Dear friends,
In recent months watching Jeopardy has become part of my evening routine. In the spirit of that game, I have some answers. See if you can guess the question. Here we go:
In the basement
In the parish hall
In the copy room
In an office
Stumped? Well, here is the question. Where are places that Beppe has been locked up in overnight?
Part of Beppe’s charm is that he loves to be part of everything. He takes his Sunday morning greeting responsibilities very seriously. He also is part of the yoga class. He’s on the flower guild. He supervises vestry meetings and Sunday School classes. When a group from outside the church uses our space he is there to show them where things are. He’s very helpful. As Deborah Silver said, he basically runs the place.
But he is also very quick. He can dart in an open door so fast that you don’t even know he has come in. Or he can hide and then get stuck overnight. To avoid that happening we are keeping the parish hall and kitchen doors that lead to the hall to the choir room closed during the week. And if you are here for a meeting, to arrange flowers, go to yoga, or whatever, and he is there, please make sure he has left before you close up and leave the building.
One of the ministries we have supported since its inception is Solidarity Sandy Springs. The Solidarity food pantry began when the schools closed and moms realized that some of their children’s classmates would not have access to free breakfast or lunch. So they bought some groceries and began handing them out. Gradually that became a food pantry, with many churches, including ours, collecting food and making financial donations. Almost five years later Solidarity has grown into a well organized food pantry that also serves as a kind of community center for the Hispanic community in Sandy Springs. They hold job fairs and vaccine clinics. They send kids to camp. They make sure kids and adults get Christmas presents. And so much more.
Solidarity has been nominated for Best Non-Profit Organization in Sandy Springs. You can vote for them Daily at this link until March 15.
Several of you have asked about the letter I read from in yesterday’s sermon about the Episcopal Church being part of a lawsuit filed against the Department of Homeland Security. It is pasted below. Its author, Julia Harris, is president of the House of Deputies. The Church as a whole is governed by the General Convention, which meets every three years (an elected council acts for them in between). General Convention is made up of two houses — the House of Bishops and the House of Deputies. The House of Bishops’ makeup is self evident. The House of Deputies is made up of four clergy and four lay delegates from every diocese. They are elected at our annual diocesan council. Any major changes to the Church, such as the ordination of women, the approval of same-sex marriages, changes or supplements to the Prayer Book and Hymnal must be approved by both houses. Julia Harris, a lay woman, is president of the House of Deputies. Her letter is a powerful testimony calling us to live out our callings as Christians. (And the reason I received this email is that I have been a deputy from this diocese in the past and am still on the email list.)
| February 11, 2025 Dear Deputies and Alternate Deputies: Each time we gather at Christ’s table, we proclaim an ancient truth that echoes through the centuries: Divine love knows no borders, grace flows as freely as living water, and in the face of the stranger, we may encounter Christ himself. Today, The Episcopal Church stands at a profound crossroads where our deepest theological convictions call us to prophetic action. Our Sacred Foundation Like threads woven through Scripture’s tapestry, the story of divine welcome shapes our story—from Abraham’s journey to the Holy Family’s flight into Egypt. When we offer welcome to the stranger, we echo Christ’s own table fellowship with those whom society pushed to the margins. These ministries of welcome are not peripheral programs but vital expressions of who we are as Christ’s body—as essential to our worship as the bread and wine upon our altars.The Episcopal Church welcomes the stranger. The Episcopal Church upholds the dignity of every human being. The Episcopal Church stands against policies that sow fear, division, and injustice. This is who we are. This is what we believe. And this is what we do. A Journey of Divine Welcome I speak these truths not merely from the authority of my office but from the depths of lived experience where divine welcome has transformed shadows into light. As a first-generation American and child of an undocumented Mexican immigrant, my story is woven into the larger tapestry of sacred welcome that defines our church. Though blessed with the privileges of American citizenship, I carry in my heart both the weight of uncertain status as—that quiet ache of belonging yet not belonging—and I have experienced the profound grace of a church that sees beyond borders to behold the image of God in every face. In the embrace of this beloved community, I discovered not just a healing balm from fear, but a deeper truth: that our worth flows not from documents or status but from the indelible mark of divine love that claims each of us as beloved children of God. The Present Challenge On January 21, 2025, the rescission of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Sensitive Locations Policy, guidelines that limited immigration enforcement in protected areas such as churches, struck at the very heart of our religious exercise. This policy change threatens to transform our sanctuaries—long havens of safety, community, and worship—into spaces shadowed by fear. When fear of raids keeps families from our sanctuaries, we cannot fully live out Christ’s command to welcome the stranger.In response, we join with Georgetown Law’s Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection and our ecumenical and interfaith allies in taking legal action—not as political actors, but as communities bound by divine love. This policy shift imposes a substantial burden on our congregations, violating both our First Amendment rights and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA). These are not mere administrative concerns but direct threats to our ability to live out the Gospel and practice our faith. You can read more about this legal action in our press release here. Our Church’s Faithful Witness Through prayerful deliberation, our church has repeatedly affirmed that migration is woven into the human story. Our General Convention resolutions speak with prophetic clarity:2018-D009: Christian Principles on Human Migration affirming migration as part of our sacred story.2018-C033: Denouncing Racism Against Immigrants calls us to confront the sin of racism that often shadows immigration discourse, reminding us that every human being bears the divine image.2024-C031: Migration with Dignity guides us toward a future where human dignity transcends borders, expressing our collective commitment to justice and compassion.These resolutions, in addition to this summary listing, are not mere policy statements but modern-day psalms, singing our collective commitment to justice and compassion. They express the prayerful discernment of our church, reflecting our identity and mission. A Message of Sacred Welcome Immigrants—and everyone on the margins—are the very center of the story Jesus reveals in the Gospels, and we cannot worship freely if any among us live in fear. I know firsthand what impact this has, and I want to tell you, as the daughter of an undocumented immigrant: To every child of God in uncertainty’s shadow, to every parent dreaming of safety for their children, to every person seeking refuge on these shores: The Episcopal Church sees you. We hear you. Your story and lives are sacred, and your dignity is divine.When you gather courage to enter our sanctuaries, when you share your stories of hope and heartbreak, when you trust us with your fears and dreams—you reveal Christ’s face to us anew. Your presence among us is not a burden but a blessing that enriches our common life. Our Call to Holy Courage and Action This season calls us to stand firm in our sacred calling. We invited you to join us as we: – Enter into deep prayer for those seeking refuge, remembering that the Holy Family were once asylum seekers. – Raise our voices through the Episcopal Public Policy Network, speaking truth with prophetic love. – Support Episcopal Migration Ministries as they continue the ancient practice of offering welcome in Christ’s name. – Stand resolute in our conviction that welcome is not optional—it is essential to who we are as followers of Jesus. As we navigate these challenging waters, may we be guided by the words of Hebrews 13:2: “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it.” Let us be the church that future generations will remember as having stood firm in faith, unwavering in welcome, and unshakeable in our commitment to human dignity. Together, we bear witness to a love that knows no borders, fears no difference, and a God who continually calls us to wider circles of inclusion and deeper practices of hospitality. In Christ’s transforming love,  |
With love,
Tricia