Speaking of Sex and Scripture in Kenya Exploring Issues of Race in Hyde Park Rocking the Block at St. James Commons
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[ AUTUMN 2013 ] THE EPISCOPAL Speaking of sex and scripture in Kenya DIOCESE Exploring issues of race in Hyde Park OF CHICAGO MAGAZINE Rocking the block at St. James Commons thrive!THE EPISCOPAL DIOCESE OF CHICAGO M AGAZINE [AUTUMN 2013] Letter from Bishop Lee table of contents This issue of Thrive! explores the many consultation gave Anglicans from very 2 A Consultation in Kenya ways in which we belong to one another different contexts the opportunity to share Exploring sexuality and scripture with African Anglicans as Christians and also some of the their insights on some challenging issues ways we can reinvigorate that sense of while building relationships that will help 8 Race in the News and Pews belonging when it has been diminished. us carry this conversation forward. Strong feelings, mutual respect Just take a look at the lively photos from We are no strangers to the discussion mark dialogue at Hyde Park church our Rock the Block party—the rain didn’t of delicate issues here in the diocese. The 13 Singing in the Rain dampen anyone’s spirits! Look on page issue of race, for instance, manifests itself A celebration at St. James Commons 13 and you will see how thoroughly the every day in our communities, but perhaps never quite so visibly as when race is in people of this diocese enjoy themselves 16 Latin for Life Changing the news. After George Zimmerman was when they get together. The party was Bishop Lee on the catechumenate acquitted of the murder of Trayvon Martin, the biggest event we’ve yet held at the the clergy of St. Paul and the Redeemer 19 An Apostle of Reconciliation newly revitalized St. James Commons, and We are no strangers to the dis- explored the racial dynamics of the case Bishop Buchanan comes to Chicago it launched the final phase of our capital cussion of delicate issues here from the pulpit and then began with the campaign in style. people of the congregation what has 22 A Leadership Incubator in the diocese. The Introducing the Nicholas Center Speaking of the capital campaign, the become an ongoing conversation about issue of race, for instance, manifests itself every day cover story in this issue captures the spirit race in our communities. (See page 8.) 24 A New Focus for CROSSwalk in our communities, but of the people at Messiah-St. Bartholomew In the process, they gave us all an idea Small and Mighty 26 Sarah Jordan gets to work on the south side of Chicago, who have of how we might handle such issues in perhaps never quite so visibly When the diocese calls, Messiah-St. Bartholomew answers. The made a pledge to support the capital the future. 28 The Gifts of the Laity as when race is in the news. Bishop Epting lauds Total Ministry campaign because, as wardens Mike Gale Even at times of deep disagreement, capital campaign is no different. “We don’t need to be sitting back we are members of the mystical Body and Angela Watkins put it so movingly, NSKI and just going to church on Sunday mornings,” says senior warden 29 If at First You do Succeed… Y “members of the diocese must support of Christ. I have a few things to say Michael Gale. “We need to know what is going on and be a part of it.” Capital campaign enters new phase one another and realize that we are about the lavish care we should take in MOROWCZ welcoming new members into that Body . accountable to one another.” J We don’t always live up to that in an interview on page 15 about the BRIAN ideal, either here in our diocese or in catechumenate, a subject that is close to Y SAVE THESE DATES [2014] B 2013 Volume 2, No. 2 the wider Anglican Communion, but my heart. ©2013 Episcopal Diocese of PHOTO November 20, 2013 – January 3, 2014 April 15 and TBD as two stories in this issue make clear, Finally, as many of you know, we have Chicago. All rights reserved. Exhibit: Who Is St. Nicholas? Discovering the Truth Clergy Quiet Days, Morton Arboretum LEE the path to deeper understanding and, received a generous gift from Ab and About Santa Claus Times for prayer and restoration of spirit during Nancy Nicholas to transform the fifth Contact us ultimately, reconciliation begins in honest ISHOP A timeless exhibit returns to St. James Commons Holy Week conversation. floor of the diocesan offices into a retreat ; B St. James Commons in the Kyle Beecken Gallery 65 E Huron Street May 3 I was privileged to be one of four and small conference facility focused on Chicago, IL 60611 January 4 CROSSwalk Summit at St. James Commons JOHNSON members of our diocese who attended helping Christian leaders to lead well. On (312) 751-4200 Gospel Festival at St. James Commons A day for working against gun violence and its a three-day gathering of Episcopalians page 22 you’ll get your first look at what Come make great gospel music with Dr. Keith Hampton root causes INCENT episcopalchicago.org the Nicholas Center will look like and and African Anglicans in Kenya in Y V B February 1 May 8 August to discuss how we discern what how we plan to use it to bring our church On our cover Come, Children, Sing! Bishop’s Associates Luncheon at St. James Commons together and lead it forward. PHOTO Mojisola Abayomi (purple) and scripture is saying to us about human Dr. Dennis Northway and Dent Davidson lead a day Terry Balfour (in tie) enjoy a sexuality. (See page 2.) Organized by the of music for younger music makers at Grace Church, spirited Sunday morning at Oak Park Chicago Consultation and its partners In Christ, the Church of the Messiah-St. at the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, the +Jeffrey Bartholomew, Chicago. ARTHOLOMEW . B T S Warm Hearts, Chilly Place SPEAKING OF SEX AND SCRIPTURE AT A CONSULTATION IN KENYA By Jim Naughton Though the weather forecasts were there for sexuality play out in African nations and in the anyone to read, none of the four dozen African United States; studied Bible passages that chal- and American church leaders who gathered at the lenged them to examine the roots of negative Jumuia Conference Center in Limuru, Kenya, ex- attitudes toward women and sexual minorities; dis- pected it to be quite so cold in late July. Those who cussed the experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual and brought sweaters and jackets wore them indoors, transgender advocates in the countries represented but it wasn’t enough. Two women had set up a table at the gathering; worshipped in English, Swahili, beside a garden on the grounds, selling local clothes Igbo and Zulu; shared meals and tea times; and and textiles, including shukas, the brightly-colored explored ways to spread honest, authentic con- striped and checkered blankets that the Maasai versation about human sexuality throughout the During the consultation, I people of southern Kenya and northern Tanzania Anglican Communion. could see windows—sur- wear for warmth. By the second morning of the At the heart of the gathering was an attempt prises or new ideas—open- gathering, more than half of the Anglicans, to examine the numerous ways in which African ing for both North Ameri- Episcopalians and ecumenical partners who had Anglicans and Episcopalians interpret the Bible, can and African colleagues gathered to discuss sexuality in the light of scripture how these interpretations are shaped by history, as we all described our were swaddled in what on some looked like shawls, culture and politics, and how Biblical interpreta- own experiences of sexual- on others robes, and on still others beach towels. tions shape attitudes about sexual issues, including ity, culture and church. Appropriately outfitted, they immersed themselves homosexuality and the status of women in the — The Rev. Emily Mellott in the task at hand. church and the wider society. Over the course of three days, the group, which “I went knowing that conversations and relation- included Bishop Jeff Lee and three clergy from ships with African leaders could change the way I the Diocese of Chicago, listened to presentations read the Bible,” said the Rev. Emily Mellott, rector by bishops, scholars and activists on how issues of of Calvary Church in Lombard. “I knew it could left: The Rev. Bonnie Perry of All Saints’ Chicago, and Makhosi Nzimande of South Africa. Photos by the Very Rev. Brian Baker “We knew people who agreed with what we were doing,” Jennings said. co-convener of the Chicago Consultation who is rector of St. Paul’s “And we knew people who didn’t necessarily agree with us but wanted Episcopal Church in Fayetteville, Arkansas, sketched out the American to be in relationship with us. And we assumed these people knew other milieu. Bishop Thom spoke with disarming honesty about his eventually people. And, as it turned out, we had tapped into a network in the mak- successful struggle to accept that sex between two men could be con- ing and helped it to grow.” sidered moral, and he suggested that many of his fellow Westerners had The intellectual architects of the consultations in Durban and Kenya wrestled with the same issue. Grisham, a native of Mississippi, likened “ A profound moment for me was were Esther Mombo, deputy vice chancellor of academics at St. Paul’s the campaign for LGBT equality to the Civil Rights movement of his University in Limuru, and Gerald West. West is professor of Old young adulthood, and he noted that many of the same people in the same Testament and Biblical Hermeneutics in the School of Theology at the regions had opposed both.