Aloha,

 

As I said Morning Prayer this morning, I was stopped as I prayed Psalms 16 and 17.  The final two verses of Psalm 16 (10 and 11) ran into the first two of Psalm 17 as a single prayer:

 

            For you will not abandon me to the grave, *

                        nor let your holy one see the Pit.

            You will show me the path of life; *

                        in your presence there is fullness of joy,

                        and in your right hand are pleasures for evermore.

            Hear my plea of innocence, O LORD; give heed to my cry; *

      listen to my prayer, which does not come from lying             lips.

            Let my vindication come forth from your presence; *

                        let your eyes be fixed on justice.

 

I was queasy all week as news from Baton Rouge and then St. Paul unfolded, and then absolutely nauseous last night watching the news from Dallas.  It was a living moment of Lamentations 2:11: "My eyes are spent with weeping; my stomach churns; my bile is poured out on the ground because of the destruction of my people, because infants and babes faint in the streets of the city."

 

The peaceful Black Lives Matter protesters in Dallas were calling us to wake up to systemic violence and the power of racism (all too unconscious and self-destructive) that permeates our society and too often our very being.  In the midst of a cry for peace with justice, an act of violence and misplaced hate by an individual destroyed more lives and fanned the flames of fear.  Again the cry from the opening verses of Psalm 13 come to mind: "How long, O LORD? Will you forget me for ever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long shall I have perplexity in my mind, and grief in my heart, day after day?"

 

In the midst of violence, the cry of peace cannot be silenced.  In the face of fear, only the demand for justice can triumph.  At the end of John's Gospel, Jesus assures the Disciples: "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid."

 

I call the Diocese of Hawaiʻi to prayer: for the repose of the souls of Philando Castile, Alton Sterling, and the police officers murdered in Dallas; for our nation that we might overcome the ongoing result of the sins of the past without violence and hate; and for ourselves that we might each be instruments of peace and justice.    

 

Your brother in Christ Jesus,

+Bob

July 8, 2016

This year's annual Clergy Retreat will be held on August 28 - 30, 2016, at Camp Mokule'ia.  Cost for the retreat is $80 resident (staying at the Camp), or, $50 commuter (driving there each day). Scholarship assistance is available upon request to the Bishop. Credit cards are being accepted online.  Space is limited, so register now by clicking HERE.  If you have any questions, e-mail Irina Martikainen.

Sandra J. Theunick, the Head of School at The St. Andrew's Schools since 2007, retired at the end of June. Her retirement brings to a close a career in education spanning 35 years, having served as a classroom teacher, dean of students, department head, campus minister and head of school. She has served on local and national boards and was listed as one of the nation's top educators in Vanity Fair's 1998 Special Report: "America's Most Influential Women - 200 Legends, Leaders and Trailblazers".  In retirement, Theunick will pursue training and certification in hospital chaplaincy.

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There will be a Godly Play Core Training at St. Christopher's Episcopal Church in Kailua, August 12-14, 2016, led by Godly Play Foundation Trainer, Jenny Wallace.  It is open to all those interested in Godly Play, first-time storytellers, and as a refresher for those who have taken a training in the past. This will be the last training in 2016. 

Register by July 31 for lowest tuition. Discounts and scholarships are available for members of the Episcopal Diocese of Hawai'i. For more information download the Godly Play flyer HERE, or to register, click HERE.  

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