CrosswalkEpiphany2005

Hospitality made

easy

Check out these

inexpensive, practical,

and effective tips for

a more visitor-

friendly church.

8

Mi casa es su

casa

Three writers

reflect on Christian

hospitality en

español.

9

www.edusc.org

inside

Visit our diocese online

CrosswalkThe official publication of the Episcopal Diocese of Upper South Carolina

r

Epiphany 2005

Holy Eucharist for

the unbaptized?

What, if anything,

does the issue of

“open communion”

have to do with

hospitality? Two

Upper South

Carolinians offer

two opinions.

16

Don’t be a

stranger!

After 37 years of

ordained ministry, 25

of them on the

bishop’s staff, our

beloved Archdeacon

Byrd retires.

4

See page 3See page 3

83718_Crosswalk_Rev1.qxd 1/20/2005 11:50 AM Page 2

Epiphany 2005 Crosswalk

CrosswalkOfficial Publication of the

Episcopal Diocese of Upper South Carolina 1115 Marion Street

Columbia, South Carolina 29201

803.771.7800/800.889.6961803.799.5119 fax

[email protected]

Crosswalk E-mail [email protected]

Bishop The Rt. Rev. Dorsey F. Henderson, Jr.

Archdeacon and Senior PastoralAssistant to the Bishop

The Ven. Frederick C. [email protected]

Canon for Christian FormationThe Rev. J. Philip Purser

[email protected]

Canon for Congregations & MissionThe Rev. Mark Clevenger

[email protected]

Canon for Youth Ministry The Rev.

L. Sue von [email protected]

Canon for Communications,Editor of Crosswalk

Peggy Van Antwerp [email protected]

Executive Assistant to Bishop Henderson Jane B. Goldsmith

[email protected]

Canon for Finance andAdministration

Julie Price [email protected]

Assistant to Archdeacon ByrdBonnie Blackberg

[email protected]

Assistant for Christian Formation,Manager of Diocesan Resource Center

Roslyn [email protected]

Assistant for Finance and InsuranceCynthia Hendrix

[email protected]

Assistant for Youth Ministry and Communications

Dora Jane [email protected]

Visit us on the Web atwww.edusc.org

Epiphany 2005

On the Feast of the Holy Nativity…throughout the Twelve Daysof Christmas…throughout Epiphany...throughout the year of ourLord 2005…

May you…may the ones you love….may the world…

Know happiness and share it...find peace and live it…understand love and give it.

The blessing of God Almighty: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, be upon you and remain with you this Christmas season and always.

Is it a stretch to see a connection between Christian hospitality (the theme ofthis issue of Crosswalk) and the sharing of godly happiness, living as godlypeacemakers, and giving godly love?

Hospitality, according to my trusty Cruden's Concordance, is a virtue whichhas "always been very much esteemed by civilized peoples" but especially withinOld and New Testament communities. Jewish laws regarding relationships withstrangers are framed in accordance with the spirit of hospitality (Lev. 19:33-34).Before the giving of the law there were many instances of the entertaining ofstrangers, the accounts of which are spiritually instructive. (See Gen. 18:2, forexample.) The Concordance continues, "In Apostolic times [hospitality] wasstrongly enjoined on the followers of Christ. . . ." (Emphases mine.)

Perhaps the most famous of the appeals for Christian hospitality is the onefound in Hebrews 13:2: "Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for bydoing that some have entertained angels without knowing it." This may havebeen a reference to the experience of Abraham and Sarah whose three unexpectedguests are referred to first as "men" (Gen. 18:2ff) but later as "angels" (19:1).

But the virtue (hospitality extended not only to strangers but to everyone) isso important to Christian living that it is listed twice in the New Testament asone of the requirements for the episcopacy: "For a bishop, as God's steward . . .must be hospitable. . . ." (Titus 1:8 and 1 Tim. 3:2). As the bishop is, in part, anoutward and visible sign of the shepherding ministry in which we all share,hospitality is urged upon the entire Christian community as a paramountChristian virtue. In the First Letter of St. Peter, we are reminded that, inpreparation for "the end of all things . . . above all, maintain constant love for oneanother, for love covers a multitude of sins. Be hospitable to one another withoutcomplaining. Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve oneanother with whatever gift each of you has received" (4:7 ff).

The biblical imperative of hospitality deems it an essential ingredient of eachof the five factors of a healthy Christian community: (1) the physical plant (so-called—we're talking about our buildings and grounds here); (2) Christiancommunity (mutual fellowship and nurture); (3) worship (listed in the middle ofthe other four because worship is the central factor; (4) a sense of mission; and, (5) awareness that we belong to something larger than ourselves, larger than ourimmediate congregation.

The biblical imperative also means that hospitality must also be an integralpart of the six goals we have set for ourselves within our mission action plan("One Body, One Mission: Changing Lives")—evangelism, Christian formation,youth and young adult ministry, communications, diocesan effectiveness, andoutreach.

The reading from Titus used at Christmas reminds us that "the grace of Godhas appeared, bringing salvation to all. . . and [to] purify for himself a people. . .who are zealous for good deeds." As the people of the Incarnation, as the peopleof Christmas—as a people called to be hospitable with God's happiness, peaceand love—how do we measure up?

Faithfully yours in our Lord,

Upper South Carolina VII

Upper South Carolina VII

P.S. For a broader understanding of Christian hospitality, I take the liberty torecommend that you research in dictionary the definitions, not only of hospitalityitself, but also of hospital and hospice. You will find that these institutions ofhospitality have their origins in the Christian virtue and their genesis within thereligious community, and were designed not only for the physical care of people,but their spiritual care as well—and are thus models for the Church today.

www.edusc.org

Visit our diocese online

2

Please send all Crosswalk

address corrections, deletions or

additions to:

Starboard Communications, Inc.

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Bishop’s DeskFROM THE

Bishop’s Desk newsB R E A K I N G

Comings and goings

at Diocesan House

The Ven. Frederick C. Byrd, archdeacon,retired December 31, 2004, but willcontinue to serve on staff part-time assenior pastoral assistant to the bishop,working with young adult ministry and tooversee the ordination process. The Rev.Mark Clevenger, new diocesan canon forcongregations and mission, joined BishopHenderson's staff on January 11. Read allabout 'em on pages 4-5 and 6.

Tsunami relief

Episcopal Relief and Development (ERD)aid to tsunami victims in South Asiacontinues. Contributions may be madeonline at www.er-d.org, or by mail to:Episcopal Relief and Development, SouthAsia Relief Fund, P.O. Box 12043,Newark, NJ 07101. Visit the ERDnewsroom at www.er-d.org for updates onrelief efforts.

Windsor Report—Important dates

February 21-26: The primates meet inNewcastle, Ireland, to receive the finalreport.June 2005: The Anglican ConsultativeCouncil (ACC) meets in Nottingham,England, to receive the final report. TheACC is the Anglican Communion's chieflegislative body, comprising more than 100bishops, clergy and lay representatives. TheACC, one of the Anglican Communion'sfour "instruments of unity," which alsoinclude the Archbishop of Canterbury, thePrimates Meeting, and the LambethConference, is the only body that has theauthority to act legislatively on therecommendations of the Windsor Report.

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Crosswalk Epiphany 2005

3

Hospitality—for many the word brings to mind the latest entertaining tips, cozygatherings of family and friends, or a career in the hotel and restaurant industry.

But for Christian people, hospitality goes far beyond all of these—beyond even theins-and-outs of coffee hour at church.

Hospitality is a central theme in Scripture and Christian tradition. We find itrunning throughout the Old and New Testaments—from the story of Abraham,Sarah, and the visiting "angels" in Genesis 18 to the encounter on the road toEmmaus in Luke 24, to the promise of Jesus who stands at the door in Revelation 3,waiting to come in "and eat with you." The Gospels in particular emphasizehospitality as a way of life: Jesus is portrayed as outsider, guest, host, the very "bread oflife." We see or hear of him often at table with others; we learn from him what itmeans to be a neighbor, how lavishly God welcomes prodigals home, that hospitality,truly practiced, leads to acceptance of the poor and defenseless, prisoners and captives,even our enemies. Hospitality, in fact, in the form of the Holy Eucharist, is thecenterpiece of our common worship—a constant reminder of God's welcomingacceptance and our invitation to come in to the Kingdom of God.

From the early Christian era until the late Middle Ages, Christians understood theministry of hospitality as a moral requirement, the sharing of one's own resources withthose who were poor, disadvantaged, or far from home. Concern for hospitality gaverise to hospices and hospitals; it reminded monastic communities, including followersof the sixth-century Rule of St. Benedict, that in welcoming others, we welcomeChrist himself.

This issue of Crosswalk looks at some of the ways in which we in Upper SC livethat tradition of hospitality, as well as some of the ways in which we might deepen ourcommitment to hospitality as a way of life. Welcoming the stranger—churched andunchurched (by sprucing up the property; sharing what it means to be a member ofthe Body of Christ, whether in dialogue or at the altar rail; welcoming those whocome, in the hope of new life, from alien lands; extending hospitality to God in newways, in our own hearts and souls. We also look back on the career of one who hasalways welcomed us, the Ven. Frederick C. Byrd, beloved archdeacon, who retired onDecember 31, 2004. And we welcome a stranger (not for long) to BishopHenderson's staff, the Rev. Mark Clevenger, canon for congregations & mission.

One Body . . . One Mission: Changing Lives—that is the vision in this dioceseto which we believe we have been called. May we come to understand the power ofChristian hospitality to change lives—our own and the lives of those who share ourspace, if only for a moment.

—Editor

WHAT’SIN THE

WORD?

By D. Jonathan Grieser

elcoming God

WThe stories of Genesis offer mysterious and intriguing insights into the relationships between God and human beings, aswell as into the mindset of the Hebrew authors who wrote and edited the text. We occasionally hear these stories as part

of the lectionary cycle, but rarely do we hear sermons on them. Perhaps that is because the questions they raise are soproblematic, so alien, to modern minds. Among my favorite stories of this type is Abraham's encounter with God recordedin Genesis 18. The story begins with a mysterious image. "Yahweh appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre." Abraham issitting, perhaps dozing, under the shade offered by these trees, escaping the heat of midday. Suddenly three men appearbefore him. We, the readers, know that God is here among these three men, but Abraham does not. Nevertheless he

welcomes them. He offers them lavish hospitality, washing their feet, feedingthem, giving them rest.

Eventually, Abraham learns what the reader has known from the outset,that he is being visited by God. Once again God promises him that he willhave a son, and nine months later, Isaac is born.

Natural hospitalityThis story presents one of the biblical archetypes for hospitality. The

author of Hebrews uses it to admonish us to entertain strangers "for by doingthat some have entertained angels without knowing it" (Heb. 13:2). What isinteresting in the story as presented in Genesis, though, is that Abraham'shospitality is a natural outgrowth of who he is. He does it, not because he isseeking a reward either in this life or the next, but because it is in his nature tobe hospitable. That it turns out he is being hospitable to God is not of greatimportance to the story.

Abraham's actions remind me of something quite different. In Hinduism,one of the chief ways in which Hindus express their love of

By the Rev. Richard H. Norman, Jr.

Ihave never attended, visited, or served a congregation whose people did notconsider themselves truly welcoming. But are we . . . really . . . hospitable?

I am blessed to have a very dear friend named Jack; we have been friendsfor over 15 years. Our friendship goes back to our days at the GeneralTheological Seminary when we lived across from one another in the dormitorywe affectionately called "Kohne Abbey." Over the years we have stayed in closecontact and we have been purposeful these last few years to speak regularly(every two weeks or so) with one another. Over the course of time, it has notbeen uncommon for us to find ourselves chewing on the topic of Christianhospitality—what we have seen, what we have experienced, what we wouldhope for in a Christian community.

When it comes to scriptural teaching on the topic of hospitality Jack refersto Hebrews 13:2 ("Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for bydoing that some have entertained angels without knowing it."), while I look toRomans 12:10,12 ("Love one another with mutual affection; outdo oneanother in showing honor. . . . Contribute to the needs of the saints; extendhospitality to strangers."). Different words, slightly different angles, but thesame message.

Plain and simple, we are to practice hospitality—hospitality being that actof friendship shown a visitor. For worshipping communities that means we areto make visitors feel welcome and at home. That directive has

—continued on page 16


Entertaining angels

In this issue



4

By Pam Steude

The time has come to pack up the"antique" Smith Corona

typewriter, Clemson memorabilia, andphotos of godchildren that adorn hisoffice. Archdeacon Frederick C. Byrd isretiring after 37 years in the ministry,but will continue to serve part time assenior pastoral assistant to the bishop.Byrd has served the Diocese of UpperSouth Carolina as archdeacon for 25years, appointed by the Rt. Rev.William A. Beckham after his electionas sixth bishop of the diocese in 1979.

When Bishop Beckham asked himto become archdeacon, Byrd at firstdeclined, saying he was happy being apriest in a small church, but he agreedto think and pray about it. Byrd hadpreached a sermon at St. Luke's,Newberry, on Judges 6:36-40 regardingGod's call to Gideon to rescue Israel, inwhich Gideon twice put out a fleece ofwool to confirm the call.

In order to consider theappointment as archdeacon, Byrd spenta few days at Camp Gravatt for prayerand discernment. As he was leaving forGravatt, he found some wool on the

desk in his office. "I never found outwho placed it there, but I took thatwool to Gravatt with me as a reflectionpoint while I considered my call," Byrdsaid. So he went to Gravatt and"prayed and stewed and prayed somemore," and, as they say, the rest ishistory.

"The man for the job"Bishop Beckham, who had known

Byrd as a preteen camper, knew he wasthe right man for the job. "First of all,he was a person of faith, whose visionof the church was bigger than thediocese. He was a team player, loyal,and had enough spine not to be shovedaround," says Beckham. "In addition,he had a zeal for planting new churchesand knew how to support andstrengthen small churches andmissions."

Many people wonder just exactlywhat is the job description of anarchdeacon (a.k.a. deputy for missionand ministry). The role of thearchdeacon ranges far and wide, but inessence it is one of support to thebishop and the diocese. The

archdeacon acts as the bishop's liaisonto diocesan programs, commissions,committees, institutions, andorganizations. Also serving as staffcoordinator for the transitionaldeacons' program and BACAM(Bishop's Advisory Committee forAspirants to Ordained Ministry), thearchdeacon is the diocesan deploymentofficer as well. And, of course, he does

"anything else that the bishop asks"him to do.

Life-saver to the bishopBishop Henderson recalls: "When I

first arrived on the Feast of the HolyName in 1995, the archdeacon was theonly person with duties of oversightwho remained in the Diocesan House.Everyone else had either retired or

Archdeacon Byrd

retires after 37 years

The other side

of welcome . . .

Saying goodbye

Upper left corner: The future archdeacon, age 11, at Grace Church, Ridge Spring, on his first

Sunday as an acolyte. Below, the future archdeacon is ordained to the priesthood at St. James,

Greenville, May 1, 1969.



5

departed to accept other calls. BecauseI arrived in Upper South Carolina as astranger with little insight into ourdiocese, it was critical that I haveregular access to someone withsubstantial roots and knowledge of thecorporate functioning, history, and lifeof our congregations and institutions.Fred Byrd was that person in spades. Ihave observed often, but far too lightly,that Fr. Byrd has saved my life timeand time again, not only during thoseearly days, but frequently throughoutmy tenure. Because he works soquietly and modestly, I'm confidentthat there have been countless timesthat he's saved my life without my evenrealizing it."

When Byrd reminisces over his 25years as archdeacon, he cites his visit toCange, Haiti, with Bishop Beckham inthe early 1980s as "life-changing forme." "I came back with a greaterappreciation for all the things we takefor granted . . . like fresh water . . . andI had such a profound appreciation forthe wonderful folk of Cange, who wereso joyful and thankful with so little.The light of Christ that shone forthfrom them gave me a spiritual boostthat has never left me."

Other highpoints of his ministryhe recalls are the creation of the SmallChurch Leadership DevelopmentConference, the "Water Cange"Project, Applachian People's ServiceOrganization, the Transitional Deacons'Program, Venture in Mission, buildingprojects at the Bishop Gravatt Center,Builders for Mission, and the GreatEpiscopal Celebration on the 200thanniversary of the Episcopate in 1984,a second diocesewide celebration in1992, and the Great Gathering in2002. And oh, yes, there's Happening.Byrd was spiritual director at

Happening #1 andserved on 19 otherHappening staffs; athis 20thHappening, heserved as godsonScott McNeely's"Dad." The 37 years

have not beendull, to say theleast.

"Unconditional love"Byrd, son of the late Frederick P.

Byrd, Jr., and Addie Elise Byrd, wasborn on September 21, 1942, and grewup in Ridge Spring, South Carolina. Asa child, Byrd remembers being the solemember of a Sunday school class at

Grace Episcopal Church taught byEdna Watson "in the back of thechurch by the space heater." Hebecame a Sunday school teacherhimself as a teenager.

Church was a very important partof family life for the Byrds, who livedonly one block from the church. YoungByrd began attending Gravatt's summercamp at age eight and has continuedthat tradition for 54 years. "There isno doubt that much of who I am todaywas formed at Gravatt. It provided theatmosphere for my spiritualdevelopment, beginning at age eight. Itwas the place where "unconditionallove" was more than a renewal song. Itwas a reality in my life. It was the placewhere relationships with bishops,priests, deacons, and faithful laypeoplelaid the fertile ground for that seedcalled Holy Orders, even though Iwould not realize it until almost adecade and a half later," says Byrd.

He continues: "One of the reasonsI directed the summer camp for sevenyears was to give back the gifts I hadreceived . . . to provide the samenurturing community that wasprovided for me. There is a priestserving today who sat with me at age16 at the campfire circle and talkedabout priesthood. Gravatt is, andalways will be, I pray, a lovingcommunity where seeds are plantedand nurtured and given to God forgrowth."

Visit Byrd's office at the AlexanderDiocesan House and, amid the tiger

paws and orange memorabilia, there isvery little question about where hiscollegiate loyalties lie. In his senior yearByrd served as student chaplain forClemson University and aftergraduation cum laude in 1964 with aB.S. in English and sociology, Byrdworked for one year for the sergeant-at-arms for the U.S. Senate under thepatronage of the late Senator J. StromThurmond.

A changing Upper SCHe entered Virginia Theological

Seminary in Alexandria, Virginia, in1966 under Bishop Pinckney, throughsponsorship of Grace Church, RidgeSpring. "I knew halfway through thefirst semester that I was in the rightplace," he said. Upon graduation fromseminary with B.D. and M.Div.degrees, he served his diaconate at St.James, Greenville, before becomingvicar of St. Luke's, Newberry. Heremained at St. Luke's until hisappointment as archdeacon onDecember 1, 1979.

Byrd has seen many changes in thediocese since becoming archdeacon-among them the incredible growth ofthe complex at Cange, Haiti, madepossible by the “Water Cange” Project;changes in the organizational structureof the diocese; the theological movefrom "maintenance" to "mission"; theformation of the deacons' program; theincreased effort to deploy full-timeyouth ministers; the resurgence ofyoung adult ministries; and thephysical moving of Diocesan House onBarnwell Street to the current locationin the Trinity Cathedral complex, toname just a few.

Stats, and moreByrd has racked up a few statistics

in his ministry. He has attended 5General Conventions of the EpiscopalChurch as a deputy and one as head ofthe deputation. He is godfather to 34godchildren, aged two years to the 40s,who call him "G. B," which stands for"Godbuddy." He has two nephews andfour great-nephews.

When he looks back over the years,Byrd believes his accomplishments havebeen "first and foremost, to be faithfuland loyal to the two bishops I haveserved, to complete the tasks given bythem, and to do all I could to supporttheir episcopacies." He has always madeit very clear that his role was to servequietly in the background, behind thescenes. Maybe that is why folks have

been known to ask, "What in the worlddoes the archdeacon do?" "I believethat I have helped both lay andordained to find ministries thatmatched their gifts and passions.Numerous folk have sat in my officeseeking ways to serve and I have beenable to point many of them to avenuesof ministry."

During the first 12 years asarchdeacon, Byrd spent much time andenergy in support of missioncongregations, but as his job expanded,he has less time with the missions. Hesays, "I regret having had less time towork with the missions. I hope thenew diocesan structure ofcongregational development willremedy that as congregations get thesupport and resources that they need,especially the small parishes andmissions." (See the story on our newcanon for congregations & mission,page 6.)

Another accomplishment Byrdmentions is the transitional deacons'program. "There are dioceses that donot have formational programs for thetransitional deacons. This was onething that I developed immediately, forthat critical period between seminaryand ordination to the priesthood." Hispassion for outreach and servantministry has, with many others, helpedto form the present deacons', or servantministers', program and to keep it ontrack canonically, leading to thedevelopment of Matthew 25, adiocesan network of deacons andlaypeople who have a passion to goforth to serve populations that aremarginalized or at risk.

"Venerable," indeedWhat does retirement mean to

Archdeacon Byrd? It means havingmore time to spend

Counselor Byrd does Bible study with his

Gravatt campers.

Clemson graduate Byrd with Senator J. Strom

Thurmond, under whose patronage he

worked for the U.S. Senate's sergeant-at-

arms in 1964-65.

Archdeacon Byrd at

Happening, mid-1980s

Archdeacon Byrd dances the night away at

Diocesan Convention



6

By Peggy Van Antwerp Hill

In November 2004 Upper SouthCarolina took a giant step forward in

mission with the calling of the Rev.Mark Clevenger to be our new canonfor congregations & mission.Clevenger joined the diocesan staffJanuary 11. He is charged withoversight of "the congregationaldevelopment, cultural realignment, andclergy discernment and deploymentfunctions of the Diocese of UpperSouth Carolina so that we may fulfillour missionary vision of 'One Body . . .One Mission: Changing Lives.'"

Clevenger, a graduate of BerkeleyDivinity School at Yale University,comes to us from the Diocese of LongIsland, where, for the past two years, hehas served as executive director ofEpiscopal Charities and the bishop'sdeputy for stewardship. In previousministries, in the Dioceses of Chicagoand Minnesota, he worked as thediocesan congregational developmentconsultant, offering assistance tocongregations in a multitude of areas,including evangelism, stewardship, andfundraising.

In his new position Clevenger willwork with the 66 congregations inUpper South Carolina to fosterdeepening commitment to the diocesanmission of outreach to the unchurchedand to support the development ofenvironments conducive to the livingout of that mission.

It's about changing lives"Congregational development,"

Clevenger says, "is a constellation ofmany different things, but every single

piece is about changing people's livesand creating systems that function in away that the Gospel describes.Ultimately, congregational developmentis about bringing people intorelationship—as the Catechism says,restoring 'all people to unity with Godand each other in Christ.'"

Clevenger, ordained to thepriesthood in 1987, has worked incongregational development since theearly years of his ministry. From 1986to 1989 he was a chaplain at theUniversity of Kansas in Lawrence. Onething led to another, and when thediocese decided that a new church wasneeded in the area, Clevenger answeredthe call to plant St. Margaret's. Afterone year of knocking on doors anddeveloping home-based interest groups,St. Margaret's held its first SundayEucharist, which was attended by morethan 300 people. Under Clevenger'sleadership St. Margaret's went on tobuild a $1.1 million church buildingand to inaugurate the process that ledto the development of an Anglicanschool, The Bishop Seabury Academy,for grades 7-12.

Following the success of St.Margaret's, Clevenger became aconsultant to various congregations anddioceses and eventually a member ofthree bishops' staffs. As canon missionstrategist in the Diocese of Minnesotafrom 1996 to 2000 he designed andimplemented the diocesan plan formission in the service of 116congregations. As mission developer forthe Diocese of Chicago from 2000 to2002, his primary focus was evangelismand stewardship, and in the Diocese ofLong Island since 2002 he has overseenthe development of a diocese-wide

stewardship plan, linking churchgrowth to giving, including plannedgifts and capital fund drives.

"Church whisperer"When it comes to working with

congregations, Clevenger says he is a"dyed-in-the-wool Benedictine" whobelieves that everything needed for acongregation's health, special mission,and growth is already in place; it is amatter of seeing with new eyes, creatingan environment for dialogue anddiscernment, and letting the HolySpirit do the rest. "Each community offaith has something unique tocontribute," Clevenger says. "What wecall congregational development is anorganic process that unfolds in adifferent way in each place. There's nosuch thing as a cookie-cutter approach.There are some commonly trueprinciples that transcend allcongregations, but what is mostimportant is to look at the uniqueaspects of each congregation and thentuck the overarching principles into themix."

Clevenger says he's been called a"church whisperer"—an epithet thatpleases him because it speaks to the mixof experience and intuition that hisvocation requires. It also honors theunique nature of every group. "I cometo each congregation with a blankslate," he says.

In general, Clevenger says, thereare three indicators that organize hiswork: "Be, Know, and Do.""Congregations are filled withintelligent, gifted people who, ingeneral, know what to do. Being—theidentity piece—is the catalyst for allthat ability, the key to getting pointed

in the right direction. Identity andbeing—those are the pieces that areusually missing—the reasons why wedo what we do. Church at its best,"Clevenger holds, "always requires us togo back and examine our personalrelationship with God."

Blessings all aroundClevenger is married to Beth Ann

Clevenger, a native Minnesotan whohas worked in a variety of sales andmarketing positions and now serves asher husband's number one volunteerand support person. "When we movedto the Diocese of Long Island," shesays, "we decided to take a chance. Igave up paid employment in order tobe with Mark and help with logistics. Ilove watching him work. It may soundcorny but to me it's a wonderful gift.Most people never get a chance to seetheir spouses work."

So, Upper South Carolina, it's timeto show the Clevengers what Southernhospitality is all about. AnnouncingCanon Clevenger's appointment in lateNovember, Bishop Henderson said: "Iam delighted that Fr. Clevenger hasaccepted our call. Upper SouthCarolina is ready to move forward inmission, and we will be blessed indeedto have Fr. Clevenger as a guide. Hebrings sound knowledge, extensiveexperience, and an infectious energy—all invaluable assets in our diocesaneffort to inspire congregations, raise upand train leaders, and reach outeffectively to the unchurched."

Contact the Rev. Canon Mark Clevenger

at Diocesan House, 803.771.7800,

[email protected].

welcomes


new canon for congregations & mission

Upper SC



7

Welcoming the unchurched . . .

By the Rev. Lloyd Edwards

Being in a mission congregation, Iam always looking for ways to

evangelize. I am convinced thatEpiscopalians generally are not going todo this in traditional ways, so two yearsago I was looking at a well-knownprogram called Alpha. It wasn't quitewhat I wanted—the theology seemed abit more evangelical than I understandAnglicanism to be, and the format—amale Anglican priest speaking—wasnot gender-inclusive—but, I thought,this is what is available.

Then I ran across the Every VoiceNetwork Web site (www.everyvoice.net)and discovered via media. Its format issimilar to Alpha, with weekly meetings,a meal, a video (available as DVD orVHS) or other presentation, smallgroup discussions, and closing worship.But the format and content of thevideos are quite different, much more

representative of how IunderstandAnglicanism to be.

There are eightsessions, titled 1: viamedia: An Anglican Way of BeingChristian; 2: God and Creation: TheAbundance of God's Goodness; 3: Godin Jesus: An Incarnational Faith; 4:God the Holy Spirit: The Breath ofNew Life; 5: The Bible: The Word ofGod for the People of God; 6: Sin:Roadblocks to Abundant Life; 7: TheKingdom Come: The Promise ofChristian Hope; and 8: So, What? Theformat of each video is the same: menand women sitting around a tableengaged in a discussion on the topic ofthe day. The small groups following aremeant to continue the discussionbegun on the video. There aresuggestions for conversation-starters forthe small group facilitators, as well asoutlines for group worship.

Church of the Cross was a pilot

congregation for via media. We offeredit following worship on Sunday

morning. The reasoning wasthat we would become familiarwith it and give Every Voice

their requested feedback, and thenwould offer it at another time. saySunday evenings, when we wouldinvite friends to attend with us. Weplan to offer it a second time in thespring.

Our experience with via media wasgood but not perfect, and our feedbackreflected that. We felt that theconversation on video was too clergy-centered and too sophisticated, so thatit intimidated some from continuingthe conversation in small groups. Whenwe offer it again, I plan to writeanother set of small -group-starterquestions, for they also assumed toomuch about our theological knowledge.Nevertheless, the small groupconversations were lively andprolonged, and the opportunity to sit

with other parishioners and come toknow them better was highly prized.

Via media is not the kind ofconfirmation preparation program thatteaches facts such as the colors of theChurch year and the significance of theseasons and feast days. It is meant forintelligent adults to explore their ownbeliefs within a context of the Christiantradition.

Via media is available for purchasefrom Every Voice. Prices are given on theWeb site. There is a discount forcongregations in dioceses that sponsorthe program. The cost includes training.

If you would like to find out moreabout our experience at Church of theCross, please e-mail me [email protected]. Visit the Every VoiceWeb site for bios of those whoparticipate in the videos and a calendarof scheduled via media trainings.

The Rev. Lloyd Edwards is priest-in-

charge at Church of the Cross, Columbia.

Via media: An Anglican way of being Christian

Evangelism, pure and simple: The Alpha CourseBy Johnetta George

The Alpha Course began as a homegroup in 1976 in the living room

of an Anglican clergyman in England.Today, thousands of people around theworld are taking part in Alpha courses.At St. Thaddeus Episcopal Church inAiken, we just completed our sixthAlpha Course—by far our best-receivedone to date.

The Alpha Course, described bymany as "Christianity 101," lasts 10weeks, with a weekend retreat aboutmid-way through the course. Thecourse presents the basic principles ofChristianity in a relaxed and informalsetting. The evening begins with asimple dinner prepared and served bythe Alpha Dinner Team. Followingdinner is a period of welcome andfellowship. It is part of Alpha traditionfor one of the Alpha leaders to 'breakthe ice" with a joke or two. This isfollowed by music chosen to fit the

lesson of the week while keeping theatmosphere as relaxed as possible. (Theguidance from the Alpha manual is tomove gradually from singing about Godto singing to God.) As the courseprogresses, this time slot is also used topromote the weekend retreat and theclosing celebration dinner.

At St. Thaddeus, we present thecourse videos via DVD and LCDprojector. After the video, we break intosmall groups for further discussion. Wethen gather once again as a large groupand the team clergyperson fieldsquestions asked anonymously by theguests. During the weekend retreat, weuse a combination of recorded talks andlive speakers

Having attended all six of the Alphacourses hosted at St. Thaddeus, I havewitnessed firsthand the impact thisprogram has had on our church. Aftereach course, we have welcomed newfamilies into our congregation and seenmany of these newcomers move intoleadership roles in our parish. Andserving on the Alpha —continued on page 15 Photos and collage by Eddie George


8


A small litany

about hospitality

By Felicia W. Smith

All-holy Host, who creates us as travelers on thisearth and provides hospitality for our everyneed, teach us in turn to offer hospitality andwelcome to those who journey with us throughlife. Help us to understand that in welcomingthe stranger, we welcome the Christ among us.

I was a stranger and you welcomed me. (Matt. 25:35)

Remember with me, Lord, that all humanity hasdepended for thousands of years on hospitality,accepting both one's obligation as host and one'sprivilege as guest.

I was a stranger and you welcomed me.

Remind me, Lord, that the ministry ofhospitality is part of our Christian heritage,theology, and scripture, part of what we all shareas mandate of the Great Commandment.


Rejoice with me, Lord, where the ministry ofhospitality is alive and well in the unconditionalwelcome of monastic communities, caringcongregations, social agencies, and courageousindividuals.


Strengthen me, Lord, when I fear the stranger ina world of much terror and unrest. Keep myunresponsiveness from making me part of theproblem, part of the fear.


Inspire me, Lord, to offer hospitality where inyour name I dare to risk, where I may entertainangels, where you reveal to me the Christ in each.

Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of theleast of these who are members of my family,

you did it to me. (Matt. 25:40)

Holy provider, have mercy on our deepforgetting of your everlasting hospitality to us.Sometimes we see clearly enough to grieve withyou our lack of understanding of the vastness ofyour loving care. Through your grace,strengthen us that we may not fear to respond tothe knock, to open the door, to risk the offer ofholy hospitality, for it is You who knocks, it isYou we welcome. Amen.

©Felicia W. Smith, December, 2004

Felicia W. Smith is a member of Good Shepherd,

Columbia. She is working on "A Collection of

Small Litanies" and will work with anyone who

would like to create a litany for a special occasion

or personal concern. Read her "Litany of

thanksgiving for a new life and baptism" in the

Pentecost II issue of Crosswalk. Contact her at

803.798.6498.

Those who have attended Andy Weeks's Magnetic Church conferences—we had two in Upper SC in 2003—havelearned how easy and CHEAP it is to implement so many of his practical evangelism ideas. Here are a few gems:1. Add your Web site address to every document, and put it on top of your signs! (Web sites are the #1

source for unchurched persons to learn about your church!)2. If you have spent the money to make your church accessible, ensure that all your exterior and interior

signs include: "disabled" access / ramps / elevator. Even those who have no special needs will be attractedby your thoughtfulness.

3. Make sure that all your greeters wear name tags!4. Put baby-changing tables in every washroom, with signs outside.5. Install motion detector light switches in all washrooms and hallways; they make navigation easier and

they save electricity.6. Outside, put up a few colorful welcome signs / banners in vinyl.7. Paint front doors and mailbox RED!8. In your nave, provide cut-out pews for wheelchairs and walkers: 2 + spaces .9. Provide attractive, neat, bulletin boards, sectionalized by target audience, not by "producer," with paper

"takeaways" in Lucite holders.10. Always have a booth, book rack, or table with copies of all your welcoming material at every social event.11. Ask all members to carry church "business cards with logo / name / www.12. On Thursday, email your Sunday bulletin insert to all members.13. Put your welcome brochure out in the community: Welcome Wagon, real estate offices, Chamber of

Commerce; offices of every member who is a: doctor, lawyer, accountant, dentist, or hairdresser; also: in clinics, hospitals, and pharmacies.

14. Order of worship: always print page numbers and insert explicit communion instructions before communion.

15. Ask your clergy or lay leader to welcome guests and visitors (NOT newcomers) before the service begins.

Seems so simple, doesn't it? But would you like to learn more? You have 3 options:1. Log on to Andy Weeks's Web site at www.magnetic-church.com/dates.htm and download the registration

form for the event being sponsored by the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina on February 25 and 26,2005.

2. Can't get there on that date, but traveling elsewhere on business or pleasure between now and Memorial Day? Then log on to www.magnetic-church.com/dates.htm and download the registration forms for events near you.

3. 1 and 2 don't work? Then how about considering hosting your own event? Andy Weeks was last in this diocese two years ago. He has open dates available beginning September 16, 2005, and would love to hear from you at 401.766.7656.

Magnetic Church “Freebies”

things you can do right now

to make YOUR church

more hospitable

The top

15


Mi casa es su casa . . .


9

By the Rev. Kathryn Tiede Hottinger

Hospitality just seems to come naturally to the people of St. Francis,Greenville. It's impossible, in fact, to overestimate the goodness of heart of

the people here, and their astonishing ability to "welcome the stranger." Theyouth "yard sale" where shoppers shop for free, a food pantry, a get-together, inpartnership with the Department of Social Services, for adoption-readychildren and prospective parents—these are a few of the evangelism cumoutreach missions through which the people of St. Francis invite others in.

Stretching for the strangerPerhaps our most exciting recent opportunity to welcome our neighbors has

come in the form of the many Spanish speakers who live near the church. Whena couple members of the parish decided to become trained as teachers of Englishas a Second Language (ESL), several others joined them, and our free ESLclasses began in earnest. In December of last year the vestry voted to begin aweekly service in Spanish, and the service began the second week in January.With the help of the Rev. Robert Taylor, the diocesan

Hospitality—The gift that gives back

By the Rev. Timothy Dombek

One of the easiest ways to express and practice the spiritual gift of Christianhospitality comes in recognizing and welcoming the stranger. Have you

ever been the stranger? Two years ago, while studying Spanish in Ecuador, I livedwith an Ecuadorian family; my Spanish tutor spoke no English, and had nointerest in speaking it with me (I was there to learn Spanish, after all); none ofthe people I met on the trolleys or buses spoke English, nor really paid anyattention to me once they surmised by my size (I'm a half a foot taller than theaverage Ecuadorian male, a full head taller than most women in Ecuador) that Iwas a norteamericano—a North American. When you cannot communicatefreely with others, either by speaking or listening, you get the feeling that no onesees you, that you're invisible in a way. You can feel terribly isolated, alone.

The language of hospitalityOne day my Ecuadorian father introduced me to his friend Lizardo, who

lived in a bungalow at the front of their apartment complex. He asked me whereI was from—in Spanish, of course. When I said, “La Carolina

The stranger made visible

No se olviden de la hospitalidad,

porque por ella algunos, sin saberlo,

hospedaron ángeles. (Heb. 13.2)

By David P. Hill

The region and this state are experiencing a new challenge to the concept of "Southern hospitality." The Carolinas have the nation's third-fastest growth rate in theHispanic population, primarily caused by immigration, both legal and undocumented. In South Carolina, the largest number of immigrants arrive from the

Mexican states of Veracruz on the east coast and Oaxaca in the south, but they also come from other states in Mexico and the Central American countries. The massive influx began in earnest more than a decade ago, a result of deteriorating economic conditions in Mexico and the region, caused in large part by NAFTA.(Ironically, many Mexicans who come here have lost their jobs in Mexico to lower-paid undocumented immigrants from Guatemala and other Central Americannations.)

Migrant farm workers, nearly all young men, instead of passing through South Carolina in the summer months harvesting crops on the northward path of theannual east coast migrant stream, began dropping out (or "settling in") and taking the jobs that were going begging here in year-round agriculture, poultry processing,construction, and landscaping. As occurred in the great European migration to this country at the turn of the last century, the new immigrants, as soon as financiallyable, send money to their relatives back home to come and join them, often after a clandestine, expensive, and life-threatening journey. This accounts for the rapidlyincreasing number of Hispanic children entering local schools and women entering the work force.

There is legitimate room for debate about the politics of immigration and the long-term effects of this migration on our national economy (although local ruralareas of greatest migration have experienced economic upturns as a result of the new labor force and consumer spending), but as Christians there can be no debateabout the nature of our response to these human beings, often with great economic and social needs, who now dwell among us. Jesus' story of the sheep and the goatsin Matthew 25, "I was a stranger and you welcomed me," requires us to show hospitality to our new neighbors regardless of our political or social orientation.

This is easier said than done. There are significant language and cultural barriers to meaningful social intercourse with new Hispanic immigrants. The Spanish /English issue aside, the fact that nearly all Hispanics are raised in the Roman Catholic (the "one true") Church means that other denominations are at an immediatedisadvantage in attempts at service and especially incorporation. This writer was once asked by a Mexican who had attended a number of services at our Episcopalchurch with one of our families: "¿Entonces, ustedes creen en Jesus Cristo?" ("So, you all believe in Jesus Christ?").

The diocese, through the creation of the Committee for Hispanic Ministry and the appointment of its first Hispanic missioner, the Rev. Robert Taylor inGreenville, has recognized the urgency of our calling in to this population. The story above, about St. Francis, Greenville, outlines a model of vibrant Hispanic ministry.

David P. Hill is a member of St. Simon & St. Jude, Irmo.

"And who is my [Hispanic] neighbor?"

Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers,

for by doing that some have entertained angels

witthout knowing it. (Heb. 13:2)

—continued on page 18 —continued on page 18


Hospitable place,

sacred space

By Duncan C. Ely

Hospitality has deep roots in the OldTestament and a strong foundation

in the New Testament. Gravatt, UpperSouth Carolina's camp and conferencecenter in rural Aiken County, has its ownhistory of hospitality going back morethan a century.

Some of the property now comprisingGravatt originally belonged to the Bodiefamily. Caretaker Roy F. Stewart's great-great-grandparents gave the property in1909 as a wedding present to theirdaughter—Roy's great grandmother—Sarah Bodie (1889-1968). She and hernew husband Water Huff (1884-1940)and their family farmed much of theproperty for years, but the land was so poorit would not support typical crops such ascorn or cotton. Nonetheless, even as the

Huffs struggled themselves, they began aministry of hospitality to manysharecroppers. They cared for them andtheir children, let them live in the manytenant houses on the property, loanedthem money, and provided them with foodand other essentials. Many of them werestrangers, but, Roy Stewart says, "Theytreated them like family."

Hospitality—A familytradition

Stewart's grandmother, Frances Huff(1915-2004), was born in a house thatstood near where Cole Lodge is now. Shemarried Henry Stewart (1910-1979) in1935. "Everyone called him UncleHenry because he was so hospitable," hisgrandson remembers. "He was real soft-spoken and very friendly and he woulddo anything for anybody."

The Stewarts continued their family'stradition of hospitality on the property,but eventually lost the land during theDepression when St. Julian Cullum andhis wife of Augusta, Georgia, acquiredthe property for about 50 cents an acreby paying the back taxes. The Rt. Rev.John J. Gravatt, second bishop of UpperSouth Carolina, took the initiative toestablish a committee to talk withCullum about hospitality and aboutproviding a place where people couldcome for refreshment and retreat. In1947 Cullum donated 100 acres,including Lake Henry, which Germanprisoners of war had built five yearsearlier, to the diocese in memory of hiswife, who was killed crossing a street inAugusta. Grampa Stewart went to workfor Cullum until 1944 and then came toGravatt, becoming a full-time employeein 1947.

By the Ven. Frederick C. Byrd

Camp Gravatt has been a part of my life since age eight. I'll never forget that firsthomesick experience. How one could be so miserable and so happy at the same

time I'll never understand! After a couple of years as a camper, I began working onstaff (kitchen, handyman, waterfront, counselor, and director for seven years) and,except for a short seminary sabbatical, I've always been involved with the camp.

My first thoughts of the priesthood began at Gravatt as I experienced closeassociations with Bishop Cole and the priests and deacons and faithful laity of thediocesan family. These relationships had a profound influence on me. I saw committedmen and women of God at work and play. I saw the generous outpouring ofunconditional love and concern in a special community, and it was impossible to be apart of that community without being "touched by God."

Relationships! That's what makes Gravatt so special. Facilities, programs, andactivities are important to camp experiences but the personal relationships haveformed the spirit of Gravatt. Someone asked me to describe the unique thing aboutGravatt, and I could say unequivocally that it is the relationship between the staff andthe campers. The welfare, the Christian formation, and the happiness of the campersare the top priorities, and each staff member commits himself/herself to those

objectives. This means that the staff inherit a non-descript job. After a multitude ofassigned responsibilities for the day, a staff member may spend some of the day fishingwith a homesick child, or dealing constructively with some conflict that has emergedwithin a family group or building up a child who has low self-esteem, or simplylistening to the child who desperately needs a friendly ear.

There is no wonder that I spent all my summers at Gravatt. To see and feel thelove and concern that are shared and to experience a child's learning to feel goodabout herself is a joy that can barely be articulated, only felt and passed on.

In the cool of the evening when the lights are out, the children are tired and quiet,the campfire is but a pile of flowing embers, a blanket of stars is visible, the faithfulwhippoorwills and frogs begin their serenade, and a cool breeze drifts across the lake, Iwould sit quietly at the campfire and thank the Almighty that we have—for ourdiocesan family—a Gravatt where good things happen to children, where Christianformation is both taught and modeled—things that can stay with them forever.

Almighty God, heavenly Father, you have blessed us with the joy and care of children:

Give us calm strength and patient wisdom as we bring them up, that we may teach them to

love whatever is just and true and good, following the example of our Savior Jesus Christ.

Amen. (BCP, p. 819)


10

The archdeacon remembers . . . 50 + years at Gravatt

The image of hospitality: The porch at Camp

Gravatt's Collett Dining Hall (photo by Eric

Schnaufer)

Build your home on holy ground. —Whitney Hopler


Gravatt



By Malinda Tulloh

Who: St. Matthew's EpiscopalChurch. 101 Saint Matthew's Lane,Spartanburg, South Carolina, 29301;864.576.0424; www.stmattsepiscopal.com.400 members. Rector: The Rev. RobertL. Brown; Assistant Rector: The Rev. Dr.K. Drew Baker (part-time).

Where: St. Matthew's is located onUS 29 within a mile of Interstate 26 inthe area of tremendous and rapid growthon the west side of Spartanburg. Thereis therefore very easy access to all the newhousing burgeoning along US 29 andalong Reidville Road because of thechurch's proximity to I-26.

When: In 1956, the EpiscopalChurch conducted a survey whichindicated that the west side ofSpartanburg County would be an area ofsignificant growth in the future. Inresponse, 12 families who lived on thewest side met and decided to form achurch, which was named St. Matthew's.They then went out into theneighborhoods, inviting others to jointhem. The first church service was heldby the Rev. Capers Satterlee, rector of theEpiscopal Church of the Advent, in theKnights of Pythias Hall on Palm Sunday,April 14, 1957. Several weeks later, thecongregation moved to the Seventh DayAdventist Church. The St. Matthew'saltar, carved by the Rev. Dr. Pendleton,rector of the Church of the Advent inthe early 1900s, was portable and hadbeen used by the diocese in missionsplanted previously.

As the church prospered, theCleveland family made available 7.5acres for the building site selected on

West Main Street, the current location,which was at that time open country.Now the church is in the middle of abooming business area with majorshopping centers, banks, and restaurantsclose by.

In June 1959, Bishop Coleappointed newly ordained deacon, theRev. John W. Arrington III, to be St.Matthew's first vicar. Arrington'sordination to the priesthood on July 9,1960, was the first service held in thechurch's newly constructed building.The church experienced rapid growth,and after Arrington left in September1963, the Rev. James H. George becamevicar in April 1964. He and his assistant,the Rev. Grayson B. Garvin, served St.Matthew's and also Epiphany,Spartanburg, and Calvary, GlennSprings. For a short while, St.Matthew's became a parish, but financialdifficulties led to its becoming a missionagain.

The third vicar, the Rev. Clifford E.McWhorter, served from 1967 to 1972,and was followed by the Rev. David E.Bridgforth in September 1972. By early1975, St. Matthew's had experiencedenough growth to become self-supporting, and on November 4, 1976,was accepted as a parish by the Dioceseof Upper South Carolina. Bridgforthaccepted the vestry's call to becomerector, and served until May 1987.

During his tenure, continuedgrowth of the congregation madeexpansion of the physical plant necessary,and in the fall of 1982, constructionbegan on a 7,000-square- foot additionthat included offices, classrooms, akitchen, and a half-court gym.Remarkably, this was financed by selling$186,000 in church bonds in only eightdays. After Bridgforth left in May 1987,

the Rev. James Janks became the fifthordained leader, serving from June 1988until August 1989.

The Rev. Dr. Dennis Smith beganserving in November 1989, first asinterim rector, then as part-time rector inOctober 1992. During this time, thechurch developed Statements of Missionand Stewardship to guide all the work ofthe parish. As the central focus of theparish became worship and spiritualgrowth, opportunities for education andoutreach expanded. By the time Smithretired in 2001, St. Matthew's hadexperienced much growth and was insound financial shape.

During the interim ministry of theRev. Will Thompson, construction wasbegun on a significant expansion of theworship space that doubled the seatingcapacity to 250. The addition wascompleted in October 2003, after theRev. Robert L. Brown was installed asrector in August of that year. Duringconstruction, worship services were heldin the un-airconditioned gym.

Members of the parish did a lot ofthe interior construction workthemselves, including carpentry andpainting. They have incorporated the oldwith the new, such as the present retable,which is the table carved by Dr.Pendleton about a century ago that was

used as their first altar. The processionalcross is the same one used in the 1950s,and the presence of former members canstill be felt in the furnishings given bythem or in memory of them.

Even the present rector combinesthe old and the new, for he wasconfirmed at St. Matthew's and hasreturned after an absence of 20 years.His parents were among the earlymembers of the parish and he and hisolder brother served as acolytes, just ashis father served as lay reader. The crossover the altar was donated by the EYC inthe early 1970s when Brown was amember, and the chair he uses duringworship was given by his parents inmemory of one of his playmates,Catherine Patricia

Parish Profile

11

BODY P • A • R • T • S

St. Matthew’s, Spartanburg


"Come AS you are;

come as WHO you are."


By the

Rev. Thomas C. Davis, Jr.

Ihave come towhat is to me a

surprisingconclusion. I amnow convinced thatthe sequence ofbaptism followed

by participation in the Eucharist ismistaken. I can see no reason why thesacraments cannot be celebratedindependently. I see no reason why wecannot share the hospitality of the tableeven before we are ready for the fullcommitment which baptism entails. My journey to this conclusion began as apastoral concern. In this culture, asubstantial number of newcomers toEpiscopal congregations are formerBaptists. Baptists practice what they call"believers' baptism." This means thatadults who come from this traditionhave usually been baptized. Theirchildren have not. Yet, most of ourcongregations admit children to theLord's Table.

Do we then baptize these childrenpro forma simply as a license to receivecommunion with their families and theirpeers? I think we should not. I can makea good case for infant baptism. I canmake a good case for adult baptism. Icannot make any case at all for the

baptism of six- and seven-year-olds whoare neither adults nor infants. I thinkthey should wait until their confirmationbecause that is what confirmation is allabout. Of course, like every parish priestI have baptized a few dozen of thesechildren but not for any good reason.Should they die unbaptized, they willnot go to limbo. They are certainly ascommitted to Christ as their peers whowere baptized as infants.

When I was ordained in 1958 mostEpiscopal congregations assumed thatcommunicants were confirmed persons.There were no invitations to baptizedmembers of other Christiancommunities. Clergy were certainlyaware of the occasional communion ofnon-Episcopalians, but it was notencouraged. In fact, it was usuallydiscouraged, not by a fence, but by thedynamics of the liturgy itself.

I began to receive communion inthe Episcopal Church when I was incollege. I remember with gratitude thetable hospitality extended at theEpiscopal church to a small group ofhigh-church Methodist seminarians at 7o'clock on Wednesday mornings. Two ofthat small group are priests today; two ofthem have remained Methodist pastors.

The sacraments asevangelical?

In the first few centuries Christianswere converts from the pagan world, andthere are many places in the world wherenewcomers are from an alien culture. Itis increasingly true in the western worldas well. Careful preparation for baptismand for life within the community isessential in that setting. But manynewcomers to the Episcopal Church inthis country are already devout

Christians. In fact, some of them arepeople deeply and intensely involved in aspiritual journey and their arrival at anEpiscopal altar is a major moment in alifelong quest. We do not ask them ifthey are orthodox; I suspect we shouldnot ask them if they have been properlybaptized.

I think this is the point to which wehave come. We no longer fence the tableagainst non-Episcopalians. Do we thencontinue simply to invite all baptizedChristians, or do we broaden theinvitation yet once again to include allwho sincerely wish to follow Christ and toshare the hospitality of the Lord's Table?

In Christendom from Constantineonward there were no unbaptized peopleexcept of course for some Jews andMuslims. The issues were issues aboutdiscipline—about helping Christianchildren become Christian adults,teaching prayer and penitence andethical behavior. And then, St Augustinegave original sin a lasting and terribletwist. It became part of the humanbiological inheritance, a genetic mutationthat required the very radical surgery ofbaptism, which now took on anontological meaning. It changed a childborn in sin into a child of God. I cannotfind any justification for this view oforiginal sin.

There is no longer anything we can

call Christendom, but there are millionsof seeking and searching people, many ofthem drawn toward Christ. If we shoulddecide that each of the sacraments isevangelical—that is, a proclamation,then I think we will no more bar anyonefrom the Table than we would baranyone from listening to the Word ofGod being read or preached.

No narrowing of thewelcome

The more seriously we take baptismthe more people there will be at theedges of the Christian community whohave not yet been baptized. Manyparents will be unable to make thecommitment that the baptism of a childinvolves. For others the birth and thenbaptism of a child is the point of entryor re-entry into the community of faith.We will need to discover ways in whichwe can be hospitable and open withoutcheapening the meaning of thesacrament. In my experience nothing isso damaging to the search for a spiritualhome as the statement for instance thatparents need to be members of thischurch for a year before their childrencan be baptized. Or, we don't marrypeople in this church who are notpledging members. Baptisms, weddings,funerals are all evangelistic opportunities.

We will need to struggle withchanging reality. No longer do we live ina Christian culture in which the naturalevents of life are celebrated withsacramental signs—birth, adolescence,adulthood, vocation, marriage, death.Baptism has had more than onemeaning. In the beginning of theChurch it signified and created a newbirth into a new reality, but the newreality was not an

12


The more seriously we take

baptism the more people there

will be at the edges of the

Christian community who have

not yet been baptized.

"All persons who seek God and

are drawn to Christ are

welcome to receive the

Sacrament of Holy Eucharist."

Evangelistic opportunity

Editor's note: At the next General Convention, in

2006, a significant concern in the area of evangelism

will be the development of a theology of hospitality.

Related to this concern is the concept of "open

communion"—communion for all Christians and even

unbaptized seekers—about much has been written in

recent months. Canon I.17.7 of the Episcopal Church

declares that "No unbaptized person shall be eligible to

receive Holy Communion," but there are some who hold

the view that this restriction runs counter to basic

principles of hospitality. In the articles that follow, two

Upper South Carolinians share their views.

Baptism ~ Eucharist ~

HospitalityHospitality



13


ontological change in the individual. Rather it was incorporation into a communityof faith. Then it became a sign of inclusion within the ark of salvation. In England,until the 19th century, it conferred citizenship and a place in the life of thecommunity. In our times, increasingly it is a sign of a life alien to the secularcommunity, and therefore it is quite possible that we can no longer justify theautomatic baptism of infants.

It would seem to me that infant baptism continues as the sign of God's initiative

in our inclusion among his children. But when children are not baptized in infancy,then baptism becomes the sacramental sign of a changed life. I think that now theinvitation to the Table should be extended to all who sincerely seek to follow Christ,and there should be no narrowing of the welcome.

The Rev. Thomas C. Davis, Jr., is a retired priest of the diocese and former rector of Holy

Trinity, Clemson.

By the Rev.

Michael P. Flanagan

There is a desirein the church

to examine ourpractice of "closedcommunion," thatis, makingcommunion

available only to those who have beenbaptized in the name of the Trinity. AsI understand it, the primary argumentis that of inclusion. By not allowingunbaptized visitors to receive theEucharistic bread and wine, we areexcluding them from our service andthus inviting them to seek Christelsewhere.

The suggested solution to thisdilemma is to allow "opencommunion" to all who wish toreceive, regardless of their "sacramentalcondition." Being raised as a RomanCatholic and now having to stay put inmy pew when I go to my formerchurch, I understand the pain ofexclusion. I admit that there is a senseof personal oppression when one is toldhe is not welcome at the altar rail.However, this sense is based on beingdenied something which I was onceconsidered "acceptable" to receive.In the movie The Terminal Tom Hanksplays a foreign citizen whose country isovertaken by a coup. His passport isrescinded and he finds himself stuck inthe airport until his country is onceagain open to the U.S. In a tellingscene, the not-so-compassionatecustoms agent explains to him that hiscredentials are "unacceptable." Hanksuses this word throughout the movie todescribe himself in the midst of hisquandary—"unacceptable." Is insistingon baptism as a prerequisite to

reception of communion a means bywhich the Church labels unbaptizedpersons "unacceptable?" This is, Ibelieve, the reason open communionhas gained acceptance among thefaithful of the church.

"Participation"We, as the Body of Christ, want to

do all in our power to avoid thepossibility of labeling those who comeseeking God in our church as"unacceptable." In Paul's famouspassage from 1 Corinthians he says,"The cup of blessing that we bless, is itnot a sharing in the blood of Christ?The bread that we break, is it not asharing in the Body of Christ? Becausethere is one bread, we who are manyare one body, for we all partake of theone bread" (1 Cor. 10:16-17). Paul'swords mean more than they appear to.The word translated as "sharing" in theNRSV is the Greek word koinonia,which also means participation. Paulcontinues on in chapter 11 as follows:"For I received from the Lord what Ialso handed on to you, that the LordJesus on the night when he wasbetrayed took a loaf of bread, and whenhe had given thanks, he broke it andsaid, 'This is my body that is for you.Do this in remembrance of me.' In thesame way he took the cup also, aftersupper, saying, 'This cup is the new

covenant in my blood. Do this, as oftenas you drink it, in remembrance of me.'"

Paul's words clearly indicate that heis a part of something which hasalready become sacred tradition. Asearly as the mid-first century, a patternof worship is being laid down alongwith a theology of communion.Following Paul's understanding,reception of the Body of Christ in theEucharistic event is "participation" inthe Body of Christ. How can oneparticipate in the Body of Christ if oneis not yet a member?Baptism is the entrance rite into theBody of Christ. Our catechism statesthat "Holy Baptism is the sacrament bywhich God adopts us as his childrenand makes us members of Christ'sBody, the Church" (BCP, p. 858).

Theology or inclusivity?By at least 215 A.D. the Church

had developed a clear pattern ofworship that dealt very efficiently withthe issue of nonbaptized persons. Theservice was separated into two distinctparts, the liturgy of the Word and theliturgy of the Sacrament. At theconclusion of the liturgy of the Word,the kiss of peace, nonbaptized personswere ushered out of the room forinstruction and preparation formembership, while the Body continuedwith the Eucharistic prayer andreception of communion. Thesymbolism was certainly clear—thispart of the service is open to membersonly. Our Easter vigil is a reminder ofthe time when new members wereincluded in the complete service for thefirst time. After an all-night vigil, thecatechumens were baptized at dawnand brought into the Church for theirfirst full service and reception ofcommunion. In some cases, this wasafter a three-year preparation process.

I am convinced that the concern foropen communion comes out of a desireto save ourselves from feeling bad aboutnot allowing our neighbor to join us atthe altar rail. I believe that we mustbalance that desire against the question,What does open communion say to usabout ourselves? Furthermore, whatdoes open communion say about therite of baptism?

In an attempt to be inclusive,might we be overriding the theologicalmeanings of the rites themselves? OurBaptismal Covenant begins with thewords, "Do you believe . . . ?" Faith is asignificant aspect of the reception ofcommunion. If we are to "participate"in the Body of Christ one would expectsome level of faith in the Body. Ourcatechism tells us that "The inward andspiritual grace in the HolyCommunion is the Body and Blood ofChrist given to his people, and receivedby faith" (BCP, p. 859; emphasis mine).

At Holy Cross, our bulletinpurposely invites all to come to thealtar rail at communion; no one isconsidered "unacceptable." Thosepersons baptized are invited to receivecommunion, and those persons notbaptized are invited to receive ablessing. The communion event unitesus as the Body of Christ and invitesseekers to be blessed as they consciouslyinvestigate their desire to participate asfull members of the Body.

The Rev. Michael P. Flanagan is rector of Holy

Cross, Simpsonville.

“Participation” in the Body of Christ

In an attempt to be inclusive,

might we be overriding the

theological meanings of the rites

themselves?

“All persons who are baptized

by water in the name of the

Trinity are members of the

Christian family and are

invited to receive the

Sacrament.”

Two points of view

Evangelistic opportunity continued from page 12



14

By Duncan C. Ely

Not all who wander are lost. —J. R. R. Tolkien

We all find ourselves wandering—roaming or traveling without a settled course—from

time to time on our journeys as Christians. Our families and our society teach us that our

lives should be purposeful and full of direction, and that wandering implies being aimless.

But if we look at our Old Testament heritage, we see that God encourages—even

requires—us to wander. Led by Moses and Aaron, the Israelites wandered in the

wilderness between their Exodus from Egypt and sight of their Promised Land. God

sustained them with manna and water and was ever present during their wanderings

toward God to receive the Ten Commandments and away from God to worship a golden

calf. Seen in this light, our own wanderings become necessary as Sabbath times and can

become periods of reflection and cleansing. Like the Israelites, we question, we find

answers, we are afraid, we find peace, we become seduced by our own golden calves, we

hear God's will for us. "Wanderings" is a series of meditations to encourage us to make use

of this wandering—this wilderness time—in a productive, reflective, cleansing way and to

be open to God's honing influences. Look for other "Wanderings" in future Crosswalks.

Hospitable Wandering

Who's that stranger there beside you?

Don't be smug and don't be cruel

Maybe we are entertaining angels unaware.

—-Michael Smith and Wayne Kirkpatrick

In today's world, hospitality seems to imply pleasant—but light—duties:having friends over for a meal; hosting a party; serving as a greeter for newcomersat a church; staying as a guest at an inn or hotel. In Old Testament times, though,hospitality had more profound implications. The hospitality code demanded thatone provide water for foot washing and nourishment, food, and sanctuary for threedays to travelers in hostile environments. The psalmist writes about this in Psalm23: You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. The code looselybased this hospitality on God's graciousness, and reminded the Israelites of theirown wandering in the wilderness and of God's hospitality to them during thattime. Abraham and Sarah knew all about hospitality. They were wanderers—nomads—and life and traveling were dangerous. Once, when welcoming threestrangers, they found themselves providing a haven to three angels who promisedthem a son. Paul must have been thinking about Abraham and Sarah's adventurewith angels when he wrote, "Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for bydoing that some have entertained angels without knowing it" (Heb. 13:2). It isworth knowing that the Greek word for hospitality, philozenia, comes from philos(affection) and zenos (stranger) and means showing affection for strangers.

In New Testament times, Christians have taken hospitality just as seriously byshowing the love of Christ in practical ways as he showed his love for us. Manycommunities, such as the Benedictines, specialize in hospitality. Churches welcomerefugees. Local parishioners house strangers. The list goes on. The challenge is topractice hospitality in ways that take us out of our comfort zones by welcominginto our lives others who are different from us. Jesus said, "When you give aluncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or yourrich neighbors. . . . [ W]hen you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, thelame, the blind, and you will be blessed" (Luke 14:13-14a). God constantly uses usto touch lives, and hospitality can be one way this happens. Hospitality can breakdown the distinction between the insider and the outsider, the haves and the have-nots, the host and the foreigner, the giver and the receiver. Jesus said, "I was astranger and you welcomed me" (Matt. 25:35). Genuine hospitality to strangerscan help them feel less strange. As we wander—just as Abraham and Sarahwandered and as just as Jesus wandered—we need to remember Jesus' words,"Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes theone who sent me" (Matt. 10:40).

O God, whose hospitality offers us life in the Kingdom, fill us with the grace of that

hospitality so we can follow the example of your Son, show your love to strangers, and feel

the common bond we share as your children, through Jesus Christ, Our Lord. Amen.

Wa n d e r i n

gs

The unconditional welcome awaits . . .N. Augusta community follows hospitable tradition

By Felicia W. Smith

The ministry of hospitality has ancient roots as old as solitarytravelers and the small bands of humans who were welcomed to

share the safety, companionship, and nourishment of fires and hearths.The basic concept has remained unchanged: the traveler, theunconditional welcome. We see this early on in scriptural accounts andin the lives of the early Christian desert mothers and fathers.

As religious communities became established, the ministry ofhospitality was adapted as the Christian responsibility of welcoming thestranger. Safety, companionship, and nourishment were life-and-deathgifts that religious communities had to offer; the guestmaster of themonastery had as his task seeing to the welfare of the guests.

The ministry of hospitality prevails in monastic communities today,communities as close as the Convent of St. Helena, in Augusta, at theGeorgia border. The guestmistress still welcomes guests, shows themtheir space, orients them to the community schedule, and ascertainstheir special needs.

Guests might be seeking the safety of emotional space, of retreatfrom a too-hectic pace, or temporary physical safety from a dangerousor threatening relationship. They might be seeking the companionshipof Christ-centered lives, different perspectives, or models to ponder thatmight advance the journey in the form of personal changes. Perhapsguests simply seek nourishment that is simple, healthy, and restorative—physical food or food for the spirit, spiritual direction or solitude.

A personal journeyAs I pass through the gate at the Convent at St. Helena and drive

through the pines, I feel a wonderful sense of peace, that I am home. Aftermany trips, I am greeted with that unconditional welcome, but also thewelcome of old friends. Shown to my room in the guesthouse by theguestmistress—will it be the Mary room, or the Martha or another one?—I am left alone to settle in to the quiet, simplicity, and solitude. It engulfsme, and I come to a complete halt to let the healing work begin.

I join the sisters for vespers, watching the changing colors of sunsetthrough the wrap-around chapel windows. My spirit lifts in joy aschanted psalms fill the space. (And Cole, the convent dog, keeps an eyeon the sisters from her self-appointed spot, worn bare of grass by hersteady diligence through all the offices, day after day.)

Supper is a simple affair with catching up and getting acquaintedwith other guests or new sisters. (Their main meal is a noon.) The lastoffice, Compline, ends the day, and the Great Silence begins toconclude after mass the next morning. Or if this is a silent weekendretreat, the silence extends from Friday evening till Sunday morning.One may choose a solitary retreat with meals delivered to one’s room.One may choose to participate in all the offices or not. Sleep. Wanderin the woods, explore the library, sit in the chapel, do some manualchores on the grounds, write in a journal, or meet with a sister forspiritual direction.

Look and see what awaits in this contemporary manifestation of anancient ministry. Our needs as travelers in this life have changed littlein spite of the trappings of the modern world. We still seek safety,companionship, and nourishment. The unconditional welcome stillawaits, old as the ages but fresh, open, and restorative. Come home toan opportunity that will refresh and strengthen for re-entry into thecontemporary world (www.osh.org/convents/Augusta.htm).

Felicia W. Smith is a member of Good Shepherd, Columbia. See her

"Small litany about hospitality" on page 8.



15

pinion

By the

Rev. Dr. Lennart Pearson

Thank you for your response to myresponse. Your spirited embrace of

the "s-word" (subjectivity) confirmsprecisely the point I was making aboutwinding up in a swamp: "an ever-enlarging awareness of our interrelated-ness with God and with each other,"deeper and more expansive images ofGod," etc., etc. Well, feel free to addanything you like to the hermeneuticalbuffet. There will always be those whoare eager to taste new dishes.

Drawing the lineBut I have a question. Should the

Church ever say "No" to anything? Ifall is subjective, how does onedetermine whether a notion is wrong? In the really old days, we had people like Arius, Nestorius, Apollinaris,Donatus, Pelagius, Marcion (who bythe way didn't like the Old Testamenteither). We have had Docetists,Adoptianists, Gnostics, Arians,Montanists, Monophysites,Monothelites, Helvidians, and others—each with their own hermeneuticaltwists. But when it was understood that

their particular views were contrary to what had been received from the apostles, the Church drew the line and said, "No."

To this day, all kinds of people arealways claiming "new insights" tojustify all sorts of things but this iswhere the Scriptures serve as a control."New insights" that are contrary to theScriptures that have come to us fromthe undivided Church, so-called"private revelations," are to be rejected.Archbishop Thomas Cranmer, thearchitect of our Prayer Book, said quitecorrectly:

If there were any word of God beside the Scripture, we could never be certain of God's Word; and if we be uncertain of God's Word, the devil might bring in among us a new word, a new doctrine, a new faith, a new church, a new god, yea himself to be a god. If the Church and the Christian faith did not stay itself upon the Word of God certain, as upon a sure and strong foundation,no man could know whether he had a right faith, and whether he were in the true Church of

Christ, or in the synagogue of Satan.

If, as you say, "not all truth is in Scripture, and not all Scripture istruth," then of course none of thismakes any difference. Believe aboutGod anything you want to believe.Nothing is really right, and nothing isreally wrong. "Take a chance on theunknown."

And what of the Holy Spirit?

One phrase, however, is troubling.You write of the craftiness of the HolySpirit—as if somehow it is really Godwho is secretly at work for our goodthrough these hermeneuticalspinmeisters. But when Jesus spoke tohis disciples about the Holy Spirit, hesaid that the work of the Spirit wouldbe "to teach you all things, and bringto your remembrance all that I havesaid to you" (John 14: 26). And again,"He will take what is mine and declareit to you" (John 16: 14-15). The HolySpirit is not some general spirit ofreligious genius or exuberantsubjectivity, but the One by whomChrist is interpreted for the Churchand for the believer. As the Catechismsays, "We understand the meaning of

the Bible by the help of the HolySpirit, who guides the Church in thetrue interpretation of the Scriptures"(BCP, pp. 853-54). I don't believe for amoment that the Holy Spirit bestowsnew insights just to supporthermeneutical adventurism.

The word craftiness appears in 2Corinthians 4:2 where Paul says thatthe apostles have renounced "thehidden things of shame, not walking incraftiness nor handling the word ofGod deceitfully." Good point! Thecrafty ones are those who play fast andloose with the Word of God. So muchfor skeptical hermeneutics.

Now all this may seem prettyarchaic and out of step with modernity.That's all right. But hermeneuticalinnovations—deeper and moreexpansive images of God derived fromexuberant subjectivity, or an evolvingawareness of our interrelatedness withGod and with each other (derived fromwho knows where)—should not beconfused with catholic and apostolicChristianity.

They are mutants. They are weedsamong the wheat.

The Rev. Dr. Lennart Pearson is a retired

priest of the diocese who served most

recently at Church of the Nativity, Union.

O

A response to Anne J. Burke

Editor's note: The Rev. Dr. Lennart Pearson provides another installment in the

discussion of orthodoxy kicked off by the Rev. Dr. Philip Whitehead's article

"Orthodoxy, relationship, and witness" in the Easter 2004 Crosswalk and

continued in two subsequent Crosswalks, first by Pearson's "The true voice of

orthodoxy" and then by layperson Anne J. Burke's "Please, God, more

hermeneutics." Find the first three installments on the Web at

www.edusc.org/Crosswalk/Archive/.

Scripture is the key

Course team has been anything butboring. It seems God deepens the faithof all those involved, regardless of howmany times one has been involved inthe past.

At Alpha, new relationships areformed and old relationships arestrengthened. Central to theserelationships is the weekend retreat or"Holy Spirit Weekend." It is a weekendof learning together, dining together,

and playing together. The focus of theweekend is on how the Holy Spiritworks in the individual lives of eachperson. Each retreat has been different;but all of them have been powerful.Friendships which have been formingin the early weeks of Alpha are nowbonded with the love of the HolySpirit. A closer group returns for theremainder of the weekly course.

The first five courses at St.

Thaddeus were run in both the fall andspring. This year we chose to offer onlyone course, in the fall. This resulted inthe largest turnout of all the courses.

Another factor was the advertisingvia newspaper and radio. Some of thisyear's participants came as a result ofthe advertising and needed directionsto the church. We also contactnewcomers to the parish (since the lastAlpha Course) with a personal invitation

to attend. Alpha is evangelism in itssimplest and purest form.

Resources for running an AlphaCourse are available through the websitewww.alphausa.org.

Alpha leader Johnetta George is a

member of St. Thaddeus, Aiken.

Evangelism, pure and simple: The Alpha Course continued from page 7



16

God is through puja. Puja involves awide variety of activities in whichdevotees shower the images of the godswith tokens of their love and devotion.They bathe and dress the images as amother cares for her infant child. Theyoffer the gods food and drink; theybow in honor as one bows to a favoredguest, or a respected superior. In fact,they demonstrate their love of the godsin all of the ways humans love eachother. Of course, on the surface, suchbehavior is offensive to Christians; it isclearly idol worship. We are wellaccustomed to seeing God in the faceof the needy, to express our love of Godby reaching out to others, but whatgestures or devotional practices, what prayers might also involve beinghospitable to God?

"Here I am"Juxtaposing this Hindu devotional

practice with the story of Abraham'sencounter with God by the oaks ofMamre may help us think in new waysabout God and about how weencounter God. Abraham's story isremarkable in how it shows one humanbeing's openness in his relationship toGod. Some early Jewish commentatorson Abraham stressed that opennesswhen they reflected on the question ofwhy God chose Abraham. What setAbraham apart was not that God calledhim. The rabbis said there was no wayof knowing how many people God hadcalled before he called Abraham. Whatset Abraham apart for the rabbis wasthat he responded to God's call. To put

it another way, Abraham was open tothe possibility of encountering God ina new and unexpected way.

That seems to be an importantlesson of the story of Abraham: to beopen to the possibility that God might

be present to us in new and perhapseven frightening ways. Being radicallyopen to God means accepting God on

God's terms, not limiting God toapproaching us in the old, comfortableways. Perhaps even more importantly,being radically open to God meansallowing God to encounter us at thepace, and in the fashion that Goddemands. Being hospitable to God maymean opening ourselves to thepossibility that God may be present tous in all that we do, in everyone wemeet, and even as we nap in the heat ofthe day.

D. Jonathan Grieser is an intern at

Church of the Redeemer, Greenville.

Welcoming God continued from page 3

Being radically open to God

means accepting God on God's

terms, not limiting God to

approaching us in the old,

comfortable ways.

implications for every Christian. Andso, Jack and I have found ourselvesasking some very simple, but basic,questions that we consistently holdbefore ourselves and our mutualministries in the Gospel.

I would hope that most of uswould agree that in Jesus we have agreat example of hospitality. Growingthe Church, the Incarnate Body ofChrist, means that we are to behospitable on many different levels. Wecannot expect folk to visit us andworship with us on a Sunday morning(or any other day for that matter) if weare going to make it hard for them todo so.

One of the first points of contact(other than paid advertising or Websites) is church signage. Where's itlocated and what's on our exterior sign?Does it list types of service, servicetimes, the names of the clergy? Have weshown that we care about their interestby listing a phone number and perhapsa Web site (if our congregation hasone)? Does the sign direct visitors to thechurch office, or they left to wander apossible maze of buildings and doors?

Once we get visitors actually to step

into our church for worship, how arethey treated? Or perhaps we can say itthis way: Once they have arrived do wemake them feel at home or do we make

them wish they were at home? When visitors arrive at church on aSunday does someone greet them with asmile, offering a hand of welcome and

assistance (should it be necessary)? Or,are visitors greeted by an emptynarthex, left to figure out for themselveswhere classes, worship, coffee, thenursery and bathrooms are to be found?

Do we sit next to someone who isobviously a visitor, and when it's clearthat he or she is confused, unsure, orlost in the beauty of our Anglicanworship with our different books andliturgical calisthenics, do we offer politebut genuine assistance?

Provided our visitors have made itthrough the narthex, into the nave forworship, what about after the service?Have we invited them to coffee? If weget them to coffee, do we speak to themor do we let them wander around thehall alone, staring at the walls and intotheir coffee cups? Do we make them apart of the conversations that we areobviously enjoying with one another(who already know one another)? Havewe introduced ourselves to visitors andhave we introduced them to at least twoother "regulars"? Have we shown themthat their presence matters to us?

Studies in congregationaldevelopment have shown that we reallyonly get one shot at retaining visitors.But we really do not need studies to tellus that, do we?

In our heart of hearts we know thatif we haven't mastered the hospitalitybit, then everything else we might wellbe for naught.

The Rev. Richard H. Norman, Jr., is

rector of Church of the Redeemer,

Greenville.

Entertaining Angels continued from page 3

But are we . . . really . . . hospitable? (photo by Eric Schnaufer)

Once [visitors] have arrived do

we make them feel at home or

do we make them wish they

were at home?



17

Day, who died as a child. St. Matthew's continues to expand,

as predicted by the founders in the1950s. In 2003, there were 290members. In the last 16 months, thecongregation has grown to 400members. Some of the new members aretransfers from other Episcopal churchesin Spartanburg, but over half aretransfers from other cities ordenominations. Once again, the parishneeds more space, and at the annualmeeting in December 2004 thecongregation approved a plan for furtherexpansion of the parish hall andsanctuary, as well as the addition of anew education wing and parking area.The Rev. Dr. K. Drew Baker, apediatrician ordained in the Diocese ofWestern North Carolina, now serves asassistant rector part-time.

How: Worship and spiritual growthare central to the life of the parish, afocus exemplified by the "Prayer forSpiritual Growth" which the people ofSt. Matthew's pray every Sunday:

Gracious Father, we ask spiritual growth for ourselves, our families and friends, and especially for our family of St. Matthew's. Grant us growth in understanding and willingness to be your Body in this world. Empower us to live the mission of Christ: to preach, teach, heal, and make disciples. In joyful thanksgiving for the blessing of yourpresence in our lives, compel us to share you with everyone we meet. May our numbers increase, our commitment deepen, our lives be joyfully yours. Make us a God-centered people. In Christ's name we pray. Amen.

This prayer also informs St.Matthew's value of hospitality, which iscentral to their focus on evangelism andoutreach. Greeters welcome newcomersand visitors at both Sunday services at8:00 and 11:00. The service bulletin isdesigned to lead strangers through theservice, and visitors are invited tocomplete and turn in the tear-outportion of the bulletin for follow-up by

the Evangelism Committee. Each visitorreceives a bright- colored Hospitality Bagthat contains a jar of cookie mix and awelcome card with relevant informationabout church services, church telephonenumbers, and the names of contactpeople. As soon as new members join,they are invited to help with a project sothat they immediately realize they areneeded and can connect with a smallgroup.

Brown believes that the EpiscopalChurch can grow as fast as otherdenominations in the Westside area. Hesays that St. Matthew's is intentionalabout evangelism, and that everythingthe church does to welcome people ispart of that focus. He sees the preschooland activities for youth as means ofdrawing families to the church, and saysthat the evidence of this is the significantgrowth of enrollment in the preschoolfor ages 2-4, and in the attendance ofover 25 young people at Sunday eveningprograms and supper. In addition, about40-50 people attend the contemporaryRite III Eucharist and healing service at6:30 p.m. Wednesdays. This service is

followed by supper for college students. Evangelism and outreach are closelyconnected. The parish is the site ofclasses of English for Speakers of OtherLanguages (ESOL) and also forNarcotics Anonymous (NA). At theirPumpkin Patch in October, they sellHalloween pumpkins grown on theNavajoland Reservation to raise moneyfor outreach. This sale raised $22,000 in2004. Also, part of the space in the newbuilding will be available to thecommunity as part of outreach. St. Matthew's invites people to "comeAS you are; come as WHO you are."The diversity of St. Matthew's mirrorsthe diversity of the community. Therector says that newcomers may "cometo hear the priest, but they stay becauseof the people." He is convinced that thecommitment and involvement of theentire congregation form the foundationfor the continuing growth and vitality ofthe parish.

The founders would be proud.

Malinda Tulloh is a member of Church of

the Advent, Spartanburg.

St. Matthew’s, Spartanburg continued from page 11

Saying goodbye continued from page 5

with family, friends, and all those godchildren. It also means that Byrd will havetime perhaps to see the United States via Amtrak, stopping at places of interest foras long as he wants and continuing on to other destinations. He also looks forwardto having the opportunity to be spontaneous when he wakes up in the morningwithout having the day planned.

"It is with the greatest reluctance that I anticipate life and ministry in theDiocesan House without Archdeacon Byrd," says Bishop Henderson. "I amconsoled only by the fact that, in retirement, he will yet be available to serve as mysenior pastoral advisor and for such other ministry as his extraordinary talents andextensive experience quality him so imminently.

"The title 'Venerable,' as used within Anglicanism in reference to archdeacons,is defined as 'worthy of respect or reverence by reason of dignity, character,position, or age.' In my experience," Bishop Henderson asserts, "there is no onewho, by his life and ministry as lay person, deacon, and priest—and right arm ofat least two bishops—lives more faithfully into that definition, and is more worthyof the title. 'Venerable' he is."

Byrd retired officially on December 31, but as archdeacon and senior pastoralassistant to the bishop, he will keep office hours at Alexander House two days aweek and will concentrate on two areas of ministry: the ordination process andministry with young adults (Canterbury Communities). His office is now on thesecond floor of Alexander House. Drop by to see him! A few of those antiques andmemorabilia can still be found in his new office.

Pam Steude, former editor of Crosswalk, is a member of St. Francis of Assisi, Chapin.

A family affair: (top) The archdeacon relaxes with his mother, Mrs. Addie Byrd, and cousins

Randy and baby Buford Graham.

The archdeacon officiates at a cousin's wedding at Our Saviour, Rock Hill (bottom left).

"Godbuddy" Byrd in the early 1980s with one of his 34 godchildren, William McSwain (right).



18

missioner to the Hispanic community, our Spanish service has grown steadilyand Spanish language and Latin culture have become an integral part of our life

together. Bilingualism is a

stretch for some of us, butwe are trying to make ourlife of prayer and praise onethat welcomes people whospeak either language. Mostof our publications are nowbilingual, ranging from ourparish brochure and ourbulletin announcements toour newsletter and ourchurch sign. While wecontinue to hold twoservices in English and onein Spanish on Sundays, our"special" worship servicesare now bilingual: All Souls,Thanksgiving, ChristmasEve, Epiphany, etc. BothAnglos and Latinos serve aslectors, greeters, and soforth, and an English-speaking member has beentrying her hand at leadingSpanish worship music onher guitar! This effort toprovide hospitality to our

neighbors has been a wonderful ministry for us, both in welcoming new faces tothe parish and in stretching our ideas of who in the area could benefit fromhearing about Jesus at St. Francis.

Those of us who are Anglos have also been "welcomed" warmly by ourSpanish-speaking brothers and sisters. When a group of five children receivedtheir first communion in the Spanish service, all of the English speakerscanceled Sunday School that day to attend the service. Then the Spanishspeakers hosted all of us in a big Latin-style fiesta and reception. Participants inthe Spanish service also took it upon themselves to be in charge of the pesebre orcrèche set this year; they taught the Anglos their Latin America traditions! Thosewho worship at the Spanish service also led us in an observance of a Christmasnovena, and of las posadas, a traditional rite of Advent throughout LatinAmerica. Through their teaching, the Anglo members of St. Francis are learningto see the Church in a broader context.

Who really receives the reward?Many of the Anglos are also learning Spanish, thanks to one of the Latina

teens, who has begun offering a Spanish class free for anyone in the community.About 12 people are currently in the class, and more are joining all the time!This talented young woman (who also happens to be an acolyte) is an exampleto all of us of the rewards of hospitality. The Anglos thought that opening thedoors to Spanish-speakers would be the "right" thing to do; little did we knowhow much it would benefit us!

Welcoming Jesus in our midst at St. Francis means opening our doors wideto the community around us. From adoptable children to our hungry neighborsto those whose language is different from ours, God has given us amazingopportunities to provide hospitality. I am very grateful to be serving a parishthat is so enthusiastic about outreach and evangelism, as well as about providinghospitality in myriad ways. In an attempt to "welcome Jesus" in others, we havefound amazing rewards and joys, and received tremendous gifts. As acommunity, we give thanks to God for all of these gifts and blessings, and lookforward to whatever wonderful surprise he has in store for us next.

The Rev. Kathryn Tiede Hottinger is rector of St. Francis, Greenville.

del Sur, en Norteamérica,” he shot back, "Oh, I used to live in New York Cityfor 20 years." You can imagine my relief to hear English spoken in a mostunexpected place. Exhausted from days of trying to communicate in a secondlanguage, I talked non-stop with Lizardo for the next hour. What a gift to me,and a way to make me welcome in his home.

In case you hadn't noticed, our Diocese of Upper South Carolina has arapidly growing Latino population, many of whom feel in North America thesame way I did while visiting a Latin American country. Because some can'tspeak the language or understand it that well, they feel that no one sees them,that they're invisible in a way. I only stayed two weeks and a few days inEcuador; imagine living in a place for months or years and always feeling thatyou were invisible or didn't belong.

Someone knows that I am hereWhenever I am out and about in Greenville, at the gas station, the

supermarket, a department store or restaurant, I look for these invisible people;people who live among us, but because of perceived or real cultural barriers, stayhidden, in the background, doing jobs few of us would willingly take, andlargely being ignored by their neighbors. When I see someone whom I believe(or know) to be Latino, I say hello in Spanish: Buenos días, Good morning;Buenas tardes, Good afternoon; Buenas noches, Good evening. Almost always, Iget an enormous smile in return, and a polite reply—either the same phrase Isaid, or a little more. What I like best in the exchange is that I detect a slightstraightening of the shoulders, a sense of dignity returning to the body, as if thatperson is thinking someone sees me, he spoke to me; someone knows that I amhere, and he greeted me like one of his neighbors, but in my language. If I get

the chance, I tellthe personabout ourservices inSpanish inGreenville, andoffer aninvitation tocome and see.Not many docome, but somehave. It's a start;as a diocesewe're so lategetting involvedin this ministry.

Mi casa es su casaWe in the Church face a tremendous opportunity to welcome the stranger

by befriending the Latinos in our cities and towns. When we welcome someone,we acknowledge his or her personhood, presence, and quite honestly, the imageof God within. “Bienvenidos,” "Welcome!" Whenever we can truly make peoplefeel welcome, chances are good that they'll be back; for all of us, regardless oflanguage, culture, or gender, desire a place where we can feel welcome, feel athome, and not alone. Isn't what the Church is supposed to be for all people? Aplace to call home in our journey of life? “Bienvenidos! Mi casa es su casa,” saysJesus. Let us say it to others, to the stranger, too. We might be entertainingangels without knowing it (Heb. 13:2).

The Rev. Timothy Dombek is rector of St. James, Greenville.

Hospitality—The gift that gives back continued from page 9 The stranger made visible continued from page 9

El padre Timoteo Dombek (al centro)—stranger no more



19

Gravatt gets goingThe Episcopal Church began its ministry of hospitality on this land that same

year, and young people were important from the start. The first use of the site wasthat fall when youth from Church of the Good Shepherd, Columbia, picnicked therewith their rector. The first diocesan use was a Sunday Church School rally thefollowing spring. Summer camps began in 1949. Interestingly, Bishop Gravatt'scommittee chairman John Pickney and the leading committee members CapersSatterlee and Orren Zabest were all from the Upstate. So in the beginning Gravatthad more campers from Greenville and Spartanburg than from anywhere else.

The first buildings were old structures transported from Fort Gordon, some ofthem still standing behind Stewart Dining Hall. Uncle Henry used to farm fresh-grown vegetables and watermelons for the Gravatt kitchen. Handymen would pickthem, put the watermelons in a box, and sit behind the kitchen and shell peas.Campers on hikes would enjoy the watermelons. The Stewarts would go to the icehouse, chip ice, and put it in glasses for campers.

The diocese later built the bird houses and bathhouses, and, in 1956 Cullumand Stewart Halls. Also that year Roy Stewart was born in Aiken, and came toGravatt where his grandparents raised him. In 1960 or 61 under its fifth bishop, theRt. Rev. Alfred C. Cole, the diocese acquired an additional 150 acres toaccommodate the growing camp, built up Lake Louise on the camp side, moved thebird houses over there, and eventually added all the facilities that make up CampGravatt today. Over the years camp structures have included teepees, Conestogawagons, tents, and cabins. For more than half a century the summer camp has playeda formative role in the lives of thousands of children, disadvantaged youth, and YorkPlace residents, who in the early days were orphans.

Hub and microcosmEarly on, the diocesan vision was that Gravatt would serve as a hub of activity,

formation, ministry, renewal, and spirituality. Archdeacon Fred Byrd thinks the ideaof a hub still expresses what Gravatt can be—a microcosm of what the diocese canbe. "What you do in a hub is equip," Archdeacon Byrd says. "You come there forhospitality—for building community, refreshment, and training—but then leavethere to go out and make disciples."

Part of Gravatt's ministry ofhospitality has always been the offering ofa place of retreat where individuals andgroups can come to get away from theday-to-day distractions of home life andwork. Gravatt's executive director PaulPrice believes that "Gravatt's goal is tomeet the needs of its guests so they canfocus on why they're here." He goes onto explain, "Gravatt offers a place wherepeople can go to engage themselveswithout distraction." Roy Stewart and hiswife Lillie are a big part of Gravatt'shospitality. "We try to make everybodyhappy and treat them like family," hesays. "My great-grandparents lost theirland, but something good came out of itbecause the tradition of hospitality theystarted has continued."

Gravatt's hospitality has beeninclusive over the years. For example, the

ropes course, one of the first of its kind and a model for others, features an accessiblecourse so people in wheelchairs and those with other disabilities can use it. Thesecourses have challenged thousands of individuals and corporate groups to becomemore confident, build leadership skills, and work through problems at home, atschool, in the workplace, and in their communities.

Gravatt's hospitality also extends to God's creatures such as beavers, black bears,coyotes, deer, red and gray foxes, otters, black panthers, swamp rabbits, raccoons, andall sorts of birds, including ospreys, bald eagles, hawks, piliated woodpeckers, andbarn, great horned, and screech owls.

Gravatt as phoenixMore than a year ago, Cullum Hall and the adjacent chapel burned. But the fire

has not compromised Gravatt's ministry of hospitality. In spite of not yet having anew building to replace Cullum Hall, Gravatt is open and eager to host all kinds ofgroups. Some see the fire as a catalyst. Instead of rebuilding Cullum Hall and thechapel on the same footprint, the Gravatt board of directors has hired consultants tohelp with a comprehensive vision, strategic plan, and feasibility study that have thepotential of turning Gravatt into an even more effective diocesan hub. "The symbolof a phoenix bird rising from the ashes is representative of what's happening atGravatt in the wake of the fire," says board chairman Bob Alexander. The phoenix isan appropriate representation because it is also a Christian symbol for theresurrection.

Gravatt's nearly 60 years of hospitality have had an impact on many people andinstitutions. The Rt. Rev. William A. Beckham, the sixth bishop of the diocese, feelsthat Gravatt has energized this diocese more than anything else. "There is a wholegeneration of people who went to Gravatt as children who really gave, and continueto give, a lot of life to this diocese," he says. "Gravatt has molded lives and shapedentire groups of people." With God's grace and the help of the people of UpperSouth Carolina, it will continue to do that for many years to come.

Duncan C. Ely is a member of St. Philip's, Greenville.

Gravatt . . . continued from page 10

Gravatt's Cullum Hall after the fire in December 2003

Give the gift of hospitality

The Bishop Gravatt Center still needs your help to recover from the

fire that destroyed Cullum Hall in December 2003. The Center has

established a fund to help defray the costs of rebuilding, recovery,

and improvements that will not be covered by insurance. Individuals

wishing to make a donation may send a check payable to The

Diocese of Upper South Carolina (with "Cullum Hall Fund" on the

memo line) to: Diocesan House, 1115 Marion Street, Columbia, SC

29201. All funds donated are restricted for use on this project.

Going to the Masters?

Gravatt is offering a "Spiritual Golf Package" for the Masters

Tournament, April 3-10. Lodge room $105 per night; cottage room

$90 per night (accommodations for two adults; $35 for each

additional person). Contact the Bishop Gravatt Center for details

(800.597.1764; [email protected]).

A camper works the Gravatt ropes course.


Epiphany 2005

CrosswalkThe official publication of the Episcopal Diocese of Upper South Carolina

Episcopal Diocese of Upper South Carolina

1115 Marion Street

Columbia, South Carolina 29201

Nonprofit Org.

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Permit No. 848

Columbia, SC

Diocesan calendar

Feb.

4-6 Diocese-wide ski trip, Winterplace, WV

6 Bishop's visitation to St. Peter's, Great Falls

Bishop Duvall's visitation to St. Matthias, Rock Hill

Bishop Harris's visitation to St. Michael's, Easley

11 Diaconal candidates' retreat, Rock Hill

13 Bishop's visitation to Church of the Cross, Columbia

11-14 Cursillo #101, Gravatt

17 DEC meeting, St. Luke's, Newberry

18-20 Cross+Roads conference (young adults), Gravatt

20 Bishop's visitation to St. Thaddeus, Aiken

21 Diocesan House closed

24 Bishop's visitation to Chapel of the Holy Spirit, Columbia

Installation of the Rev. James K. Workman as rector of

St. Michael's, Easley

26 Deacons' day with the bishop, Columbia

Lenten Quiet Day, St. Timothy’s, Columbia

27 Bishop's visitation to Grace, Camden

Bishop Harris's visitation to St. Andrew's, Greenville

Mar.

6 Bishop's visitation to St. John's, Columbia

11-13 Happening #53, Gravatt

18 DEC meeting, St. Luke's, Newberry

21 Clergy renewal of ordination vows, Trinity Cathedral

25, 28 Diocesan House closed

Apr.

3 Bishop's visitation to Redeemer, Greenville

3-8 Anglican Church: Roots & Branches seminar,

Holy Trinity, Clemson

9 Continuing Education Day (locations TBA)

10 Bishop's visitation to St. Mary's, Columbia

12-15 Bishop's residency in Catawba Convocation

15-17 Sr. High Spring Retreat, Gravatt

17 Bishop's visitation to Good Shepherd, Greer

20 Bishop's visitation to Advent, Spartanburg

21 DEC meeting, All Saints, Clinton

24 Bishop's visitation to St. Francis, Greenville

29-30 Diocesan Women's Retreat, Gravatt

photo: Eric Schnaufer

SOUL food

Love bade me welcome: yet my soul drew back,

Guiltie of dust and sinne.

But quick-ey'd Love, observing me grow slack

From my first entrance in,

Drew nearer to me, sweetly questioning,

If I lack’d any thing.

A guest, I answer'd, worthy to be here:

Love said, You shall be he.

I the unkinde, ungratefull? Ah my deare,

I cannot look on thee.

Love took my hand, and smiling did reply,

Who made the eyes but I?

Truth Lord, but I have marr'd them: let my shame

Go where it doth deserve.

And know you not, sayes Love, who bore the blame?

My deare, then I will serve.

You must sit down, sayes Love, and taste my meat:

So I did sit and eat.

—George Herbert, Anglican priest and poet, 1633

DEADLINE for next issue of Crosswalk: March 15

Send submissions to [email protected],

photos to [email protected], items for the diocesan calendar to [email protected].

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