May 8, 2015 
In This Issue
From the Jr. Warden
Youth & Family Ministry Update
Service Notes & Music
From the DSC
Sunday Service Schedule
About the Gospel
Quick Links
The Gospel According to St. Mark's

From the Reverend R. Justice Schunior

Until the killing of black and brown mothers' sons becomes as important to the rest of the country as the killing of white mothers' sons, we who follow Jesus cannot rest. - Ella Baker

Friends,

It certainly didn't start with Trayvon. No, he was no where close to the first. But something about his death, perhaps the ways in which we're using social media these days changed something these past few years. Maybe first it was the hoodie - after all, the basketball team the Miami Heat and many others posed in hoodies as a way of sharing solidarity with a young man who should never have been suspect because of an article of clothing. Others posed with Skittles and iced tea - the only items Trayvon was carrying that night - he was never any threat. And then, after Trayvon's killer, George Zimmerman was acquitted, the movement #BlackLivesMatter came into being. 
Black Lives Matter. Many winced at this campaign. Surely All Lives Matter, and, after police brutality once again came into the spotlight, Blue Lives Matter. But these arguments and campaigns become distractions from the central issue.
Black Lives Matter because we seem to operate under the assumption that these black children have to do more than simply live in this world in order to justify their existence. Trayvon, Michael, Eric, Jordan, Oscar all had to be posthumously tried in the court of public opinion - they took drugs, they stole, they had a criminal record, they let unflattering pictures of themselves be taken and distributed on social media platforms. They were called thugs and worse. So, yes, we have to keep reminding ourselves that Black Lives Matter because we keep acting as if they don't. We keep acting, as a nation, as if being a teenager, leading an imperfect life, is crime enough to die like a dog in the street. 
 
And as we prepare to celebrate Mother's Day, what about their mothers? I was touched by an interview with Lucia McBath, Jordan Davis' mother. Jordan died in November of 2012. Michael Dunn, his killer, became disturbed by loud music in the car next to his at a gas station; he then fired into vehicle. Dunn left the scene, went to a hotel and ordered pizza. He seemed surprised that what he did might be considered murder. In the end, after two trials, he was sentenced for the death of Davis. Dunn seemed baffled by his conviction. Most of those looking on were surprised he was even convicted. 
 
Lucia McBath worried that, while she had taught her son to be careful around police and to realize his vulnerability as a black young man, she gave him too much self-confidence. "In my mind I keep saying, 'Had he not spoke back, spoke up, would he still be here?' I don't know. But I do know that Jordan was Jordan to the end. I think Jordan was defending his friends." What a sad reflection. 

At the end of the interview, she turned to her interviewer's son, the son of Atlantic Correspondent, Ta Nehisi-Coates - just thirteen years old: "You exist," she told him. "You matter. You have value. You have every right to wear your hoodie, to play your music as loud as you want. You have every right to be you. And no one should deter you from being you. You have to be you. And you can never be afraid of being you." ('I Am Still Called by the God I Serve to Walk This Out')

What a brave and beautiful thing to say to another young man of color, even though she believes this wisdom, this innate confidence that should belong to every human being, may have killed her son. We cannot let this kind of killing continue. We cannot allow Lucia or any other mother to grieve for a son who was murdered because we condone the black male body as a site of terror. 

Mother's Day honors all mothers. But on this day, after Walter, Eric, Trayvon, Renisha, Michael, Jordan, Oscar, Yvette, Tamir, Dillon, Gilbert, Rovin, Ja'ina, Herson, Pari, Jackeline, Latisha, Relisha, Kirk, Santae, Thomas, Maurice, Gary, Keith, and so many others, I hope that you will join St. Mark's in honoring the mothers of children who have suffered unspeakable violence in their bodies, simply because of the color of their skin. 

During our services we will call attention to these mothers who endure the pain of racism - through prayer and song. After the 11:15 service this Sunday we will process to the Capitol to show with our bodies that Black Lives Matter and that we see the tears of these mothers. Dozens of other churches in the Diocese will also be witnessing with us in their own Sunday worship. God have mercy on all of us.

Peace,
Justi
From the Junior Warden

Don't forget tomorrow we are cleaning up our gardens to prepare for their restoration. If you are free tomorrow, Saturday, May 9 from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm (or any portion of that time), please contact me at home or at stmarksjuniorwarden@gmail.com. Or just come by to pitch in! 


Youth & Family Ministry Update

Friends,

There will be no nursery care this weekend. Several of the nursery workers are away and are not able to cover this Sunday. Also, with the departure of our seminiarian, Emily Williams Guffey, we no longer have consistent coverage for Children's Chapel. Parishioner Barbara Nelson has been doing a wonderful job as a lay volunteer for this important ministry for our little ones. However, we must have two people who can be present with the kids. Please consider Children's Chapel as a volunteer opportunity for yourself. It's a short and fulfilling way to connect with young children at the beginning of the service. Contact me if you would like more information. 

I certainly hope and expect that our new Director of Youth and Family Ministries (we are coming to the end of our search process, but have no announcement to make as yet) will be of great assistance in stabalizing these vital offerings for our children.

Peace,
Justi

 

 

Prelude

When Love Is Found, O Waly Waly, setting by Aaron David Miller (b. 1972)                                                                                                            

                                                                                                               

Opening Hymn

400 All creatures of our God and King, vv. 1, 4-7, Tune: Lasst uns erfreuen

 

 A Song of Praise 

S 236 Benedictus es, Domine, John Rutter (b. 1945)


Psalm 98              

 

Sequence Hymn

My soul now magnifies the Lord, Tune: Song 34

      

Offertory Anthem

I Want Jesus to Walk With Me, Traditional, setting by Raymond H. Haan - Chancel Choir

 

Presentation Hymn

193 That Easter day with joy was bright, v. 5, Tune: Puer nobis

 

Sanctus  S 125, From A Community Mass; Richard Proulx

 

Fraction Anthem  WLP 879, Dorothy Papadokas


Music During Communion

LEVAS 203 There Is a Balm in Gilead, Traditional, arr. Carl Haywood

We Would Be One, Words: Samuel Anthony Wright, Music: Finlandia, Jean Sibelius

 

Closing Hymn

LEVAS 225 Oh, Freedom! African American Spiritual, arr. Carl Haywood

 

Postlude

All Creatures of Our God and King, Lasst uns erfreuen, setting by Aaron David Miller

From the Discernment & Search Committee

 

Dear Friends, 

 

The Discernment and Search Committee (DSC) is pleased to inform you that we have faithfully completed the first phase of our work - the discernment-- and have posted the job announcement for the twelfth rector of St. Mark's on Wednesday, May 6th.  EDOW's Office of Transition Ministry system is now publicizing this posting throughout the Episcopal Church. We expect the announcement to be open for 4 to 6 weeks.

 

If you know of good candidates, provide them to a link to our website (https://stmarksdsc.wordpress.com) and then urge them to submit an application to The Reverend Canon Paula E. Clark < pclark@edow.org > before June 5, 2015. The DSC will not be accepting applications directly.

 

The job announcement is accompanied by the 2015 St. Mark's Parish Profile and narrative information that is included in the Community Ministry Portfolio. We have carefully prepared, vetted, and unanimously agreed upon the publication of these documents. Collectively, these include descriptions of our history, our current spiritual and physical states, our strengths and weaknesses, our hopes and challenges, and the surrounding neighborhood of the parish community.  

 

We've posted the Profile and the Community Ministry Portfolio narrative information on  https://stmarksdsc.wordpress.com/parish-profile/.

 

 

 

Over the last 8 months, our eleven member committee has guided the parish community through an exhaustive period of self study and reflection that included the completion of the Renewal Works process (188 respondents to the survey and nearly 150 participants in Town Hall meetings), interviews and collaboration with lay leaders, more than 20 home gatherings (220 participants), six town hall meetings (150 participants), structured conversations with our youth (nearly 30 youth ages 3 to 18), and a survey tailored specifically to our search efforts (204 respondents). The parish community has been incredibly engaged, enthusiastic, and supportive during this period.  We extend our most heartfelt gratitude to each and every member of our community for their participation. 

 

Using the information obtained during this period, we discerned, discussed, debated, and balanced the rich diversity of St. Mark's to develop a draft of the 2015 St. Mark's Parish Profile. On April 24, we provided a draft copy of the Profile to the Vestry for their review. We are grateful for their comments.   

 

Thank you for all your work and support that has made the discernment phase of St. Mark's search process so successful.

 

Sincerely, 

Jim Ashley and Nadine Hathaway, Co-Chairs,

The Discernment and Search Committee  

Schedule of Services 
Sunday, May 10, 2015
Sixth Sunday of Easter
 

9:00 am Family Eucharist

The Reverend R. Justice Schunior, Presider

   

10:00 am Sermon Seminar

The Reverend R. Justice Schunior, Preacher

 

11:15 Holy Eucharist

The Reverend R. Justice Schunior, Presider and Preacher 

 

5:00 pm Contemplative Eucharist

The Reverend R. Justice Schunior, Presider and Homilist 

About the Gospel
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