Speaking of Race to Silence Guns Where Canterbury Meets Rome
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SPRING 2017 EPISCOPAL Speaking of race to silence guns DIOCESE Where Canterbury meets Rome OF CHICAGO MAGAZINE Laity lead a fast-changing church Letter from Bishop Lee As people of God, sometimes we, like the than the Unholy Trinity conference, ancient Israelites and the first disciples, but the gathering had global reach. It are called to move. We gather and then brought Archbishop Bernard Ntahoturi of go forth, taking the gifts of strength and Burundi, the center’s incoming director, inspiration we find in community and to St. James Commons for talks about sharing them with the wider world, espe- the center’s future and the relationship cially with those who may be unloved, of the Anglican Communion with the ignored or in danger. Other times we are Roman Catholic Church. You can read an called to plant, to cultivate, to tend one interview with Archbishop Ntahoturi on very particular garden as though its flour- page 12. ishing were our heart’s deepest desire. Important as the work of national This issue is about comings and goings, movements and international organiza- and comings and stayings. It is about the tions may be, the church depends on gifts that our diocese offers to the wider the work of lay people who invest them- “The church depends on lay church and the gifts we offer to one selves deeply and selflessly in their own people who invest themselves another day in and day out. It is about the communities, bringing their abundant deeply and selflessly in their ways in which our faith calls us to global gifts to bear on the challenges that con- own communities, bring- ministry, and the ways in which it moves front congregations during times of tran- ing their abundant gifts to us to deepen our commitment to our own sition, periods of decline and episodes of bear on the challenges that communities and communities of faith. resurrection. Remarkable lay leaders are confront congregations.” In April, the diocese hosted a powerful thick on the ground in our diocese, and conference on the intersection of racism, you can meet a few of them on page 16. poverty and gun violence. The “Unholy None of us is born knowing how Trinity” conference (page 2) drew some to enliven a congregation, but fortu- 175 people to the Lutheran School of nately the recently launched College for Theology in Hyde Park where, over three Congregational Development (page 28) days, we studied the Bible, listened to has begun the essential work of offering stirring and informative speakers and training and encouragement to clergy learned how to organize, make allies, and lay leaders who want to emulate lobby, work with the media and to help some of the generous people you will alleviate the conditions that oppress too read about in these pages. many people in our country. Finally, in this issue of comings As has become our custom, we partici- and sendings, we say goodbye to a pated in a prayerful procession to make a dear friend who is now the bishop of public witness against the violence in our Indianapolis. My sermon at the consecra- streets. I am mindful of the contribution tion of the Rt. Rev. Jennifer Baskerville- that CROSSwalk has made to the church’s Burrows, the first black woman to be deepening awareness of the role it must elected a diocesan bishop in the history play in diminishing the devastation caused of the Episcopal Church, is on page 22. by racism, poverty and the proliferation Jennifer was the diocese’s director of net- of guns in our communities. And I am working for five years, and we will miss thankful to Bishops United Against Gun her deeply, but she is well-chosen for her Violence and the members of my staff new responsibilities, and I am delighted to who helped make this event a success. see her moving on to do holy work. The meetings of the board of the American Friends of the Anglican Centre In Christ, in Rome in early May was a smaller affair + Jeffrey BISHOP LEE PHOTO: CHARLIE SIMOKAITIS; THRIVE DESIGN: MARTHA HOYLE CHARLIE SIMOKAITIS; THRIVE DESIGN: MARTHA BISHOP LEE PHOTO: thrive!EPISCOPAL DIOCESE OF CHICAGO MAGAZINE | SPRING 2017 Table of Contents 02 Galvanized by Gun Violence Conference explores roots, responses to the devastation of gun violence 12 An African Ecumenist Burundian archbishop visits Chicago to speak of new assignment in Rome 16 Gifts to Give, Skills to Share Lay people play a prominent role in parishes across the diocese 22 “She will lead with grace” Bishop Lee gives consecration sermon for Bishop Baskerville-Burrows 28 A College for Congregations Unholy Trinity 02 By “training the trainers,” new program brings fresh expertise to parishes At Unholy Trinity: The Intersection of Racism, Poverty and Gun Violence, participants were challenged and inspired by Bible study, a 29 Making a Commitment “three-note” presentation and a public procession. The event, hosted by Luis Garcia Juarez advocates the diocese, was sponsored by Bishops United Against Gun Violence. an “old-world” approach to missions SAVE THESE DATES 2017 Volume 6, No. 12 ©2017 Episcopal Diocese of Fierce Conversations Conversation with the Bishop Chicago. All rights reserved. September 24–27 & April 22-25, 2018 November 12, 2–4 pm Nicholas Center, $700, scholarships available St. John’s, Flossmoor Contact us St. James Commons Breakfast with the Bishop Diocesan Convention 65 E. Huron Street October 14 November 17–18 Chicago, IL 60611 St. Andrew’s, Downers Grove Westin Lombard Yorktown Center (312) 751-4200 Hispanic Liturgy and Confirmation episcopalchicago.org College for Congregational Development October 21 Friday & Saturday weekend intensive format St. James Cathedral On our cover October 6–7, 2017 “Three-note” speakers at the December 8–9, 2017 Unholy Trinity conference: the ECCS Ball February 9–10, 2018 Rev. Julian DeShazier, Natalie November 3 April 20–21, 2018 Moore, the Rev. Canon Kelly The Ritz-Carlton Chicago, Water Tower Place Brown Douglas. Photo by Bill Burlingham. BISHOP LEE PHOTO: CHARLIE SIMOKAITIS; THRIVE DESIGN: MARTHA HOYLE CHARLIE SIMOKAITIS; THRIVE DESIGN: MARTHA BISHOP LEE PHOTO: UNHOLY TRINITY Racism and poverty breed gun violence. Can the church help stop the cycle? By Jim Naughton n an April evening, a large group “I hope to God never to bury one of my campers.” of Episcopalians from around – Te Rev. Ed Bird, director of Summer in the City the United States gathered in the program at St. James Cathedral chapel of a seminary in Hyde Park, and when Bishop Eugene Sutton Since the murders at a Sikh temple in Oak Creek, of Maryland asked them why they had come, they said Wisconsin, in August 2012 and the massacre at Sandy Othings like this: Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, four months later, Bishop Jeff Lee and other Episcopal “I am here because I have buried five parishioners in the bishops have worked to build an organization capable last 11 months.” – Te Very Rev. Jonathan Clodfelter, who of raising their church’s voice in the struggle to reduce lives in Philadelphia gun violence and treat its root causes. On April 20-22 “Since the November that organization—Bishops United Against Gun Vio- elections, many of us feel “I am here because my heart is breaking for my city and lence—drew some 175 people, 25 of them bishops, to as though the house is on I am convinced there is another way.” the Lutheran School of Teology at Chicago (LSTC) for fire and we have only one – Te Rev. Rosalind Hughes, who lives near Cleveland bucket of water. And we “Unholy Trinity: Te Intersection of Racism, Poverty are asking ourselves, where and Gun Violence.” “I want to do more than pray for the dead every week.” do we pour that bucket?” “Since the November elections, many of us feel as – Te Rev. Amity Carrubba, Grace Church, Chicago though the house is on fire and we have only one bucket — Bishop Mark Beckwith of water,” Bishop Mark Beckwith of the Diocese of “I am losing friends every day to gun violence here in Newark, one of the co-conveners of Bishops United, Chicago…. I have a sign ‘Black Lives Matter’. I want to told participants on their first night together. “And we do more than just have a sign.” – Don Williams, are asking ourselves, where do we pour that bucket? St. Benedict’s Church, Bolingbrook “Political energies have tended to focus on places other left: Gathered against gun violence on the Midway. Photo by Bill Burlingham 3 than gun violence prevention,” he said, because, with Republicans controlling Congress and the White House, the issue seemed like “a lost legislative cause.” But there is still work worth doing, Beckwith said, and the conference would help the Episcopal Church and its al- lies identify that work and learn better how to do it. Over three days, participants took part in Bible studies; heard the testimony of a high school student who had been shot five times; took in edifying and at times electrifying presentations by a panel of black leaders; participated in workshops on working with organizations ranging from youth groups to evangelical Christians; staged an outdoor liturgy that included a procession through Hyde Park’s streets; shared resources and learned how to practice Bishops United’s signature attention-getting outdoor liturgical services. Chicagoans were heavily represented in the gathering, but partici- pants came from as far away as the Dioceses of Texas and Northern California. In all, 37 dioceses were represented, the largest visiting contingent coming from the Diocese of Massachusetts, which sent not only Bishop Alan Gates and Chancellor Edward Notis-McConarty, but also numerous young people and youthful community organizers from B-PEACE for Jorge the diocese’s anti-violence program that honors Jorge Fuentes, a youth leader who was murdered in 2012 while walk- ing his dog.