Spire The Beacon on the Seine February 2019 The American Church in Paris 65 quai d’Orsay, 75007 Paris www.acparis.org Please help recycle this publication. When you’re through reading it, instead of tossing it in the bin, return it to the Welcome desk or Foyer. In this issue Thoughts from The Rev. Dr. Scott Herr 3 Bible readings for February 4 Blessed to be a Blessing, by Pastor Odette Lockwood-Stewart 5 Learning the ropes, by Tom Wilscam 6 Welcome Dinners update, by Ursula Perrier 7 100 Nights of Welcome, by Daniel Tostado 7 Valentine’s Day remains, by Alison Benney 9 A celebration of friendship & light, by Angela and Dominique Grelet 10 What’s up in Paris: February event listings, by Karen Albrecht 11 ACP money matters, by Don Farnan 13 Thurber Lecture: Paris Noir – African Americans in the City of Light 14 Rafiki children, then and now, by Patti Lafage 15 Fernand Khnopff, master of the enigma, by Karen Marin 18 February ACP calendar, by John Newman 19 Friday 8 February: Come hear live music at the ACP Café, with Still Point and friends, including Devon Graves. Cover photo ©Fred Gramann Free entry. Dinner & drinks available. 2 ACP Spire, February 2019 Thoughts from The Rev. Dr. Scott Herr Senior Pastor Dear Members and Friends of the ACP, The season of Epiphany will end on Mardi Gras (aka This is a tremendous privilege and I want to express my “Fat Tuesday”) which is March 5 this year. The tradition deep gratitude for our congregation allowing us to has been to celebrate and “party hearty” (to “fatten up”) participate in this conference each year, as it allows us to because Lent is a time of fasting and penance. Yes… and see different contexts for ministry and mission in parts no. Even in this season of Epiphany we are pointed to a of the world that I would normally not be able to visit. deeper meaning of Lent. Epiphany is the season when we This year is particularly important as the Coptic Church celebrate the Light and Revelation of God through Jesus is part of what is known as the “Forgotten Church,” the Christ. He is the “Light of the World.” Through Jesus the Body of Christ in the Arabic-speaking world. Samuel mystery of the ages has been revealed and at the heart of Tadros says this, “Figures are hard to determine, but the who God “is,” is Self-Giving Love. region from Egypt to Turkey was estimated to be 20% This year the Association of International Churches in Christian by the beginning of the 20th century. Today? Europe and the Middle East (AICEME) Pastors and Around three and a half percent. Very few today would Spouses’ Conference is hosted by St. Andrew’s United argue that Middle East Christianity is not facing an Church of Cairo. Participating in this annual conference existential crisis.*” It will be important to listen to their is one of the gifts of our congregation being members of stories and learn what it means to live faithfully as a the AICEME. Pastors from sister churches around minority which experiences persecution and oppression. Europe and the Middle East will be arriving in Cairo on Some of the disciplines we explore in the season of Lent Monday, 4 February. are daily practices for the Coptic Christians: meditation We will visit the Wadi on Scripture, praying, fasting, and serving the poor. I Natrun monasteries and learned a long time ago that the meaning of Lent is meet with Coptic “Spring,” as the word comes from the Old English, Christians. We will join lencten, or “the lengthening of days.” In other words, monastic communities for Lent is supposed to be life-giving, and I pray that even a morning and evening brief visit to our brothers and sisters in the Arab church worship, small-group will be mutually life-giving. conversations, lectures, Perhaps we will be able to better understand what some workshops, and some free time. We will join the of our refugee brothers have gone through in their home congregation of St. Andrew’s United Church for worship, countries? Perhaps our prayers will expand to include have our AICEME annual meeting. We will visit the those who are persecuted for their faith around the Egyptian Museum, Ibn Tulun Mosque and walk in the world? Perhaps we might be motivated to continue to Khan al Khalili as well as visit Al Ashar Park and the welcome the stranger with more compassion, or to give Pyramids of Sakkara and Giza. Some of us will visit to missions, or serve in ministry more generously? Aswan and visit the ancient temple of the goddess Isis at We’ll see. the Island of Philae, sail to Kom Ombo and Edfu. We will visit other ancient archeological sites, including Luxor, In the meantime, I appreciate your prayers. And we and the Valley of the Kings before returning home. promise to bring home some life-giving and light- spreading stories of God’s self-giving love to share! In Christ, * Samuel Tadros, The Middle Eastern Christian Dilemma, Hoover Institution, Stanford University (18 December, 2018), referenced 19 January, 2019: www.hoover.org/research/middle-eastern-christian-dilemma ACP Spire, February 2019 3 Bible readings for February 3 February Presentation of the Lord 17 February 6th Sunday after the Epiphany 4th Sunday after the Epiphany Jeremiah 17:5-10 Malachi 3:1-4 Psalm 1 Psalm 84 or Psalm 24:7-10 1 Corinthians 15:12-20 Hebrews 2:14-18 Luke 6:17-26 Luke 2:22-40 24 February 7th Sunday after the Epiphany 10 February 5th Sunday after the Epiphany Genesis 45:3-11, 15 Isaiah 6:1-8, (9-13) Psalm 37:1-11, 39-40 Psalm 138 1 Corinthians 15:35-38, 42-50 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 Luke 6:27-38 Luke 5:1-11 Did you know you can follow the American Church in Paris on social media? @AmChurchParis /AmericanChurchParis 4 ACP Spire, February 2019 Blessed to be a Blessing by Rev. Odette Lockwood-Stewart Visiting Pastor We are blessed to be in ministry in wedding agencies, as well as with members of our a wondrous and beautiful city. We congregation. are blessed to be stewards of a At one vow renewal ceremony the attendants were the magnificent and historic building. couple’s grandchildren and the congregation their We are blessed by music ministry children and extended family. At one wedding blessing the under the direction of Fred ceremony was live-streamed to 75 family members in Gramann. We are also blessed by China. ACP’s commitment to hospitality and outreach. All Each couple receives a Bible, a certificate these blessings lead us to bless couples of marriage blessing, the Unity Candle, from around the world and every walk of and a DVD about ACP. Our registry life as they begin or reconfirm their draws couples who come to the church commitment to the covenant of marriage. to visit where their parents, and even grandparents were wed. As Pastor Scott said in his message on 20 January, ACP averaged more than one There are already 176 weddings wedding blessing or marriage vow confirmed for 2019. renewal every day in 2018, adding up to The donations received from these 373 ceremonies. wedding blessings support the mission of ACP. Of course, these don’t happen every day. Sundays are set aside for congregational worship, fellowship, and study for all ages. Wedding blessings during the eight months from April through November average a bit more than 42 each month. The busiest month was June, with 61 blessings. At such times, as many as four wedding blessings can be scheduled on one day, with services at 9h, 11h, 13h, and 15h. Every wedding blessing is a special moment of worship with the movement of God’s grace, and lovely stories (just ask us!). American, Canadian, Japanese, Chinese, British, Filipino, Norwegian, Zimbabwean, Thai, Australian and Singaporean citizens are among the couples who travel to France to be wed at ACP. Once our exceptional Wedding Ministry Coordinator, Emma Barton, confirms and administers arrangements, Pastors Jim and Odette meet with the couples, counsel on spiritual matters, and officiate at the weddings with Fred providing music. We work with individual couples, with Emma Barton and Odette Lockwood-Stewart ACP Spire, February 2019 5 Learning the ropes by Tom Wilscam, Venture Academie Find a job, understand French work culture, and be optimistic: Those are the goals of a new program at the ACP to help refugees and immigrants find work in France. TIEO (Trouver du travail, s’Intégrer à la culture du travail française et Etre Optimiste) is a four-week students (whether they are refugees, immigrants or course, offered two half-days per week (9h to 13h), in expats). Third, we need to spread the word outside the English. It was created by a group of professionals, some of ACP network about the program so others can who are members of ACP. The course begins the week of participate in this complementary course. If anyone is 12 February and will be offered every other month interested in participating or learning more, please throughout the year. contact me at [email protected]. The idea was inspired over a year ago by Jean Taquet's ministry to help refugees, immigrants, and expats get their legal paperwork together to stay in France, or to receive their carte de séjour in order to work legally in France. It was clear that many of the refugees and immigrants participating in this clinic were not receiving proper training from the government, which provides very limited (if any) training on how to find work.