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Dear friends, neighbors, and members of St. Cyprian's,
On Sunday evening as I prepared for the start of a new week I found out via a posting on Facebook that Osama bin Laden was killed. This took a while to sink in, and the next morning I began to realize just how significant an impact the horrific events of September 11th 2001 have been not just on the global or national stage but in my own life.
On the campus of Virginia Theological Seminary, I remember following morning chapel services feeling the ground suddenly shake when Flight 77 hit the Pentagon. My classmates and I clasped hands and prayed together, terrified to know what might happen next. In the weeks and months ahead, some of us along with a few VTS professors gathered together to form a local chapter of the Episcopal Peace Fellowship. While we held a diversity of feelings about how our nation should respond, we shared a commitment to nonviolence, and to pursuing alternatives to war. Together our group attended and helped organize vigils and marches on campus and off, in front of the White House and the Capitol. Between classes on systematic theology and pastoral care I often could be found in the seminary computer lab sending out email newsletters entitled "Called to Another Way" with articles by Stephen Zunes, Howard Zinn, Alice Walker, Molly Ivins, Ray McGovern and many other people of faith and no faith all who voiced articulate, informed opposition to war. Since moving to California, I have continued to be involved in demonstrations against war, and helped organize special events focused on wars human costs such as coordinating a display called Eyes Wide Open and discussions about PTSD at Grace Cathedral.
While we are all immensely relieved to know that the mastermind of September 11th is no longer a threat to this country or any other, recent events remind us just how costly endless warfare is to our common life. Trillions of dollars spent, hundreds of thousands of lives lost and so many others severely altered as a result of our nations wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. As people of faith, who seek to follow the teachings of Jesus we are called to recognize the face of Christ in all others, and as our Baptismal Covenant states to "strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being." These commitments are not easy to keep in one's own life, let alone be guides for a nation's foreign policy or response to terrorism. Our country since September 11th has needed to be made more conscious of how we are perceived around the world, our hypocrisy and complicated interests. My prayer is that we allow this time of national relief to move us individually and collectively toward a more compassionate, intelligent, and ultimately stronger position in the world.
This Sunday, we'll read in the gospel about Jesus' post-resurrection appearance to two disciples as a stranger on the road. This story reminds them and us that Jesus' compassionate nonviolence is an idea that lives. Here's a portion of a sermon I preached a few years ago on Easter at Grace on this Sunday's text:
If we are paying attention, we like those disciples on the road desperately need a savior: one to save us from ourselves and the brokenness of our world. We need a liberator from the reign of death that covers us. We need to know that despite and in spite of evidence to the contrary, this is God's world and we are God's people. Our lives have meaning. Death, violence, destruction, greed, inhumanity, injustice, imperialist wars are not the future, nor are they the ultimate victors. God is about a movement of love and transformation. God is about drawing people into a way of life that brings health, wholeness, healing, reconciliation, peace...
Full sermon here.
See you soon at Turk & Lyon.
Peace,
Will
St. Cyprian's Episcopal Church
415-987-3029
turkandlyon@gmail.com
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St. Cyprian's Member Honored for Community Work
Michael Helquist, a St. Cyprian's member, will be honored as Person of the Month for June by San Francisco Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi. The honor recognizes Michael's extensive work with many community organizations including the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, the North of Panhandle Neighborhood Association, the advocacy group Fix Masonic, Sunday Streets, the biking group NOPA VELO, and the community development efforts of St. Cyprian's. Michael was invaluable to the launch of the SF Live Arts music series at Cyprian's and he has since volunteered as Special Events Coordinator. The St. Cyprian's community is very pleased that this honor has come to one of our members. Michael wants to celebrate the honor with a fundraiser to benefit a green livability project at Turk and Lyon streets. More details to follow next week, but for now please SAVE THE DATE: Wednesday, May 25, 5:30 to 7:30 pm at a North Panhandle restaurant.
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Cyprian's Poster Designer exhibits work
Friend of St. Cyprian's Church and designer of our "Cyprian's at Night" poster is displaying his work at a local bar on Divisadero Street. Read all about Rick here.
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Coming up...
Educate Our StateWednesday, May 11th 6:30-9:30 pm
Men of Endurance and Fret NotSaturday, May 14th 8pm
Rural mountain gospel meets urban soul music gospel. With four powerful voices (lead by Pastor Kenny Mason) and backed by a dynamic rhythm section, Men of Endurance captures the blues and soul sound that influenced artists such as Little Milton, Wilson Pickett, James Brown, Jackie Wilson and many others. Performing at blues festivals, as well as gospel festivals, all over the west, they received the 2004 Gospel Singing Award from the Bay Area Blues Society. Lead by Lori Arthur's intense and fiery singing, Fret Not plays old-time, boot-stomping roots gospel with songs from the traditions of America's white and black rural churches; backed by fiddle, bass, guitar and banjo.
More information here.
Vieux Farka Toure, guitar masterclassMonday, May 16th 7 - 8:30 pm "The Hendrix of the Sahara" shares his wisdom at St. Cyprian's for enrolled students. Gentle Flow Yoga with Peter WongThursdays starting, May 26th 5-6:15 p.m. This class will incorporate slow sun salutations, soft movements and openings while concentrating on awareness of mind, body and breath. This calm and gentle yoga practice will culminate in restorative poses to bring students into a meditative state. The sessions are perfect for seniors and beginners of yoga. Peter Wong is a certified yoga teacher who fell in love with the practice of yoga as his spiritual awakening began. For more information: http://peterwongyoga.com/ The classes are donation-based; the rate is $10-$15 per class. Students can pay more or less depending on what they can afford. No one will be turned away due to lack of funds.
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Volunteers Wanted Music-loving, stay-up-late types who will help strike the set and lock up the building after performances at Cyprian's. Get two free tickets to any concert you cover. Hours: 10:30 to midnight, sometimes earlier. Contact: michael.helquist@gmail.com.
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Help St. Cyprian's Sing!Recently the Bishops Committee of St. Cyprian's Church approved a job description for a new position we're calling the "Worship Music Coordinator." Please share the link below with those you know who may be interested in helping us build community through song. This is an ideal job for someone looking for a part-time job, a student or a retired person. http://www.saintcyprianssf.org/jobs/
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Weekly E-Mail Archives
In January St. Cyprian's began sending weekly e-newsletters. You can find an archive of all these messages here. Forward messages and invite friends, neighbors, and distant congregants to join our list. |
 Bi-Monthly Newsletter Available Online
Stay connected to all that is happening at St. Cyprian's by reading our bi-monthly print newsletters online. |
| Saint Cyprian's Episcopal Church has been a member of the San Francisco community for over 87 years. We are a passionate group of seekers, thinkers, dreamers, doubters and believers from many walks of life. We hope you can come join us on Sundays and throughout the week as we together seek to be a people of faith, action & community. |
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