W ARRANT FOR THE 2018 ANNUAL MEETING

on Sunday, April 29, 2018 

at approximately 12:30 PM

King's Chapel, at the Corner of School and Tremont Streets  Boston, Massachusetts

Directly following Morning Prayer, the Annual Meeting of the Society of King's Chapel will take place at the Chapel for the purpose of: (1) electing Members of the Vestry, Committee Chairs, and the Nominating Committee; (2) hearing reports by the Senior Warden, Senior Minister, Trustees, Parish Council Chair, and Current Committee Chairs; and (3) affirming the results of the visioning process undertaken this year, which determined that our Community Action work should focus for the next three years on three priority partners: The Louis D. Brown Peace Institute, Common Cathedral, and the Unitarian Universalist Urban Ministry;   (4) such other business as shall come before the Meeting.

 "Those who say, 'I love God', and hate their brothers or sisters, are liars."

 

Isn't this a bit harsh? Because in my situation....

 

Years ago I participated in an 18-week church course about living a Christian life in community - in our church and in the world. Not about Christian virtues while we sat quietly alone, or in a pew soaking in the silence and peace. Rather, Christian life in the real world - when our own family says hateful things, a co-worker demeans us, a stranger is rude, the world doesn't care. In the course, a gifted minister would offer a reflection each week, then for an hour participants would talk together in a small group. We'd be randomly assigned to a group of 12 for the duration of the course; spouses and good friends were affirmatively split up. None of us knew it, but based on years of experience across the nation, a pattern for this class would likely hold: we'd start out liking the other members of our group more as we shared and bonded; then after 6 or 8 weeks we'd reach a crisis where tempers flared and people threatened to leave; but by the end, if we persisted, we'd have learned to love each person in the group, even if we didn't like them.

 

It worked.

 

Steeping ourselves week by week in the acts and words of Jesus, and with the help of trained group facilitators, by the end of four months we did come closer to loving other group members in God's way: caring about how each of them fared, with no desire to inflict harm on them, and choosing to always treat them with great respect and kindness, even if we really didn't like them. To act in a loving way wasn't a feeling, but a decision. And that decision could be perfectly consistent with quietly deciding not to co-chair a project with a particular person.

We might love without liking.

 

Church has always been fertile grounds for practicing God's kind of love, from the first small group of 12 disciples, to the churches described in Acts. I see you practicing this love all the time at King's Chapel: forgiving past hurts, understanding better each others' pain, listening patiently to those with whom we disagree, generously loving and helping sisters and brothers. Thank you. I'm learning in this place.

"Beloved, we love because he first loved us...those who love God must love their brothers and sisters also." (1 John 4)

                    

Ten Hills Farm Book Group Extended | Tuesday, May 1 | 6 to 7:30 PM | Parish House

 

For the last three Tuesday evenings, a group of about 15 has read together excerpts from Ten Hills Farm: The Forgotten History of Slavery in the North by C.S. Manegold. Due to our rich discussions, we have added an additional session on Tuesday, May 1. All are welcome, whether or not you have attended before. The book follows the history of the owners of one property -- Ten Hills Farm in Medford -- where the mansion of King's Chapel member and donor, Isaac Royall, Jr. was located, and still can be visited today along with its slave quarters. No preparation is required, although participants are urged to read this excellent book (copies available in our church library).  For more information, contact Rev. Fallon at  [email protected].

                         

The Minns Lectures | Saturday May 5 | 6:30 PM | King's Chapel Parish  House

The Religiously Complex Congregation in the Religiously Complex World. Americans are more likely to develop religious lives that pull from multiple religious traditions. What do these changes mean for how Americans experience their lives? This year's lecturer, Professor Samira K. Mehta is a scholar of religion and the politics of the American family. She studies families' practices and how families create meaning. Lecture 3 of 3: Saturday, May 5, 6:30 PM: "Beyond Chrismukkah."

                         

Julian of Norwich: British Mystic - A Sunday of Music and Learning | Sunday, May 6 | Both Services | King's Chapel

 

On Sunday, May 6, we welcome guest preacher Lee Hittner-Cunningham to preach about one of their favorite mystics, Julian of Norwich, a 14th century author and the first known woman to publish a book in English. Special music based on Julian's writings will be performed at both services, at 9 AM by Dean Denniston and at 11 AM by our full choir.

Join us!  "Special orders don't upset us. Have it your way" at Bistro 64 in the Parish House. 

Happy Spring!

Spring must finally be here, as seen at staff meeting this week!

Pete's tree, in the Parish House Garden, given by Betsy Peterson in honor of her husband Pete.

Coming in May: Art & Architecture Tours

Join the History Program beginning this May on an Art and Architecture Tour.  Explore the sanctuary from new perspectives, focusing on themes of continuity and change throughout King's Chapel's 332 year history. On this tour, guests explore both floors of the sanctuary to experience the stories the building itself can tell us about the church's history. From what we know about the first wooden chapel to why the church is no longer painted pink like it was 200 years ago, there is so much to learn about the architecture and material culture that construct how people experience the space today.

Daily Tour Times:

Mondays through Saturdays: 10:15 AM and 4 PM

Sundays: 4 PM

$5 per person

April School Vacation Week

Last week, the History Program opened its doors to students and families from across Massachusetts and the world during April School Vacation. Over the course of the week, we welcomed 5,613 visitors, some coming to support friends and family running the Boston Marathon, and others visiting Boston to commemorate the start of the American Revolution right here in the Boston area on April 19, 1775. Forty-five percent more visitors took guided tours than during April Vacation in 2017, and our new scavenger hunts proved extremely popular. Of the visitors who joined us for guided tours, many came from Massachusetts, but we had visitors from as far away as Mililani, Hawaii and Surbiton in southwest London! 

Help Needed:  Walk for Hunger | Sunday, May 6 | 7 AM to 7 PM | 

We rejoice with the family of Elizabeth and Christopher Barnett on the wedding last weekend of their son Alex to Laura Hand. Family members from across the globe came to King's Chapel for the joyful occasion. The flowers that have graced the Governor's Pew this week are from their wedding.

We hold in our prayers our member Jane Kuchefski, who has shared that she will be moving to her childhood home of Bloomington, Illinois in early May. Jane has been a warm and caring member of King's Chapel for several years. We will all miss her and will also celebrate with her this decision that leads her into new life!