A retired professor of French, Bettina spent many years living in New York and Minnesota, but comes from a family with deep New England roots. She moved back to Boston in 2005 and lives just a few blocks from the church.
You seem to have led an interesting life—what else about you don’t we know?
I’m an amateur poet and ukulele player. Sadly, the latter was ended by stroke in 2006—the fingers on my left hand still aren’t agile enough. I’m a confirmed single person, the last remaining family member of my Blake line, and thus accustomed to being independent.
How would you describe your faith journey so far?
I was christened an Episcopalian and grew up in the Riverside Church (NY) Sunday School. As a young adult, I tested the existence of God against all the experiences of college, France, and graduate school but was not a regular church attender during those years. Later, as an adult, I became more active in church again. Old South is the best faith community I’ve been a part of.
How have you seen God’s presence in your life?
God seems to direct my life, though at the same time, I'm a believer that "God helps those who help themselves" ("Aide-toi; Dieu t'aidera" say the French). I do all I can, but then God takes over and guides me. I worry a lot about events coming up in my life, but on the big questions I feel secure. I think this is because God has been so present to me through the love given me by my parents and by many, many other people in my life. I feel surrounded, sustained by God. Of course, that doesn't prevent my being frequently out of harmony with God—in fact most of the time, alas—but then, somehow, I am reminded to come back, always. My ideal, never attained, is to be an "instrument" (as in the prayer of St. Francis), a channel for God to work through, while keeping "me" out of the way and in the background.
What gets you up for church in the morning?
The way in which all aspects of the service—words of welcome, scripture, music, preaching, prayer, even the offertory—come together to "break open the Word of God" for a given Sunday is extraordinary. There’s also an element of theatre involved, as in the medieval church in Europe: from one Sunday to the next, you never know what’s going to happen—colorful processions, banners, African drumming, a visiting choir, the bell choir, the congregation waving ribbons, etc.!
I come because I need the weekly challenge—intellectual as well as spiritual—of outstanding preaching, I need the weekly formal conversations with God through prayer, and I need the weekly informal interaction with other believers. The beauty of the superlative music is a blessed bonus.
What are the people like here?
Friendly, caring, informal, accepting of everyone as a child of God, open to new experiences. We’re ordinary people, trying to live our faith, and very diverse in age, race, economic situation, faith background, sexual orientation, geographic location, politics, family status—you name it! We tend to put our faith into practice actively, through many kinds of service and outreach.
What difference has being part of this church made in your life?
Old South is an essential part of my life. I depend on it, feel safer because of it, and use my membership in Old South as one of my main outlets for service.
