Exodus 22:21-27
John 1:1-14
In the Name of God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit:
The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God. (John 1:9-12)
This is from one of my favorite passages of Holy Scripture – the prologue to the Gospel according to St. John – and a fine foundation from which to begin this 231st Convention of the Diocese of Virginia!
Good evening, my friends and colleagues – it is so good to be here with you once again. It is hard for me to believe it has been a full year since we last gathered; but yet, so much has happened that it also hard for me to believe a year has captured it all. It has been a joyous time in many ways, and an anxious time in others. Through it all, I am thankful to travel this journey with you, and with the tens of thousands of Episcopalians across this diocese. I would not want it any other way.
Many of you know that I have something big besides this Convention that I am in the midst of planning right now – I have a little party coming up in February that has more than its share of moving pieces that have to be organized. For those who don’t know, I am getting married on February 7th. It is a good and holy thing, and I am thrilled about it! I have known Kendall for nearly a decade, and over those years I have felt honored to have her as a friend; and now that we have discovered love in the midst of that friendship, I consider myself blessed beyond words. As one of our clergy colleagues pointed out recently, your bishop is very, very happy.
As I often say, it is dangerous to start thanking people at events like these, but I do want to draw our attention to the hard work of at least a couple of folks. First, as always, the staff of the diocese and the volunteers who have been supporting them as this Convention has been planned and put into motion are all saints of God. The long hours and stress-filled moments are nonstop for weeks leading up to this day, and they handle it with grace and good humor. They are second to none, and I am fortunate to be able to work with them.
The Diocesan Commission on Liturgy and Music has once again come through with a well-rounded and Christ-centered worship experience. The Rev’d Crystal Hardin, who chairs the group, is always patient, curious, and creative – even when I throw in last minute changes or requests. This year, we have something truly special that will be a part of our worship, as we will receive the Rev’d Zacchaeus Katta into The Episcopal Church from the Anglican Church of South India, one of the other Provinces of the Anglican Communion. That event will happen in the context of our Convention Eucharist tomorrow afternoon and is a liturgy that I have only seen a couple of times before. This is a gift to us – a gift to receive a fine priest, and a gift to celebrate our connections across the globe.
I want to thank all those who worked hard on the matters of business that will come before us this week – especially those who have served on the working group to revise our diocesan canons. You may remember that last year that group brought us a set of grammatical and stylistic edits for approval; over the past year they have been combing through the canons to suggest edits to the functionality and practicality of the parameters that we set for ourselves that guide our common life. Their work, and the resolutions that embody it, have resulted in solid improvements that will make that common life more understandable and fairer. Well done, all.
A special “thank you” goes out to Dr. Lisa Kimball, who will be with us over the next couple of days to help us with our conversation regarding discipleship. More on that later, but I do want to point out how fortunate we are to have this deeply knowledgeable, committed Christian apologist at the table with us. Dr. Kimball lives and breathes discipleship, Christian formation, and faith development. It is such an honor to have her with us.
I extend a word of thanks, and welcome, to our newest Assistant Bishop, the Right Reverend Mark Bourlakas, who comes to us after a very successful twelve years as Bishop Diocesan in Southwestern Virginia. Bishop Gayle Harris and I are having great fun with him as a part of our collective ministry – although she does keep saying that she feels like she should change her name to Martha or Marcia to fit in with the Mark theme… Bp. Bourlakas is a gift to us, and his skills are already bearing great fruit for us in this diocese.
And, there is one more person I would like to call out and give thanks for – an individual who has been doing work for all of us for several years now that most know nothing about. Some of you – maybe many of you – do know Julian Bivins. He has long been a leader in this diocese and all across The Episcopal Church. He has served on church-wide committees and commissions, and seminary boards; and his diocesan resume goes on for pages.
But the work that I am particularly thankful for is that of his being the President of our Diocesan Disciplinary Board for the past several years. In that work, he has been a calm and thoughtful colleague, mentor, and voice of reason in what is often an emotional or confusing conversation. The fact that the overwhelming number of clergy disciplinary conflicts that arise in this diocese are often settled quickly and pastorally can be – and should be – directly attributed to the deep faith and true competence of Julian Bivins. Julian’s eligibility to serve in this role times-out at the close of this Convention. And, my friend, you will be missed.
And now, let me turn to what is before us – a gathering of the faithful from all around the Diocese of Virginia, as we consider what it means in this time to Love Jesus, Embody Justice, and Be Disciples.
Over the past nearly three years that I have been your bishop, I have spoken quite a lot about how I consider justice and discipleship to be intertwined – two pillars of truth and mission bound together by our love for Jesus, and his love for us. The past two Conventions featured keynotes that called us to see how the pillar of justice – especially racial justice – informs our calling as disciples of the Son of God. Two years ago, Dr. Catherine Meeks, and last year, the Rev’d Dr. Luke Powery, gave us encouragement and challenge in this area, calling us to the beloved community that is, as the late prophet Verna Dozier often spoke and wrote about, “the very dream of God.”
That work, that ministry, is ongoing – never ending – always at the forefront of our life – and is itself life giving. We make progress, sometimes slowly, but committed progress nonetheless. And we never give up.
This year, I have asked that we come at this notion of living into the dream of God from a slightly different angle. This year, I want us to lean a bit into the other pillar of truth and mission, as we discuss discipleship more broadly and specifically – that process whereby we live more fully into the teaching of Jesus, patterning our life after his for the betterment of all.
Discipleship – as I recently heard the Rev’d Chris Giratta preach at St. Michael’s and All Angels Church in Dallas – “discipleship is a commitment that transforms us over time; it is more than a nice box that we get to check off, like a hobby or club; instead, discipleship anchors us, and creates an identity – the root from which we grow our impact on the world around us.”
Over the next few days, we will learn from each other and share stories about how we can deepen our discipleship – deepen our relationship with Jesus – deepen our relationship with the One who is light and life.
I do believe that God puts into every place at every time all the things necessary to accomplish the divine goal of love and mutual respect that grounds the beloved community – it is simply our task to uncover those gifts and turn them loose. This diocese is rich in resources, opportunities, and skills. Our history – long term and more recent – provides education and inspiration. There is never a one-size-fits-all program, but there are plenty of experiences among us that can generate new life and excitement.
And so, to frame our conversation, I want to begin that process with a story of my own.
You might remember that last year I told you about some kids playing in a water fountain outside of Wrigley Field in Chicago. Well, I don’t have a Cubs story for you, but I do want to tell you a Chicago-based story.
Some of you may be familiar with the artistic landmark known as Cloud Gate – or, as it is more usually called, the Great Chicago Bean. I think you can see by the image on screen why it has that moniker.
The Bean is a sculpture, actually – created by an Indian-born British artist named Anish Kapoor. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloud_Gate) It sits at one of the entrances to Millennium Park in the heart of the Loop, and was completed in 2006. It is “made up of 168 stainless steel plates welded together, and its reflective and highly polished exterior has no visible seams. It measures 33 by 66 by 42 feet, and weighs more than 100 tons.” Kapoor reported that the design was inspired by liquid mercury. And, it is just a lot of fun to look at.
I visited the Bean twice this past year, and was quite taken by it both times. When you stand back and look at it, you are treated to broad reflections of the city and of the people around you. No matter where you stand in the plaza, you can see a reflection of the many lives gathered there at that particular moment. There are couples and families, single persons, and lots of dogs. There is laughter, and a few tears. There is life, and life abundant, reflected from the surface of this great sculpture. In fact, given the curvature of the Bean, I think you can see more of what is going on in the space by looking at the reflections than you can by just looking around the plaza.
But, because of the unique curvature of the Cloud Gate – of the Bean – there are also some curious distortions in what you see – sort of like standing in front of a giant curved mirror at a carnival. It is fascinating to see both clarity and distortion at the same time.
My favorite view is at the very center of the underbelly – called the omphalos – a place where, looking up, the distortions become so overwhelming that you really cannot see reality – except for the very center, where there is a clear reflection that seems to be both hundreds of feet away and yet entirely focused on – and present with – you. It is awe-inspiring.
Not long ago, I learned that the day before I was last there (to see a Cubs game with Kendall and her boys, of course) a small group of folks – as a joke – started a rumor that there was a man trapped inside the Bean, and that he had been imprisoned there by the sculptor nearly twenty years ago. They showed up to the park with placards and bullhorns, and boldly proclaimed, tongue in cheek, that a conspiracy was afoot – and called for immediate action. Someone got a video recording, of course, and the social media account “@maninbean” now has over 47 thousand followers, with over 9 million views. Alderman Brendan Reilly, whose 42nd ward is home to the Bean, said his office has been inundated with calls about the man trapped in the sculpture. I guess what PT Barnum was reported to have said is true – that there’s one born every minute.
As a Cubs fan, I could envision any number of rival fans locked away… But come on folks, really?
College pranks aside, the Cloud Gate – the Chicago Bean – has been a metaphor that I have been toying around with quite a bit as I think about our mission as disciples in this diocese in this time. The reflections of tremendous beauty, the new angles that challenge us to rethink long-entrenched ideas, the distortions that can lead us astray, and the call to a center where everything unimportant fades away and we know that there is but one point of clarity for us all – as St. John remind us, “The true light, which enlightens everyone.” And, as St. Paul proclaims and the Prayer Book reminds us, in this there is One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism.
So, let me stand back a bit, and first help us gaze upon the myriad reflections of grace and beauty that can be seen in the tremendous work that has been happening – and continues to happen – in the Diocese of Virginia.
I want to begin with a topic that has been much discussed over the past couple of years – the work to which this diocese called itself when meeting in Convention in 2021 through Resolution R-10a – a resolution that drew into focus the need for the people of this diocese to come to a reckoning with its past and present regarding the cruel and un-Christian practice of chattel slavery, and the ongoing economic, educational, emotional, and spiritual harm that it specifically – and racial injustice more generally – has caused.
The resolution called for the establishment of an initial fund in the amount of $10 million to be put to use in the work of repair, and created a Task Force to help discern God’s will for its use. In the months after that resolution passed such a Task Force was created, and was populated by some of the most faithful, creative, and dedicated Christians in this diocese. In the time that followed, their work opened the minds of many and moved us to holy ground.
During this past year, however, the Standing Committee and I – having been jointly tasked with oversight of this project by Resolution R-10a – came to the conclusion that a fresh perspective was needed as we look to the work that is still before us. So, we have refreshed the Task Force with a new roster of members, fine-tuned its directives, and began the process of implementing new processes to achieve our desired goals.
But what of the funding? Well, I stand before you this evening with the ability to tell you – for the first time in a Convention address – that we have identified sources for the initial $10 million fund called for in 2021-R-10a.
Thanks to the hard work of Diocesan Treasurer Ted Smith and others, we have identified sufficient assets that we may liquidate and are in the process of doing just that. Conservatively speaking, the sale of these assets – all now approved by the Standing Committee – will get us to the $10 benchmark. Keep in mind, though, that commercial real estate sales take time, and their negotiations require a certain level of confidentiality until the contracts close. Talking openly about too much could adversely affect our negotiating position, or even the final prices. All that being said – the grace and beauty of this moment is that we are now funding the ministry called for in R-10a. Of that I am confident.
Further, I want to say two things for clarification. First, there has recently been some inaccurate and misleading reporting about this project that, among other things, raised a question about a possible sale of the Truro Church property to be used to fund our reparations work. I need to remind us all – as the Task Force was reminded – that that asset is leased out through the year 2037 and is therefore not eligible to be put on the open market. But again, separate from that issue – we have identified and are marketing assets that will get us to the goal of the initial fund.
And second, I want to once again point out that I see an initial $10 million for this work not as a goal, but as a beginning. This work is far too important to limit.
Our work in the area of racial justice continues in other ways, as well, and is a reflection of God’s love and grace. The Diocesan Ministry for Racial Justice and Healing also has recently been refreshed in membership and charge, much like the Truth and Reparations Task Force. The Ministry is working diligently on educational and training programs, and is positioned well to be a resource to all of us as we strive to more fully respect the dignity of every human being.
Additionally, several of us are involved in the work of the Shockoe Legacy Foundation in Richmond, and the effort to build a museum in Shockoe Bottom that will tell a more full story of our region’s complicity in the slave trade. Similarly, St. Philip’s and St. Paul’s in Richmond are collaborating on a project that invites us to “walk with the enslaved,” which calls us to postures of remembrance, reflection, and concrete acts of reconciliation. My thanks in particular go out to the Rev’d Ben Campbell for his leadership in these projects.
Now if, as you stare at my metaphorical reflective sculpture, you turn your head just slightly, you will notice that a little more than year after taking a group of adults on a pilgrimage to sites across the southern United States to learn about and from our nation’s history of racial prejudice and injustice, Canon Hill and his team led a similar pilgrimage across the Commonwealth of Virginia this past fall. The conversation was rich, the learning intense, and the growing awareness of what has been and continues to be was transformative.
Similarly, our Triangle of Hope Youth Pilgrimage – a partnership with the dioceses of Liverpool in the UK and Kumasi in Ghana – gathered again this summer, this time here in Virginia. Unfortunately, the United States government denied entry visas to the Ghanaian delegation; the stated reason being that these teens – who would have been accompanied by adult chaperones – did not have a strong enough tie to their home country and might try to overstay their allowed time. But the Americans and Brits did their best to be in communication with their fellow pilgrims across the ocean during the pilgrimage nonetheless. Next summer, the gathering will be in Ghana – barring anything unusual preventing it. I continue to be impressed by the way lives are being changed through this program – and not just the lives of the youth, but of those they encounter as well.
Before I move off the topic of pilgrimage, let me tell you about something that happened last year. I was supposed to go to Ghana with a planning team from Virginia, but something came up a couple of weeks before departure and I could not go. At the last minute, we recruited a young woman named Isabelle Cresswell – then a senior in High School, and a member of St. Paul’s, Richmond and of the Diocesan Ministry for Racial Justice and Healing – to go in my stead. From what I hear it was a true God moment for all concerned, as she deeply engaged the people of Ghana, and taught some things to our own delegation as well.
I don’t want to be accused of putting my finger on the scales, but it would not surprise me if Isabelle is elected to be the 16th or 17th Bishop of Virginia. Just saying. But let’s let her finish college at Sewanee first, shall we?
And there are, of course, more reflections of grace that we can see in our common work together. These include a renewed focus on congregational vitality – the identification and empowering of the life and energy of all of our congregations, regardless of membership size.
Our Minister for Congregational Vitality, the Rev’d Shirley Smith Graham, has hit the ground running this year, gathering the faithful and the curious alike in all sixteen of our regions and in dozens upon dozens of our congregations. I have tasked our newest Assistant Bishop, Mark Bourlakas, to work with her and to bring his own experiences to bear as we seek to empower the work of the Gospel in each of our communities. And in places where there has been conflict, Canon d’Rue Hazel and a team of volunteers and staff have been working hard to reconcile hurts and bring the people of God together. It has been a long road for some, and there are some still on their travels, but the reawakening of love and care that we have seen time and again is sure proof that God is good, all the time.
We now have a full time Canon for Discipleship in place, and the Rev’d Ricardo Sheppard is nothing but reflected grace. His heart is so full of the love and care of Jesus, and enthusiasm for Jesus, that just being in the same room with him puts me in a good mood. He and others are working hard to network the talent that is present in this diocese, and to discern how best to connect us so that we may love Jesus, empower justice, and be disciples.
Canon Sheppard is but one person among many, of course, who are dedicated to the work of deepening every single member of this diocese’s relationship with God. Our campus ministries and our schools glisten with power and light. I was at St. Andrew’s School in Richmond a couple of weeks ago, and when I asked the students what they thought I had in my crozier bag, I was treated to such joyful responses that I smiled and giggled the whole rest of the day. A couple of my favorite guesses were “your lunch” and “a secret map” – but the kid that thought it contained a stack of photos of myself caused a bit of self-reflection on my part, to abuse my metaphor a bit.
Sunday after Sunday, I and our other bishops visit our congregations, experiencing love and care and a longing to fully know God. A few weeks ago I was privileged to participate in a Pride Eucharist in Richmond; there was such power and hope in the room, even in the face of the hate that is so often directed at the LGBTQ+ community. Our congregations all over the diocese, especially in Northern Virginia, are providing pastoral care for those affected by employment layoffs in this time of political gamesmanship, and are finding creative and productive ways, and developing new networks, to minister to Latino/Latina persons when any public gathering could be a magnet for an ICE raid. And an adult confirmand at Trinity Church, Washington, recently told me that finally, finally, after years for searching for a church, he said that for the very first time he felt like he “was home.” And we see and hear that over and over again.
The loving and graceful work of discipleship is also reflected in our worldwide mission efforts – in places like Haiti, the Sudan, Honduras, Cuba, and Tanzania – work that calls us to look beyond our borders and to be present with all of God’s creation. Ms. Diane Wright chairs our diocesan ministry and deserves our gratitude for her hard and creative work – as do the many others who are called by God to this effort all across the Diocese of Virginia.
And, our ministry in the Commonwealth among the incarcerated – in our jails and prisons – reflects God’s call to reach through all that separates us, and to proclaim that God loves everyone, regardless of circumstance.
I would be completely remiss if I did not ask us to turn our gaze upon the wonderful gift that is Shrine Mont. We celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Shrine this August, and it was glorious. Now, we are embarking on a capital campaign that will set the stage for a successful next 100 years.
Speaking of Shrine Mont, nothing reflects an image of grace and love in this diocese more than our summer camping program. This year, we saw a 12% increase in campership over last year; we implemented new policies and procedures to ensure safety, transparency, and accountability; and we gave an experience of the divine to family after family. We were blessed by the interim leadership of Marybeth Abplanalp, and welcomed a new director for the coming years in the person of Greg Randall. And, we did good, holy work with drawing into conversation and reconciliation many who have experienced emotional or spiritual hurt over recent years through their interaction with the camps. No effort in this life ever cures all ills, but this work has brought new health in so many ways. Shrine Mont is indeed a place apart; a place that reflects boldly our commitment to discipleship.
Now let me talk a bit about a reflection that has been there without really being seen much this past year, but one that is about to become a critical piece of our faith development. I reported to you at our last Convention that the Diocese of Virginia has been awarded a 5-year, $1.25 million grant to experiment with ways to increase and improve worship for and with children from birth through age 10. We are calling this program “Pathways to Prayer and Practice,” and, after a year of doing foundational work, we now are ready to begin the experimenting and learning in earnest. This is not a Sunday School program, or an effort at a turnkey program to make all things wonderful, but a work of true learning that will develop resources to make children and their families feel more connected to our corporate worship.
To draw this time of reflection to a close, I want to highlight that our diocesan communications continue to be retooled to show off all of these reflections of grace more clearly. We are offering church website redesign, and telling stories of successes, and looking for new ways to connect with people where they are in this, the 21st century. We are committed to telling the stories well – because we are all a gift, one to another. We are a multicultural, multi-background, multigenerational, multi-perspective Church, and I have recently heard from more than one person, on more than one subject, that there is a deep sense of optimism in this diocese at present. Given this, sometimes it helps to step back and admire all that God has made.
But equally so, as with the Cloud Gate in Chicago, it is also important to step back and pay attention to the distortions that we find surrounding us in our society, our culture, and our country in these days. Especially when they reflect an abuse of our values, or a corruption of our faith. And, my siblings in Christ, make no mistake about it – such distortions are legion in this time.
Let me start with this: Arguments about the separation of Church and State aside, I have nothing against the desire to post the Ten Commandments in places where folks can see and learn from them. I think they are pretty good writing, actually, and very good teaching. After all, God came up with them. But, if we are going to post scripture to learn from, I ask the same question many ask – why not the Beatitudes? You know, those words of Jesus – blessed are the poor, the meek, those who cry out in grief, the hungry, the merciful? Why not those words? Or, if you want to stick with the Old Testament, then why not the passage that we read today from Exodus, found just two short chapters after the Commandments themselves? You know, all that stuff about how mad God gets when we treat foreigners baldly; or mistreat the poor, or widows, or orphans? Why not those words?
Well, my theory is that those passages do not fit the distortions being perpetrated in the lust for power that we are witnessing day in and day out – a lust for power at the expense of people of color, and of non-binary and transgender persons, and of gay and lesbian persons, and of persons who the privileged can easily and quickly label as “the other.” We are witnessing distortions that use the words of the Christian faith, but without context or the love and grace of that faith.
When politicians call us to dream of a time before “they” (whoever “they” may be) started changing things, and work to take us back to such a time, it is then that the dream of God so eloquently described by Verna Dozier is being at best distorted, and at worse being outright ignored or lied about.
When love of God and family is equated with the love of guns or racial purity, that is a distortion of the dream of God.
When the totalism of a movement often referred to as Christian Nationalism proclaims that one country is favored by God over all others, that is a distortion of the dream of God.
When Old Testament theology around the nature of a chosen people is co-opted for a modern and racist philosophy of Discovery and white-centric Manifest Destiny, that is a distortion of the dream of God.
When people who have followed the laws for seeking asylum in this country are rounded up by masked officials and held captive without due process or basic human dignity, that is a distortion of the dream of God.
When women, men, and children who have fled hunger or tyranny and come to this country without proper documentation, but who desperately want it and would willingly accept it, are subjected to that same cruel and authoritarian arrest policy while also being dehumanized and labeled as an “illegal” instead of recognized as persons who desperately need our care and compassion, well, that is a distortion of the dream of God.
When children are separated from their parents and put in cages by the government, that is a distortion of the dream of God.
When for-profit detention centers are the order of the day, when companies make a living off of locking up immigrants, that is a distortion of the dream of God.
When a religious leader stands before an elected representative and calmly begs for mercy for those living in fear and is labeled as “nasty,” that is a distortion of the dream of God.
When supplemental food benefits for the unemployed and working poor are cut off while elected leaders throw lavish parties and play golf three days a week, that is a distortion of the dream of God.
And when whole groups of people believe that these things – and more – are okay, then the dream of God has been replaced by a human nightmare. Folks seem willing to believe anything in this nightmare. It’s as if we are saying, “Sure, there’s been a man trapped in the Bean for twenty years. Yeah, that makes sense.” But it doesn’t. Not if you read the words printed in red. You know – the ones Jesus actually said.
So, how do we, as disciples of Jesus, effectively deal with these distortions? Well, we must, must, must re-center ourselves in and with the true love and grace of God in Christ Jesus. We must stand firm at the point where distortion gives way to focus – at the omphalos of our created being and relationship with the One who created us. We must be, as Howard Thurman wrote of Jesus, we must be “simply, directly truthful, whatever may be the cost in life, limb, or security.” [Jesus and the Disinherited]
To our siblings who live in fear of arrest and deportation, or of loss of marital status, or of a denial of medical benefits or education or affordable housing or food security – for these human beings and others, those of us who live in privilege must be allies and be willing to say clearly that we see you for who you are – without the distortions of the day – and we will fight for your right to live as an equal to all.
We must stand firm and create not only safe spaces for people in need, but brave spaces for people to proclaim right in the face of wrong, and love in the face of hate.
In a day when reality is being redefined – and the very definition of “Christian” is being challenged and abused – and loud voices metaphorically but effectively are claiming that a man is trapped inside the Bean – and countless individuals are believing it – it is then that we must, as disciples of Jesus, recenter ourselves and stand firm in the truth proclaimed at the beginning of the Gospel according to St. John:
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. (Not just those who look, pray, love, or speak like the privileged class, but all people.) The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
My siblings in Christ: The distortions are real, and legion. But a “legion,” as historians will tell you, is a finite and human-made construct. The reflections of grace and love of God, however, are counted as myriads of myriads – infinite in a life lived standing in humility, awe, and resolve before our creator.
My siblings in Christ – the man inside the Bean is a distortion, and evil. Distortions of the gospel are evil. Do not give in to that fallacy.
Instead, stay centered, stay focused, and speak the truth. Instead: Love Jesus. Embody Justice. Be Disciples.
In the Name of God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit. Amen.