The View from Bolton Street
Art Against Violence
Many may remember last year when Memorial hosted a display of art created by kids who have dealt with violence first hand. It was a moving collection of often-times raw emotion that, we think, connected with much of the justice work we try to focus on here.
We are pleased to announce that Art Against Violence, specifically from the University of Maryland Medical Center, R. Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center, will return to Memorial on March 22nd as part of National Youth Violence Prevention Week - March 19-23.
That evening, from 4-7, the artists will be on hand to showcase their work, answer questions, and be judged. The artwork will remain on display in the back of the church through Good Friday, for all to experience, after which it will head to other venues around Baltimore before returning to UMMC. The artists range in age from elementary school to young adults in college. We hope many of you will make time to witness their response to violence and support their courage and recovery.
Summer Camps at Memorial
Coming this Summer to Memorial for a return engagement it's Mr. Ionic Bond and the Science Guys Camps. The Science Guys held two camps last year at Memorial and they were a huge success, despite warm weather and no AC, and very last minute arrangements. So, if you are thinking about what to do with your younger ones this Summer - act quickly. Space is limited and they will likely book completely long before the end of the school year.
June 11-15, June 18-22, July 23-27, and August 13-17. For more details, and to find out which specific camp is being offered for each of these weeks, please visit scienceguysofbaltimore.com/science-camp or call 443 436 2663
And, for the first time in a long time, Memorial will be offering a church camp this summer. The week of August 20-August 24. Details are being worked out, but if you are interested, please contact the office - the more interest we see the more likely this will happen.
Look Forward: Sunday Night Live!
Youth Group: Sunday Night Live
The Memorial Episcopal teens were invited this fall to join Sunday Night Live, a youth group experience hosted by Brown Memorial. Corpus Christi youth also joined. Meeting monthly, the teens tackled tough issues in small group discussions, participated in large group team building and shared delicious dinners cooked by adult volunteers. Activities varied by themes of the month. For example, October's session ended with a pumpkin carving contest in which all of the students' jack-o-lanterns lined up in front of Brown for judging by adults and in November, the youth divided in three teams (as if they were on a Food Network game show) to create side dishes and desserts for a collaborative Thanksgiving meal.
Each meeting starts with dinner, and is followed by Associate Pastor Tim Hughes of Brown Memorial "preaching" on the topic of the evening. After this the youth break out into age appropriate groups and continue the discussion, or work on a project related to it. Afterwards they reconvene to share insights and have dessert.
The March meeting will be on Palm Sunday, March 25, at Memorial in Upper Farnham Hall and will feature Middle Eastern cuisine. We encourage all to get involved, whether you have kids of the right age or not. In many ways, these are the young people who will inherit our world and it is inspiring to see them engaging it in positive ways and already laying a foundation for leading good lives of purpose.
The view from Bolton Street
They shall come and make known to a people yet unborn *
the saving deeds that he has done. - Psalm 22:30
This weekend the Vestry goes on retreat. We welcome our new vestry members, Daviedra Sauldsberry, Bill Wells and Fred Demers. We welcome our new Junior Warden Bill Roberts. And we welcome some time apart to come together as a group and reflect on where God is calling Memorial in 2018 and beyond.
Now we won’t be gone very far. The retreat is right here in Baltimore! We will spend the bulk of our time in a community organization’s space in the Station North Neighborhood, and will do a tour of West Baltimore to become more familiar with some of the strengths and challenges of our neighboring communities.
The big focus of this retreat is a discussion about how to change the culture of our parish around children and around race. How can we become more inviting for children and families and for people of all backgrounds — ‘becoming the Beloved Community’ as our Presiding Bishop has called us to do?
So I am, of course, drawn to this verse from the psalms, where we remember both that we are here to make a place for those who come after us AND that we are also those unborn to those who came before us. This reminder that the work (making known the saving deeds he has done) remains the same even as our context and our audience shifts and changes from generation to generation.
On Sunday, The Rev. Shivaun Wilkinson will be joining us in the pulpit as she helps our congregation imagine how we can best serve those who are coming after us. An expert in the Episcopal Church in children’s formation and creating communities that embrace believers of all ages, she will be working with the vestry, parents and anyone who is interested over the next few months to help craft new programs for the children in our pews, and for the families too as we seek to create a church that continues to be a sanctuary and place of rest for kids, their parents, and all of us.
See you in Church!
Wednesday Ecumenical Lenten Series kicks off
Last Wednesday, February 14th, Ash Wednesday, Valentine's Day, the 2018 West Baltimore Ecumenical Lenten Series began at Memorial. A vibrant crowd of around 100 people braved the slightly less than lovely weather to listen to Rev. Dr. Bill Calhoun of Trinity Baptist preach. Dr. William Sydnor of Florida Avenue Baptist Church, in Washington D.C. made our new organ sound magnificent and Ms. Sarah Edwards of New Shiloh and Enon Baptist Churches sang the Rendition.
Dr. Calhoun invited us all to Wonder and Wander in the Way - a reminder that we are not on this journey alone. A topical, occasionally humorous, and much needed sermon set the tone for the series and there were many cries of "Amen!" from the congregation.
This week Rev. Dr. Douglas E. Summers of Providence Baptist Church was our preacher. His message was "Pathways to Pursue". Working as a follow up to last week's wondering and wandering, Dr. Summers suggested some worthwhile pathways to help us on the way, and encouraged all to be at peace with getting lost now and then. Sometimes you have to lose yourself, to find the way.
Dr. Sydnor again was our Organist and Music Director, and Rodney Merrick of Florida Avenue Baptist made the trek from Washington to share some truly beautiful music at the Rendition.
After the services the assembled throngs enjoyed a wonderful meal arranged by Marjorie Forster. There were many volunteers there to make these events work and we thank all of them. It was so successful we increased our numbers by more than 50% in the second week. So if you have any inclination to help out with the luncheon, please do contact Marjorie!
The photos below will hopefully give a good idea of the day, and should encourage all who can to join us for a much needed spiritual break in the middle of the week.
Sunday Night Live!
Sunday, February 25 at 5:30 pm in Upper Farnham Hall
Festivities should end around 8 pm
Sunday Night Live! is a fun, lively gathering of teenagers and tweens that occurs on the fourth Sunday of each month. SNL usually happens at Brown Memorial, but due to the renovations in progress there, Memorial will be hosting in February and March.
This Sunday, the 25th, is the February meeting. All 5th to 12th graders are invited to join us for dinner and games and some good discussion about the world and our places in it. The group generally divides to discuss age appropriate topics, so all should truly feel welcome.
We hope you, or your children, will join us this Sunday in Upper Farnham Hall at 5:30 pm - the more the merrier.
Youth Education Leadership Training
Youth Education Leadership Training Workshop at Govans Presbyterian Church on York Road
Wednesdsay, February 21 6:30 - 8:30 pm
The program teaches:.
- A faith based program for youth on caring for Creation
- An emphasis on watershed literacy
- What faith tradition teaches about the sacredness of water
- How to be good caretakers of our environment
Participants will receive:
- Customized training of adult volunteers from the congregation on how to lead a Vacation Bible School or Sunday School progra or other youth education program relating to watershed stewardshi
- A materials list and training packet so that congregations can continue to train future adult volunteers as they need
Guest Preacher The Rev. Shivaun Wilkinson this Sunday
This Sunday Memorial is proud to welcome The Rev. Shivaun Wilkinson to our pulpit. Shivaun+ is an expert within the Episcopal Church at helping churches craft a culture that welcomes and engages all ages. She will be here specifically to help us figure out our Children's and Youth programming. We encourage all with kids, grand-kids, god-kids, friends who are children or who just know a kid, to come on Sunday and engage the conversation. We've made a start but there is still much work to be done, and it will take much focus and dedication from many hearts and hands to make it a success. Come be part of the start of that success this Sunday.