Church of Our Saviour

Sunday School 2012-13 Ends June 23

May 17, 2013 •

Our last day of Sunday School for this “school year” will be Sunday, June 23, 2013. Megan’s last day will be June 2, and we will have a going away coffee-hour for her after church that day. If any of you would like to bring finger foods, that would be much appreciated. Stacey Quandt has kindly offered to organize the festivities. Parent volunteers will lead Sunday School on the remaining Sundays in June after Megan has gone.

When Martin Luther King came to Cambridge

May 16, 2013 •

Monday, May 20th, 2013, 7 p.m. at Christ Church Cambridge, Zero Garden Street, free and open to the public. Convenient to Harvard Sq. red line T- stop, street parking available; doors open at 6:45. Limited seating, Handicap accessible. For more information contact 617-876-0200.

Martin spoke at Christ Church Cambridge in the spring of 1967, please come to hear how this speech would link hundreds of thousands of civil rights and antiwar and antipoverty workers across the nation together in a new common crusade for justice, equality, and peace. Please join us to hear our own connection with local and national history. An evening to reflect on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s speech, Beyond Vietnam—A Time to Break the Silence and the subsequent press conference held in Cambridge in the Spring of 1967. Featuring guest speakers: Lani Guinier, Harvard law professor, lawyer, scholar and civil rights activist; Gar Alperovitz, Co-founder of Vietnam Summer, who introduced King at the 1967 press conference and Byron Rushing, State Representative and legendary civil rights and antiwar legislator. Building on his legendary sermon at Riverside Church, King came to Cambridge to issue a new call: one as important in some ways as his “I Have a Dream” speech, one that would link the civil rights and antiwar and antipoverty workers across the nation in a new common crusade for justice, equality, and peace. What did he hope to achieve? What has (and hasn’t) been accomplished? Join the roundtable discussion to find out, as we honor, celebrate and continue in King’s extraordinary life work. An historic conversation about an historic moment… in the very room where King issued his challenge.

Reflections of Your Rector

May 8, 2013 •

‘Tis the season of Mother’s Day and Father’s Day.  There are signs in restaurants recommending brunch reservations.  There are rows and rows of pink cards with flowers and blue cards featuring neckties.  There are sentimental cards and cards with jokes.  But despite the variety of things to buy, there’s an invariable sense that everyone is celebrating on Mother’s Day and Father’s Day.

And it’s simply not true.

Several years ago, Mother’s Day completely threw me off guard.  The day started off fine, and I wasn’t expecting to have a hard time.  But as I saw people receiving flowers, and celebrating nonchalantly, the pain became intense.   It was agonizing to want a child so deeply and to have no sense of when I’d become a mother.  It was painful to feel invisible as people congratulated pregnant women, despite most people knowing we were in the adoption process.

There are so many reasons why Mother’s Day or Father’s Day can be hard for someone.  Do you know anyone who has lost a loved one? Or gone through a divorce? Do you know anyone who has suffered a miscarriage or who is struggling to have children?  Do you know anyone who has intentionally chosen not to have children, or someone who might have had children if circumstances had been different? Do you know someone with a parent or child who is sick or in trouble? Do you know someone who wishes they were spending the day with their spouse, child, or parent, but who can’t? Do you know someone who was adopted or placed a child for adoption?  Or who has been estranged from a parent or a child?

These are but a few reasons why Mother’s Day and Father’s Day can bring up complicated feelings.  It’s almost guaranteed that someone you love is having a tough time this time of year.

So what can we do to support each other?

First, we begin by being aware that our friends and neighbors might be suffering silently.  So often I hear that one of the most painful things about suffering on the holidays is that the people around us are unintentionally thoughtless. Someone who is thoughtful can provide a positive counterweight.

Secondly, we can practice speaking from the heart the best we can.  So often, people are isolated in their suffering because their loved ones are afraid of saying the wrong thing.  Or we resort to platitudes because we aren’t sure the “right thing” to say.  If we can risk speaking with authenticity and allow ourselves to do so imperfectly, we might offer a greater gift than we realize.

I’ve since seen blogs where people enumerate strategies for getting through holidays at difficult times in their lives.  Do you need to come up with some strategies for yourself?  Do you have a loved one who might appreciate an ally in getting through a difficult time of year?

Yours in Christ,

Malia

Diocesan Family Camp

May 2, 2013 •

Does your family need some time together in a beautiful place? Consider attending Diocesan Family Camp from June 27-30, 2013, at the Barbara Harris Camp and Conference Center. Camp fills up quickly so register ASAP at www.diomass.org/event/family-camp-2013.