When I was ordained a deacon I was fast approaching fifty and I didn't think I would ever be a rector of a church. I thought that my ministry as a priest would probably be expressed mostly at Camp Dennen and perhaps in Cursillo. God was good enough to open the doors for a part time ministry at The Church of the Holy Spirit in Mattapan. Paul Schwenzfieir the rector used to have a little test for people who came and wanted to do ministry through his church. He would tell them to go across the street turn left go one block turn left go one block turn left and come back and see him. He said most people did not come back to his office because they were afraid to cross the street. Many people hearing that I was going to work in Mattapan had a similar reaction. They judged the area as too dangerous for ministry especially by anyone white. I knew God had called me to this ministry from the start and did not fear the neighborhood or the city. Marsha who had little or no experience with racial and ethnic diversity was also very comfortable in this new environment. What we discovered was just the opposite of the judgment that people made about Mattapan. We had one of the most remarkable experiences among some of the most remarkable people. When it was clear that God was calling us to something else, we had heavy hearts leaving that wonderful church with so many wonderful friends both young and old. A couple of my facebook friend come from my youth group at Holy Spirit. They are now amazing adults still impressive in their worlds. Why are we so quick to judge? Why are we so often unwilling to try and put ourselves in the other persons shoes or try to feel what it might be like to live in their skin? Why is the unknown so terrifying? Why do we presume that the good must be all like us? God says Love Your Neighbor not Love Some Neighbors. How many great surprises have we missed because we prejudged or judged too quickly. The picture of Marsha was taken in Whitman at my installation, and the two women are Fay Hill and Dothsy Elliot from Mattapan two of the great treasures God had given us in this great church community.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Judgement
When I was ordained a deacon I was fast approaching fifty and I didn't think I would ever be a rector of a church. I thought that my ministry as a priest would probably be expressed mostly at Camp Dennen and perhaps in Cursillo. God was good enough to open the doors for a part time ministry at The Church of the Holy Spirit in Mattapan. Paul Schwenzfieir the rector used to have a little test for people who came and wanted to do ministry through his church. He would tell them to go across the street turn left go one block turn left go one block turn left and come back and see him. He said most people did not come back to his office because they were afraid to cross the street. Many people hearing that I was going to work in Mattapan had a similar reaction. They judged the area as too dangerous for ministry especially by anyone white. I knew God had called me to this ministry from the start and did not fear the neighborhood or the city. Marsha who had little or no experience with racial and ethnic diversity was also very comfortable in this new environment. What we discovered was just the opposite of the judgment that people made about Mattapan. We had one of the most remarkable experiences among some of the most remarkable people. When it was clear that God was calling us to something else, we had heavy hearts leaving that wonderful church with so many wonderful friends both young and old. A couple of my facebook friend come from my youth group at Holy Spirit. They are now amazing adults still impressive in their worlds. Why are we so quick to judge? Why are we so often unwilling to try and put ourselves in the other persons shoes or try to feel what it might be like to live in their skin? Why is the unknown so terrifying? Why do we presume that the good must be all like us? God says Love Your Neighbor not Love Some Neighbors. How many great surprises have we missed because we prejudged or judged too quickly. The picture of Marsha was taken in Whitman at my installation, and the two women are Fay Hill and Dothsy Elliot from Mattapan two of the great treasures God had given us in this great church community.
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