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In Boston, summer has arrived, finally. Glorious sun, warmth on your skin.
I know about it because I'm watching the weather app on my phone. I'm in San Antonio this week, where the "sunny city" is having rain and thunderstorms, with tornado warnings nearby. Go figure.
St. Francis bends down to pull me out of my grumbling. The real St. Francis, not the St. Francis of the birdbath and sentimentality. St. Francis meets me in the gray clouds and splattering rain, and is astonished by the shape and color of the menacing clouds, by the feel of the drenching rain on my soggy feet. Everything is a revelation of the divine. All the world is sacred, and we are part of it. All that we need is right here and right now, in this world.
Our job as humans is to deliberately choose to remain in the beauty, to admire others for their beauty, to adore God, to give thanks. So writes Franciscan Richard Rohr.
We're invited into this way of living, seeing, being - whatever the weather inside our hearts, the thunderstorms or tornados of our democracy and world. Then our actions would reflect the sacredness of this life. Imagine...
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Friends, there are only a handful of weeks left in this year's Church School program, and you do not want to miss them!
This Sunday, May 21st, the Little Chapel will host our annual Blessing of the Animals at 9AM in the Parish House garden. Bring your pets, photos of your pets, and even your stuffed animals to be blessed by Rev. Joy Fallon. On May 28th, join us for a fun game of Bible Trivia. The children will be quizzed on every biblical tidbit they've learned learn this year. Prizes will be given! On June 4th, join us at King's Chapel at 11AM for Children's Sunday, Pentecost, Holy Communion, and even a baptism, all in one day! We're ending the year in style! All are welcome! |
Racial Justice: Addressing Whiteness
King's Chapel is hosting a free and open racial justice program for all members of King's Chapel and anyone in the Beacon Hill neighborhood. This program is an opportunity to meet people where they are, by providing a judgment-free but challenging educational space. All are welcome.
Book Group | Wednesdays, May 17 - June 7 |
7 PM
Waking Up White
by Debby Irving. A book group meeting at
64 Beacon Street
, Boston (King's Chapel Parish House).
Light refreshments provided at Parish House events at 7 PM. RSVP to Gretchen Horton, Parish Administrator at
[email protected]
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Blessing of the Animals | This Sunday | 9 AM
Join the King's Chapel community in the beauty of our Parish House Garden (located behind 64 Beacon Street, accessible via Branch Street) for an annual service in celebration and thanksgiving for the animals that give us so much joy.
Through a liturgy that includes brief readings, prayers, and hymns, we will bless each animal and each relationship. We will thank God for the loving and forgiving creatures that bless our lives. If you cannot bring your animal, we will gladly bless photos, stuffed animals, or any other item that invokes memory.
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King's Chapel Habitat for Humanity-Boston Build | June 17
We are gearing up for the King's Chapel Habitat for
Humanity-Boston build. The build runs on Saturday June 17, from 10 AM
to 3PM with a lunch break. The build will be at one of
the HFH-Boston sites now under construction in
Roslindale, Mattapan, or Dorchester. The exact location
will be selected by HFH-Boston based upon the specific
build site requirements. Work will be available for all
skill levels (including none). For more information on
HFH-Boston and the site where they build, go to
www.habitatboston.org
and
King's Chapel has supported HFH-Boston both financially and with multiple volunteer efforts. If you haven't done this before, please consider joining now. The minimum age to participate is 16. To enroll or for more information contact Emanuel Genovese at 617-738-6367 or
[email protected]
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We are on our way with our Stewardship Pledge Drive of 2017. To date we have reached almost 30% of our goal in four short weeks! Please remember to submit your pledge soon, so that we count that toward our ambitious goal.
If you did not receive a pledge card, contact Gretchen Horton at the Parish House offices at 617-227-2155 x 108, who will be happy to send one to you!
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Open and Honest: On Being White... And Other Lies
On Wednesday May 3rd King's Chapel hosted an Open & Honest event: a public group reading of James Baldwin's "On Being White and Other Lies." 18 people were in attendance, both community members and members of King's Chapel. The reading was followed by open conversation on race, rights and the lasting legacy of American slavery. This event is one of many such communal readings taking place this spring/summer leading up to the public reading of Frederick Douglass's famous Fourth of July speech which is taking place on the Common on July 3rd. Please direct any questions to Amanda Pickett at [email protected] |
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Mother's Day Walk for Peace Wrap-Up
Despite threats of rain and deluge, and great gusts of wind- it did not dampen the enthusiasm of the Walkers for Peace. Eleven people from King's Chapel (and Ciael's well behaved, sweet dog) participated in the Mother's Day Walk for Peace. Three hearty walkers from our group walked the full 6.8 miles from Dorchester and joined eight of us who walked from Roxbury, all culminating at Government Center. We were joined in spirit with those of you who wished to but could not walk.
Here are a few highlights from my walk :.
On the walk I encountered a fence, displaying about eight 3 foot by 5 foot photo posters of young black men whose lives had been lost to violence. Standing vigil in the pouring rain were some family members and friends. One grandmother said, pointing to a photo, "That's my grandson." She accepted my hug and expression of sorrow for her loss and pointed, "That's his mother over there." Another beautiful teenage girl stood by a photo and then asked someone to take a photo of herself and her friend in one photo. She enveloped the photo, smiled beautifully and said, "This will help me remember all the good times with him."
There is something healing about standing or walking with people: so many walkers with the loss of their beloved children.
My friend and I lagged behind other walkers, but as we entered King's Chapel before the sermon we saw the beautiful signs at the chancel, declaring, "KING'S CHAPEL WALKS IN PEACE." I heard Joy's "stellar sermon" as Amanda Pickett described it. I found the whole experience moving.
This underscored, for me, King's Chapel's ongoing commitment to the walk and to standing with and for victims of violence. I feel that we at, King's Chapel, are on the right path of doing justice, extending God's love and examining our role in the city .
Special thanks this year to all of you who supported the walk. Special thanks to: Gretchen Horton for her constant support with the publicity and logistics of keeping the walk forefront, Jim Power for his beautiful signs and for his leadership before and during the walk, Ryan Harrison, our Church School Director, who has eloquently taught our children about the walk, and written beautifully about our role in making the world a better place for all of our children and all people, and especially to Joy who has encouraged us from the onset, four years ago, every step of the way.
Join us next year for the walk. We also have other events throughout the year including the Pride Parade and the Habitat for Humanity - Boston Build in June, making lunches and delivering them to
common cathedral
for those without homes, and filling backpacks with warm socks at Christmas. Remember, as the prophet MICAH says, we must do justice and love mercy or kindness and walk humbly with God .
Carol Genovese |
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"We Rejoice with Those Who Rejoice, and Weep with Those Who Weep"
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We mourn with Patricia Bass the death this week of her mother, Beatrice Camilla Wilson Bass, age 95. Pat brought her mother to Boston in 2008 to live with her, walking with her mother through all the daily tasks of life in their shared apartment, as her mother slipped into deeper dementia. The service for Pat's mother will be in Mississippi. Please join with us in offering love and support to Pat during this difficult time.
We rejoice that Beth Chapin has returned home from her convalescence after shoulder replacement surgery. She and Walter continue through the 6 week period when Beth's shoulder and right arm must remain completely immobile.
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Congratulations to choir member, Darrick Yee, who just earned his doctorate from the Harvard Graduate School of Education!
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Elsie Herrmann and her daughter Jeanette have been honored by the Beacon Hill Civic Association as joint recipients of its annual Beacon Hill Award. The award recognizes "significant and sustained" contributions to the community. Congratulations!
In recent decades, Elsie has focused much of her activity on projects of the Beacon Hill Garden Club, such as planting the traffic circle at the corner of Beacon and Charles. The citation also noted her many years of service to King's Chapel. She served KC on the vestry and many committees, especially the chancel committee. And raised Jeanette to follow the family tradition of civic service!
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Morning Light | 9 AM
Blessing of the Animals
Church School | 10 AM
Morning Prayer | 11 AM
Joy Fallon will Preach
-
Chris LaRoche, Lay Reader
-
Christopher Barnett, Lector
-
Ronnie Bell and Denise Konicek
, Soloists
- Paul Luca, Head Usher
- Sylvia Soderberg, Usher in Charge
- Betsy Peterson and Judy Luca, Ushers
- Lia Atanat, Verger
The Readings:
- Psalm 66:1-2, 16-20
- Old Testament:
- New Testament:
The flowers on the communion table are given in loving memory of
Lydia and Jose Gomez-Ibanez by their children and grandchildren.
At the communion rail following the service,
Bill Kuttner will greet those interested in learning more about King's Chapel.
After the service, all are invited to Coffee Hour,
hosted by Carol Genovese and friends of the
Hospitality Committee.
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Holy Communion |
6 PM
The Rev. Joy Fallon will Preach
- Sudeep Agarwala, Soloist
- Lia Atanat, Verger
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From the Bench:
By Heinrich Christensen
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This week we continue our celebration of the bicentennial of Danish composer Niels Wilhelm Gade, born in 1817. Gade was a student of Mendelssohn, and his musical style very much echoes that of his teacher. You will hear his Tre Tonestykker (Three Tone Pieces)
for organ, as well as the lovely O du, der du die Liebe bist
for our choral introit.
The choir will also sing a new piece by a former Boston composer now based in Germany, Frank Pesci. Sweet Rivers
is based on a 19th century American hymn. For the offertory and hymn before the sermon, you will hear (and sing) two very different musical settings of an intriguing text by W.H. Auden, He is the Way.
The offertory anthem is by Richard Proulx, the hymn version by David Hurd.
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Tuesday, May 23 |
12:15 PM
Ondrej Hornas, organ
Bach, Buxtehude, Cernohorsky, Kuchar
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Upcoming Meetings
* Tuesday, May 23:
Vestry Meeting 6 PM
* Tuesday, June 13:
Parish Council Meeting 6 PM
Changing of the Guard 7 PM
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Joy's Study Leave
I will be out of the office Monday through Friday, the week of May 15-19, attending the annual "Festival of Homiletics." This is the 25 th anniversary of the weeklong conference on preaching, booked solid with many classes and opportunities to listen
to nationally renowned preachers. I'll be with you on Sunday May 14 (Mother's
Day) and on Sunday May 21 (Blessing of the Animals at 9 AM). If any major pastoral
issues arise in my a
bsence, let our Parish Administrator Gretchen Horton know, and
she'll know the best way to reach me.
Blessings,
Joy
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Brad Werner, the Administrative Assistant usually found at the Parish House, will be away from the office until May 15 - 22, on a family trip to Europe.
For assistance please contact the Parish Administrator at 617-227-2155 x 108 or [email protected]
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Anyone can help!
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Enter your email and select a spot to fill. New volunteers may choose to co-host with a buddy. Questions? Email
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Interested in Membership?
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Contributing to Between Sundays
Our enewsletter is sent each Thursday afternoon. Want something in Between Sundays? Feel free to email Brad at
[email protected] with a written piece and/or pictures before Wednesday at noon!
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Accessibility Assists
Our beautiful Georgian sanctuary designed by Peter Harrison and completed in 1754, has been lovingly maintained by the congregation since its completion. One of the box pews has been made wheel-chair accessible. Ushers are available to assist those who are wheelchair-bound to that pew.
A sound system has been installed in the sanctuary of The Chapel to amplify the sound during worship services. Hearing assistance devices are available for your use. Please see an Usher for assistance.
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