Martin Luther King jr Day had been a big event in the beautiful Bronx for a number of years, as our congregations (all 23 of them) join together for a festive celebration in a different parish each year, usually followed by a wonderful feast. At this gathering (and on the Sunday before) a special offering is taken up to support the MLK jr Scholarship Fund of the Bronx Council -- which supports young people with modest grants for their first year in college, as recommended by the parishes and chosen by a board.
This year was special, though. Not only were we gathered at one of the city's oldest church buildings (and the Bronx's oldest) -- St Ann's in the South Bronx -- but we had the special joy of our Primate and Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori being celebrant and preacher. And all I can say, echoing Barbara Harris is, "What a time, what a time!" The fairly sizable church was filled to capacity -- and as Bishop Don Taylor noted, the congregation represented "a microcosm of your [++KJS's] Province" with faces in every complexion, representing several different languages, and a number of countries of origin. It was a grand celebration, and Bishop Katharine's message was "spot-on" -- as was the gift to her from the joyous gathering: prayers for strength through the coming days and months and years.
As Dr. King said, "How long...? Not long!" God is at work, people; and let the people say Amen!
The more I see and hear of Bishop Katharine, the more I like her. She's the proper bishop for the times. Her instincts are so good and so true.
ReplyDeleteThe best gift we can give her is to surround her with our love and our prayers and our support.