Katrina’sDream
St.Stephen’sandtheIncarnationEpiscopalChurch
CelebratingWomen’sEqualityDay
AContemplativeInterfaithWorship
Friday-26thofAugust,2016 Washington,DistrictofColumbia Katrina’s Dreamwelcomes you to St. Stephen’s and the Incarnation Episcopal Church.Godhas brought all of us together today. You arewelcome to participate fully in thisworshipexperienceasmuchoraslittleasyoufeelcalledtodo.
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WelcomeOpeningPrayer
Person: God,openourlips.All: Andourmouthsshallproclaimyourpraise.
All: GlorytotheOne,andtotheChild,andtotheHolySpirit:asit
wasinthebeginning,isnow,andwillbeforever.Amen
FirstReading:TheColorPurplebyAliceWalker
“Theworldischanging,Isaid.Itisnolongeraworldjustforboysandmen.Ourwomenarerespectedhere,saidthefather.WewouldneverletthemtramptheworldasAmerican womendo.ThereisalwayssomeonetolookaftertheOlinkawoman.Afather.Anuncle.Abrotherornephew.Donotbeoffended,SisterNettie,butourpeoplepitywomensuchasyouwhoarecastout,weknownotfromwhere,intoaworldunknowntoyou,whereyoumuststruggleallalone,foryourself.SoIamanobjectofpityandcontempt,Ithought,tomenandwomenalike.Furthermore,saidTashi’sfather,wearenotsimpletons.Weunderstandthatthereareplacesintheworldwherewomenlivedifferentlyfromthewayourwomendo,butwedonotapproveofthisdifferentwayforourchildren.
Butlifeischanging,eveninOlinka,Isaid.Wearehere.Hespatontheground.Whatareyou?Threegrownupsandtwochildren.Intherainy
seasonsomeofyouwillprobablydie.Youpeopledonotlastlonginourclimate.Ifyoudonotdie,youwillbeweakenedbyillness.Oh,yes.Wehaveseenitallbefore.YouChristianscomehere,tryhardtochangeus,getsickandgobacktoEngland,orwhereveryoucomefrom.Onlythetraderonthecoastremains,andevenheisnotthesamewhiteman,yearinandyearout.Weknowbecausewesendhimwomen.
Tashiisveryintelligent,Isaid.Shecouldbeateacher.Anurse.Shecouldhelpthepeopleinthevillage.
Thereisnoplacehereforawomantodothosethings,hesaid.Thenweshouldleave,Isaid.SisterCorrineandI.
No,no,hesaid.Teachonlytheboys?Iasked.
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Yes,hesaid,asifmyquestionwasagreement.ThereisawaythatthemenspeaktowomenthatremindsmetoomuchofPa.Theylisten
justlongenoughtoissueinstructions.Theydon’tevenlookatwomenwhenwomenarespeaking.Theylookatthegroundandbendtheirheadstowardtheground.Thewomenalsodonot“lookinaman’sface”astheysay.To“lookinaman’sface”isabrazenthingtodo.Theylookinsteadathisfeetorhisknees.”MeditationSecondReading:Luke10:38-42-TheNewTestament
[38]AsJesusandhisdiscipleswereontheir
way,hecametoavillagewhereawoman
namedMarthaopenedherhometohim.[39]
ShehadasistercalledMary,whosatatthe
Lord'sfeetlisteningtowhathesaid.[40]But
Marthawasdistractedbyallthepreparations
thathadtobemade.Shecametohimand
asked,"Lord,don'tyoucarethatmysisterhas
leftmetodotheworkbymyself?Tellherto
helpme!"
[41]"Martha,Martha,"theLordanswered,"youareworriedandupsetaboutmanythings,[42]but
onlyonethingisneeded.Maryhaschosenwhatisbetter,anditwillnotbetakenawayfromher."MeditationThirdReading:Abdu’l-Baha,ParisTalks,p.134.Womenhaveequalrightswithmenuponearth;inreligionandsocietytheyareaveryimportantelement.Aslongaswomenarepreventedfromattainingtheirhighestpossibilities,solongwillmenbeunabletoachievethegreatnesswhichmightbetheirs.
Meditation
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FourthReading:Sukta30ofChapterThree–AtharvaVeda.
Omembersofhumanity!Beengagedinworksofcommoninterest.Owell-wishersofequality!Youallshouldsittogethertohavecommondishesoffoodanddrink.Thisthreadoflovebindsyoualltolivetogether.
MeditationFifthReading:SurahAli'Imran3:195TheQuran
AndtheirLordrespondedtothem,"NeverwillIallowtobelosttheworkof[any}workeramongyou,whethermaleorfemale;youareofoneanother.SothosewhoemigratedorwereevictedfromtheirhomesorwereharmedinMycauseorfoughtorwerekilled-Iwillsureremovefromthemtheirmisdeeds,andIwillsurely
admitthemtogardensbeneathwhichriversflowasrewardfromAllah,andAllahhaswithHimthebestreward."
Meditation
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SixthReading:WhiteBuffaloCalfWoman[excerpt]-LakotaLegend
AfterfourdaystheysawtheWhiteBuffaloCalfWomanapproaching,carryingherbundlebeforeher.Herwonderfulwhitebuckskindressshonefromafar.Thechief,StandingHollowHorn,invitedhertoenterthemedicinelodge.Shewentinandcircledtheinteriorsunrise.Thechiefaddressedherrespectfully,saying:"Sister,wearegladyouhavecometoinstructus."
Shetoldhimwhatshewanteddone.Inthecenterofthetipitheyweretoputupanowankawakan,asacredaltar,madeof
redearth,withabuffaloskullandathree-stickrackforaholythingshewasbringing.Theydidwhatshedirected,andshetracedadesignwithherfingeronthesmoothedearthofthealtar.
Sheshowedthemhowtodoallthis,thencircledthelodgeagainsunwise.Haltingbeforethechief,shenowopenedthebundle.Theholythingitcontainedwasthechanunpa,thesacredpipe.Shehelditouttothepeopleandletthemlookatit.Shewasgraspingthestemwithherrighthandandthebowlwithherleft,andthusthepipehasbeenheldeversince.
Againthechiefspoke,saying:"Sister,weareglad.Wehavehadnomeatforsometime.Allwecangiveyouiswater."Theydippedsomewacanga,sweetgrass,intoaskinbagofwaterandgaveittoher,andtothisdaythepeopledipsweetgrassoraneaglewinginwaterandsprinkleitonapersontobepurified.
TheWhiteBuffaloCalfWomanshowedthepeoplehowtousethepipe.Shefilleditwithchan-shasha,redwillow-barktobacco.ShewalkedaroundthelodgefourtimesafterthemannerofAnpetu-Wi,thegreatsun.Thisrepresentedthecirclewithoutend,thesacredhoop,theroadoflife.Thewomanplacedadrybuffalochiponthefireandlitthepipewithit.Thiswaspeta-owihankeshni,thefirewithoutend,theflametobepassedonfromgenerationtogeneration.
ShetoldthemthatthesmokerisingfromthebowlwasTunkashila'sbreath,thelivingbreathofthegreatGrandfatherMystery.TheWhiteBuffaloCalfWomanshowedthepeopletherightwaytopray,therightwordsandtherightgestures.Shetaughtthemhowtosingthepipe-fillingsongandhowtoliftthepipeuptothesky,towardGrandfather,anddowntowardGrandmotherEarth,toUnci,andthentothefourdirectionsoftheuniverse.
"Withthisholypipe,"shesaid,"youwillwalklikealivingprayer.Withyourfeetrestingupontheearthandthepipestemreachingintothesky,yourbodyformsalivingbridgebetweentheSacredBeneathandtheSacredAbove.WakanTankasmilesuponus,becausenowweareasone:earth,sky,alllivingthings,thetwo-legged,thefour-legged,thewingedones,thetrees,thegrasses.
Togetherwiththepeople,theyareallrelated,onefamily.Thepipeholdsthemalltogether.Meditation
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SeventhReading:LotusSutraChapter12-DragonGirl
AtthattimeShariputrasaidtothedragongirl,"Yousupposethatinthisshorttimeyouhavebeenabletoattaintheunsurpassedway.Butthisisdifficulttobelieve.Why?Becauseawoman'sbodyissoiledanddefiled,notavesselfortheLaw.Howcouldyouattaintheunsurpassedbodhi?TheroadtoBuddhahoodislongandfar-reaching.Onlyafteronehasspentimmeasurablekalpaspursuingausterities,accumulatingdeeds,practicingallkindsofparamitas,canonefinallyachievesuccess.Moreover,awomanissubjecttothefiveobstacles.First,shecannotbecomeaBrahmaheavenlyking.Second,shecannotbecomethekingShakra.Third,shecannotbecomeadevilking.Fourth,shecannotbecomeawheel-turningsageking.Fifth,shecannotbecomeaBuddha.HowthencouldawomanlikeyoubeabletoattainBuddhahoodsoquickly?"
Atthattimethedragongirlhadapreciousjewelworthasmuchasthethousand-million-foldworldwhichshepresentedtotheBuddha.TheBuddhaimmediatelyexceptedit.ThedragongirlsaidtoBodhisattvaWisdomAccumulatedtothevenerable
one,Shariputra,"IpresentedthepreciousjewelandtheWorld-HonoredOneacceptedit-wasthatnotquicklydone?"
Theyreplied,"Veryquickly!"Thegirlssaid,"employyoursupernaturalpowersandwatchmeattainBuddhahood.Itshallbe
evenquickerthanthat!"Atthattimethemembersoftheassemblyallsawthedragongirlinthespaceofaninstant
changeintoamanandcarryoutallthepracticesofabodhisattva,immediatelyproceedingtotheSpotlessWorldofthesouth,takingaseatonajeweledlotus,andattainingimpartialandcorrectenlightenment.Withthethirty-twofeaturesandtheeightycharacteristics,heexpoundedthewonderfulLawforalllivingbeingseverywhereinthetendirections.
Atthattimeinthesahaworldtoathebodhisattvas,voice-hearers,gods,dragonsandothersoftheeightkindsofguardians,humanandnon-humanbeingsallfromadistancesawthedragongirlbecomeaBuddhaandpreachthelawtoallthehumanandheavenlybeingsintheassemblyatthattime.Theirheartswerefilledwithgreatjoyandallfromadistancepaidreverentobeisance.Immeasurablelivingbeings,hearingtheLaw,understooditandwereabletoreachthelevelofnoregression.Immeasurablelivingbeingsreceivedpropheciesthattheywouldgaintheaway.TheSpotlessWorldquakedandtrembledinsixdifferentways.Threethousandlivingbeingsofthesahaworldremainedonthelevelofnoregression.Threethousandlivingbeingsconceivedadesireforbodhiandreceivedpropheciesofenlightenment.BodhisattvaWisdomAccumulated,Shariputraandalltheothermembersoftheassemblysilentlybelievedanacceptedthesethings
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MeditationClosingPrayer
All: OmMa-niPad-meHum. OmMa-niPad-meHum. OmMa-niPad-meHum
GUIDELINESFORWALKINGTHELABYRINTH
Thelabyrinthisnotamaze.Therearenotrickstoitandnodeadends.Ithasasinglecircuitouspaththatwindsitswayintothecenter.Thepersonwalkingitusesthesamepathtoreturnfromthecenterandtheentrancethenbecomestheexit.Thepathisinfullview,whichallowsapersontobequietandfocusinternally.
Generallytherearethreestagestothewalk:releasingonthewayin,receivinginthecenterandreturningwhenyoufollowthereturnpathbackoutofthelabyrinth.Symbolically,andsometimesactually,youaretakingbackoutintotheworldthatwhichyouhavereceived.
Thereisnorightwayorwrongwaytowalkalabyrinth.Usethelabyrinthinanywaythatmeetswhatyouneedwhilebeingrespectfulofotherswalking.Youmaygodirectlytothecentertositquietly--whatevermeetsyourneeds.
Toprepare,youmaywanttositquietlytoreflectbeforewalkingthelabyrinth.Somepeoplecomewithquestions,othersjusttoslowdownandtaketimeoutfromabusylife.Somecometofindstrengthtotakethenextstep.Manycomeduringtimesofgriefandloss.
Childrenenjoythelabyrinthandweaskthatparentssupervisetheiryoungchildrensoallmayenjoythemeditativeaspectsofthewalk.
Therearemanywaystodescribealabyrinth.Itisapathofprayer,awalkingmeditation,acrucibleofchange,awateringholeforthespiritandamirrorofthesoul.Retrievedfromwww.veriditas.org
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Uplifting the Voices of Women
ThankstothelateEqualRightsAmendment(ERA)champion,CongresswomanBellaAbzug,on
Monday,August26,2016,therewillbeobservancescommemoratingWomen'sEqualityDayallacrossournation.
Firstmemorializedin1971afterAbzug'sJointCongressionalResolutionproclaimingAugust26
ofeveryyearWomen’sEqualityDaypassed,thedayisatributetothe1920ratificationofthe19thAmendment--guaranteeingAmericanwomentherighttovote--callsonthePresidentoftheUnitedStatestoissueaProclamationonthishistoricdateeveryyearanduntiltheERAisratified,ismeanttoserveasareminderofthecontinuedstruggletoobtainfullequalityundernationallaw.
Thisyear,ERAAdvocatesacrossthecountryarejoiningtogethertoviewEqualMeansEqualagroundbreakingexplorationofgenderinequalityintheUSA"andtosendacollectivemessagetoourelectedofficials:"wenolongerwantnorwillweacceptameaningless“day”-wewantactualequality."
OnthegroundhereinWashington,DCthisyear,ERAActivistswillalsomarch,rallyandvisittheofficesoftheCongressionalJudiciaryChairstoinsisthearingbeheldonSJR15andHJR51.InconjunctionERAActionisspearheadingaThunderclapcallingonAmericansacrossthenationtourgeourUSCongresstoholdhearingsontheEqualRightsAmendment.MakeyourvoicehearandjointheThunderclap.Clickheretojoin.
Pleasehelpstrengthenthemessagebyjoiningyourvoicewithourstodemand#ERANOW!Call-Email-Tweet
U.S.HouseJudiciary
Rep.BobGoodlatte(202)225-5431goodlatte.house.gov,@RepGoodlatteRep.JohnConyersJr.(202)225-5126
Sen.ChuckGrassley(202)224-3744grassley.senate.gov,@ChuckGrassleySen.PatrickLeahy(202)224-4242,leahy.senate.gov,@SenatorLeahy
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