De Colores

From Lee Shaw:

For the 2+ years I have been at St. Stephen's, I have enjoyed the Latino congregation and taking part (on a limited basis to be sure) in their liturgies and enjoying their fellowship. When we do a joint San Esteban/St. Stephen's liturgy it is always bi-lingual. That is just the way things should be for us and it is good.

So, I come to convention and the worship is printed in English and Spanish and daily, part of the liturgy from sermon to music to Eucharistic Prayer, is in Spanish. That is just the way things should be for our worship at convention.

In the House of Deputies we have 16 flags draped behind the main platform: the American flag and then 15 other flags of countries where the Episcopal Church is established outside of the USA. As the President of the House of Deputies noted, we are an international church. We are NOT the Episcopal Church in the United States of America (ECUSA). We are not the "national" Episcopal Church. We are an international church, the ONLY international church in the Anglican Communion. For that reason we have our materials translated into Spanish and French. We have 15 foreign flags in the House of Deputies. That is just the way things should be done in the House of Deputies.

That changed for me today.

On the way from my committee on Evangelism to the Convention Center and the worship service I walked past the main doors to the Convention Center. For the last couple of days there has been a Latino combo outside playing music and singing as the deputies and bishops enter the hall. As I walked by today I had to pause. The were playing and singing with a great Latin beat and in Spanish, "The Battle Hymn of the Republic."

Now wait just a minute!! I grew up with "TBHR." Of course it was the Mormon Tabernacle Choir version. But it was "our" song, Americana, our heritage and our history.

"Glory, glory, hallelujah our God is marching on!"

Then I heard it today with a great Latin beat and in Spanish. It wasn't "our" God doing the marching on at all. And through my ears I had new sight.

This is not just the way things should be because we want to be "inclusive" and "welcoming." This is the way things are because we are all in this together. There is not just "mine" and "yours." There is a common sharing our of common life as Episcopalians, Anglicans, Christians. You add to my life and culture as hopefully I have something to add to your life and culture.

It was a wonderful moment for me to have the pieces fall into place. We don't do things in Spanish because that is the way we "should" do it. We do it because we are in this together and we all need to understand one another to be together with one another. We do it because we are called to be one in Christ Jesus. And the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

St. Paul wrote to the church in Galatia: "There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female, for all of you are one in Christ Jesus." (3:38)

For us today he could have written: "There is no longer Anglo and Latino, there is no longer rich or poor, there is no longer gay and straight, for all of you are one in Christ Jesus."

Demos gracious a Dios!

Memo to Mormon Tabernacle Choir: Get a Latin beat to your version of the "Battle Hymn of the Republic."

Note from Toni: the liturgy is always simultaneously presented in sign language. The discussions in the House are translated simultaneously into Spanish - just like the UN!