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A Pastoral Note from Abbi
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During Holy Week--Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday--we remember Jesus' brutal death. We remember how the communities around Jesus turned against him out of fear. His message of liberation was too much to handle, too much to understand, required too much change. And so they turned against him--even his own followers.
History repeats itself. Are you familiar with the song "Strange Fruit"? You can hear Billie Holiday sing it here and read the lyrics below. As you do, look for connections between Jesus' time and U.S. history.
Southern trees bear strange fruit
Blood on the leaves and blood at the root
Black bodies swinging in the southern breeze
Strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees
Pastoral scene of the gallant south
The bulging eyes and the twisted mouth
Scent of magnolias, sweet and fresh
Then the sudden smell of burning flesh
Here is fruit for the crows to pluck
For the rain to gather, for the wind to suck
For the sun to rot, for the trees to drop
Here is a strange and bitter crop
Jesus' death was an act of solidarity with those suffering and crucified regularly. From lynchings to #altonsterling and #sayhername, from immigrants losing their lives trying to cross the border to the continued erasure of indigenous lives, there is much to mourn, much to remember, and much to learn from. Let us remember the courage that comes with confronting the powers that be and making a choice for life.
We long for Easter morning.
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I will especially be lookin' out for y'all at the Easter Sunrise service--I know many of you love it! Afterward, many of us will gather and head over to the Original Pancake House for breakfast before more Easter fun. It's a tradition! Hope you can join us.
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Due to the many opportunities for worship this week during Holy Week and the very full and exciting Easter Sunday ahead, we won't have Gathering this week. Stay tuned for next week's newsletter about upcoming Gatherings.
Easter Sunday, April 1
No Gathering
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Spring Retreat: Save the Date
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Throughout Lent, we've had some heartfelt conversations about our separate journeys of making space for God. We experimented with spiritual practices and got real about our attachments to technology and busyness. We've been honest about just how hard it is to slow down in order to make space for God. Slowing down, of course, isn't the only way to connect with God, but when the fast pace of our lives seems to be the norm, slowing down can create space for the Spirit in meaningful ways.
At the end of April we'll have opportunity to do just that at our spring retreat. Join us as we let go of our usual day-to-day lives and let in God. Throughout the weekend we'll have a combination of led spiritual practices, such as prayer and sacred reading, and we'll also make space for silence (if you desire) and meaningful conversation about how to continue to make space for God beyond this retreat. Come to our spring retreat to enjoy Sabbath and good food as well as fellowship and community!
We will be staying at an Airbnb--a different location than our last retreats. There are up to fourteen spots available, so register soon! Please note the deadline for registration is Thursday, April 19 by 12:00 noon. The cost to attend is $150. To register click here.
If you have any questions about the retreat (including questions about financial aid) contact Abbi.
Time and place
Friday evening April 27-Sunday afternoon April 29
Lakeside, Michigan
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April SpeakEasy: Save the Date
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SpeakEasy is our monthly night out at a Chicago establishment for food, drinks, and fellowship. It's a great way to catch up with friends if you've been coming for a long time, and an easy introduction to the group if you're new!
As always, we're open to suggestions for new locations for future SpeakEasies, so if you have any ideas (or you want to return to a past site), please let Abbi know.
Time and place
Thursday, April 19
7:00 p.m.
Location TBD
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Racial Equity Council Opportunities--Gospel Run and More!
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- The Racial Equity Council invites you to participate in a two-and-a-half day anti-racism training at Fourth Church on May 24-26 called "Analyzing and Understanding Systemic Racism." Contact Vicky Curtiss (312.981.3598) for more information.
- GospelRun 5K/10K: Walk or run on June 2, or pledge your support to raise funds for anti-racism training for Fourth Church. Donate to or register to be on the Interfaith Coalition Against Racism team here before May 15. Includes a half-mile walk for children.
- Film and Discussion on Racism: The Interfaith Coalition Against Racism invites you to view the film Detroit followed by a discussion. The screening will take place on Sunday, April 15 at 2:00 p.m. at KAM Isaiah Israel (1100 E. Hyde Park Blvd). Admission is free.
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Calendar of Upcoming Events
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Friday, April 27-Sunday, April 29
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Young Adults Ministry at Fourth Church welcomes those twenty-two to thirty-five or thereabouts, whether new to the city or native to Chicago, whether single or married, gay or straight.
We provide meaningful ways to connect through fellowship, enrichment, and service opportunities.
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Fourth Presbyterian Church
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