moral and religious values from the public square.
Defending the vulnerable is not a partisan matter. It is core to the gospel. No matter who anyone voted for, all Christians are called and clearly obligated to care and protect the ones Jesus called “the least of these.”
So, as ways to respond to the hurt and fear people are feeling, as well as to address the very real impact on those who are vulnerable, we plan to focus our efforts in four areas:
Pray. We believe in the power of prayer to connect us to God’s goodness and shalom. We also believe prayer changes things. We are working on how we can support people’s spiritual lives in these difficult days.
Inform. The Judeo-Christian tradition is clear about God’s preference for the vulnerable, about God’s passion for justice, and about how God’s love affects our choices and actions. However, we don’t assume that people know what scripture says or what The Episcopal Church says about refugees and migrants, about respecting the dignity of every human being, or about striving for justice and peace. So, there’s some information we need to make available. As Christians, our actions always need to be grounded in the Gospel and in sound Christian theology.
Gather. One of the things St. Paul’s can provide is the opportunity for people to gather: to talk, to share our fears and hopes, and to find commonality with others who are worried, or angry, or in pain. We are working on providing these opportunities.
Act. This may involve helping people know where they can volunteer with organizations that make a difference, or providing direct financial support to organizations on the front lines, or organizing members of the parish to respond in some direct way. St. Paul’s is blessed with resources of people and finances. Together we can make a difference.
Jim Wallis, the writer, teacher, preacher, and public theologian, recently wrote in his blog about a retreat for national faith leaders held just days after the inauguration of President Trump. At the retreat, the Holy Spirit raised up a verse from the Bible during their worship. It was this one: “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” – Galatians 6:9.
I’ve pasted it to my desktop, right next to a phrase from another source of wisdom – those little slips of paper from fortune cookies. The phrase is, “Problems are only opportunities in work clothes.”
I think both thoughts will sustain me for a while. What’s sustaining you?
Blessings,
Stephen Applegate