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Dear Friends, Neighbors and Members of St. Cyprian's,
Earlier today family and friends of long time St. Cyprian's congregant Ruby Elsie McDowell gathered to celebrate and give thanks for her life and witness. My homily and Ruby's obituary are below. St. Cyprian's current members were also grateful to connect with former and distant members who shared wonderful stories of their memories of Ruby and her beloved church.
There are two short sentences that I will always remember whenever I think of our beloved Ruby McDowell. Each sentence said repeatedly (in case you didn't hear her or understand her the first time) with absolute sincerity in that distinctive "typical Jamaican" accent. "I am still here." & "I am a British subject." Now the first sentence I heard more often than the second, but both reflect profoundly important aspects of the 96 years this unique woman shared with all of us. Both sentences also have something to teach us about Jesus' words in the gospel we just heard, "I know my own and my own know me...there will be one flock, one shepherd." First let's consider, "I am still here."
Every time I called or visited Mrs. McDowell, the first thing I would hear was "I am still here." As the priest serving a small urban church in San Francisco there was always something very comforting about that sentence, in a similar way that words like "Alleluia, Christ is Risen, The Lord is Risen, indeed, Alleluia" lift one up and remind us that despite appearances to the contrary we believe in a God that raises the dead. "I am still here" expressed with both a bit of surprise and joy by a woman who was born in the midst of World War I in a faraway part of the British Commonwealth, Jamaica now living next to the Pacific Ocean.
Ruby's "I am still here" felt like a refrain we might say in this church she loved so dearly, a church rooted in the story of her people, on the corner of Turk & Lyon. We are still here --- despite all kinds of challenges, setbacks, discouragements. Despite any number of heartaches, "we are still here." Thanks be to God. "I am still here, we are still here, God is still here" these are words of deep comfort, joy and surprise. They are words that invite us to respond in our lives with "now what are we going to do about it." That is to say, "what are we going to do with the time we have in this world? How are we going to love and care for one another? How are we going to recognize ourselves as part of one human family?"
Ruby McDowell says to all of us, I am still here, you are still here, we are still here, God is still here --- what are we going to do about it?....How are we going to live our lives fully and completely as the powerful gifts they are? Since we're still here, how are we going love one another? Since God is still here how are we going to live lives of thanksgiving and praise?
The second sentence that comes to mind whenever I think of Ruby McDowell, I must say confused and shocked me as an American Episcopalian, born and raised along the East Coast not far from Revolutionary War battlefields with ancestors who fought in the War of Independence. Mrs. McDowell's refrain, "I am a British subject," is a phrase that I have never heard nor strongly identified with until one day when I presented communion to Mrs. McDowell, as I handed her consecrated bread "The body of Christ the Bread of Heaven" there came this phrase, in place of Amen or Thanks be to God --- there was this sentence "I am a british subject." I will never forget Nathan and Alecia's simultaneously amused and surprised look on their faces as well. I did my best not to appear disturbed or upset. I wanted to quickly say back, "Well I am most certainly not a British subject." But it wasn't until many months later when talking with an English woman now living and working in the United States, that I was able to fully appreciate what that phrase must have meant to Mrs. McDowell. My English friend explained to me how in her London working class neighborhood when immigrants from the former British colonies moved to her community, that phrase often was said to confront and challenge prejudice and injustice shown by whites. "I am a British subject" was said, to say clearly "just because I look different than you, just because I was born far away, just because we have a different history doesn't mean I do not have the same rights as you do, doesn't mean I am less than you are.
"I am a British subject" --- carries with it the same power as when African Americans in this country might say "I am a registered voter" or Sojourner Truth's words "Ain't I a woman."
Jesus says to us in today's Gospel: "I know my own and my own know me...there will be one flock, one shepherd." Jesus the good shepherd reminds us that where ever we are from, however many years we may live, no matter what pain we have endured, struggles we have faced, obstacles we have overcome, wealth we may have or poverty we may know --- Jesus knows his own and we will know him, that though we come from many tribes, races, peoples and nations, we belong to one flock and he is our one shepherd. As Ruby was such a beloved member of this church of St. Cyprian, I want to share a phrase from that 3rd century martyred bishop of North Africa: "When we pray we do not pray for one but for the whole people because we the whole people are one."
We know that when Ruby McDowell proclaimed "I am still here." she spoke for all of us at St. Cyprian's. Whenever we pray for her, we pray for all those saints who have gone before us who lived similar lives of struggle and perseverance, hard work and faith, joy and surprise. We give thanks for her profound witness among us and know that through the power of the Holy Spirit whenever we pray that we are connected to her and to our sisters and brothers in that one flock led by the one shepherd. Amen.
See you soon at Turk & Lyon!
Peace,
Will
St. Cyprian's Episcopal Church
415-987-3029
turkandlyon@gmail.com
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Ruby Elsie McDowell
April 20, 1915 - March 8, 2012
Ruby Elsie McDowell died peacefully on March 8, 2012. She was born April 20, 1915, in Spanish Town, Jamaica to Joseph & Maria Athias. While in Jamaica, Ruby attended Excelsior College and was a private school teacher. She moved from Jamaica on April 15, 1947 to San Francisco. She met and married Nathaniel D. McDowell on July 24, 1954 and to their union a son Nathan Bancroft McDowell was born. Her husband Nathaniel preceded her in death on January 3, 1971 as well as her Grandson Anthony Mumphrey McDowell on November 10, 2011. Ruby's siblings Milburn Athias and Grace Athias also preceded her in death. Ruby is survived by three great-grandchildren - Alexis, Ebony, and Daevon.
Ruby was a longtime member of St. Cyprian's Episcopal Church. Ruby worked at the Cliff Hotel, Fairmont Hotel and for the City & County of San Francisco Unified School District where she retired on September 13, 1978.
The family of Ruby Elsie McDowell acknowledges with sincere gratitude the many kindnesses, cards, floral tributes, visits and expressions of condolence and for your attendance at these final rites.
Memorial Gifts in Ruby's name may be made to:
St. Cyprians Episcopal Church
2097 Turk Street
San Francisco, CA 94115
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Deacon Eric posts...
Check out Deacon Eric Metoyer's latest post
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St. Cyprian's Lenten Series -
being made new
Wednesdays, February 29th - April 4th
6:30 p.m.-8 p.m.
Each week during Lent,share a meal, book, practices & prayers. Join us as we read together, Radical Welcome: Embracing God, The Other, and the Spirit of Transformation by The Reverend Stephanie Spellers. This book is a theological, inspirational, and practical guide for congregations that want to move beyond diversity and inclusion to present a vision for the church of the future: one where the transforming gifts, voices and power of marginalized cultures and groups bring new life to the mainline church.
Read more about the author the Reverend Stephanie Spellers and the faith community she leads "The Crossing" in Boston, by clicking here.
Our theme for the season, "being made new" comes from a prayer said during the Good Friday & Easter Vigil liturgies,
O God of unchangeable power and eternal light: Look favorably on your whole Church, that wonderful and sacred mystery; by the effectual working of your providence, carry out in tranquillity the plan of salvation; let the whole world see and know that things which were cast down are being raised up, and things which had grown old are being made new, and that all things are being brought to their perfection by him through whom all things were made, your Son Jesus Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
(BCP, p. 285)
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Stations of the Cross in St. Cyprian's Sanctuary Lent 2012 Image above Station 1
With this cross are the portraits of nine 20th century martyrs, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Maura Clarke, Elizabeth Feodorovna, Ita Ford, Dorothy Kazel, Martin Luther King, Jr., Maximilian Kolbe, Janani Luwum, and Oscar Romero. The text in the background is, from bottom to top, the article from the U.S. Constitution permitting the death penalty, the Federal law about the death penalty, and the Anglican Church's statement about the death penalty. Image above is of Station #4 "Jesus meets his Mother"
ABOUT THE ARTIST Nathaniel Lewis
Nat Lewis was born in 1970, and grew up in Davis, California. He has a B.A. in Environmental Studies from UC Santa Cruz, and is a self-taught sculptor, working with found objects. He has shown in Sacramento, San Francisco, and Oakland.
Nat began making crosses and crucifixes as a Lenten discipline in the early aughts. He feels that reusing something discarded by our society is an important action environmentally, and spiritually represents our chance at a new life through our faith. The Stations of the Cross, commissioned by All Souls Church in Berkeley in 2010, were an opportunity to broaden the scope of Nat's regular creations from a snapshot to a story. Nat teaches middle school mathematics on the Peninsula, where he also finds the time to share the art of bending wire with his students.
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Tamale Night @ Cyprian's
Tamale Night
Tuesday, March 20th7PM - 9PM
USF Garden Project and Environmental Studies Capstone, in association with Cyprian's ARC will be teach the surrounding community of St. Cyprian and USF how to make homemade vegatarian tamales. Please bring your favorite produce items to put into the tamales. We will provide husks, (compostable!) masa and all other materials needed to make the tamales.
To RSVP and for more information please contact
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from our neighbors & friends...
Sunday, March 31
Kidney Health Screening at Emmanuel Church on Hayes
Emanuel Church
1649 Hayes Street
San Francisco, CA 94117
To register, call 888-427-5653, x.117 or
e-mail samantha.morotti@kidney.org
PARKING: on the street- it will be tight - give it time
Public Transport: 21 Hayes, 5 Fulton, 43 Masonic
Walk-ins are welcome, but prior registration is encouraged. Must be 18 years of age or over. Join us if you have ● Diabetes ● High Blood Pressure ● Or a family history of these conditions or kidney disease
Saturday, April 14 UBE Day at the Races Fundraiser
Join the Northern California/Vivian Traylor Chapter of the Union of Black Episcopalians for our annual Day at the Races. This is our one major fund raiser. Saturday, April 14, 2012, Golden Gate Fields, 1100 Eastshore Highway, Berkeley, CA 94710
Tickets are $40 each and include Turf Club Buffet, Valet Parking, Racing Program. The facility is handicap accessible. Please let me know of any special needs so we can assure our group is seated together.
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Cyprian's arc is a community-based,
volunteer-driven hub of collaboration
that connects artists, advocates
for a more resilient and sustainable future, and anyone seeking a deeper sense of community.
Cyprian's is an initiative of
St. Cyprian's Episcopal Church
Space Use Inquiries: spaceatcyprians@gmail.com
Read more about Cyprian's & view videos from past performances at cyprianscenter.org
------------------------------------------------- Tuesday, March 27 Cyprian's arc and University of San Francisco Garden Project & Environmental Studies Capstone present TAMALE-MAKING NIGHT Make them, taste them, take some home Learn how to make the best or share your favorite tips 7pm to 10 pm FREE ADMISSION, all ages ------------------------------------------------- New Art at Turk & Lyon Community Hall: Sky David's Mysteries of Water and Light, #25 and #34, original watercolors present the magic of a medium with a life of its own Sanctuary & Performance Hall: Nat Lewis's Stations of the Cross, artistic representations of the cross during St. Cyprian's observance of Lent 
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Weekly E-Mail Archives
In January, 2011 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. |
St. Cyprian's is a congregation emboldened by the opportunity to engage with our energized urban neighborhood to create a community
where everyone matters.
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