Reflections
We buried my friend, the Rev. Dr. LeRoy Waddlington, this past weekend. I was honored to be asked to be one of the speakers at his funeral on Saturday. I spoke of our friendship and what LeRoy had taught me about race through the years.
Since then I have had several people ask me to talk about and preach these things to white folks. Kathy was sick and had to stay home, but I could not see any other white people in a congregation of 500-600. It grieved me greatly.
So, to honor my mentor and friend, what follows, a portion of my talk on Saturday could be called, “A Few of the Things LeRoy Taught Me”:
-Our two churches in Oxford, St. Peter’s and Second M.B. Church, were a block apart, separated by the Lafayette County jail. “Pretty powerful symbol of the sin that continues to separates us,” he reflected one day.
-Across eight years our churches, recognizing the centrifugal forces that conspired for centuries to keep us apart, became intentional and aggressive in getting to know each other, and working together on a number of projects. From the beginning, he insisted that he and I meet together on a regular basis. “Our churches won’t trust this process,” he once told me, “until they believe we trust each other.”
He was right, and our times together were often spent talking about growing up in Lafayette County-black and white in parallel, deeply segregated, universes. We were 2 years apart, serving churches a block away from each other, but we had never met each other, until I barged into his office unannounced in 1992, and said, “Pastor Waddlington, “ you don’t know me, but I need to talk.” ( prelude is a long story!)
-He took me out to the spot on Highway 6 where he grew up as the son of a sharecropper, and told me of how on Saturdays he endured the taunting and worse of football fans on their way to a game waving their Rebel flags at his brother and him. “Don’t tell me it’s only about history, “ was his, painful, but gentle, comment.
-Often, as he told stories, I would say, “I didn’t know that.” Conversely, when I was telling him something that I thought only 7th grade white boys would know or be doing, he would say, with a twinkle in his eye, “I know all about that, Duncan.” One day he gave me an explanation: “I know a lot more about your world, than you know about mine. It is a matter of survival for me. It is something you and your people never had to worry about”. He smiled, and took my hand.
-Early on he gave the vision for what we tried to do over those eight years: “Our two histories are profoundly different. What our churches and our people have experienced has shaped how we see the world. We can see the same event and interpret it so very differently. In this way we are profoundly different, and we must honor that in what we are trying to do.
AND, in Jesus Christ, we are profoundly the same and brought together as the Body of Christ and one people. That gives us the hope to keep trying.
It’s not either/or, but both/and-a Divine paradox.”
He paused, then asked me, “Do you think we can hold that paradox together?”
-After about 6 or 7 years we were working on a rather risky project for our two churches and had reached what appeared to be an insurmountable obstacle. We talked about how to solve the problem, and I said something that showed my blindness and latent racism. LeRoy’s expression changed dramatically, then very calmly he said, “After all these years, Duncan, and you still don’t understand.”
I was devastated and sat there in silence.
Then he took my hand, and in a still small voice I can hear today, whispered,
“But, bless you, my brother, for trying.”
There is much more that I said, and far much more I could have said, but I was not the Preacher!
But I am still trying, and I pray I always will.
Sunday’s Scripture-A Few Thoughts
Isaiah 35:1-10 Isaiah’s vision of the coming of the Lord. Full of beautiful images of nature being transformed in marvelous and harmonious ways . It’s one of those wonderful passages that is suited for reading at bedtime when your mind is so full of much more that peaceful and calming thoughts.
Luke 1:46-55 Mary rejoices in the call of God and the role she has been given. Sometimes I rejoice in what appears to be a call from God. However, if that call requires some sacrifice, my default response is too often complaint.
James 5:7-10 Patience is encouraged, even as the promise of coming of the Lord is reaffirmed. Patience may have to hold hands with suffering for a season, but the Lord is coming.
Matthew 11:2-11 When asked by John the Baptist’s disciples if he is the Messiah that John was hoping for, Jesus didn’t talk about the thousands of people who were coming out to see him; he didn’t talk about the church’s increase in membership; he didn’t mention how well people were speaking of him.
He said to tell John what they were seeing: “the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised and the poor have good news brought to them.
I’m afraid we have different standards of measurement.
Other Matters of Importance
Advent Festival of Lessons and Carols-Sunday, December 18 at 10:30 am.
Our church musician, Brenda Prager, and a number of other musicians from Nativity have joined together to offer special music for our Lessons and Carols Service next Sunday. Thank you all for all the extra time and effort!
Evening Prayer-Wednesdays at 5:30 during Advent. A quiet end to a day. We all need it.
“Greening of the Church”-Volunteers Needed!
Immediately following the Lessons and Carols service next week the Altar Guild and other interested members of the congregation will help prepare the church for our worship during Christmas by “greening” the church. “Greening” the church is a tradition, originally associated with the Winter Solstice, but later adapted by the Christian Church to celebrate, in the greenery, the eternal life given in Jesus. We need holly and helping hands! Sandwiches and soup will be served. Please contact Kathy Gray 601-260-6088 to sign up.
Gluten-free Wafers Now Available-
If you wish such a wafer at communion, simply put your hands together in a praying posture as you come forward to receive, and you will be given a gluten-free wafer.
Are You Finding Your Self More Comfortable At Nativity?
Do you find yourself thinking about making Nativity, and the Episcopal Church, your spiritual home? Do you feel like you need to know a few more things before making a commitment? Please feel free to contact me to schedule a time to talk about these thoughts and feelings. Normally, if a person wishes to make such a commitment through confirmation, reception or reaffirmation, it is done during the visitation of the Bishop. When Bishop Seage visits Nativity on February 12, it will likely be his last visitation to Water Valley before he steps down from his duties in Mississippi.
Speaking of Bishop Seage... We Are Going To Have A Party February 11th ! To welcome Bishop Seage and to have an excuse to join in the increasingly wonderful fellowship at Nativity, Liz and Tommy Reynolds will host a party at their home on the evening of February 11th. Details will be forthcoming after the first of the year, but save the date!
Contributions For Christmas Flowers Invited-Any contributions to defray the cost of Christmas flowers and other decorations will be greatly appreciated by the Mission Committee!
See you Sunday!
Peace,
Duncan
(601)260-1937
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