Saint Monica's Episcopal Church
Messenger
November 2014
Ghosts by Jeremiah Sierra from Episcopal Church Vital Practices on October 27, 2014 I went on a ghost tour a few years ago in Lower Manhattan. We walked by old buildings and parks and our guide told us about the people who had died there and also about the occasional hauntings that had been reported. It was more of a history and local folklore tour than a ghost tour. I would argue that the things that haunt us are not spirits of the dead but memories of the past. We can often feel these “ghosts” of the past in old church buildings and in our communities. In the churchyard of Trinity Wall Street, where I work, more than 11,000 people are buried, from extremely wealthy people and founding fathers to the poorest of New York’s residents. I’ve heard no reports of ghost sightings on the grounds, yet Trinity’s long history affects what Trinity does and how it understands itself. We can often feel these ghosts in our relationships. A parishioner who has had a bad experience at another church may be extra-sensitive to what the priest says or does, for example. That parishioner might not be responding simply to the individual, but to the ghosts of past priests. There may also be ghosts in our church neighborhoods. St. Lydia’s, the church I attend on Sundays, has moved into a new neighborhood in Brooklyn. Brooklyn has changed a lot in past years as real estate prices have shot up and people have been pushed out, especially minorities. When a church plants a new program in a particular neighborhood, say an afterschool program, it has to take into account that longtime residents will be responding not just to that new program, but also to the history surrounding the arrival of newcomers. We are often fooled into thinking that if we choose our words and actions carefully, that we can predict how others will react. But often we aren’t the only ones speaking. The ghosts have a say, whether we like it or not.
Our Staff & Vestry Vestry: Chuck Barnett - Senior Warden, Dan Ferguson- Junior Warden, Ann Philen, Bill Ramsey, Melanie Velaski, Beth Woods, Linda Aligood, Tom Chaapel, Frank Murphy Carol Farrel - Treasurer Viv Welch—Clerk of the Vestry Twinette McDonald - Music Director Sally Putters - Parish Nurse
There isn’t much we can do about these ghosts except acknowledge them. This is really just another way of saying that history matters and cannot be ignored. We can speak and act kindly and understand that everyone and every community has a history, and sometimes that history haunts us.
& Silent Auction! Be sure to join us Saturday, November 8 at 6:00 pm
To benefit St. Monica’s playground renovations Live Music by Fred and Company, Emceed by John Velaski, Delicious food, & Door Prizes! Fabulous auction items include original art, handmade quilts, hand knitted apparel, holiday decorations, collectibles, home décor, vintage jewelry & more! To view auction items, go to https://plus.google.com/photos/1089420736401718 88391/albums/6075042325712700209