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Reflections on Charleston
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"This is where I had paused in my sermon writing last Wednesday morning.
I had hoped to finish my sermon in a clever way, poetic way, saying: the faith we have now, is the faith that will be good enough to conquer our fears and comfort us. I had planned to go on and on about recent poll data exposing the state of religion in America-the decline of the Christian population-and our fears of a changing world and church. This is where I had stopped my writing when Wednesday evening happened.
On Wednesday evening, a gunman-a white gunman, close to my age-walked into a Bible Study being held in one of the United States oldest black churches-and he killed 9 people.
He killed 9 people.
And I couldn't finish my sermon."
--Excerpt from Rev. Shawn Fiedler's sermon on Sunday, June 21, responding to the events in Charleston, South Carolina.
To read the full sermon, please visit our website, under Rev. Fiedler's sermons.
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What do you do when you're desperate?
We who are never really desperate, or at least don't want to show it. We who are taught to keep our emotions in check. Who have learned to be strong advocates, to articulate what we need, and to explain why. We who know how to persuade and cajole, whom to call, how to marshal any aid we need, discretely.
What do we do, when all our learned skills, resources, and connections fail us?
What do you do when your back is up against the wall?
What can we learn from a woman so desperate she'd reach out with everything she had, hoping no one would see...Haven't we all been in her shoes?
She left with what she wanted. Could you? Join us Sunday, so we can learn together.
-Joy
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Save the Date!
Please join us for this informal gathering in the beautiful Parish House garden, behind 64 Beacon Street. The church will provide hot dogs, hamburgers, chips, lemonade, iced tea and wine. If you'd like anything else, bring it along!
-Joy |
Memorial Service for Connaught O'Connell Mahony | June 26th
Our member Medb Mahony Sichko lost her mother, Connaught O'Connell Mahony, on Saturday, May 30th, after Connaught suffered a massive stroke. Medb's father, Gael Mahony, died last November, so this is a time of grief for Medb. She has told us that she greatly appreciates the love and support she receives from members of King's Chapel. Medb can be reached atmedb.sichko@gmail.com. The memorial service for Connaught Mahony will be at Memorial Church in Harvard Yard, Cambridge, on Friday, June 26th, at 11:30 AM.
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Save the Date: Sunday, July 12,
"Transcendentalism: The Second American Revolution?"
The Rev. Jenny Rankin will meet with us after morning prayer to share her expertise on this influential group of 19th Century Unitarians, luminaries such as Emerson, Thoreau, Margaret Fuller and the talented Alcott family. She'll note connections to King's Chapel and (weather permitting) we'll do a short walking tour, literally "walking in their footsteps" as we visit some nearby sites that were important in their lives.
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Jessica Schmidt
Jessica grew up in northern New England and moved to the Boston area in 2005 when she was accepted as an adult student at Wellesley, where she took a degree in history and peace studies. She lives in Cambridge with her husband, Christopher, an engineer at Google, and their teenaged daughters, Alicia and Julianne, who are students at Cambridge Rindge and Latin. Jessica volunteers for the Junior League and is looking forward to the opportunity to involve herself in the work of King's Chapel. Growing up a traditional Catholic with adult Unitarian Universalist ideals means that she finds the atmosphere of King's Chapel both familiar and empowering. Jessica is a lifelong bookworm and reading remains her most important hobby, and she enjoys soaking in the beauty of coastal New England on summer weekends.
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Jim Power, Jr.
A new resident of Boston's Back Bay, Jim leads the marketing and public relations division for the New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS) in Boston. His professional career in marketing, advertising, and public relations has included long term assignments in Latin America and in Miami, Florida, with leading global agencies and with Polaroid Corporation. A passionate researcher of his family's history and genealogy, he takes particular interest in studying and documenting the diverse religious affiliations and behavior of his ancestors. The unique role played by King's Chapel in the theological development of our nation is an intellectual attraction to Jim. More importantly, he is excited about having an opportunity to play a role in our church's future and in its outreach to the Boston community.
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Meet the Guides: Rosemary Ouellet
Rosemary recently graduated from Kenyon College with a B.A. in Drama and a minor in Anthropology. She has studied humans from cultural and biological standpoints and is very excited to delve into the historical aspects of King's Chapel. A recent tenant of Mission Hill, Rosemary enjoys singing and dancing in her free time. |
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Sunday June 28th
The Rev. Joy Fallon,
preacher
- Amy Meyer, Lector
- Claire Shepro, Soloist
- Anne Sexton, Head Usher
- Charles Perry, Usher-in-Charge
- Marie Wells, Paul Luca, & Judy Luca, Ushers
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Amy Meyer, Hospitality
- Carolyn Conley, Verger
The Readings:
- Psalm 30
- First Lesson: Isaiah 54:1, 9-10
- Second Lesson: Mark 5: 21-34
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From the Bench
By Heinrich Christensen
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Claire Shepro is our soloist this week and will sing two selections from Mendelssohn's Elijah, O Rest in the Lord and For the mountains shall depart, based on our Old Testament text from Isiaiah, Chapter 54, and usually sung by Elijah himself.
Heinrich will play Schnizer's Sonata in C Major, a Mozartean delight for a summer Sunday!
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Tuesday, June 30th at 12:15 pm
Cheryl van Ornam plays the C.B. Fisk Organ
Works by Bach, Langlais, and more |
| On Sunday, July 12th, all donations not designated for the King's Chapel Annual Appeal will be given to UU Urban Ministry, in Roxbury, MA. |
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More News from
The Parish
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Habitat Build
Habitat for Humanity Greater Boston currently has 3 projects under construction in Roslindale, Dorchester, and Roxbury.
On Saturday, June 20 King's Chapel provided 7 volunteers to work at the Woodbine Street construction. The Woodbine Street activity will result in a 3-story duplex. Each unit will be approximately 1300 square feet and will have 3 bedrooms, 1.5 bathrooms, a kitchen, dining room, and living room. Our team constructed and installed multiple internal walls on the second floor of the building. The only paid person involved was Ali Nelson,Construction Site Supervisor. All other work on this day was provided by volunteers.
As has become the tradition at the KC builds, the team had lunch at a local eatery. This time Merengue, which is reputed to be Boston's best Dominican restaurant.
The Community Action Committee thanks the volunteers: LaToya Andrews, Ken Coleman, Ciael Hills, Denise Konicek, Judy Luca, Paul Luca, and Peter Sexton and encourages others to commit their time to this ongoing King's Chapel activity. Our next HFH Greater Boston build will be scheduled for fall 2015. |
Sandwiches on Boston Common
Last Sunday before church, a number of us gathered at the Parish House Kitchen (64 Beacon St) to make over 100 sandwiches to share with our sister church - Common Cathedral. It's an outdoor church that gathers every Sunday at 1 PM on Boston
Common, near the Park Street T stop, at the Brewer Fountain. At 12:30, lunch is served to any who come: churches volunteer on a rotating basis to provide the food, and they stay to worship. I learned late in the week that the church originally scheduled to bring lunch had had to cancel - could King's Chapel help out? Yes! On short notice, we came together: ever efficient, the troops set up systems for washing the lettuce, laying out the slabs of ham, turkey and cheese, washing the lettuce, spreading the mayo, peanut butter and jelly, bagging the oreos, labeling the various types of sandwiches we were making, delivering the sheet cake, bananas, cups and napkins.... Whew! It got done. Many thanks to Orian Welling, Betty Lykins, Betsy Petersen, Paul and Judy Luca, Mary Sears, and Sylvia Soderberg.
We may want to make this a regular part of our outreach in the city. Interested in joining us next time? Drop an email to Judy Luca, new Chair of our Community Action Team: judyg143@gmail.com |
Accessibility and Hearing Assists
Our beautiful Georgian sanctuary designed by Peter Harrison and completed in 1754, has been lovingly maintained by the congregation since its completion. Some of the box pews have been made wheel-chair accessible. Ushers are available to assist those who are wheelchair-bound to those pews.
Many of us have trouble hearing in our sanctuary, which does not have amplification. Small hearing devices are available; an usher also will be happy to provide one, and explain how they work.
The Book of Common Prayer According to the Use in King's Chapel is the cornerstone of worship at our 11 am Morning Prayer Services. Printed orders of service including hymns, Psalms, and responsive sections of the Prayer Book liturgy are available to facilitate participation in worship for everyone. |
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Wanted: Videographer/ Camera volunteer for recording Sunday Sermons
Since last Fall, King's Chapel has benefited from the regular volunteer work of Bill Sears in recording the sermons on Sundays for use on our website and YouTube channel. Thank you, Bill!!
We are now looking to build out the team. If you are interested in bringing your skills to this important outreach effort, please contact the Parish Administrator: administrator@kings-chapel.org
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