“The renewing of our churches for the healing of the world.”

Several times I have thought about “the service at the Cathedral on Saturday.” That’s me, having somewhere deep in my brain decided that the Mid-Hudson regional diocesan gathering at Christ Church in Poughkeepsie on Saturday July 29 was at a cathedral.

Christ Church is enormous, compared to our small country churches up here at St. James’ and St. Margaret’s. As Kathleen—my friend from St. Margaret’s—and I walked up to the entrance, the Gothic, deep-red arches over the driveway made me think of a cathedral’s enclosure.

The interior is grand, with an immensely high ceiling and side chapels complete with special devotional spaces and rows of votive candles. Then there was a grand processional, with a verger, a crucifer, deacon, choir, priests, and two bishops.

Ana Hernandez from St. John’s, Kingston led the regional choir. The drums accompanying the processional made for a compelling pulse to the simple South African song we all sang: “God welcomes all, strangers and friends; God’s love is strong and it never ends.” 

I saw many strangers and friends there from all over the region: the Glancey family, Kerri Palermo and Kristina, Eric Zavadil, Deacon Gail, Mother Meredith, Father Chuck, Father Masud—and from St. Margaret’s there was Kathleen, Deacon Shirley and Sherman and David McNary. Two of the monks from Holy Cross Monastery, Father Witt from Rural and Migrant Ministries, Father Allan Ford, and so many more.

This service was several things at once: it was a festive Eucharist honoring the feast of Mary and Martha of Bethany. It was a gathering of  Episcopal lay and clergy from all over our part of the diocese of New York; it was also a hello and a goodbye to two Bishops.  Bishop Andy Dietsche gave a short speech—a  recounting of his time in the diocese. It felt poignant and like an official naming of the end of one era and the beginning of a new one.

The sermon from Bishop Coadjutor Matt Heyd fairly crackled with encouragement, energy, and hope. Here are some of the things I took home from his message:

1. We all got “Martha” points for showing up to a long church service on a Saturday in the steaming heat. This is in reference that story from Luke 10:38-42, in which Jesus visits his friends Martha and Mary of Bethany. Mary is hanging out listening to Jesus while Martha bustles away getting the meal ready. Martha comes out and says, Jesus, why am I doing all this work and my sister gets to chill out with you? Jesus’ reply: “Martha, Martha, you are distracted by many things.” Bishop Matt asked us if any of us ever felt like Martha. He gave a knowing wink and a smile. He radiated humor and understanding.
2. He unflinchingly named the fact that every parish is experiencing a struggle and has had losses—in members and in revenue—and that church doesn’t feel the same as it did even just a few years ago. But he urged us not to be distracted by this and instead went on to say:
3. “It is life and death and resurrection important that we be present”—to each other and to our communities. To not be distracted by the past. But to be present to the now.
4. Bishop Matt reinforced Paul’s message from the Epistle reading (Romans 12), in which Paul was encouraging the congregation in Rome. He said we should take the following three points from Paul as our grounding advice whenever we start to feel anxious or lost about our churches: a) rejoice in hope; b) be patient in suffering; c) be constant in prayer. I was really moved by this, and thought – this is great advice for my life, every day. As well for us collectively at St. James.
5. Finally, he said God’s story for us in the Diocese of New York is the renewing of our churches for the healing of the world. That final statement felt like a mic-drop moment.

We heard and sang psalm, scripture, prayers and hymns in both Spanish and English. I felt proud that Mother Meredith and Father Matthew Wright of Woodstock were the planning co-chairs.

Hope was alive in the space, in spite of the oppressive heat. So, no—Christ Church Poughkeepsie is not a cathedral. But the richness and bigness of it all felt momentous.