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"Bells of Taize"
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— A Letter from Fr. Richard Murphy —
Sept. 9, 2004
We are blessed at St. Bede's to be able to afford hospitality and space to the HaMakom Jewish Congregations led by Rabbi Malka Drucker. They meet on Saturday mornings from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for services and fellowship.
The presence of HaMakom is a blessing in many ways. For one it continues St. Bede's tradition as a place of beginning for congregations of other denominations. For instance, Santa Maria de La Paz Catholic Community and St. Elias Greek Orthodox Church had their beginnings at St. Bede's.
On another and, what I believe to be a deeper level, we express our Anglican heritage by opening doors and hearts to our Jewish brothers and sisters. I have come to believe that in the midst of our current turmoil and what some call "crisis" in our Anglican Communion and Episcopal Church we are being called to a new time in our lives to re-examine our Anglican heritage. This new call to new understanding, I feel, beckons us to look more and more outside of our institutional framework. We can get stuck by focusing on our inward institutional controversies and neglect our role as as a mission church. And by mission I don't necessarily mean conversion but rather dialogue and solidarity with those outside of our tradition.
The future of institutional religion in the 21st century and beyond is going to be more and more grounded in Interfaith dialogue and experience. Our proclamation as a religious tradition grounded upon the concept of "Via Media (Middle Way)" makes us a good place to engage with brothers and sisters from outside of our tradition.
These reflections are in the early stages of some exploring that I am doing and where we can dialogue and pray together as our future unfolds. We need to find positive expression and experience in the midst of our present circumstances for we at St. Bede's are a beacon to the wider church and community in so many ways.
Please consider joining in some of the High Holy Day services and fellowship. We all will be richly blessed.
Peace, Fr. Richard
