Parish Book Study:

You are invited to a new Spring Book Club four-part discussion of White Fragility, a 2018 New York Times bestseller by Robin DiAngelo, on April 22, May 6, May 20, and June 3 at 7:30pm.  See below for the meeting link.

About White Fragility, one reviewer noted,

Ms. DiAngelo brings language to the emotional structures that make true discussions about racial attitudes difficult

As Christians, we are called to love God and our neighbour as ourselves, no matter what their skin colour or cultural background. Our church at this time is exploring the topic of racism as part of our social justice vestry motion.

Meeting via Zoom on April 22, May 6, May 20, and June 3, we will explore this book, our thoughts and views on racial identity, barriers to achieving racial justice and how we might bring about needed personal and institutional change to those affected by racism in our society. Please contact Gary Gannon (garygannon24@nullgmail.com) to register.

Join the Zoom meeting:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88686516878?pwd=cTM1V2hJSGM2Sy9pM1FqN3pBUEE2dz09
Meeting ID: 886 8651 6878
Passcode: 431772

One tap mobile:
+16475580588,,88686516878#,,,,*431772# Canada
+17789072071,,88686516878#,,,,*431772# Canada

Dial by your location (Toronto-area numbers; long distance charges  ay apply):
+1 647 558 0588 Canada
+1 647 374 4685 Canada

Meeting ID: 886 8651 6878
Passcode: 431772
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kcjB8PwxJh

 

Thursday, May 6

In the scriptures, and especially among the prophets, we hear God call to his people to speak truth to power and to speak out against oppression. This was never an easy task for God’s people. Speaking out about God’s justice and mercy and freedom from oppression got many of the prophets in trouble.

Jesus’ first words in public ministry was to quote the 62nd chapter of the prophet Isaiah, a chapter that is a rallying cry to God’s vision of justice for all:

“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me,
Because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor
He has sent me to bind up the broken hearted
To proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners
To proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.” (Isaiah 62:1-, Luke 4:18-19)

Jesus proclaimed that in him, these words had been fulfilled. As he continued in his teaching and preaching about the Kingdom of God as a kingdom of justice and joy – he made many angry and feel threated.

Jesus was told to silence his followers, but he remarked – “Even if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” (Luke 19:46)

Jesus’ enemies tried to silence him through death, but the power of God is stronger than death.

From the prophet Elijah we know that God can be found in the silence, but for Elijah the call of God in the silence was given as a way to lead him find the courage and will to speak up again. The silence of God gives life, whereas silencing others, usually leads to death – spiritual or otherwise.

Below is a poem shared today by Richard Rohr as part of his daily meditation. It is written by Felicia Murrell on silence, and draws our attention to the difference between God’s silence, and what happens when we are silent in the face of injustice, and people are silenced. It is a poem that contemplates the historical injustices of silence and silencing of African Americans.

This remains a contemporary issue, in our country and city as well. This coming Sunday, Esther Enyolu, the Executive Director of the WMRCC of Durham will be preaching to us and sharing from her research and work about anti-racism why we need to continue to pay attention to this, to speak out and to not be silent in the face of racism or allow others to be silenced.

This poem is a prayer and a call to action. May it move your hearts today.

Silence

If you’re silent,
you can hear the forest breathe,
the holy hush of the tree’s limb.

“Silence,” said Thomas Merton, “is God’s first language”:
the way it soaks into your skin,
surrounds you,
blanketing you like the forest’s breath.

Silence:
The cadence of the land at rest,
the body asleep,
the heart awake.

Silence:
The deep rhythmic breathing of a mind slowed down,
an ocean still,
wet dew clinging to grass blade.

Silence:
The sacred song trapped in a bird’s breast before its first chirp,
the still of night across a desert landscape
wrapped in a bone-aching chill
before the sun rises to scorch its parched earth.

Silence:
The lusty gaze of onlookers staring at the negro on the lynching tree,
neck snapped,
life ended,
feet dangling,
back and forth,
back and forth.

Silenced:
Hands up, don’t shoot!
Body thrumming with a heady sense of power.
Hands in pocket,
resting pose, knees embedded into a man’s neck.

Silence, please.

I. Can’t. Breathe.

Silenced.

 

PRAYER:

Racism breaks your heart, break our hearts for what breaks yours, O Lord. Ever present God, you called us to be in relationship with one another and promised to dwell wherever two or three are gathered. In our community, we are many different people; we come from many different places, have many different cultures. Open our hearts that we may be bold in finding the riches of inclusion and the treasures of diversity among us. We pray in faith. – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Exclusively by Zoom this Eastertide, a five-part series featuring reflections and discussion on selected psalms. Led by Jacky Bramma and Lesley Nightingale, and featuring wonderful music from the Psalm-themed CD I Will Not Be Shaken by Canadian singer-songwriter Steve Bell. (Sample a Steve Bell’s setting of Psalm 23)

TUESDAYS at 7:30 pm, April 13-May 11

Join the Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83554652556?pwd=bFJiM0swQ3RpejUyR0Fnc3dmVFZkQT09

Meeting ID: 835 5465 2556
Passcode: 582752

One tap mobile
+12042727920,,83554652556#,,,,*582752# Canada
+14388097799,,83554652556#,,,,*582752# Canada

Dial by your location
(Toronto Area numbers; long-distance charges may apply)
+1 647 374 4685 Canada
+1 647 558 0588 Canada
Passcode: 582752
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kbpetbg2wc

Per our 2021 vestry motion, we are pleased to welcome Ms. Esther Enyolu as our guest lay preacher next Sunday May 9th.

Esther is a cradle Anglican and is also a lecturer and trainer on gender-based violence, diversity and inclusion, human rights and social justice. Her work is grounded in an integrated anti-racist/anti-oppression, anti-Black racism and feminist analysis, a holistic approach in which a person’s experience and realities of life are not fragmented and divided. She currently serves as the Executive Director of the Women’s multicultural resource and counselling Center of Durham

Esther is a trauma informed counsellor and a guest lecturer and trainer on gender-based violence, diversity and inclusion, human rights and social justice. Her work is grounded in an integrated anti-racist/anti-oppression, anti-Black racism and feminist analysis, a holistic approach in which a person’s experience and realities of life are not fragmented and divided. Esther has been working in the human service field for over 30 years. She has a BA (Hons) in Sociology and Women’s Studies, Trauma Informed Counselling Certification, and an MBA.

Esther is also one of the founding members of the Redwood Shelter for Assaulted Women and Children, Toronto, the former past Vice President of the Ontario Association of Interval and Transition Houses (OAITH).

She co-authored “Creating Inclusive Spaces for Women; a Feminist, an Anti-racist/Anti-oppression Training Manual”, for organizations working in the field of gender-based violence. As the VP at OAITH, she and some directors delivered anti-racist and anti-oppression training to all OAITH member agencies across Ontario.

Esther is a Provincial Resource Group Member for the Western University Violence Against Women Learning Network; Seneca College Social Service Workers, Immigrant and Refugee Advisory Committee Member, Advisory Member Black Health Matters, Dalla Lama, School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Co-Chair, City of Barrie Anti-Racism Task Force, and many others. She is a recipient of several awards. She is married with 3 adult children, and is looking forward to a grandmother status in the near future.