News from the Congregation February 4, 2022
‘Like Desmond Tutu, Making Biblical Reality a Truth” ; ‘The Elephant and the Rider as Cathedral and Congregation, Part III’ | Volunteer at CCC’s Sunday Soup Kitchen, St. Saviour Annual Meeting ONLINE 1:00 pm Feb. 6, 2022 | Sunday Programs: 8:30 am Genesis Bible Study (Zoom), 10:30 am Worship Service - In-Person and Online |Weekday Programs: M-S Morning and Evening Prayer (Zoom), Wednesday: 7:30 pm Romans Bible Study (Zoom)
Canon Lee
This Sunday at 4:00 PM is the Cathedral's memorial service for Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Among the honored guests attending is the Very Rev. Malcolm Clemens Young, Dean of Grace Cathedral in San Francisco. Dean Young has graciously accepted the Dean and Chapter's invitation to preach at the 10:30 AM morning service.
One visible connection between our cathedrals is the Rev. Peggy Lo, who was a well-loved seminarian here several years ago. She was sponsored for ordination by Grace Cathedral, and I met Dean Young at her ordination to the diaconate. Recently, Mother Lo announced that she has accepted the call to be rector of St. Alban's Episcopal Church in Austin, TX. These connections remind us that the Episcopal Church is a small community. However, it has always had influence beyond its size because of its people, exemplified by talented priests like Mother Lo.
It is fitting that our Cathedral, one of the great institutions of the Episcopal Church, will host a service to celebrate the life and witness of one of the greatest Anglicans in history. As a reminder, reservations for in-person seating are closed, but all are welcome to join the service via livestream on the Cathedral website, Facebook page, and YouTube channel.
I look forward to being with you at this historic event.
A Message from the Wardens
At the Annual Meeting this past Sunday, the slate of candidates proposed by the Nomination Committee was elected. Many thanks to all who made the meeting a success. Please welcome Joan Adams to the Congregation newsletter in her new role as Junior Warden as she writes her first column.
Reflection from the Vestry, Joan Adams
The Truth Teller with a Sparkle in his Eyes
I offer a few reflections about Archbishop Desmond Tutu and how his work might inspire us to acknowledge the truth about racism and commit to individual and collective action to challenge racism.
Archbishop Tutu’s life (1931 – 2021) spanned a period of tremendous upheaval in the world, including the shift from a colonial relationship between Africa on one hand and Europe and America on the other. He grew up in South Africa under a system of apartheid and lived through challenges to that system and repressive responses to those challenges. He also traveled and studied outside of Africa for graduate work in Theology. Later he traveled widely throughout the African continent and the world speaking and working with world leaders.
After college he served as a public school teacher for two years (1954 -1956). As the system of apartheid hardened with the more oppressive Bantu Education Act (1953) he responded to a call to be a priest. He was ordained a priest in 1961, after the1960 Sharpeville Massacre of young people who were engaged in anti-apartheid activism. As a priest he served as a pastor in South Africa for two years before obtaining grants to study theology education at Kings College in London, where he earned a Bachelor of Divinity and a Master of Theology in 1966.
After returning to South Africa in 1966 Desmond Tutu became the first Black faculty member at the Federal Theological Seminary. He moved on to teach at the University of Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland. In 1972 he became the Director of the Theological Education Fund for Africa, where he traveled between London and Africa.
From 1975 to 1978 he served as Dean of St Mary’s Cathedral in Johannesburg and was elected Bishop of Lesotho. In May 1976 he used his voice as Bishop to speak out about apartheid, warning Prime Minster Vorster about violence. Six weeks later the Soweto Uprising occurred where 660 young men were killed over 6 months. In September 1977 he spoke at the funeral of Steve Biko in South Africa.
Bishop Tutu was elected as the General Secretary of the Southern African Council of Churches and served from 1978 to 1985. Bishop Tutu continued to use his platform to oppose apartheid naming the anger, promoting non-violent protests and urging international economic pressure to stop the government oppression of Black South Africans and bring about universal access to voting.
He was elected Bishop of Johannesburg in 1985. As Canon Steven Lee noted in last week’s News from the Congregation, Bishop Tutu spoke at our Cathedral in January 1986. Later that year he was elected Archbishop of Capetown and Primate of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa. He was also elected President of the All Africa Council of Churches.
It would be four years later that Nelson Mandela was released from prison by President de Klerk. Archbishop Tutu worked with Mandela and de Klerk in the transition to a General Election in 1994. Nelson Mandela was elected head of a coalition government. President Mandela appointed Archbishop Tutu Chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
Archbishop Tutu was a truth teller who challenged the status quo whenever it was not consistent with love, truth and reconciliation. He supported the introduction of female priests. He strongly supported LGBTQ rights, opposed the Iraq War, criticized Israel’s treatment of Palestinians, and criticized actions of later South African leaders.
He was a truth teller who identified and challenged the structures, systems and personal manifestations of racism in Southern Africa, the United States and the world. His truth telling invited us to see and challenge racism and other forms of oppression. As a truth teller his speech and body language conveyed warmth and an invitation to join him in challenging oppression. He was a truth teller with a joyous sparkle in his eyes. He was grounded in his Faith and his personal spiritual practice. He prayed and he danced. His last book is The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World, coauthored by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, Cornerstone Publishers, 2016
As we honor and learn from Archbishop Tutu, we must name the reality and trauma of historical and current racism. We must seek the truth: how structural racism and white supremacy is imbedded in the way our institutions regularly do business; how those who are statused as white benefit from the privileges of whiteness; how racism systemically limits and denies equity to Black, Indigenous, Latinx and Asian; how physical and emotional violence occurs against Black, Indigenous, LatinX and Asian people; and that virulently hateful attitudes and behavior are being expressed by a segment of white people who “want their country back!”
We can be inspired by Archbishop Tutu to see the truth, tell the truth, and take individual and communal action to change oppression and hate into love and equitable treatment.
Here is a poem written in January 2022 by my sister Jeanette Adams in memory of Archbishop Tutu.
You Are Here
In Loving Memory of Bishop Desmond Mpilo Tutu
If your services had been held
In The Cathedral of St. John The Divine in Harlem
My sister could have been the verger
The Ailey dancers might have performed
“I’ve Been Buked and I’ve Been Scorned” from Revelations
The cockles of our American hearts
Surely would have been warmed
But you were laid to rest
In your homeland
A single white flower atop the small pine box
Shaped like Jimmy Baldwin’s
The pandemic cut the numbers
Masked the mourners
Spaced the seating
But you were there
Smiling from that big picture
Charismatic conscience
Reflecting double rainbows
On a black sand beach
Toe tapping and fist curling with the choirs
Instructing us to love and forgive
Make our GPS a moral compass
Maintain grace with grit
Check bitterness in the breezeway
Hate in the heliport
Greed in the garden
Make human decency a destination
You did not make it to 2022
Mpilo
Mama Leah’s love
Mandela’s friend
We thank you
We miss you Baba
But we will not say goodbye
You are here
You are brave
You are beautiful
Prophet
Preacher
Pray-er
Nkosi Sikelel’i Afrika
God Bless Africa
Amandla!
Jeanette Adams
Copyright 2022
NEWS FROM THE CATHEDRAL - Cathedral of Saint John the Divine (stjohndivine.org)
Archbishop Desmond Tutu Memorial Tribute 2/13 - ONLINE
Join the Cathedral and the global community on Sunday, February 13 at 4:00 PM for a memorial in tribute to The Most Reverend Desmond Tutu, Archbishop Emeritus of Cape Town, anti-apartheid activist, theologian, rights advocate, and humanitarian (1931-2021). Joined by The Most Reverend Michael Curry, Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church, The Right Reverend Andrew Dietsche, Bishop of the Diocese of New York, and The Right Reverend Clifton Daniel, Dean of the Cathedral, this hybrid memorial service will celebrate Archbishop Tutu’s legacy and prophetic voice for justice.
Columbarium Visits - Please Schedule in Advance
Due to cleaning and ongoing construction at the Cathedral, some areas may occasionally be inaccessible. Anyone wishing to visit a loved one in the Columbarium is strongly encouraged to schedule their visit in advance via this Columbarium Visit Registration form.
NEWS FROM THE DIOCESE Home - Episcopal Diocese of New York (dioceseny.org)
Blessed Absalom Jones Service ONLINE
The Episcopal Diocese of New York will celebrate Blessed Absalom Jones, the first Black priest in The Episcopal Church, who opened the door to diversity in the Episcopal priesthood. The festive service will take place on Saturday, February 12 at historic St. Philip’s Episcopal Church, Harlem, (204 W. 134th St, New York NY 10030) at 10:30 AM. It is the oldest Black Episcopal congregation other than that of Blessed Absalom, The African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas, established in Philadelphia in 1792.
The celebratory church service will begin at 10:30 AM with The Right Reverend Andrew ML Dietsche, Bishop of New York, officiating. The preacher will be The Most Reverend Michael Bruce Curry, elected head of The Episcopal Church worldwide in 2015. The service will honor Blessed Absalom’s heritage musically with a festive choir and music under the direction of Jeannine Otis, singer, educator and music director.
In-person attendance is fully subscribed, but all are invited to watch the service online.
NEWS FROM THE COMMUNITY
The New York Chapter of the National Black MBA Associates is hosting a virtual career fair on Thursday, February 24, 2022. For more information about this event and other offerings visit nyblackmba.org
NEWS FROM THE VESTRY
GIVE/SERVE
Questions about Realm, the Congregation’s Online Hub for Giving, Volunteering, and Reaching Out to One Another
The Admin team would love to hear from you. Whether you need help making the shift to online donations, setting up your account, or just want to know what Realm can do for you, please contact Laura and Bob at this email address: info@saintsaviour.org
CCC - Volunteer Opportunity at Sunday Soup Kitchen
Join us at CCC's Sunday Soup Kitchen (8:30 am - 11:00 am) to help prepare and distribute food and to staff Saint Saviour's Table. Please CLICK HERE to sign up! Shifts are open through the third week in February. Thank you so much for volunteering!
THIS SUNDAY, February 13, 2022
In-Person Worship at the Cathedral
10:00 am - Doors to Cathedral open.
10:30 am - Eucharist Service (apprx. 1 hour)
4:00 pm Online Tribute to Desmond Tutu
The Cathedral requires those entering its buildings to show proof of vaccination and to wear a mask.
You can also watch a Livestream of the Cathedral Worship Service
On Facebook: http://facebook.com/StJohnDivineNYC
On the Cathedral website: http://www.stjohndivine.org
WEEKLY CATHEDRAL CONGREGATION PROGRAMS
Monday-Saturday | 8:30 AM Morning Prayer | 5:30 PM Evening Prayer
Wednesday 7:30 pm Bible Study | Paul’s Letter to the Romans | Congregation Zoom Link
Sunday 8:30 am Bible Study | Genesis| Congregation Zoom Link