Welcome to
The Church of St. Paul and Incarnation!
in the Heart of Jersey City
“A Moment of Clarity”
Dear Sisters and Brothers,
Many people of my generation have looked back at the Civil
Rights Movement of the 1950s and 60s with awe. It was an extraordinary time,
when brilliant leaders arose, determined to use civil disobedience, eloquent
words, lawyerly skill, political savvy, and, most of all, the power of the Holy
Spirit to chip away at and ultimately dismantle (legally, anyway) Jim Crow. Some
of you lived through that time and some even played a part in the cause. People
my age and younger can only talk with our elders or read books or watch
documentaries. We continue to listen to the soaring oratory of Dr. King and
other leaders, with substance and style formed in the Black Church.
I’ve always been struck by the diversity of the movement.
Some young white people put their belief in equality on the line when they
became “Freedom Riders,” journeying with black civil rights activists by bus into
the South, where many white residents, very much including law enforcement, responded
with rage and terrible violence. Some of these young people went for just a few days, making memories
of adventure later shared with children and grandchildren, while others decided
to stay for a while. One of those who chose not to take the bus home was the
Episcopal seminarian Jonathan Daniels, a choice that led to his martyrdom in Alabama.
I love the images from the marches where we see black civil
rights leaders surrounded by allies of different colors and faiths, rabbis
marching beside nuns and priests and ministers. One of the great Jewish allies
was Abraham Joshua Heschel, a brilliant theologian and philosopher. Heschel
once wrote something that has haunted me for a long time:
“…in a free society, some are guilty, but all are
responsible.”
Yes, many of us have looked back at that time with awe, but
also with some envy. At least in hindsight, the issues back then seem so clear,
don’t they? Wasn’t it always clear that separate but equal was a racist fantasy?
Wasn’t it always clear that black people should have access to the ballot box?
Wasn’t it always clear that black children should be able to attend the same
schools as white kids? Wasn’t it always clear that black people should have the
same opportunities as everyone else? And, wasn’t it always clear that the Klan
and the other terrorist groups and lynching and all of the other brutalities
were a great evil? Wasn’t all of this clear?
In contrast, my own time – our own time – has seemed complex
and nuanced, with all sorts of socio-economic factors to consider. And, as a
faith leader responsible for a diverse congregation, I’m well aware of angry
accusations of preaching partisan politics from the pulpit. And, to be
perfectly honest, as someone who hates conflict and probably tries too hard to
avoid it, I have often bent over backwards to be even-handed. After all, things
aren’t as clear as they were in the 1960s, right?
And, yet, the words of Heschel echo in my mind and nudge my
conscience.
On Tuesday morning I was on a Zoom call with some other
leaders in Jersey City, both clergy and lay. At the start, we were asked to
share how we were processing all that had happened over the past few days: the
killing of George Floyd, the protests and the response of the police, and the
actions of the president and other leaders. It was heartrending to hear some of
our black leaders put into words their pain and anger. These accomplished,
faithful, courageous, and proud men and women held back tears as they talked
about America as an abusive spouse, as they expressed frustration that we
are still stuck in this same bad place and pledged to use their remaining time
to give all they have to the cause, and as they shared some long-ago hurts that
shaped the course of their lives.
To say the least, it was a moment of clarity.
As a white man, it is not my place to lead or even to say
very much but, as a faith leader, I have a particular responsibility to stand
in solidarity, to listen and continue to learn, and to do what I can. So,
although I was certainly concerned about Covid-19 and the possibility of violence,
I attended the protest and rally at City Hall on Tuesday afternoon where, by
the way, everyone I saw was wearing a mask and most kept at least some
distance. The speakers were challenging and powerful and there was not even a
hint of violence. The conference call and the protest inspired me to look into
my heart and history and to share my own old story of an encounter on a
Newark street and a fresher story of some hard words in an Instagram post.
No doubt, some will object to “politics in the church.” But,
here’s the thing: the Gospel has always been political. Remember, it was
the State that killed Jesus – killed him in a brutal and public way because the
“powers that seemed to be” saw him and the movement around him as offering a dangerously
different way, a way of love that threatened the status quo, a way of peace that challenged
their own ruthlessness. The “powers that seemed to be” thought they had crushed
this challenge with nails and wood, but they were very wrong. Remember, the
earliest expression of Christian faith was “Jesus is Lord!” These words may
sound like no big deal to us, but our spiritual ancestors understood that if
Jesus is Lord then Caesar most definitely is not.
We are in a treacherous and frightening time. Frankly, right
now I’d much rather be urging you to buy tickets to our fundraiser dinner-dance,
or inviting you to the next arts event, or welcoming the counselors and campers
to Carr Hall for another summer of learning and fun. But, the same Spirit who
guided the first Christians as they came to understand that a man executed by
the government was and is the Son of God, and the same Spirit that guided the
civil rights leaders and their allies of a few generations ago, that same
Spirit is with us in in this moment and will certainly not abandon us now.
A moment of clarity: some are guilty, but all are
responsible.
With much love for you all,
Tom
Prayers:
Please pray for all those on our parish
prayer list, especially Jean, Andy, and Angelo.
Please also remember in your prayers
these sisters and brothers who have died, and those who grieve their loss:
Gloria Taylor
Tyquan Lyon, brother of Saquone Lyon
All of those who have died as a result
of COVID-19.
Supporting Our
Church:
We are aware that, unfortunately, some
parishioners have been laid off or furloughed and others are in danger of
losing their jobs. Please know that you are in our prayers and we are here to
help any way we can. In these extremely challenging economic times, we are
especially grateful to those of you who have been able to keep up with your
pledges. You can still mail checks to the church or you can use online giving.
Visit stpaulsjc.org and click on
"Online Giving." We also have a Venmo account. Call the office or
email me for more information.
Worship Schedule:
Monday through Friday:
"Church By Phone"
Morning Prayer, 7:30
Noonday Prayer, 12:00
Evening Prayer, 5:30
Call 201-433-4922 for more information.
Sunday at 10:00am
Join us on Facebook Live for a celebration of Holy
Eucharist
Congratulations to Our Graduates!
Lena Jacobs has graduated from kindergarten at Hudson Arts and Science Charter School and will enter First Grade.
Brandon McKinney has graduated from the Allison L. Steele Advanced Learning Center.
Giovanni Mulero has graduated from Lincoln High School and has enlisted in the United States Marine Corps.
Karen Kwaasi
has graduated from Kean University with a BA in Public Relations (with a
Minor in Marketing) and plans to start her own media company.
We are so very proud of you all!
From the Diocese:
The Diocese is offering two important online opportunities for lament, reflection, petition, and praise:
Prayers and Reflections on Pandemic, Racism, and Protest – Join
online with Bishop Hughes and fellow members of the Diocese of Newark as
we respond to the disturbing deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor,
and George Floyd. This will be a time to share
our hopes, worries, and fears in an uncertain time. We will begin and
end the evening with prayers of lament and petition. This ancient
practice of lament, reflection, petition, and praise is well-documented
in the Psalms. It will uphold us as we gather with
each other and before God to pray and reflect. We will meet via Zoom at 6:30 PM on both Monday, June 8 and Thursday, June 11.
Please contact Fr. Tom or Susan Den Herder with names of loved ones you would like to be included in this service.
Help for Renters and
Homeowners:
There is help
available for renters and homeowners suffering because of the pandemic. One is
the website for the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency: www.njhousing.gov. You can also call
1-800-NJ-HOUSE (1-800-654-6873).
Helpful Resources:
State of New Jersey Covid-19
Information Hub:
The Diocese of Newark posts Covid-19
resources here:
You
can subscribe to diocesan newsletters here:
The Episcopal Church has collected Covid-19
resources here:
"Habits of Grace," weekly reflections
from Presiding Bishop Michael Curry:
The Church of England has some wonderful prayers and
other materials here:
Fr. Tom's sermons can be found here: