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Stewardship
From the RectorDear Friends, For some time now, a deep desire of my heart has been for us at the Chapel of the Cross to grow in financial stewardship. By that I do not mean, “I wish we had more money.” To grow in financial stewardship is to grow in faith. It is to integrate more deeply into our daily lives the love of God and our neighbor. We are called to do this individually and communally. Individually, each of us is to wrestle with our priorities. Whether we are just beginning our schooling or our adult lives or whether we are well on into retirement, there is a constant pull at us only to serve ourselves, to put ourselves before God and neighbor. We have many present necessities to attend to and many future needs to plan for. Most often we feel our resources are in short supply. The temptation is strong not to give back generously of what we have already been given. We will do that, we tell ourselves, once we have been blessed with more. For now, we will manage as best we can. “Christian stewardship,” it has been said, however, “is more than the management of things; it is the refusal to let things manage us.” It is the determination to recognize God's lavish generosity with our own and to trust that God will continue to provide for us and for our needs. Not that we should be foolish and not plan for the future; but we should also not be foolish by trusting only in ourselves. When we can look beyond our financial anxieties and return thanks to God by giving away a proportion of what we have been given, we will grow in love and generosity and gratitude, as well as in freedom and peace and joy. Communally too, we are called to grow in financial stewardship. Our vision as the Chapel of the Cross is to be one of service to God and of mission to others. Even the money we “spend on ourselves” is to equip us for mission and to enable us to worship God and to be a witness to others. A good portion of our budget goes beyond the parish. The ABC Sale proceeds are all given away. We make our buildings available at no charge for gatherings and activities of other community and university and diocesan ministries. I am very happy that we have a vestry policy of tithing beyond the parish all undesignated bequests and extraordinary gifts. Over the years we have grown enormously in our financial stewardship. But we should not be satisfied. We have all been given so much, and there is so much more we could be doing. Imagine how much more fruitful our communal stewardship would be if each of us grew in our individual financial stewardship by just one percent! Not only would we each be growing in faith and operating out of an expansive and joyful theology of abundance rather than a theology of scarcity, but as a parish we would be becoming the good and faithful stewards God calls us to be. We are on that road. I deeply hope that we will
continue together on that joyful - Stephen Vestry Actions—August 26, 2003At its August meeting, the vestry:
From the Senior WardenDear Parishioners, As we go into the fall, the vestry begins to turn its attention toward setting financial and programmatic goals for the coming year. There are a number of things we'd like to do. A long-standing priority is to start a ministry to the senior adult population of our parish by funding a part- or full-time staff position to attend to their special needs. We shall also want to provide some continuing support to the new Orange County mission parish, Church of the Advocate, as it sets off on its own. Meanwhile we've grown to the point in our own worship and programs that we'd like to increase the position of Associate for Pastoral Care from part-time to full-time. Two years ago, we increased our organist-choirmaster position to full-time, but we have not increased funding commensurately for choir and music programs to take full advantage of Van Quinn's greater availability. We'd like to improve our young adult ministry to appeal more to that crucial younger population, perhaps by adding administrative staff support for campus ministry and youth. We'd also like to restore funding for youth mission trips, which we eliminated in 2003 because of a tight budget. We need to increase the outreach and social ministry programs of the Chapel of the Cross. Funding for outreach was frozen this year because of the budget situation. And we desperately need to increase support for the wonderful staff who serve our parish so well. This year, the priests and administrative staff received only the bare cost-of-living increase of only 1.4 percent. We also reduced the hours of our staff administrator. The goal we have established for ourselves is to fully fund our operating budget from pledge and investment income, including the desired programmatic growth and the equitable increases due our staff. We are fortunate that ours is a vibrant parish with the vision and steadfastness to achieve these goals. Though the last two years were difficult financially and the vestry was forced to make hard programmatic choices to balance the budget, I am confident that with our renewed spirit of stewardship the 2004 Annual Giving Campaign will allow us to achieve our goals. Yours in Christ, Ted Vaden Senior Warden Annual Giving—A Changing VistaPaul Carew, Junior WardenA few days ago a friend and fellow parishioner asked me a very pointed question about this fall's Annual Giving Campaign: “What happened to the Every Member Canvass?” Having known this person for a number of years, I think he felt this was a classic example of my long-standing penchant for tinkering with names and titles — like the Renault automobile commercial of years past. I suspect there is a bit of truth to this friendly assertion, however, this change of title reflects the parish's evolving vision of stewardship. For many of us, the Every Member Canvass has been an event that began with a sermon or two followed by the delivery of a packet or envelope that included a pledge card to be filled out and returned. Task completed. But stewardship is much greater than completing and mailing in one's pledge card, important as that process is. Stewardship is the act of using the gifts God has given us to do the work He has called us to do. As I mentioned in a previous article, a thoughtful way to view stewardship is through the seasons of the year and I feel it is worthwhile repeating.
Annual Giving is a reflection of our spiritual journey throughout the year rather than the single event associated with the Every Member Canvass. It gives us the opportunity to express the importance of the Chapel of the Cross in our lives through our generosity of time, talent, and treasure and permits us a broader vision of our calling to do God's work in our community—it gives us a feeling of accomplishment through all the seasons of the year. Faithful Stewards: The Annual Giving CampaignTerry Johnston and Ann Henley, Committee Co-chairsThe vestry of the Chapel of the Cross recently reorganized its stewardship committee and renamed it the Stewardship Formation Committee. This was done to encourage a broadly defined variety of stewardship efforts and initiatives, including expanded participation by parishioners in stewardship activities. The first of these initiatives will soon be under way. Though the name, the Annual Giving Campaign, will be new—in the past it's been the Every Member Canvass—and though it is now part of a comprehensive, year-round focus on stewardship, this yearly event in the life of our parish will follow familiar procedures and have familiar objectives as its goals. In mid-October each household in the parish will receive a pledge card and a time and talent survey in the mail. On Sunday, October 19, a vestry forum will discuss stewardship and, more specifically, the financial needs and the annual giving vision of the parish. On the evenings of October 21 and 22, approximately 50 parishioners will gather to call every parish household to encourage participation in this year's Annual Giving Campaign. November 23 will be In-Gathering Sunday, when we will celebrate the pledges brought forward and dedicate them to the furthering of God's work in the world. If you do not receive a pledge packet by October 17, please call the parish office (919-929-2193), Terry Johnston , or Ann Henley so that another packet can be sent to you. You may, if it's more convenient, submit your pledge and fill out the time and talent survey online through the parish website, www.thechapelofthecross.org. But we hope that many of you will be at home on October 21 and 22, when your fellow parishioners will call to say, “Hello. Did you receive your packet in the mail? Do you have any question about the Chapel of the Cross and its financial mission?” We would like you to think of this part of the campaign as belonging, not just to the church's ministry of stewardship, but also to its ministry of hospitality. These phone calls offer us an opportunity each fall to connect with each other in a parish which, as the rector recently remarked, is “no longer small, and no longer in a little village.” On many occasions in the coming weeks we will have occasion to think prayerfully about our financial resources and about our obligation, as members of the Body of Christ, to remit a portion of those resources to our church. As we make those difficult dollar decisions, let us keep in mind the word of the collect for Thanksgiving Day, which we will pray together just a few days after In-Gathering Sunday. In that prayer we ask to be made “faithful stewards” of God's great bounty, “for the provision of our necessities and the relief of all who are in need, to the glory of your Name.” Each of those phrases reminds us of an important aspect of the duty and the blessing of stewardship. In the first place, our gifts provide the everyday 'necessities' of the parish life we all enjoy: maintenance, quite literally, of the roof over our head; salaries and insurance for clergy and staff; materials for Christian education; and the technologies required to communicate with each other. Our gifts provide, in the second place, for “all who are in need”: relief for victims of natural disasters and wars, food for the hungry through our commitment to the Inter-Faith Council, clothing and other essentials for children at the Thompson Home, and support and comfort for those with HIV-AIDS. And finally, our gifts provide us a tangible way to praise and honor God: we “glorify His Name” when we return to Him a portion of the bounty with which He has so generously and graciously blessed us. A TITHE, A TITHE-OMany parishioners are aware of the rector's love
of 'rewriting' songs to familiar tunes. As Christian believers we know we're receivers Of all that we are and of all we “possess.” God's generous giving calls forth our own living In joyful thanksgiving for such lavishness!
Of thine own do we give thee, a tithe, a tithe-o. In church on a Sunday, I found out that Monday And all of the other weekdays are God's too. By giving God one day, we consecrate Monday And Wednesday and Friday: they all are God's due. In terms of our treasure, the same is the measure: We hallow the whole by the part set aside. To give a proportion prevents the distortion Of seeing our wealth as the source of our pride. (Repeat first verse) Reflections on the Chapel of the CrossMargaret and Reid ConradThis summer our family gazed at the stars from open pastures in South Carolina and from planetarium seats in Boston. Then we watched as Mars came into perfect world view. To study the heavens is to understand awe. But a close second is to watch a child watching the sky. You see the delight of discovery as individual stars and planets are recognized and then the greater wonder over the relationships of constellations and galaxies. When asked to write our thoughts about stewardship and the Chapel of the Cross, it seemed an apt analogy. The Chapel of the Cross has been so good to us. Our sense of the Chapel Hill community is grounded in our congregation. Over the past 10 years some of our deepest friendships have grown from this parish. Since our children were quite small they have been involved in a number of the many opportunities our church offers families. Sunday school, preschool, vacation church school, chapel, children's choir, christenings, pageants. They have also been 'included' in an array of adult-related activities. Helping sort and set up for the ABC sale, preparing food for the homeless shelter, setting up for Sunday school lessons, cooking for Habitat workers, waiting-waiting-waiting during long meetings for church school, long-term planning, personnel, ABC sale, preschool…each of these opportunities has provided us with different gifts. Our youngest, Lucille, especially remembers taking communion from Tammy. For nine-year old Matson, hearing the bishop's sermon was an important event. Adams, at 12, has the long, happy memory of a decade of Christmas pageants, even from the perspective of the back end of a camel. Margaret watched in gratitude as a fellow parishioner reached out and guided her brother in Iowa through a difficult overseas adoption. Reid will always remember a New Year's evening christening in the Chapel. When you pause to reflect on the breadth of opportunities for families and individuals in our parish, it is wide. As our children grow older it is bringing all those different activities into focus and relationship that is the challenge. It is finding God in the face of another child at school more easily because you've been taught to look for God not only in the sacred but also unexpected places. It is working to balance the demands of family, profession, community, and self, with the support and wisdom of clergy and church friends. It's bringing the serene, transcending loveliness of our sanctuary and church community to our home, school, and work. It's committing the time and energy for our family individually and as a whole to find our spiritual constellation. This is what stewardship means to us: the receiving that inspires the giving until the two are indistinguishable. Stewardship: A Personal PerspectiveWatson A. Bowes, Jr.There are, in my view, two levels of Christian stewardship. The first and most straightforward level is the direct financial and personal support of our parish, the Chapel of the Cross. If I expect to participate in the liturgy, to benefit from the educational programs, to enjoy sacred music, to engage in Christian social ministry through the parish and to have my family ministered to by the clergy — if I expect all of this, I have an obligation to support the parish financially. The biblical guidelines for financial stewardship vary from the ancient description of tithes for the “Levites, sojourners, the fatherless and the widow” (Deut 26:12) to the example of the poor widow who gave everything she had (Mark 12:42). Both of these biblical examples of financial stewardship exceed by a substantial margin the practice of most Episcopalians (me included). Contributions of personal service are surrogates of financial contributions. Indeed, our parish could hardly function without the volunteer services of so many of its parishioners: church-school teachers, choir members, acolytes, altar guild members, lay readers, office volunteers, Loaves and Fishes members, vestry, etc. Also, there are the countless hours of Christian social ministry performed by volunteers: involvement in Habitat for Humanity, prison ministry, AIDS care, ABC Sale, and Inter-Faith Council, to mention just a few. There is, however, a more profound dimension of Christian stewardship that has little to do with direct support of the daily life of our parish. This stewardship of our personal lives is made difficult by living in a consumer dominated, secular society, in which we are measured by how much we own, the number of academic degrees we have acquired, how much power we wield, or how much political influence we can exert. C.S. Lewis pointed out that the only books we will have in our library in heaven are the ones we have given away. And G.K. Chesterton warns us that the world catches us by the fringes of our garments, the futile externals of our lives. The stewardship that addresses the necessity of our soul is that which requires turning one's back on the cultural paradigms of acquisition, power, and influence. The biblical guideline for this stewardship is the rich, young ruler who, after following all of the ancient rules, was admonished to sell what he possessed and follow Jesus (Matthew 19:16-22). Historical examples are, among others, St. Francis, Mother Teresa, or the 19th century nameless Russian pilgrim who wandered about praying ceaselessly, “Jesus Christ have mercy on me.” The goal of this soul cleansing stewardship is not 10 percent of our net worth, but 100 percent of our being. Though we are all constrained by exigencies of our circumstances and the goal may seem unattainable, I suspect we will, in the final accounting, be judged by the effort we have made in this endeavor. With Grateful HeartsBob and Mary ChaseOur favorite definition of stewardship is “everything we do after we say 'yes' to God.” Stewardship for us has been believing that because we have been made in God's image, we are stewards of all creation and, as stewards, we have been called to be faithful servants. Stewardship has been a lifelong journey and we have been allowed to choose whether or not we will be intentional managers of our time, our talent, and our treasure or to deny whose we are. Giving was a part of our lives early on. We grew up in the same small town in Texas (Port Arthur), Bob as an Episcopalian, and Mary in the Presbyterian Church. Bob has wonderful memories of a 9:00 Sunday morning worship service primarily for the children — a shortened service with Sunday School following at 9:45, a children's sermon, and a special offertory time (for the adults, too — Episcopalians never pass the plate twice!) Mary remembers that in her family all of the children had their very own offertory envelopes. And, each was given an allowance of 15 cents — one nickel to save, one to give, and one to spend — a great training ground for financial stewardship! Over these past 40 years, things haven't always turned out the way we expected and our prayers haven't always been answered in the way we asked, but our lives have been made rich by God's abounding grace. The world has begun to slow down a bit for us and we have had a chance to see things with new eyes—quiet days together; running into Mary's dad while out on errands and having the time, just the two of us, to stop for a leisurely lunch; hearing the first cry of all our grandchildren; having all three of our children enfold us with loving arms just when we needed them most; being given this parish family and our amazing college students here at the Chapel of the Cross. Ours has been a journey given to us by a loving God, one filled with purpose, meaning, and a sense of satisfaction: a life of faith, a gift given by grace, that in the end will be like no other. God has always been with us and always will be even as we are born into a new beginning — a life hereafter that we, for now, cannot even imagine. In the words of the Prayer Book, may the God, whose loving hand has given us all that we possess, give us the grace to be faithful stewards of His bounty. Treasures and HeartsSusan SwansonFor where your treasure is, (Matthew 6:21) An important component of my understanding and experience of membership in the body of Christ is my obligation to contribute to the spread of the kingdom of God. This can certainly be accomplished in many ways and it is invariably a challenge to me to decide where the commitments I make of my time and money each year can be best directed. To be a faithful steward of the gifts God has given me implies that I should take care to use them in a way that brings the greatest return on the investment. I have been a communicant at the Chapel of the Cross for many years. My husband and I were married and our children baptized here. I have participated in many parish activities and offered my service in various capacities, and I have joined in receiving the benefits of membership in a loving Christian family: shared worship, spiritual nourishment, friendships, and the support of the community. Looking back, it seems that what I have received from this parish and other spiritual communities over the years has been in direct proportion to what I have given to them of myself, in financial contributions and in commitments of my time and talents. In fact, it seems to me that in a thriving church the whole far exceeds the sum of its parts. When the members of the parish are giving the cream of all their hearts to serve God and build up the community, the glory and love of God are expressed and radiate outward from among us. It is an incredible blessing to be part of such a community. It can't be experienced by hiding under my light under a bushel and letting 'the church' do everything for me, but rather by boldly accepting the fact that I am, together with other parishioners, 'the church,' and by offering my finest gifts that will enable God's kingdom to grow and flourish. Stewardship: What Does it Mean for Us and for God's Creation?Linda Rimer, Environmental Stewardship Committee ChairBy now, most of us are pretty familiar with the concept of stewardship. In case you want to see a formal definition, here is one for you to consider: “The conducting, supervising, or managing of something; especially the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one's care.” Certainly our Church and our parish deserve our best stewardship efforts, and our faith demands such. But what about our planet, Earth? God made the earth. The Psalmist tells us “the earth is the Lord's and all that is in it” (Psalm 24:1). We are part of the created order, not separate from it; and our first calling by God is to be the caretakers of creation (Genesis 2:4b-8, 15). In Genesis 1:31 we read: “Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good.” In a previous article in Cross Roads, the Environmental Stewardship Committee asked you to consider whether God would say that about His creation in 2003. In fact, our current body of science is telling us that our earth is in trouble. Bad air quality has aggravated the asthma epidemic that is occurring in our state and in our country. Thirty plus years of environmental regulation of large industrial and municipal discharge pipes have led to major improvements in water quality, but increasingly, non-point sources of water pollution, e.g., from storm water run-off and air deposition, are polluting our water resources in ways we never imagined. Our patterns of urbanization are destroying habitat and reducing the biodiversity of plants and animals that share our environment with us. And in 2003, the debate about global climate change has moved on from “whether or not it is happening” to “how fast is it happening” and “what can we do about it?” Beginning with the November issue of Cross Roads, the Environmental Stewardship Committee will be bringing you information about the state of our environment and suggestions for what you can do to become a better steward of God's creation. Individual actions are important. Multiple times each day, every one of us makes decisions that either help or hurt our environment. As the Very Rev. James Parks Morton, former Dean of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, wrote, “The challenge before the religious community in America is to make every congregation — every church, synagogue and mosque — truly 'green' — a center of environmental study and action. That is their religious duty.” We are looking forward to learning together and becoming better stewards of God's creation. Bach's LunchBach's Lunch recitals in the church will resume
on Wednesday, October 1.
Music—CommunicationVan Quinn, Organist-ChoirmasterTo the Trinity be praise! God is music, God is life that nurtures every creature in its kind. Our God is the song of the angel throng and the splendor of secret ways Hid from humankind, But God our life is the life of all. Hildegard of Bingen One of my more inelegant precepts in work with the Junior Choir (repeated in rehearsals almost like a versicle/response or a mantra) is: If you want something to come out of your mouth, you have to open it! Similarly, if you want people to know and understand what you're doing and, perhaps, participate in it, you have to tell them. Much thought and work has been put into the ongoing task of communication both within and outside the parish in recent years. Noteworthy in this regard have been the tireless efforts of communications coordinator, Vivian Varner, and websexton, Barbara Tolin Rowan. Over the last two years we have intensified our efforts to publicize our music program and to deepen the parish's understanding of sacred music, its role in the liturgical life of our parish, and its role in the formation of a Christian life. These communications have taken many forms: article in Cross Roads, notes in Crossings, newspaper articles, paid newspaper advertisements, posters, listings on the “Classical Voice of North Carolina” website (cvnc.org), email lists, and others. This fall we have added another, a music page accessible through the parish's website, www.thechapelofthecross.org/music. Nathaniel Quinn has done a great job constructing the site. When you click on “Music” you will get a picture of our organ console but with a handful of very large stops. Click on the 'stops' to access the specific pages which may be of interest to you. These are the choices. “Music” will get you to a general introduction to the site. “Choirs” will give you a detailed description of our five choirs as well as instructions about participation in them. “Bach's Lunch” will tell you what that is and provide a listing of the recitals for the current semester. “Schedules” will provide information about the semester schedules for each of the choirs and the 5:15 p.m. organists, together with changes and additions to them. “Music Lists” will provide a list of all music performed at the 11:15 a.m. Sunday services and at special services, such as Evensong. Initially these listings will be for the current month but eventually will offer a detailed prospectus of music to be offered for the entire year. “Compline” offers a detailed description of that service and an invitation to worship at it. “Musical Events” describes upcoming musical services or concerts. “Organist” gives biographical information and pictures of our music staff. “Church Organ” gives a detailed description and the specifications of the great Kleuker organ in the church. “Essays” contains a number of essays written by me for Cross Roads. A number of people have asked if these could be made available in a handy format, so here they are. “Recording” is under construction until there is something concrete to talk about. “Chapel Organ Proposal” awaits pending finalization of the design of a new organ for the chapel which we hope will be available soon. Johnson Intern ProgramMary Agnes Rawlings, Program DirectorThe 2003-2004 Johnson Intern Year got off to a great start as Marsha, Katie, Chris, Tim, and Sarah arrived in Chapel Hill over the Labor Day weekend. The first few weeks were busy ones filled with welcome celebrations, parish introductions, commissioning ceremony, a pounding party in their honor, and endless days of orientation. I find the one common thread and comment heard most consistently from new interns is how overwhelming the whole process can seem! In the past, Johnson Intern Program mentors helped ease the transition into the task of understanding such a large parish through meeting individually with an assigned intern on a regular basis. This year the mentor role has been renamed “parish companion.” One of the reasons for this change came from feedback I received from the mentors themselves; some reported feeling uncomfortable being cast as a 'spiritually advanced' person. Most mentors felt more comfortable and saw their role as companions or resource persons for new interns. They especially liked the fellowship involved with meeting these young folks for coffee or a quiet walk around the block. I continue to receive positive feedback from interns on how their reliance upon this 'appointed parishioner' helps them feel supported and encouraged in the ministry work they do. Some interns have even introduced their whole family to their new-found Chapel of the Cross friends and the connections become a family affair! Whether we call these parishioners 'mentors' or 'parish companions' makes little difference for it all boils down to the interns feeling the deep heartfelt experience of hospitality. I would like to say thank you to the following parishioners who have graciously accepted responsibility for being a companion to a Johnson Intern for the upcoming year - Bob Milliken, the Rev. Bill Joyner, Peg Rees, Jennifer Hodgson, and Mary Lou Liverance. We thank you for your continued encouragement and support! What is Project 5000?Frank Holt, Social Ministry Committee MemberProject 5000 is founded on an unforgettable experience in the life of Jesus — the feeding of the 5000. Jesus took the five loaves and two fish offered by a small boy and multiplied them to provide more than enough food for a multitude of 5000. Project 5000 provides the opportunity for each us to get involved in helping collect food for the hungry in our local communities. In the parable of the sheep and goats, Jesus said, “I was hungry and you fed me...,” explaining that “...when you did this for one of the least important of these brothers of mine, you did it for me!” Hunger is not just a problem in India or other far-off places. It is a reality in our own local community and state. Requests for food assistance come regularly to our local social agencies and churches, and supplies of needed foods are often depleted and/or not available. There is a real need for balanced emergency food supplies. Several churches are working together to help relieve the hunger situation in our local communities. Last year, the Inter-Faith Council provided 6,500 cooked meals each month at the Rosemary Street shelter. In addition, through its facility in Carrboro, the Inter-Faith Council distributed $25,000 worth of food each month to support 3,345 clients annually, and the need is increasing. As a congregation at the Chapel of the Cross, we have the opportunity to help meet the real needs of our community by reaching out to help the hungry. When a need or problem touches us, we feel a genuine need to help. A touched heart needs an outlet for sharing, and Project 5000 provides a channel for sharing with those in need. Each box of food we collect will supply emergency food for a family of four for two days. The Chapel of the Cross's goal for fall 2003 is to collect 400 boxes (10"x10"x10") of specific food items that will be distributed by the Inter-Faith Council to the hungry. Each box provides a two-day emergency supply of balanced foods for a family of four. Below is a summary of specific food items that will be included in each box: 2 cans meat (2 sizes: 12 and 24 oz.) Project 5000 offers you the opportunity to reach out to the needy and help show our congregation's concern and desire to help others who are less fortunate. The following message will be included in each Project 5000 box delivered to the Inter-Faith Council from the Chapel of the Cross: “In God's love the people of the Chapel of the Cross in Chapel Hill care about you.” Please participate in this outreach project. Empty boxes are available for pickup after each service and after Church School until November 16. The Social Ministry Committee hopes that you will pickup your 'starter kit' box after church and return it the following Sunday filled with the items listed above. All filled boxes should be returned to the Chapel of the Cross by November 23 for final distribution to the Inter-Faith Council. There is no limit to the number of boxes you can fill. For additional information about Project 5000, or if you would like to get involved in helping with this Social Ministry Committee project, please contact Frank Holt, fholt@bellsouth.net . More About HospitalityWelcoming all who come to join in our worship services is a basic tenet of Christian fellowship. The August edition of Cross Roads echoed the Chapel of the Cross's emphasis on greeting all who come to worship with us. Following is an excerpt from an article by Elizabeth J. Canham, entitled “Welcoming the Stranger” from the September/October edition of Weavings, a journal of the Christian spiritual life, which further emphasizes Christ's acts to include strangers in our daily worship. It is often a challenge to move beyond the comfort zone of our own tradition and God sometimes employs remarkable methods to lure us towards inclusion of the stranger. The Hebrew and Christian Scriptures offer many examples of the struggle between those who wanted to close ranks and others who saw their role as ever widening the circle of belonging. Israel's role as a “light to the nations” (Isa. 49:6, New Revised Standard Version) was threatened many times by those who believed that they had an exclusive place in God's affections. Jesus embarrassed disciples and the religious leadership of his day by intentionally welcoming those who were unacceptable. The disenfranchised—women, children, lepers, tax collectors—were received with grace and touched by healing power. The followers of Christ, during the years after his death and resurrection, also wrestled with questions of inclusion. It took a dream on a rooftop to convince Peter that Gentile believers were to be fully accepted in the New Covenant of Promise, and his action in baptizing the household of Cornelius led to a lengthy debate about requirements for inclusion in the Christian community (Acts 10). Fear makes us strangers to each other and causes amnesia about the pilgrim journey on which we are all embarked. [The above quotation is used with permission and with the request that subscription information accompany it. Weavings is published bimonthly for $24 per year and can be ordered at 800-925-6847.] Christian Ethics SeriesOctober 5, 6, 13, & 20 and First Mondays,
November 2003 — March 2004
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