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February 2020

For love of neighbor and creation, Merrimack Valley faith leaders persist 17 months after gas crisis

Members of a Merrimack Valley interfaith team attend a public hearing at the Massachusetts State House this past November to testify about their experiences during and after the 2018 gas crisis. Courtesy photo

On Sept. 13, 2018, explosions and fires caused by the over-pressurization of natural gas lines forced the emergency evacuations of thousands of people in three Merrimack Valley communities, affecting an estimated 10,000 households. 

For many in the 17 months since, the crisis may have faded from memory, but for people in the affected communities--including three Episcopal churches and one Episcopal school, Christ Church in Andover, St. Paul's Church in North Andover and Grace Church and Esperanza Academy in Lawrence--the work of restoration is ongoing and interfaith leaders continue to speak out about the need for equal access and the responsibility to care for creation and do things in a more sustainable and safe way.

“We all began to work together--the pastors from Lawrence, as well as those from Andover and North Andover--to develop a plan to assist the community,” the Rev. Joel Almono, the rector of Grace Church, explained. “We did this because we understand Jesus’ Gospel to be one of renovation, but also transformation--in this case transformation of the social structures that were impacting the most vulnerable in our community."

Susan Almono, Joel’s spouse, serves as a leader on the interfaith team and explained in an interview how the disaster was a wake-up call for many in their communities about potential dangers of natural gas and the need to care for creation.

“After the disaster we felt like, of course we needed to address people’s spiritual needs and material needs, but further than that, we felt like it was a moment when we should seize this reality and do better as we rebuild our system,” Susan Almono said.

As the recovery process got underway, it became clear to Almono that the same resources and opportunities were not available to everyone, and the many Spanish-speaking residents of Lawrence in particular were at a disadvantage.

The Rev. Joel Almono of Grace Church in Lawrence speaks at a bilingual press conference held Nov. 12, 2019, to get word out into the community about interfaith efforts to secure an extension of the no-cost MassSave program available to communities affected by the disaster. Courtesy photo

The interfaith team began working with city and state representatives as well as Columbia Gas representatives to request energy-efficient appliances for households in need of new equipment and to request that Spanish-language translators accompany household assessment teams.

According to Almono, the process to take advantage of the MassSave energy-efficiency program is very complicated and, unless you are a homeowner who speaks English, it can be difficult to manage, so with the support of diocesan relief funds, the interfaith team and its nonprofit partners are providing bilingual door-to-door soliciting of homeowners to help them understand what programs are available to them, what their rights are and what help is available for home heating and insulation.

Last April, Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Michael B. Curry spent a weekend in the Diocese of Massachusetts, and made a pastoral visit to Grace Church on April 26 to hear from Merrimack Valley church and community members affected by the disaster. 

“One thing we can do is spread the news,” Curry said to those gathered, referring to the work that church people can do. “Church can't do everything, and it's not good at doing everything. But it is good at some things! Church folk are still around when the news cameras are gone. We hang in for the long haul, and one way we hang in for the long haul is to continue to tell the story.”

Investing in immigrant and multicultural communities: Q&A with Canon Jean Baptiste Ntagengwa

A workshop for anyone who wants to learn more about immigration issues and opportunities for involvement is coming up on Saturday, March 28, 4-7 p.m., hosted at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Acton by Bishop Gayle E. Harris and the Rev. Canon Dr. Jean Baptiste Ntagengwa. ( Find details and RSVP here.)  

The Rev. Canon Dr. Jean Baptiste Ntagengwa, at last June's World Refugee Day event at the Church of the Holy Spirit in Mattapan. Photo: Tracy J. Sukraw

Ntagengwa's position as canon for immigration and multicultural ministries, which he's held for just under a year, was created in response to the diocesan mission strategy, and the upcoming workshop is part of the relationship-building and awareness-raising efforts necessary for laying the groundwork for future ministry, he said in a recent interview. 

"The mission strategy makes a commitment to invest in ministry with immigrant communities and communities of color, so what do we need to be developing and doing together to accomplish that? There is a lot of listening that we need to do, and relationships that need to be created," Ntagengwa said.

"Put Down Your Sword":

Cathedral Lenten preaching series begins Feb. 27

How are people of faith called to respond to, resist and reverse the scourge of violence in our times? What does Christ call his followers to do and be, individually and together as the church? This Lent, the annual preaching series at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul in Boston will feature pastors, clinicians and scholars who are prayerfully engaging these questions. 

"So many people feel so overwhelmed by the violence in our neighborhoods, our political discourse and our own hearts that they are tempted to simply hunker down or give up," the cathedral's dean, the Very Rev. Amy E. McCreath, said of the impetus for the series.

"It felt right this year to center the call to live against violence--an active form of repentance and return to the Way of Love--for the season of Lent."

The series takes place on Thursdays, Feb. 27-April 2, at 12 p.m., featuring a brief worship service with guest sermon, followed by a light lunch and conversation with the preacher.

•   Feb. 27: The Rt. Rev. Gayle E. Harris, Bishop Suffragan, Diocese of Massachusetts

•   March 5: Dr. Fernando Ona, Associate Professor of Public Health and Community Medicine, Tufts School of Medicine

•   March 12: The Rev. Arrington Chambliss, Executive Director, Episcopal City Mission

•   March 19: The Rev. Mark V. Scott, Director of the Trauma Response and Recovery Program, Boston Public Health

•   March 26: The Rt. Rev. Alan M. Gates, Bishop Diocesan, Diocese of Massachusetts

•   April 2: The Rev. Jacqueline Clark, Associate Rector, Parish of St. John the Evangelist, Hingham

All are welcome and sign-up is not required.

A poster, available for downloading and sharing, can be found here.

A Lenten call to prayer, fasting and repentance: As the season of Lent approaches, Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Michael B. Curry invites Episcopalians to turn and pray on behalf of the nation: “In times of great national concern and urgency, people of faith have returned to ancient practices of repentance, prayer and fasting as ways of interceding with God on behalf of their nation and the world. This is such a moment for us in the United States."  Watch his video message here.

Yes, please: In the hyperpartisan climate of the presidential election season now underway, who isn't looking for ways to temper the talk about things that matter? 

To the rescue comes "Make Me an Instrument of Peace: A Guide to Civil Discourse," recently released by the Episcopal Church's Office of Government Relations and Department of Faith Formation in partnership with ChurchNext, a ministry of Forward Movement. The online five-part curriculum aims to help people equip themselves for more constructive political conversations, help bridge partisan divides and enlarge the sacred space for debate.  Find it here.

"Revolution of values and revival of relationships": In a spirited keynote address at Boston's 50th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Breakfast on Jan. 20, Presiding Bishop Michael B. Curry called for a “revolution of values” and “a revival of relationships so that E pluribus unum is not simply a Latin phrase that we put on dollar bills but is a living reality in this country and ultimately in this world.” 

This year's event was sold out, and proceeds benefit the community programs and services of the breakfast's founders, St. Cyprian's Episcopal Church and Union United Methodist Church.  Read Episcopal News Service's coverage here.

Presiding Bishop Michael Curry delivers the keynote address at the 50th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Breakfast in Boston on Jan. 20.

Photo: Tracy J. Sukraw

Tribute in stained glass: The Martin Luther King Jr. window at St. Cyprian's Church in Roxbury is among the stained glass tributes to the civil rights leader found in Episcopal churches. The window at St. Cyprian's is "not just for the ambiance and beautification of the church, but really, it’s a source of education,” Josephine Mitchell told Episcopal News Service.  Read the full story here.

Online book groups continue to foster mission conversation: A series of one-hour online book groups is underway--inspired by diocesan mission strategy themes of reimagining congregations, building relationships and engaging the world. 

How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi will be the focus of discussion on Wednesday, Feb. 19, from 7 to 8 p.m.  

Instead of working with the policies and systems already in place, Kendi's memoir asks readers to think about what an antiracist society might look like, and how to play an active role in building it. K. Holly Maze Carter of the Parish of St. John the Evangelist in Hingham and a member of the diocesan Global Mission Commission will facilitate the discussion via the online video conferencing platform Zoom ( join here).  

Next up in the series is Climate Church, Climate World by Jim Antal. The Rev. Lise Hildebrandt, the co-convener of the diocesan Creation Care Justice Network, will lead the discussion on Wednesday, March 25, from 7 to 8 p.m. ( join here). She describes the book's message as both urgent and hopeful.

" Climate Church, Climate World, by Jim Antal, is a must-read for those who want to understand the church's role--and opportunity--in addressing climate change," Hildebrandt said by e-mail. "While he clearly makes the case for the urgency of the climate emergency, it is a book of hope, not doom. He believes that with God, we have everything we need, even and especially for this work, and gives clear and practical guidance about how to recalibrate our values, adjust our worship and 'gird up our loins' for sustained action," Hildebrandt said.

An additional title has been added to the book group series.  Dignity: Its Essential Role in Resolving Conflict by Donna Hicks will be discussed on Wednesday, May 6, from 7 to 8 p.m. ( join here).

Everyone is invited to join one or more of these discussion groups. Find the full schedule and Zoom links here.

Upcoming learning opportunities for congregational leaders:

The diocese’s Congregational Consultants are sponsoring their annual Congregational Business Practices Workshop four times in February and March to give congregational leaders--especially those new to their roles--an exposure to the basics of good business practices in general, and Episcopal Church business practices in particular.

The first of these workshops will take place this Saturday, Feb. 22, from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul (138 Tremont Street) in Boston. Register online here.

The workshop will be offered again on Feb. 29 in Burlington, March 14 in Buzzards Bay and March 21 in Malden. Find the full schedule of workshops and registration links here.

Regional Wardens Days are a new offering this year designed to equip wardens for leadership through studying and praying together, reflecting on successes and challenges, sharing resources and building collegiality with other wardens.

These opportunities are a response to the diocesan mission strategy’s call to bring resources to congregations and support lay leadership.

Wardens are invited to note the applicable gathering for their region and save the date:

• Southern Region: Saturday, March 7 at Christ Church (149 Court Street) in Plymouth ( register online here);

• Northern and Western Region: Saturday, March 28 at the Parish of the Epiphany (70 Church Street) in Winchester ( register online here); and

• Central Region: Saturday, May 9 at Trinity Church (414 Sumner Street) in Stoughton ( register online here). 

Clergy Professional Development Days are also a new offering this spring for all diocesan clergy, and will feature guest presenter Donna Hicks, Ph.D., of the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs at Harvard University and author of Leading With Dignity and Dignity: Its Essential Role in Resolving Conflict. 

In addition to the program with Hicks, the schedule at each Professional Development Day will include a Safe Church review segment that will fulfill the in-person refresher requirement for those clergy who are due for one this year.

Clergy Professional Development Days will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on:

• Wednesday, May 13 at All Saints' Church (10 Billerica Road) in Chelmsford ( register online here);

• Thursday, May 14 at the Church of St. John the Evangelist (410 Washington Street) in Duxbury ( register online here); and

• Saturday, May 16 at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul (138 Tremont Street) in Boston ( register online here).

From left: The Rev. Diane Wong of St. John's Church in Arlington; The Rev. Kevin Sparrow of St. Andrew's Church in Hanover; and The Rev. Eric Litman of St. John's Church in Newtonville.  Courtesy photos

Inaugural Lydia Fellows named: Three Diocese of Massachusetts priests are among the Massachusetts Council of Churches' inaugural Lydia Fellows Thriving in Ministry cohort, announced on Feb. 12.

The Rev. Diane Wong of St. John's Church in Arlington, the Rev. Kevin Sparrow of St. Andrew's Church in Hanover and the Rev. Eric Litman of St. John's Church in Newtonville have been awarded fellowships. Former Cathedral Church of St. Paul staff member Ylisse Bess, a hospital chaplain at Beth Israel Deaconess Center, has also been named a Lydia Fellow.   

The group will meet over the course of 10 months for retreats, fellowship, pastoral support and peer coaching. The program aims to "create a space for pastors to flourish in part-time settings, providing new models of vibrant ministry," according to the council's announcement. Read more here.

New receptionist in place at cathedral and diocesan offices: There is a new face at the front desk directing calls and welcoming visitors to the cathedral and diocesan offices at 138 Tremont Street in Boston. Glen Schultzberg started work as receptionist at the beginning of February. He succeeds the Rev. Bob Greiner who served as receptionist since 2008 and has retired.

Schultzberg brings to the job a commitment to administrative support services, having worked previously as a library page at the Brookline Public Library and as the Periodicals Department supervisor at the Worcester Public Library. He is the social media coordinator for St. Paul’s Church in Brookline, where he is a member. He also enjoys writing blogs and creating videos for his YouTube channel in his spare time.

Glen Schultzberg

Photo: Bridget K. Wood

"Glen's calm and caring presence, love for the Episcopal Church and great experience working in complex organizations are great gifts he brings to this position," Dean Amy E. McCreath of the Cathedral Church of St. Paul said of the new hire. "We are so glad he is with us!"

Glen Schultzberg can be reached at [email protected] or 617-482-4826, ext. 420.

Twenty-two pilgrims from the Diocese of Massachusetts spent 12 days traveling in Israel and Palestine this past November. The full group is pictured here at St. George's Cathedral in Jerusalem, along with their tour guides. Courtesy photo

Join "Encounters in the Holy Land" mission pilgrimage: Join co-leaders Bishop Gayle E. Harris and the Rev. Manny Faria, Rector of St. Peter's Church in Beverly, for "Encounters in the Holy Land," a mission pilgrimage in Israel and Palestine, Oct. 5-16.

The mission pilgrimage will combine visits to cultural and holy sites in Jerusalem, Bethlehem, the Jordan Valley and Dead Sea, Nazareth, Galilee, Nablus and Ramallah with opportunities to learn about active mission in the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem through its school, healthcare and peacemaking ministries.

The group will meet together with trip leaders two or three times in August and September for preparation and community building.

Estimated cost is $4,400 per person (double occupancy), with all payments due by July 30. The registration deadline is June 1.

Questions may be directed to David Ames, Executive Assistant to Bishop Harris, at [email protected] or 617-482-4826, ext. 445.

Summer camp registration now open: The summer camp at the Barbara C. Harris Camp and Conference Center in Greenfield, N.H., aims to be a place where all campers feel accepted and are able to develop authentic friendships, learn important life lessons and gain new perspectives as they live and play in a community centered on Christian values. 

The Barbara C. Harris Camp offers five sessions between June 28 and July 31, each six days and five nights, for 4th-12th graders. Visit www.bchcenter.org/bchcamp for more information and registration.

Children and families participate in a special worship service designed for children and families with special needs. Courtesy photos

Inclusive service welcomes all children of God: The Church of Our Saviour in Middleborough is continuing with a special worship service geared towards families and children with special needs, held on the first Sunday of every month.

"Our prayer is that Church of Our Saviour can be a [place of] stress-free worship for our families and an affirming, accepting space for the children," the rector, the Rev. David Milam, explained in an e-mail. "We hope our children come to experience a place they can connect with Jesus and be nurtured in the relationship in a way that is not available to them anywhere else in our community. In other words, we would like to offer them the opportunity to develop as a faith community on their own terms and in their own way."

The template for the service comes from Rhythms of Grace: Worship and Faith Formation for Children and Families with Special Needs, but the creative work and design of the service comes from members of the congregation with experience in the special needs community. The children are right up front and can sit in the chairs, on the floor or can be right up at the altar. The Eucharist itself is a simplified version, and only gluten free wafers are offered. During the service, tripods display large posters of lessons, songs and prayers for the day; and participants follow along with a laminated copy of the service. Routines and rituals are an important part of the service, as well as incorporating American Sign Language (ASL) into the worship.

"This service is a way to take seriously the meaning of being an inclusive community: to take down barriers that stop [a] dear child from coming to Jesus," Milam said. "It is not only important to our families and their children with special needs; by participating with the activities, singing and signing the music and the Lord's Prayer, it helps remind our adult community that being a child of God is one of the most mature attributes of faith there can be."

Members of the congregation of St. Peter's Church-Iglesia San Pedro in Salem sign the tower doors to document their presence as worshiping members of the community. Courtesy photo

Opening the doors: At St. Peter's Church-Iglesia San Pedro in Salem, there is a tradition--dating back to the building's origins in the 1800s--in which members of the congregation climb up to the bell tower and sign the doors with their name and the year of their signing. This tradition led to the congregation's recent decision to temporarily remove the doors and place them in the sanctuary during the monthly bilingual community Eucharists and Annual Meeting Sunday Eucharist in order to give everyone an opportunity to sign their name as a member of the parish. 

"This was an important decision for our diverse community because it literally opened the door to the opportunity for more hospitality, more welcoming and more inclusion in the life of the parish to all who worship here," the rector of St. Peter's-San Pedro, the Rev. Nathan Ives, said by e-mail.

"Although just signing a door doesn't take much effort, here, over the centuries, it has signified membership in the community, so we wanted to be sure that all people no matter of their recency of membership or ability to access the doors could sign them and feel included on a deeper level in the engagement with this historic church," Ives said.

"It was very moving to see the happiness and zeal with which our Latino congregation members lined up to sign their names on the church doors," junior warden Ana Nuncio said in an e-mail. "Many in our community have lives that are so chaotic and riddled with uncertainty nowadays, that this gesture of offering them a chance to break from their anonymity reassured them and gave them a sense that they were a part of something that would endure for generations to come."

Veterans Coffee Hour: Christ Church in Swansea is partnering with Vet to Vet/Boston, an all-volunteer nonprofit veterans organization, to host a free coffee hour for veterans on the first Saturday of each month in the church hall from 8 to 9:30 a.m., beginning on Saturday, March 7. All veterans are welcome.

The first coffee hour will host Steve Skuba, a certified veterans services officer and retired VA benefits counselor, who will speak and be available to schedule individual sessions with veterans who may want to pursue claims.

According to a Christ Church news release, the outreach ministry is aimed at helping veterans with their causes and concerns, and also gives the church a way to salute veterans for the sacrifices they have made.

“Having nephews and church members returning home as veterans, I know the importance of support and conversation in a safe environment," said rector of Christ Church, the Rev. Alan Hesse, in the release. "It is my hope that this partnership will be a haven for hope and fellowship.”

Citizenship Clinic success: ProGente Connections, together with Jewish Family Services, held a Citizenship Clinic on Jan. 25 in Framingham, serving 12 applicants and providing information to four more.

A parish team from St. Luke’s Church in Hudson assisted (pictured, with ProGente's executive director, the Rev. Lori Mills-Curran, far right), along with several other volunteers. Courtesy photo 

ProGente Connections started as the diocesan-funded Metrowest mission hub. As a partnership with other churches and groups, it now serves Brazilian newcomers and neighbors in the Metrowest area through language classes and immigrant rights education and advocacy, as well as opportunities for cross-cultural experiences. 

Historic Boston Inc.: HBI begins work at the historic Ionic Hall and St. Luke's Chapel in Roxbury: Historic Boston Inc. and architects Spencer, Sullivan & Vogt are advising the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts on historic preservation strategies for Ionic Hall and St. Luke’s Chapel (1901), two important Roxbury buildings that make up the parish of St. John St. James. Mindful of the havoc winter weather can wreak on historic structures, the team has implemented a stabilization program that will help buy time until a full preservation program for both buildings can be undertaken. Read more here.

CBS Boston: Volunteers around Massachusetts celebrating MLK’s legacy with day of service: People across the country, including in Massachusetts, honored the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with a day of service on Jan. 20. This year marked the 25th anniversary of the national MLK day of service.

In Hingham, some 400 volunteers signed up to help with a MLK meal packing day of service at the Parish of St. John the Evangelist. The project is in its third year. Read more here.

Cape Cod Times: Falmouth children package free clothes and snacks for people in need: A cluster of bags hanging from a tree might seem strange, but it is part of a calculated community effort to keep the town warm during the long winter.

Sunday school students at St. Barnabas's Church have put together bags of hats, gloves and snacks for those who might need them, joining a larger project started by a Falmouth resident more than a decade ago. Read more here.

Feb 19 : Mission Strategy Online Book Group: How to Be an Antiracist , 7:00pm 

Feb 19 : Contemplative Eucharist, Bethany House of Prayer, Arlington, 7:00pm 

Feb 20 : Diocesan Council Meeting, Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Boston, 5:30pm 

Feb 21-23 : Winter Quilting Retreat, Barbara C. Harris Camp and Conference Center, Greenfield, NH

Feb 21 : Ordination to the Priesthood: Olivia Hamilton, St. James's Church, Cambridge, 6:00pm 

Feb 22 : Congregational Business Practices Workshop, Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Boston, 9:00am 

Feb 23 : Bishop Gates visits St. John's Church in Jamaica Plain

Feb 23 : Bishop Harris visits Church of the Holy Spirit in Mattapan

Feb 25 : Installation of New Rector: Ann Bonner-Stewart, St. Mary's Church, Newton Lower Falls, 5:30pm 

Feb 26 : Ash Wednesday Services at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Boston

Feb 27 : "Put Down Your Sword" Lenten Preaching Series: Bishop Gayle E. Harris, Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Boston, 12:00pm 

Feb 29 : Congregational Business Practices Workshop, St. Mark's Church, Burlington, 9:00am 

Feb 29 : Eucharistic Visitor Training, Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Boston, 9:00am 

Mar 1 : Bishop Gates visits St. Luke's-San Lucas in Chelsea

Mar 1 : Bishop Harris visits All Saints Parish in Brookline 

Mar 1 : B-SAFE 2020 Annual Partner Gathering, Church of the Redeemer, Chestnut Hill, 1:00pm 

Mar 5 : "Put Down Your Sword" Lenten Preaching Series: Fernando Ona, Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Boston, 12:00pm 

Mar 7 : Veterans Coffee Hour, Christ Church, Swansea, 8:00am 

Mar 7 : Regional Wardens Day, Christ Church, Plymouth, 9:00am 

Mar 8 : Bishop Gates visits Trinity Church in Newton Centre

Mar 8 : Bishop Harris visits St. Peter's Church in Beverly

Mar 12 : "Put Down Your Sword" Lenten Preaching Series: The Rev. Arrington Chambliss, Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Boston, 12:00pm 

Mar 14 : Congregational Business Practices Workshop, St. Peter's Church, Buzzards Bay, 9:00am 

Mar 18 : Installation of New Rector: Kapya Kaoma, Christ Church, Waltham, 7:00pm 

Mar 18 : Contemplative Eucharist, Bethany House of Prayer, Arlington, 7:00pm 

Mar 19 : "Put Down Your Sword" Lenten Preaching Series: Mark V. Scott, Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Boston, 12:00pm 

Mar 19 : Diocesan Council Meeting, Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Boston, 5:30pm 

Mar 20-21 : Pre-Confirmation Retreat, Barbara C. Harris Camp and Conference Center, Greenfield, NH

Mar 21 : Congregational Business Practices Workshop, St. Paul's Church, Malden, 9:00am 

Mar 22 : Bishop Harris visits Trinity Church in Marshfield

Mar 22 : Bishop Gates visits Grace Church in Newton

Mar 25 : Mission Strategy Online Book Group: Climate Church, Climate World , 7:00pm 

Mar 26 : "Put Down Your Sword" Lenten Preaching Series: Bishop Alan M. Gates, Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Boston, 12:00pm 

Mar 28 : Eucharistic Visitor Training, St. David's Church, South Yarmouth, 9:00am 

Mar 28 : Regional Wardens Day, Parish of the Epiphany, Winchester, 9:00am 

Mar 28 : Immigration Workshop, Church of the Good Shepherd, Acton, 4:00pm 

Mar 28 : Trinity Community Concert Series Silent Movie Event, Trinity Church, Melrose, 7:30pm 

Mar 29 : Bishop Harris visits Wyman Memorial Church of St. Andrew in Marblehead

Mar 29 : Bishop Gates visits St. Luke's Church in Scituate

Mar 29 : Evensong for Lent, Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Boston, 5:00pm 

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