Friends,

When I first came to St. Mark's, there was a banner that hung outside our church that read, "St. Mark's, the church of the open communion." It said a lot of other important things, but that "open communion" part was our tagline, our marketing pitch. I was never quite comfortable with it, because I've found there are a lot of other churches who offer open communion. Certainly all the churches where I've served do not bar any one from receiving bread and wine. The National Cathedral in Washington, DC invites everyone to the table. When I was the maid of honor at my best friend's wedding in 2011, the Catholic priest at her church offered me communion. He also asked me to not tell the Pope, so I'd appreciate it if you didn't mention it.

However, when I found out that we'd lost our banner during construction, that we didn't have a sign to hang on the front of our building advertising our openness, I felt sad. It's also something I say, and that Paul Abernathy said, just before the offertory, "For generations, St. Mark's has been the church of the open communion." I don't think that is meant as a warning that would stop anyone from taking a sip of mediocre wine or eating a bite of bread from the local bakery. I think what we are getting at in saying "open communion" is a bit bigger.

Because, I hope "open communion" makes us open to each other - at least I hope it does for me. It's not like I have some wonderful table of good things to offer to people, I need to hear and learn from others. Definitely, there are some days when I just want to be with and hang out with people who are like me, people who think just like me. But I think our plea to come to the table is because we all sense that God wants everyone to join in. God desires the company of all kinds of people. It's not about me offering the stranger a special meal; it's about the stranger making this meal possible. Each stranger, each new person has something wonderful to add and contribute. We stop being who we are if we're not welcoming new people into our midst.

June 11-14 we'll have Shrine Mont on the Hill, when we'll plan together, have fun together, and welcome a new priest - Michele Morgan, our new interim rector. I don't know what that's going to look like, but I know that she will have so much to add. We need her, just as we'll need each new person who walks in our door. They'll change us; and we'll change them. But that's what it means, to be "the church of the open communion." It's not just about who gets the sip of wine and bite of bread, it's about openness to the gifts strangers have to bring and the gifts we have to offer. You don't need me to tell you that a whole lot of loveliness can come from that messiness.

Peace,

Justi