E-Church 10:30 AM -- January 2nd 2022

Due to the rise in COVID cases - this weeks worship will be all virtual

To join us online, all you need to do is click on the link below. We will have the order of service up on the screen to follow along. We recognize that all of us have different levels of comfort with technology - we will do our best to help everyone do what they need to feel comfortable and participate!

Two tips for Zoom worship:

1) Let us see your face! If at all possible, please start a video feed so we can see each other face to face, even across distance. 

2) Please mute yourself unless you have a speaking role in the service. And if you find you are muted, please don’t unmute yourself unless asked. However - even when you are muted, please do respond to the prayers and readings, as we are all worshipping together. 

Meeting ID: 848 7313 8202

Passcode: 156705

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Meeting ID: 848 7313 8202

Passcode: 156705

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Making the Vision Plain

Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so that a runner may read it.

Habakkuk 2:3

Some of you may know that the Feast of Saint Thomas is the anniversary of my ordination to the Priesthood. It is a significant day, and Thomas is a significant figure in my life for a variety of reasons, but for some reason this particular reading stuck out to me. Write the Vision. Make it Plain. So that a Runner may read it.

I fear that perhaps in the cacophony of the last two years, the vision of who we are at Memorial has not been made plain. We have been so busy trying to survive this pandemic, to care for each other and for those around us, and to just keep ourselves going that you might be hard pressed to know what we are about.

As we approach the tail end of stewardship season and begin to prepare for the annual meeting in January, I thought it made sense to put pen to paper (or fingers to key pad) about what exactly the vision is for Memorial and why you will want to be a part of this community in some form or fashion for many years to come.

Community Focused - Outward Looking: In order to stay vital, Churches have to re-orient how they encounter the world around them. If a church community is not seen as a vital resource to the people around it it simply won’t survive. For the last five years we have been opening our doors and expanding the boundaries of what we call our neighborhood. A few years ago residents in Druid Heights or Upton would not have known our name, now we have deep and deepening connections with neighbors and organizations in all four directions.

Jesus Focused - Justice Centered: Taking our cues from the life, death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior we seek to be the hands and feet of Jesus out in the world. We also recognize that the Church has been and continues to be an instrument of injustice in too many places, and that if we are to truly reflect the Gospel today we have to be about justice.

Repairers of the Beach - Restorers of the Streets to live in: Memorial has made a $500,000 - five year commitment to reparations in West Baltimore. But we recognize that this is just a down payment. As a community we are committed to repairing and restoring relationships, neighborhoods and lives in central west Baltimore not because of a political agenda, but because it is what Jesus would have us do.

The Light of Christ: Finally, we do all this to be the light of Christ in the world. Church attendance has never been lower, and peoples hunger for a spiritual connection has never been greater. People have not given up on Jesus! But they have given up on the church - it is our hope that through our ministry, our worship, and our way of life - people will find themselves drawn into deeper relationship with the divine through word and sacrament.

THIS is why we need you to finalize your pledge for 2022.

Because in 2022 we will have our most robust staff in a decade - with a Priest, Deacon, Seminarian, Sexton, Justice Minister, Youth Minister, Parish Administrator, Building Administrator, Music Minister, Treasurer and Bookkeeper.

We will have a staff that more and more reflects the whole body of Christ and the community around us - representing a variety of races, creeds, colors, backgrounds and pronouns.

We will be working closely with many partners in West Baltimore for the spiritual, physical and emotional renewal of the broader community.

We will be making more use of our space than ever to serve Bolton Hill and the Neighborhoods and Institutions around us.

But that only happens if you pledge. So please make your pledge today if you have not already

PLEDGE HERE: https://www.memorialboltonhill.org/stewardship

A Christmas Message

Did the Baby Jesus Cry?

And other mysteries of an incarnate God

You might have heard the term before ‘C+E Christians’, that is, someone who only comes to Church on the C and the E days (Christmas and Easter). There are usually snarky comments associated with such participants in the life of faith, especially from ‘REAL’ Christians. Which is silly. More people watch the World Series and the Super Bowl than a standard pro game, more people vote in presidential elections than local primaries, It is basic human nature! More people come on the biggest days, which this pastor loves. The carols, the incense, the candles, the pageants, Silent Night by candlelight; it makes perfect sense why people want to come out for that! I want to come to that!  

I am less concerned with C+E’s than I am with the difference between C and E Christians. Do you have a preference - the simplicity and tradition of Christmas, or the pageantry and rhythm of Holy Week and Easter? Easter is about salvation, resurrection, redemption. It is what separates us from all other faiths. A man died. Rose from the dead. Went to Heaven. And is now our only Mediator and Advocate. 

Christmas  in contrast is a story with undertones across many faiths and traditions. The Son of God is born of a woman under unlikely circumstances and is sought out by some offering joy and others offering to do harm to this living child of God. This story reflects and refracts back through history.  It’s intimate nature draws us all in. We all desire to know God; no matter our faith, background, language or culture. This manger Jesus, this incarnate God made man, is accessible to all of us because we share a common characteristic. We were also born babies. This God needs us in the same way we need God. We read in Genesis that God made us in God’s image, but we know it to be true because we see it in the incarnate Christ.  

This year, whether you are an every week Christian, A C Christian, an E Christian or a COVID Christian (zoom only), I invite you to come meet the Christ Child.  God chose to come to us first as an innocent and helpless newborn - needing our care, our gifts, our help, and our hope.  That is what is waiting for you. 

Come share in the hope this Christmas.

The View from Bolton Hill

The View From Bolton Street

 On Missionaries, Martyrs and us

 “Son of David have mercy on me!”

In the Gospel this week we have the story of Blind Bartimaeus, who calls out quietly first and then loudly to Jesus, asking for help.  

Sometimes all we have to do is ask. This morning I asked if there were churches that could house refugees, and three churches reached out immediately.  

You all similarly have been responsive to requests for needs since I have been here, and long before. All we have to do is ask. Whether it is meals, or clothes, or money, or a place to stay, you all are a thoughtful and caring and generous bunch. 

Would you believe that God is the same way? That The Divine is even more generous, compassionate, caring and responsive? All we have to do is ask. 

When you are feeling overwhelmed, in crisis, stressed and not sure what to do, prayer can seem like a waste of time. I’ve got real problems! But prayer should be not just our first response, but also a constant refrain.  

But what do we pray?  

I love the example of Bartimaeus because his prayer is so simple: “my teacher let me see again.” That’s it! That simple. If we are going to pray to God, we need to be clear with God so we can be clear with ourselves. Sometimes, we don’t know WHAT we need!  

Which is why Bartimaeus’ prayer is so great: let me see again.  

When we are confused and flustered, and don’t know what to do next, a prayer for vision seems highly appropriate. “Teacher let me see…” what is next, let me see what you have in store for me, let me see the road ahead.  

When things are dark and confusing, spending time in prayer and reflection may seem like a waste of time, or even scary. But it can make all the difference. 

Sometimes… all you have to do is ask.

The View from Bolton Street

On Missionaries, Martyrs and us

This week the church recognizes Henry Martyn, an 19th century martyr who served as a missionary in central Asia. Among his achievements were translations of the Bible into Farsi and Arabic as well as some other regional dialects. He died from an illness he contracted in his travels. We will celebrate his life at the peace and justice service this coming Tuesday morning at 8 AM. Wink wink.

I want to take a moment to lift up Henry because, as you know, I have been working with some friends and colleagues on various Afghan relief efforts. And, there are some Christian groups that feel it is important to only help Christians get out of Afghanistan. Now, this is obviously not in keeping with the life and ministry of Jesus, but I think there are other reasons why this is not just a bad idea but also bad theology.

Henry’s work and other missionaries of his era was less about only helping people who had converted, and more about opening up people's eyes and ears to the never failing love of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. What they did with that information was up to them, but his role, and I would say our role, is merely to make it plain that we have love for all of God‘s people and that we work with all of God's people to bring about the kingdom of God.

The missionary field has gotten a bad rap in recent years, and many of you probably would think that it was a terrible idea for someone to become a missionary, especially in a foreign country.  In my service on the national churches standing commission for world missions I have discovered that we are as a denomination exploring a whole new way to view mission work. That it is not just about conversion, or even about providing badly needed resources to those in need, but about relationships. The work of the missionary is to develop relationships between a local community in the church and the church, and let God do the rest.

I hope you will join us Tuesday morning to hear more about Henry Martin, and perhaps to reflect on what a modern missionary is.

The View from Bolton Street

Of Camels and Needles

Another week, another passage that challenges even the most ardent biblical literalist. Is it even possible for a camel to fit through the eye of a needle? Given that most everyone reading this reflection is wealthy, in global terms, does this mean none of us will make it into the Kingdom of God?

To be sure this passage has generated its share of metaphorical renderings, even some historic renderings (based on bad history) about camels and the gates of Israel. (No it is not true that this is about Camels bowing their heads to go through the gates of Jerusalem)

However, have we stopped to consider that maybe… Jesus meant what he said?

That God looks at a world where we have rich and poor, vast wealth disparities, and an acceptance that poverty is not only inevitable but acceptable, and says “this is sinful”.

This is a particular challenge here in the United States where our economic system is not just capitalism, but increasingly unbridled capitalism where profit is the only measurement of success.

Now, as a moderate person politically, I don’t have any active distaste for capitalism. But historically capitalism in America has also been aligned with a strong moral compass. As such, the goal was not profit but rather the betterment of society.

In my lifetime, however, the goal went from uplifting the community to uplifting the individual. We are all in a fight to get to the top of the pile, and all that matters is “how much I have”.

Jesus, it seems clear to me, weeps at this. Particularly because the more you have, usually the less you give. Billionaires give fractional percentages of their wealth away, Millionaires much more percentage wise, but still less than the upper middle class, and much less than the percentage of what the lower class and destitute give.

Churches of course are not immune! How Churches allocate their time, talent and treasure, is a reflection of their values. When churches spend money on lawsuits, or airplanes, or lavish events, while locking their doors to those in need, it reflects badly on the church and on the body of Christ. I am very proud of Memorial for committing this psalter year to renovating our sanctuary so we could open it up more fully to the community, and also committing a huge percentage of our annual budget - 20% - to our justice and reparations initiative.

What does your personal budget say about you and your values? And in the face of this capitalist system we inhabit… how do we act as Christians and not as profit producers?

All Souls Sunday

All Souls Sunday

October 31 at 10:30 AM

On Sunday October 31 we will commemorate the feast of All Souls. This is the service wherein we remember the souls of loved ones who have died. If you would like to have names read in the necrology, please email the office. If necessary, please include a pronunciation guide with your names.

Deadline for submissions: October 28th

The View from Bolton Street

“Lord for your faithful people life is changed, not ended.”

This line from the Book of Common Prayer funeral liturgy is one of my favorites and a poignant reminder of what we believe about this life and the life to come. In the classic Christian traditions we believe that whatever comes after this is an extension of our short life here on earth.

A loving God awaits our return to God’s presence and Christ sits at his right hand offering to us eternal life and eternal peace. Which means that all those people that you love but see no longer are waiting at Jesus’ side for you as well.

But this theology of life being changed not ended is not only about the hereafter. When we encounter cataclysmic life changing events, moments when we are tempted to shout “my life is over!” Christ is right there to remind us that this is just a small change in the long arc of our lives, by no means the end.

For some of you the whole last year has felt like that, for others more recent events have tested your patience, your resolve, even your sense of self. For some of us, it feels like the world is crashing down on us, and others perhaps are too acutely aware of our own culpability in our current state of affairs.

No matter your condition or your state of mind, however, Christ is standing next to you to lift you up, hold your hand and remind you that life IS changed, but not over. There is a lot of life ahead, and Jesus can’t wait to walk with you through it.

Fall Sheng Zhen Practice in Rutter Mill Park

Hi Friends,

We still have many lovely fall afternoons ahead. Please consider joining us to practice Sheng Zhen Meditation in Rutter Mill Park for our weekly sessions.

We will continue to meet every Tuesday and Thursday from 5-6 PM in the Rutter Mill Park behind On the Hill Cafe, between Mosher and Lafayette on Rutter Street.

Please only join us if you are vaccinated, and maintain social distance. Masks optional outdoors. Unless it is raining, I will be at the park for class, so feel free to join me.

Wear comfortable clothes you can stretch in, and if you have a meditation stool, please bring it, as we often do seated forms. There are also benches at the park for those who do not have a stool.

Beginners and onlookers are always welcome. Come join us and see if you like it.

All classes are free with a suggested donation of $10/class to the International Sheng Zhen Society to support Master Li and our work. Donate here.

Hope to see you soon. With love,

Peter

OnRealm Training - October 3

OnRealm is our online tool for managing the business of the church. All members known to the treasurer already have a profile of some kind at our OnRealm site. What you may not know is how you can manage that profile to simplify the ways that you give of your time, talent, and treasure. This Sunday, October 3, at around 11:45 am following the end of the service, we will be holding a reasonably brief training session to familiarize ourselves with OnRealm. We will be covering the following:

• Creating your own log-in and editing your personal information

• How to find and express interest in volunteer roles

• How to give to specific missions or pay your pledge

• How to find and search the online membership directory

A brief self-directed overview is included below. To get here, look for the invitation from Memorial that came from OnRealm.org. It should have a link to set up your login. Once you have logged in you should see the following page:

When you log in to OnRealm.org you will land on this Newsfeed page. We will, in the future, be updating the newsfeed weekly to coincide with the e-News and any updates that may fall between e_news blasts.

To access your profile, click on your name in the upper right hand corner, circled in red here.

When you click on your name you will see a few account management options. For now, click on the My Profile option.

From here you can Edit your profile, circled in red; check events upcoming (when we have put them on the Realm calendar); check your pledge status or donate to a specific mission (e.g. flowers, or Afghan refugees) in the blue circle; see which groups you are a member of; manage your serving roles, including your availability; and search the directory to communicate with other members. Lets start with Serving

If you click on the 3 dots, circled in red above, you can edit which days of the week you are available to serve, and let us know which dates, typically which Sundays, you are definitely not available. This is incredibly helpful when we are crafting a schedule for Sundays, and the more dedicated we all are to this, the fewer emails everyone will get asking for clarification!

If you are interested in trying something new, or something old that you are not currently doing, you can click on the Opportunities tab, circled in purple toward the top of the screen. When you do, you will land here:

Most of these roles come with a description. Some of those descriptions are, as yet, incomplete. We will be filling them out in the days to come. Some roles require training and approval - we are MORE than happy to train any and all, all it takes is your indication of interest.

That is all for this week. We will have another self-directed overview as we get closer to Stewardship Sunday.