Dear Old South Church,
Yesterday, 150 of Old Southers—an intergenerational assembly sporting a marvelous and mad assortment of headgear—departed Festival Worship and promenaded to the Women's Memorial on Commonwealth Avenue to pay tribute to Old South Church member Phillis Wheatley, on the occasion of her 259th birthday. Once arrived at the statues of Phillis Wheatley, Abigail Adams and Lucy Stone, we addressed Phillis, singing We Shall Overcome and Happy Birthday, delivered her mail and celebrated with cupcakes. Surely Old South has started a new tradition.
As Ron Buford noted, while Phillis died in poverty, she has been reborn and remembered on the Commonwealth Avenue Mall for her moxie, brilliance and artistry. Thank God for our sister, Phillis, and for this church which nurtured and welcomed her. What a privilege it is to have inherited the responsibility to steward her story and memory.
Jackie Geilfuss' photos of Hat Sunday are already online.
At 1 pm in the afternoon, your Associate Ministers Search Committee met under the leadership of Karen Hand to continue our work. This is a laborious process requiring lots of meetings, reading materials, electronic searches, reference checks and discernment, for which we continue to ask your patience.
Later in the day, at 6 pm, a congregation of fifty-eight persons gathered in the Gordon Chapel for our first Evening Worship. Wendy Cadge's reflection was stunning. Our Pastoral Fellow, Shawn Fiedler, led us in a ritual of gentle remembrance of our baptisms. The music and the atmosphere shimmered.
Even as we worshipped and promenaded, feasted and reflected, the Boston Globe was putting the final touches on a story featuring our own Dr. Dan Oates.
Just another day in the life of Old South Church in Boston. What a church.