Summer Reporter 2006
(250k. Click here to access color, illustrated version in PDF file format)

Old South Church
Boston MA 02116
http://www.oldsouth.org

What's inside? (Text only version)

Blessing and Blessed

by Nancy S. Taylor

excerpts from a sermon May 7, 2006

Every year, once a year, the residents of upper Manhattan witness something rare and wonderful: a blocks-long, unlikely procession of animals. A camel, rare birds, snakes, monkeys, dogs and cats – lots of dogs and cats – weasels and donkeys, cows and an elephant, and many, many more wonderful representatives of God’s creatures.

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<>No, they have not escaped from the Bronx Zoo. No, Noah’s Ark is not re-boarding. It is the annual Parade and Blessing of the Animals held at St. John the Divine, Manhattan’s Episcopal Cathedral. Annually, 4,000 people and as many creatures, line up for blocks and blocks, waiting to participate. This is the largest such Christian ceremony on earth. 

St. John the Divine holds this annual event in honor of Francis of Assisi, the 12th century saint who renounced his wealth and lived in simple poverty. Francis preached that every creature was his equal – both human and animal.

<>The highlight of the Blessing of the Animals at St. John the Divine is the long procession when, one by one, humans and creatures – large and small, furry and hairy, cloven-hoofed and pawed – march through the bronze doors of the Cathedral, into the grand Gothic nave and up the center aisle. There, each creature is blessed by the bishop.
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While many believe the blessing of the animals began with Francis of Assisi, it turns out that the origin of animal blessings has as many parents as a centipede has feet. For instance, every year in downtown Los Angeles, residents bring their animals to the church for a blessing, in honor, not of Francis of Assisi, but of Antony of the Desert. Antony of the Desert was a third century hermit who, it is said, lived among and blessed the wild beasts.

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<>The annual celebration in Los Angeles begins as brightly adorned animals and their human companions assemble in the historic Olvera Street Plaza on a Saturday in April. At 2:00 p.m., the procession of the animals begins. At the very head of the procession is a cow, decorated with flowers. She has pride of place, the honor of going first because according to tradition, she is the animal who gives most to humanity. Behind the cow are the merchants of Olvera Street, and behind them, a colorful and diverse array of animals and humans. The procession winds its way up the street and past the platform where the Cardinal blesses each animal as it goes by.
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In earlier days, farm animals were brought to receive a fertility blessing. These days a somewhat different assemblage of creatures graces Olvera Street: a lively assortment including cows, cats, dogs, snakes, pigs, sheep, goats, donkeys, horses, opossums, hamsters, birds, monkeys, llamas, camels, chickens and peacocks.

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<>Recently, here at Old South, we held our first blessing of the animals on Saturday, May 6th. Old South members, whose lives are lived in the company of beloved pets, told us they were touched, delighted, and moved that the church had decided to acknowledge this important part of their lives. And so it was that people volunteered to usher, to sing, to take pictures and to assist with music and publicity. After all, those who have pets will tell you that what they experience from their pets in the way of unconditional love, of companionship and relationship, is as dear and as life-giving to them as anything else. As one Old South members said to me in introducing his dog: this is my family. <> 
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<>Old South was host to a wagging, squirming, wriggling, fluttering array of beloved creatures. The Gordon Chapel was filled. As far as we know, the last time so many of God’s creatures entered an Old South sanctuary was in 1775. It was in that year that British troupes, angry at us over a certain Tea Party, took over the Old South Meetinghouse. They tore out the pews, and turned the sanctuary into an exercise ring for Calvary horses. <> 
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<>By contrast, this Old South affair was gracious and respectful. Old South had sent out invitations. Yesterday, our guests arrived: two-legged and four legged, hoofed and pawed, big and little, feathered, furry, hairy, scalely and smooth-skinned. They were a grand assortment of dogs and cats – of every size, color, temperament and pedigree – but also a turtle, rabbit, parrot, and two enormous, patient, well-mannered horses from the Boston Police Department. <> 
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<>They came to this Christian church to receive a blessing. We, in our turn, were blessed: blessed by the joy we saw in so many faces; blessed by the relationships we witnessed; blessed by the privilege of having met additional members of your families. Blessed, too, that our sanctuary gave welcome to human neighbors in Boston who might not have entered a church for any other purpose. <> 
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<>Whether in New York or Los Angles or Boston, whether in Episcopal, Catholic, or UCC churches, whether in honor of Francis of Assisi or of Antony of the Desert, or no one in particular, the Blessing of the Animals is intended to convey that God’s care extends beyond the human family; indeed, God’s care extends to the whole family of creation. In the eyes of God, all creation is good and sacred. <> 
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<>The Bible is full of stories of animals and the natural world. Biblical authors proclaim that in the beauty and diversity and complexity of the natural world, we see the hand of the Creator. <> 
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<>The Bible includes our animal cousins in the blessings of the covenant we share with God. In the Book of Genesis God says, “I will make a covenant with you and with all living creatures.” Jesus, in his turn, commands his disciples to, “Go in to the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature." <> 
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<>The creatures with whom we share the earth and the skies and the seas, also share in the fortunes of human existence and have part in human life. Their fortunes are affected by pollution and oil spills, gill nets and clear-cutting, population growth and pesticides, war and famine, fire and earthquake, and by our human appetite for meat and furs. <> 
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<>Last December, the San Francisco Chronicle ran a front-page story about a female humpback whale. The whale had become entangled in a web of crab traps and lines. <> 
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<>The fifty-foot whale was weighted down by hundreds of pounds of traps. Hundreds of yards of line-rope were wrapped around her tail and torso. She was struggling mightily to stay afloat. <> 
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<>A fisherman spotted the whale just east of the Farollone Islands, outside the Golden Gate. The fisherman radioed an environmental group for help. Within a few hours, a rescue team arrived. They quickly determined that the whale was in such bad shape, that the only way to save her was to dive into the water and untangle her themselves, then and there, with their own hands. This was a very dangerous proposition. One slap of her tail could easily kill a diver. <> 
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<>The divers worked for hours. Using curved knives, they worked to free her, one line at a time. Once she was free, she swam in what the divers described as joyous circles. And then, she turned her attention to the divers. She swam up to each one of them and, one by one, she nudged them gently. In the words of the divers, she thanked them. <> 
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<>In the blessing of the animals, we acknowledge our essential kinship with the grand assortment of creatures with whom we share God’s good earth. <> 
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<>In the blessing of the animals, we acknowledge, bless and confess the myriad and complex relationships between humankind and animal kind: whether the relationship is that of pet to a guardian, or that between a sight-impaired person and their seeing-eye dog, or that between a rancher and a herd of cattle, or a fisherman and the creatures of the sea, or the relationship between a wildlife specialist and a pride of lions.

In blessing the animals we praise the Creator for the gift of creatures who supply our food, who carry our burdens, who share our fortunes, who provide us with clothing, who give us companionship, who have tendered a service to humankind since the world began and who, in the words of Francis of Assisi, are, indeed, our brothers and sisters.

 
Yesterday we welcomed and blessed them. In our turn, we were richly blessed.

Five Months of Sabbatical Sundays

<>by Michael Fiorentino
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Those of you who have been worshipping at (and/or a member of) Old South for 5 or more years remember Rev. Jim Crawford. He retired in the summer of 2002 after twenty-eight years as our Senior Minister. It was his preaching, commitment to social justice for all God's children and leading by example that made me join this Church. When I serendipitously learned that he'd be serving five months as an interim minister at Trinitarian Congregational, my decision was made: I'll be there!

<>After that initial elation, I had some concerns. Will our new (at that time just short of 1 year) pastor, Rev. Nancy Taylor be offended? What about our even newer Associate, Rev. Quinn Caldwell? Would my work on three OSC committees be compromised by my absence? Would my Church family feel abandoned? To some these may sound like silly issues, but being the sensitive sort that I am, they gave me some pause. 

I was confident I was making the right choice in being away Sundays for those five months but, with some prayer and reflection, I took action to make the issues into "non-issues". Honest and respectful conversation with both our ministers assured me of their understanding and support. Since my committees communicate so much via e-mail, I had no trouble keeping up to date. (Also, I was there for all meetings that weren't on a Sunday.) Likewise, I kept up with the top-rate preaching electronically; thank God for the Old South website! Finally, those great jazz services which I attended about 75% of the time, kept me in touch not only with my OSC family, but with OSC worship. I must add that once I returned home on Sundays, it was as if I had never left. Thank you, my friends!

<>As for the worship experience itself at Trinity, you would never have guessed that Jim Crawford came out of retirement for this interim ministry. (He was quite open about it.) His sermons had the same breath, life and power that we felt at Old South. They still had a local flavor but an unequivocal connection to the church universal and our Christian commitment to fight for peace, equity, inclusivity, and justice for all. One former member of OSC joined TriCon when she relocated to Concord, but I was surprised to find only 3-4 current members that paid a visit. 

My original intention for those five months was to attend Trinitarian every week, not only to be enriched by Rev. Crawford's sermons but to see if there was anything going on that would give me ideas to share with my Old South family. (All great churches borrow from each other with both ministers and members alike chock full of suggestions from their previous church homes.) When I discovered Rev. Crawford would only preach about half the Sundays, I was considering going back to OSC on the off-Sundays but I did some more thinking. When I first joined OSC, every Sunday, unless I was traveling or incapacitated, I went to Old South. There was never a second thought. It was comfortable, it was home, but I didn't permit myself to randomly visit other UCC churches. Now was a golden opportunity to do so. Why learn from only one other church when I can learn from a number of them?

<>Let's start with Trinitarian Congregational (affectionately known as "TriCon"). Although TriCon's membership is 50% more than OSC, according to the UCC website, it still has the feel of a smaller suburban church. Partially fuelling that sense is the smaller building and the much slighter flow of visitors and travelers. Despite the fact that both Concord and the Church itself have a predominately white population, TriCon sponsored many forums on combating racism. Also, I felt as if I watched history in the making when the congregation voted at its annual meeting to become "open and affirming."  

Another church I visited, South Acton Congregational, featured several glowing testimonials about prayer shawls. I had never heard of such a thing and couldn't help but marvel when one week later I read that our own Pitcher sisters wanted to develop this ministry at Old South. This same church seemed very steeped in tradition but was making earnest efforts to take "baby steps" in embracing more inclusive language and to develop a more diverse congregation. Their pastor is very progressive and dedicated to these positive changes but admits they'll take time.

<>I was also overwhelmed by a tiny but vibrant church, Central Congregational, with an incredibly diverse congregation dedicated to social justice. Lifelong Anglo members were proud of learning Spanish in their golden years to reach out to an increasingly Latino community and congregation. Most were long-time married couples that were equally excited about marching with their gay brothers and sisters in the annual Pride parade.  

Another minister pastored a church in transition and was eager to compare my ideas as a visitor from Old South (I hate to brag, but OSC and Rev. Taylor are held in high esteem all over) with those of this congregation.

<>In closing, I have to acknowledge two things that stood out: 

Although Old South seemed to stand out when it comes to fellowship groups, all these churches had an array of committees that parallel ours.

<>All of the churches I visited exemplified the UCC extravagant welcome. 

Those five months made me appreciate the beauty and diversity of our UCC churches. Thank God for our denomination and thank God for Old South!

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Church Partnership in Action: Roxbury Presbyterian Dedication

by Charlotte Simpson

Duane Day and I attended the dedication of the renovated Roxbury Presbyterian Church (RPC). It was a time of celebration with song, dance and lots of amens. Interspersed in the service was a history of the project which started in 1998 with the idea to have a Computer Technology Center and social outreach effort. As part of the process RPC had an architectural feasibility study done to determine if the building was safe. Initial estimate for the cost to make the building safe was $1.3 million. During the renovation process, it was determined that RPC had major structural problems. The cost for the project grew, and grew to an incredible $3.3 million.

<>Under the dynamic leadership of Rev. Hurman Hamilton, funds were raised: grants from the Hyams and Yawkey foundations, a contribution from the Timothy Smith Trust Fund, large individual contributions by the Tom Flatley Company and Shawn & Kerry Healey. and donations from more than 50 Presbyterian churches with particular assistance by the mission efforts of Sudbury Presbyterian, in addition to fundraising from Trinity Episcopal and Old South Church. 

Most remarkable, however, was the $460,000 raised by RPC members. Their fundraising efforts were kicked off by a $60,000 donation by Rev. Hamilton and his wife – money that had been intended for a down payment on a house. One especially touching contribution was $1,500 by an RPC member who paid over time and never missed an installment. According to Rev. Hamilton, this woman’s donation meant more than many of the larger amounts. Of the $3.3 million, only $450,000 remains to be paid. Now RPC stands as a beautiful beacon on a busy street in Roxbury. It is a haven for young and old and a place where God is active.

<>What struck me most about the dedication celebration was the strength of the relationship developed between Sudbury Presbyterian Church and RPC. The choirs joined in presenting the music, led by the RPC director with piano and organ accompaniment provided by a member of the Sudbury church. A special anthem of dedication, written by a member of the Sudbury Church was performed by the joint choir. Seeing the two choirs, RPC in red and Sudbury in blue standing, swaying and clapping side by side was very inspirational. It was truly apparent that the two congregations had developed a real partnership. On a slightly lesser scale, RPC developed a partnership with Trinity Church.  

Although RPC was a monetary beneficiary, representatives of both Sudbury and Trinity expressed how very much they and their church memberships were enriched by the partnership relationship they had with RPC. My hope and prayer is that Old South could also have such an expansive partnership with another church as we grow in our faith. Our Lenten speaker, Matthew Myer Boulton of Hope Church, spoke of the possibilities of such a relationship. I was witness to the powerful impact of such a union, and trust that with God’s guidance we will someday also be so enriched.


Artist in Residence: Barbara Ames

<>A Memoir by Suze Campbell 

I first met Barbara, the artist of the line drawing atop the OSC Copley Square Pilgrim, circa 1977, when I became chair of the OSC Publications [now Communications] Committee. Being fairly young and new to OSC, I represented change and was expected to make changes in the church publications, transforming them from what was perceived by some to be old fashioned to a fresh new and polished presentation. Barbara’s drawing had been used at the top on the front of the church newsletter for some time. Barbara was also a long time member of the Publications Committee. Barbara was very self effacing, shy and modest and she most certainly did not express any hurt feelings or argue about retiring the drawing, even though she had been instrumental in designing the newsletter’s current format. In the end, after a fair amount of discussion, we made the decision to keep it on the masthead. Barbara’s quietness and grace was very reassuring and comforting to me. I knew that if we did have to change the newsletter format drastically in the future that she would be very supportive in any difficult situation.

<>Barbara was a member of the Religion and Arts Committee and when I chaired that committee, I would watch her doodle cartoons of committee members as we sat at meetings, perhaps accomplishing something, or maybe not! She was not without a sense of humor! And her eyes and fingers were never at rest. She was a keen observer of physiognomies and human behavior and quite deft at capturing likenesses and expressions. During those years, Mary Dean, a seminary student, interned at OSC and became mentor and a dear friend of Barbara’s. As their friendship flourished, so did Barbara’s artistic and religious expression, overshadowing her shyness. My sense is that there was a new sense of joy and liberation in Barbara’s art during this period.  

And then there was Marcus Walker, a Pied Piper minister, who delighted church school children, their parents, and church thespian folk with his rambunctious, infectious enthusiasm. TAOS was created with his guidance, and Barbara became an integral part of this group, helping to create, build and paint wonderful scenery for TAOS productions that enriched our church’s collective religious experience. It was apparent that this group was sharing a lot of good companionship, humor and fun time together in the basement of the church as they constructed magic for the stage upstairs in Mary Norton Hall. Barbara, behind the scenes, was, as ever, devotedly at work for the benefit of the OSC Congregation and the glory of God.

<>The ever quiet Barbara and I also sat on Deacons together. This was a time when on the five Saturdays of the year before Sunday Communion Sundays, the twelve Deacons would convene in the Gordon Library. We wore white gloves to prepare the Communion plates and spoke in whispers as we cut up bread and poured grape juice into the tiny glass cups. For every Communion service, we referred to Barbara’s indispensable diagrams of the silver on the Communion table. They were considered to be very important documents.  

I will never forget the power of hearing the very private Barbara speak up on one of these Saturdays, saying in a quiet voice how grateful she was that we used grape juice instead of wine when serving Communion. She never explained why at any great length – no personal details or confession – she just said that she felt “safe” at OSC because we did use grape juice instead of wine. This was another of the lessons that Barbara illuminated for me – the profound importance and grace of a place that is a “safe” place for the people who congregate there.

<>Barbara was ever so fond of Bob Christenson, OSC’s beloved Associate Minister who died in 1988. Bob provided guidance for us as we sat together on Publications Committee, Religion and the Arts, and Deacons. Bob and Barbara shared the great human capacity to share caring and compassion with people. Barbara participated in Bob’s Visiting Team, taking grace from OSC to people who could not get to OSC. When Bob became ill, Barbara was among the most faithful who attended him and his family during this period of pain and grief. Her beloved father had been a doctor and I think that Barbara was keenly attuned to the need for comfort to be provided to the ill.  

Over the years, Barbara was an important source of OSC historical information. She joined OSC in 1949 and so she knew much first hand. But she also knew the contents of Hamilton Hill’s two volumes of OSC history and was familiar with stories for the period between Hill’s history (ending in 1886) and the time she arrived in Dr. Frederick Meek’s time. If her good friend and preeminent OSC historian Mary Kendrick didn’t know an answer or wasn’t quite sure of a fact or incident, Barbara would be called upon for verification. Mary and I were most grateful for the boxes of papers Barbara bequeathed to the OSC archives when she moved from Charlesgate East in Boston to Newburyport.

Barbara was not only very quiet and retiring, but gentle and physically small as well, and so her very large presence in the life of OSC, matching the impressiveness of her sculpture, might be mistakenly underestimated. She provided a veritable treasure trove of illustrations and cartoons for OSC publications, and she participated in numerous presentations of artwork by members of the congregation who have sought to express their own individual and our collective faith based on Biblical and religious themes. She was an observer of others, never assuming attention for herself, always contributing her work for the use and benefit of others.

The books on Barbara’s shelves reflect the breadth and intensity of her artistic and spiritual life, witnessed at Old South Church. She prized books about sculpture: medieval, modern, ancient, South American, African, Indian, Italian, Renaissance, Greek, Roman; stone, wood, metal, clay. First and foremost, I like to think, Barbara was a sculptor. I believe that this is what she found most appealing to her as an art form, based on pictures of her at the Boston Museum Art School and her collection of books about sculpture. Her sculptures suggest great power. Her clay and metal sculptures are large and solid and often evoke a primitive style. They are heavy and require significant strength to handle. Their subject matter, often depictions of Biblical events and characters, is compelling and fundamental.

<>When one looks at the large number of portraits of people that Barbara sketched, her second most favorite art expression, one comes to understand Barbara’s keen understanding of people. She would sketch a face on a scrap of paper, a napkin or on a big sketching tablet; at a church meeting, outdoors, in front of a mirror, or in a drawing class; in a cartoon or in a finely shaded, sculptural portrait. Her faces captured a wide variety of types: OSC people, public figures seen on TV or in newspapers, people on the street, friends, family, herself, all races and ages. She was a student of life.  

In the same way that Barbara returned over and over again to and gained strength from OSC, she practiced a technique or drew a subject over and over again as all good artists are inclined to do. The books on her shelves witness the same focus. They are an index of her artistic and religious passions: sculpture, portraiture, cartoon drawing, figure drawing, print making, calligraphy, water color painting; Women’s Theology, the Gospels, religious symbolism; poetry. The only other categories of books she made room for on these shelves were mysteries: all of Tony Hillerman, all of Ngio Marsh, all of Dorothy Sayers, and others; some novels, and lots of books about cats. Barbara loved cats. I believe her books and her art channeled and enriched her soul.

<>Barbara’s strength and discipline as an artist seem to me to be a match for the inner strength and discipline displayed in her life’s work and choices. June, one of her friends in the apartment complex where she lived in Newburyport told me that Barbara walked quite some distance every day, rain or shine, to visit her beloved friend, Elizabeth (Betty as she was known), in the hospital. In her collection of watercolors and sketches there are happy pictures of Betty, of Barbara and Betty watching a cat, of Betty reading. Barbara’s watercolors, inspired by scenes of and around Newburyport are cheerful and brightly colored. Her sorrow there was the death of Betty in August, 2004. 

Barbara and Betty had moved to Newburyport in 1989, but Barbara’ heart and soul never really moved away from OSC. Her friend also told me that when she visited Barbara in the hospital very recently, Barbara eagerly asked if she had any mail from OSC. She was regularly sent sermons and Bulletins and Calendars and kept in close touch with OSC happenings and people. Florence Scarpas, another OSC matron saint, was a great one for sending these packages to people, always with a personal note enclosed. Barbara was most appreciative of OSC visitors. I know she had many pictures of people in her mind in addition to the actual photographs of people on her frig door. On her frig door were pictures of Jim Crawford, Nancy Taylor, Jennifer Knutsen-Mills, Arlene Nehring, and Janet Butler. These people were beacons of light and ambassadors of grace from Barbara’s beloved OSC.

<>Barbara (July 13, 1922 – April 25, 2006) was truly our own Artist in Residence at Old South Church throughout the past three decades of her life and more. And her contributions will continue to live on in our hearts and in our eyes and through her eternal artwork.
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Living Covenants!

More on the Enduring Practices of Association

in the MBA of the UCC

by Elizabeth Rice-Smith


<>The Spring issue of the Old South Reporter carried some good news about the freedoms, choices, challenges, and responsibilities we share in ministry with other members of UCC congregations in the Boston Metropolitan Area. Though in many ways it seems inconceivable to us, it is true that long ago, even before the Reformation of the 16th century, and certainly through and beyond the Reformation, the significant freedoms, challenges, and responsibilities we practice and enjoy were envisioned and established with great commitment at great sacrifice by our forebears in the faith. 

Amidst contexts rife with contention, corruption, complex sequelae from centuries of subjugation in empire, and yes, (sigh) religious wars – not to speak of the horrors of plague and feudalism – the practices of Covenantal association so dear to us were established by countless women and men. They struggled to enliven Christian faith in a way which would illuminate both the power of the Word (literacy, teaching and learning together, preaching), and its dignity and clarity in Christian sacrament and worship. These women and men earnestly believed that God was speaking to them. They yearned to listen, and to speak together about what they heard. Their very, very “long ago” version of “God is still speaking” …

<>For them, obedience to kings, queens, and bishops had become anathema. The designation of “divinely appointed” monarchs, the designation of ordained priests and bishops as “holier” than any Christian lay person – these notions were not longer held as truth. What a different point of view. What a different understanding of faith. Our forebears in the faith began to group together with accountability for study, prayer, and faithful worship – earnestly desiring to discern the meaning of the Gospel, to directly learn what God intended for them in the world, hundreds and hundreds of groups, gathering in the name of Christ. People utilized countless strategies to avoid ecclesiastical and royal persecution: moving a few blocks from one parish to another to avoid being reported for non-attendance, sealing their Bibles and Protestant books behind brick walls, and providing space for study and worshiping merchant ships at port. They met in houses. They met in ships. Sometimes they met on hillsides and in meadows, or at postal stations. It was unlawful for them to do this. 

During this era, many of our forebears in the faith were burned for treason and heresy or otherwise executed for gathering in such a way, with such a purpose. Our forebears had to do this, lest they be exposed to “the fires.” Many of our forebears in the faith went into hiding. People fled to other lands to escape charges of treason, arrest, and death. These are the costs and joys of discipleship.

<>Raging religious struggles regarding the shaping of the Church were echoed and reflected in the promoting of changes and understanding in the practice of religious sacrament and ceremony, covenant, and human choice. Conducting the liturgy and sacraments in English. Seem simple enough? Oh no -- not at all. In the evangelical hotbed Stour River Valley between the counties of Essex and Suffolk, for example, the Stratford St. Mary and Hadleigh parishes had been early in their uses of English-language liturgies, starting in 1538, ten years before such use was legalized. It was no accident then that the Marian burning of the powerful and popular evangelical preacher Rowland Taylor occurred in a field outside of Hadleigh. In Essex, an evangelical named Pulleyne actively nurtured the Protestant underground in Colchester. According to historian Francis J. Bremer, “More people from Colchester were burned in the Marian fires than from any other town except London.” 

And, in our era, working ecumenically and inter-religiously for understanding, justice, equity, and peace – the costs and joys of discipleship – is not easy work. Our life of faith really does involve sacrifice, and a lot of hard work. Hard, hard work. So why, then, is it so meaningful? When, then, is it enjoyable even -- sometimes, even fun?

In the Spring OSC Reporter, David Vogan and Elinor Yeo shared with us news of their experiences and perspectives while participating as elected members of the MBA Committee on the Ministry and MBA Committee on Ministerial Standing. As a lay minister and as an ordained minister, respectively, right here, right now, David Vogan and Elinor Yeo, amongst so many others, embody the living legacies, wisdom, and responsibilities of our commitments in this tradition of faith. Yes, today, in our strong ecumenical and inter-religious UCC spirit, we do respect that Christians of other traditions which still practice authority, obedience, and administrative “magisterium” registered through the appointed power of bishops, archbishops, cardinals, and the Pope. In our practice of faith as UCCers, however, we don’t see it that way, exactly, and we don’t enliven our faith in that manner. As we have heard from David and Elinor, we work to embody and enliven enduring, living commitments to Covenantal process as our approach in the practice of worship, study, and discernment. It is important to bear in mind that each of the two committees about which Elinor and David have spoken is constituted by an equal number of lay and clergy members, an essential reflection from our UCC polity, our UCC “modus operandi.”

<>And now, during these lazy days of summer, these OSC Reporter pages hold more good news, news about the purpose and workings of the MBA Council, the MBA Nominating Committee, and the UCC “God is Still Speaking” effort. 

The Metropolitan Boston Association (MBA)

The minister who is the primary staff person for the MBA coordinates, provides pastoral attention, and offers organizational leadership for the MBA, carrying the title “Associate Conference Minister.” Formerly, the person in this role was referred to as the MBA “Area Minister,” and many of us still think of him in that way. The Reverend Dr. Tom Clough (who was such a help to OSC during our search for new Senior and Associate Ministers) and his Administrative Assistant Colin Loggins anchor their work at the MBA office, located in Waltham. But the work of the MBA office occurs throughout the Area. The location of the MBA office in Waltham is the result of a recent move, an intentional dis-location from the longstanding “base” of the MBA at 14 Beacon Street in Boston (just across the street from the State House), a transition carefully considered in terms of financial cost as well as practical matters of access throughout the Association. And while City Mission Society and The Congregational Library continue to be situated at that address, those very ordinary and at the same time very hallowed halls at 14 Beacon Street resound with echoes of the Spirit in the histories, memories, and countless justice ministries enlivened there. The first national offices of the UCC were located there, too, before they were moved to NYC and then to Cleveland. The offices of the Black Ecumenical Commission were located there, too, and to this day, the offices of the Massachusetts Council of Churches are there.

<>It is very easy to access “The Metropolitan Boston Home Page” <www.MACUCC.org> and looking in the left column under “Area Offices,” then clicking the “link” to – “Metropolitan Boston Area.” This website clearly spells out so much of what “is doing” now in the MBA, and holds promise – “Coming Soon” -- for a new, electronic MBA Newsletter. Here is short excerpt from the MBA website, which offers this description of its purpose: 

          The Metropolitan Boston Area (MBA) is an association of eighty-three diverse churches, spread over four distinct cities and thirty-five suburbs, all within a twenty-five mile radius. The Association includes two predominantly Afro-American, two Armenian, one Chinese, one Hispanic, and two Korean congregations, with potential for expansion within these and in other ethnic groups. Boston provides rich opportunities for outreach to college students and young working singles and couples. The approximately 260 clergy with standing include over 125 pastors and associate pastors, over 70 extra parochial clergy and almost 60 retired clergy. There are 40 seminarians In Care. . . . The MBA churches, ministers, and laity are united in a covenantal relationship to proclaim a gospel of reconciliation, to promote a fellowship of mutual concern and commitment, to strengthen our witness and outreach, to invoke and to exemplify the abiding, creative, loving, and transforming spirit of Jesus Christ.

<>Operationally, how does this really work? What really sets what in motion? Amazing, the ways the Holy Spirit can be at work amongst those who step forward, willing to be nominated and elected to serve – members of our MBA UCC congregations, people committed to work together collaboratively and inclusively over a period of years. Seeking to discern and fulfill God’s promises and purposes for the MBA! Most people are elected to serve a three year term. Ministers, lay and ordained, carrying out this work in Covenant together. And the MBA Council, of course, is central to all of this. Each year at the spring meeting of the Association, the Officers of the MBA Council are elected for a one year term. 

The MBA Council

Our OSC Pastor Emeritus, the Rev. Dr. Jim Crawford, was most recently elected to the MBA Council two years ago. When I asked Jim to share with all of us at OSC what his involvement as a Member-at-Large of the MBA Council means to him, he very quickly and clearly responded: “I like the MBA Council Meetings! At these meetings, we deal with what’s going on among the churches in the MBA and there’s always a ‘show and tell’ on what’s happening within the Conference. The MBA Council seems to me to be a primary illustration of what Covenant means among the churches of the UCC.” He also wants us to understand some of the differences in the various committee MBA functions.

<>“The Committee on the Ministry, the Committee on Ministerial Standing, and the MBA Council really possess significant authority and responsibility within the life of the UCC, deciding on the standing of ministers and making judgments about the legitimacy of churches and their mission.” 

Jim also points out that in his experience, “the MBA Council brings together some of the administrative functions of the MBA. The Council considers budget, sets the agenda for the MBA semi-annual gatherings, offers support and encouragement to the various ministries we seek to uphold and sustain – like the Justice and Peace Ministry of Fran Bogle and June Cooper’s ministry at City Mission Society.” He comments, “At the MBA Council meetings, we listen to the problems that may be surfacing among the churches, problems that plague or leave our MBA Minister Tom Clough in a conundrum. We try to offer new insight, arriving at a common judgment enabling him to move ahead in a difficult ecclesiastical situation with a group standing with him.”

<>MBA Council meetings involve a gathering over the dinner hour, and last a number of hours into the evening. Jim Crawford further points out that “the meeting agendas do not always contain agenda items to address controversial matters of severe problems, but the meetings are important, held on a regular basis, to keep news flowing, to gain perspective on the progress of the churches, to meet crisis, and offer at least judgment that may be of assistance to ministers, churches and the Association Minister. Because each congregation is its own “bishop” the authority of the Council to make changes, to intervene in local congregations in a way that might really solve a problem is, of course, nil. Nonetheless, in considering troublesome ecclesial issues, the Council can assist in the Covenantal process of moving through church conflict issues with all deliberate speed, mitigating sharp edges, and seeking agreement enabling a troubled congregation to move beyond crisis.” 

                    -- To be continued in the Fall 2006 Issue of the OSC Reporter


Interview with Rolanda Ward

Old South Youth Group Leader

by Michael Fiorentino


<>Q: Our church directory lists you as "Youth Group Leader". Can you please tell us what this means and exactly what your role is? 

Like many other positions in the church, youth group leader is one of those positions that has some known responsibilities but a lot of fuzzy ones too! I am responsible for facilitating discussions with the high school age youth on Sundays and taking them and confirmands on retreats. But for me, the fuzzy stuff is what keeps the group connected throughout the year. I keep connected to the youth by sending e-mails throughout the week, holding them to task about what is happening in their lives, organizing service projects, and going to their events, when possible.

Q: At what point in your life did you feel a calling to ministry and was there anything specific happening in the world or your own life at that time that made you feel this is the "defining moment?"

<>Church has always been a significant portion of my life. I grew up Baptist, and accepted Christ at 11 years of age. When I was younger, I participated in many church activities: Sunday School, pianist for the Men's Chorus, youth usher, youth missionary, church delegate, and let's not forget about being a devoted Monday Night Bible Study attendee for a bazillion years.  

Church is who I am, not what I do. I can't say that I was called into the ministry or that I had a defining moment. I can say that I enjoy being a Christian, and most importantly, I enjoy doing the God's work.

Q: I understand you're originally from Buffalo. What brought you to Boston (besides the sometimes calmer winters) and Old South in particular? What can you share with us about your Divinity studies at BU and any other spiritual endeavors outside of Old South?

<>I came to Boston in 1995 for graduate school at Boston University's School of Social Work. I stayed in Boston because I couldn't find a job after I graduated from social work school. When I think about how I ended up at BU's School of Theology, I am still mystified. Believe it or not, I still don't know why I applied. Being a theology student had its interesting moments. I struggled greatly with philosophical classes that left me in the abstract world and without an understanding of how to apply the abstract to the work that needed to be done in this world. I immensely enjoyed the Christian Education and youth ministry courses I took out at Boston College. It was there that I was able to put the rubber to the road and jump start my enthusiasm for youth ministry. 

Q: In all forms of ministry, there are so many diverse responsibilities. Is there any one that you consider your greatest joy? Conversely, is there any one that you consider your greatest challenge?

I love the youth of Old South Church. They are a great group of young people. Being their youth leader is easy. That is why I say that "working" on Sundays is the best part of my week. There are many things I enjoy about being a youth worker. I think I most enjoy the quiet moments that I rarely get with each one of them. It is within these moments that I get to shuffle past what others see all the time to what is blooming underneath the surface. I enjoy our talks about youth culture and the situations and decisions they face in this hectic world. Their lives are not easy, and I thankful that they share snapshots with me.

<>Another aspect of this work that I enjoy greatly is going on youth retreats. Unlike my childhood, the youth of OSC only get to see each other on Sunday mornings. Meeting for a short period of time each week limits their ability to form strong bonds. That is why we do retreats.  

Retreats are life transforming. Spending 24 hours away from all the other things that occupy their time changes how they see their developing/questioning faith, how they see each other individually, and how they see themselves as one unit.

<>Q: What would you like to be doing in the next ten years? 

Well, that is a loaded question! In the short term, I hope not to still be in my doctoral program! Dear Lord, help me if I still am! It is my hope that I will be teaching social work in a few years and doing research on child welfare concerns and how faith organizations assist in developing foster care youth. And, no need to ask, I will forever be doing church work!

<>Q: Anything else that you'd like to share with our Church family? 

I am so thankful for OSC's presence in my life. I am a Baptist with a UCC twist. Being a part of this church family has propelled my experiences of faith into new dimensions. There are many things I am grateful for: from the chats I had with Jim on Friday afternoons in his office while in Divinity school to the seeing the marginalized welcomed and accepted in the sanctuary of the church, and to seeing so many young people grow and develop into such loving and giving people. "I set before thee an open door" has been etched into how I conceptualize my actions of faith outside of the church's walls. Doing UCC work and being Baptist has exposed a journey that I am joyously skipping along.


Reflection in Thanksgiving and Celebration

of the Life of Peter George Southwell-Sander

December 2, 1941-June 7, 2006

<>by Nancy S. Taylor (delivered June 18, 2006)
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Peter was a storyteller and a lover of narrative. He loved children’s stories and great novels; he loved ancient myths and modern movies; he loved Monty Python, Garrison Keillor, Beyond the Fringe and BBC’s Masterpiece Theatre; he loved children’s TV cartoons and the stories of Italian opera. He loved stories told in paint and canvass as well as music and words.

<>One night, as the family gathered and shared our stories about Peter, it was his storytelling to which we returned over and over again. His granddaughters and son, who are here from England, recounted their memories of his dramatic renderings of children’s books when they were little: the different voices and accents he employed to make the stories and characters come to life. 

But the story he loved and knew above all stories, was the Christian story as told in the ancient narratives of the Bible. For Peter, these were not some musty tales of by-gone days, but the living witness of a people who lived and died and rose again in the presence and by the power of a Triune God … a God who loves us irrationally and unreasonably and completely. That is why Peter took such pains over the reading and hearing of scripture.

<>One of the very best stories in the long, fulsome, biblical narrative is the story of the night Jesus prepared his disciples for his own death. The disciples were afraid for their lives and feeling wretched with grief and doubt and loneliness. How would they carry on in his absence, they wondered? And, what would become of them? 

In the face of their fears, Jesus left them with a story and a promise that sustained those first disciples through hardship and persecution and that has sustained the Christian community across two millennia. “In my father’s house,” Jesus said, “are many rooms.”

In ancient Israelite society, the phrase, “father’s house” meant far more than a structure. “Father’s house” was a phrase that evoked the entire household, the family, a sense of community and belonging.

And the room in this house to which Jesus refers … this was decidedly not the kind of room Harry Potter was allotted at Number 4 Privet Drive: a “cupboard under the stairs.” A room in God’s house has nothing to do with a wretched little space cut off from the rest of the family.

<>What Jesus was saying to his disciples was that they were being welcomed into the very family God. 

I was always struck by just how many photographs Peter had of houses he had lived in: his childhood home, dormitories at schools, flats (apartments), vicarages and rectories, the family’s house called Boreham Manor … the three homes he and I lived in … and photos of the homes of all his children. Peter took and kept photograph after photograph of homes. Mind you, these were not castles or architectural wonders. For the most part, they were ordinary homes.

<>I believe that Peter so cherished the reality and experience of home because, as an infant, Peter was given up for adoption by his natural mother, and adopted into, a new family. Jeffrey and Jackie Southwell-Sander welcomed an orphaned infant, making a home for him in their family. 

Peter, in turn, spent much of his life extending that same hospitality to others.

<>Here at Old South Peter took it upon himself to ensure that every person who stepped into this house of God, felt at home here. Peter started a Welcomer’s Ministry. On Sundays he stationed himself in the Tower Entryway or the Narthex and offered a warm greeting to all comers.  

The Boston Marathon’s Finish line is just outside our front door. Peter was anxious that those in running shoes and shorts felt at home in this house of God, and so, he did what none of the rest of us wanted to do: he gamely donned a tracksuit and stationed himself in the Tower Entry to greet the athletes.

<>As a priest in the Church of England, Peter was an influential voice for the ordination of women. This was not just some liberal whim: Peter was committed to being a part of the movement that prepared a home for women in the Anglican Church.  

Peter chaired the committee that brought Freedom Schooner Amistad to Boston Harbor. Once used as a slave ship, today the Amistad is a floating civil rights class room that tells the story of 53 captured Africans who rebelled, took over the ship, and eventually won their freedom in a case that became a turning point in the abolitionist movement. Determined to find a worthy home for this precious vessel and its more precious story, Peter walked up and down the piers of Boston, knocking on doors with importunity, until he found just the right home: a venue and a pier large enough for the Schooner and for the thousands who came to learn from and celebrate that story.

<>More recently, Peter worked in support of equal marriage in Massachusetts. He did so because he ached for our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters to find a home in the institution of marriage (an institution that had been so good to Peter and me, affording us a wealth of privileges and rights).
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<> <>Peter adored this household of faith, this peculiar, precious family of God. He loved everything about Old South. Above all, he loved it that you made a home for us here. You adopted us and welcomed us in as your own family. 

I knew Peter to be charming, urbane, gallant, funny, enthusiastic, adventurous, forgiving, gracious, and with a flare for the dramatic. Two of his favorite phrases were: “This is fun!” and “This is magic!” By his enthusiasm, he made fun and magic for others.

<>Peter was a public speaker, a preacher, a teacher, an author, a priest, a pastor, a counselor, a tree surgeon, an organizer, an actor, a critic of classical music, a teller of jokes and stories. He was a proud father and grandfather. He was my lover, my partner, my editor and my best friend. Peter loved me with an unreasonable love; it took my breath away. His love won my heart and helped me to find my way home.
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<>Today, for Peter – and for all the loved ones who have gone before – we have come to sing and speak and pray the Easter story. We have come to proclaim the story that – though we will miss him terribly, and though this hurts – he has a room in that house not made with human hands, eternal in the heavens.
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