Category Archives: New York

October 5, 2011 · 11:19 pm

Where are the Ribbons of Hope?

Simple ribbons.

Many colors.

Bright colors.

With words of

remembrance and

faith and

love and

hope.

Ribbons of Hope were made in New York and around the world as part of the observance of the 10th anniversary of September 11, 2001. Ribbons were made at St. James Presbyterian Church on September 11, during a seminar with participants from the Presbytery of West Virginia, and at a chapel service at the Church Center for the United Nations.

Prepare New York reports that more than 20,000 people participated in Ribbons of Hope. The ribbons adorn 12 nine-foot panels. “These tapestries, where ribbons of different colors, textures, shapes and sizes can be found side-by-side, symbolize the strength and vibrancy of our diversity and serve as an important witness to peace and reconciliation. The plan is to continue to display them across the city throughout the full tenth anniversary year. They will travel each month from one prominent location to another. Ribbons will be added as they go, making this an expanding, interactive expression of community art.”

Moving, maintaining and organizing this project takes money; friends of Prepare New York can make a tax deductible gift of $25. Your gift will help keep this powerful symbol of hope and healing alive for a full year.  Your name will be added as a “friend” of Ribbons of Hope.

Did you add a ribbon to the Ribbons of Hope panels and want to know where your ribbon is now? Use Ribbons Map to track all the panels as they move from place to place. Find out where your ribbon has been and where it’s going next.

 See photos from the Ribbons of Hope weekend. Read Robert Chase’s recent blog: Reflections on Ribbons and 9/11.

Ribbons of Hope panels are scheduled to be at the chapel in the Church Center for the United Nations next week. Watch for pictures.

See you along the Trail.

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September 15, 2011 · 10:16 pm

Still 117

Riding up in the elevator today with someone I had not seen in a while, and the conversation went like this:

Did you make it through Hurricane Irene, OK?

I did fine. I was in Oklahoma.

That’s one way to avoid it.

They had lots of coverage. I watched. 

How was Oklahoma?

It was good. Well, it was hot. 117 degrees.

117? (image a sense of amazement and wonder in the tone of voice)

Yes. But it wasn’t so bad. It was a dry heat. Not humid like here.

At this point, the elevator reached his floor. Now I realize that humidity matters. Matters a great deal. One of the things I like about northern New Mexico is the lower humidity. But . . . so as he left the car, I said:

But 117 is still 117.

(laughing) 117 is still 117.

Enjoying cooler weather and hoping it continues!

See you along the Trail.
 

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September 14, 2011 · 3:33 am

Train to DC

Sometimes the Trail
we travel by rail.
I Amtraked today from NYC to DC
second time I took the train
a pleasant experience
of course it would have been far more pleasant
had the day not started at 3:00 in the blessed A.M.
Photo – near Newberg, OR
October, 2009

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September 11, 2011 · 11:35 pm

September 11, 2011

On this day of sadness and pride, remembrance and looking forward, St. James Presbyterian Church used the worship resources for the 10th Anniversary of September 11, 2001 today during worship. We shared in the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper.

Members of the congregation had the opportunity to make Ribbons of Hope which were delivered to Battery Park (my pictures from there did not work).

As often happens, a number of international visitors joined the congregation.

It was a blessing and an honor to worship with and preach to the saints of St. James.

See you along the Trail.

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September 11, 2011 · 2:21 am

God’s Tears II

A couple of days ago, a conversation led me to reflect on rain as the tears of God. A friend said that his mother had told him the rain is God’s tears.

I took the approach of God weeping over the pain we inflict on each other – the ways we hurt one another – the damage we do. The ways we treat each other certainly grieves God sorely. Indeed, it seems that God could weep eternally over ways we violate God’s children. Sorrow, pain, grief, rage, all produce tears.

In response to my reflection, my friend Grace posed a simple question: “Are there ever tears of joy?”

I suspect that the events I was dealing with last week narrowed my vision and limited my thinking. Many things touch our hearts, minds, spirits, souls. The beauty of the world may make us weep. The wonder of love may cause us to cry. Amazing grace, incredible courage, profound sacrifice, all may elicit tears.

Tears of joy? Absolutely. Every day. Thanks be to God.

See you along the Trail.

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September 9, 2011 · 12:37 am

God’s Tears

Something different happened when I left the office tonight. Well at least different from the previous two nights.

It was not raining. I simply note that. I am not complaining about the rain.

Places are desperate for rain. Children of God are dying, in part because of drought.

The simple reality is that for last two nights I and many other New Yorkers have made our ways home in the rain; others have endured the rain because they had to work or because they had no place to take shelter.

Tonight, it was overcast and damp when I stepped outside. But not precipitating.

This led to an interesting conversation:

When I was a child, I used to believe that the rain was God crying. That’s what my mother said. And I believed her.

Maybe, I said. We certainly give God enough reasons to cry. Look at how we treat each other, what we do to each other.

We do. We do.

We bid each other good-bye and I headed on toward the train.

And then the obvious flaw in that idea occurred to me:

If raindrops are God’s tears, it would never stop raining.

See you along the Trail.

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August 28, 2011 · 3:45 am

Storm

A search for “Storm” in the song title brought the following playlist on my iPod. Clearly the timing on some of them makes a difference to a true playlist. This is simply an alphabetical list.

After the Storm – Bill Miller
The Great Storm Is Over – John McCutcheon
The Lightning Storm – Flogging Molly
Orphan of the Storm – Black 47
Riders on the Storm – The Doors
Shelter from the Storm – Bob Dylan
Singer in the Storm – Holly Near
A Storm Is Coming – The Return of the King
Storms in Africa – Enya
Weather out the Storm – Figgy Duff

See you along the Trail

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August 27, 2011 · 7:38 pm

I have a plan

If the power goes off, it is always good to have a plan to know that the power has been restored.

See you along the Trail.

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August 21, 2011 · 7:55 pm

Keys

On my way back from preaching at White Plains Presbyterian Church today, I met Andrew Stehlik, pastor of Rutgers Presbyterian Church on the Uptown Number 2 subway. We exchanged greetings and then began to talk shop.

As he described his sermon, Andrew reminded me that on the night of August 20-21, 1968, Warsaw Pact troops invaded Czechoslovakia shattering the hopes of the Prague Spring.

He also reminded me of the use of keys during the nonviolent Velvet Revolution (Gentle Revolution in Slovakia) that overthrew the communist government of Czechoslovakia. The people jingled keys – ordinary keys – as they gathered to demonstrate nonviolently for change. This simple, yet profound, public act carried two meanings. It proclaimed the unlocking of doors – opening doors long locked by totalitarianism. The act of jingling one’s keys also served to tell the communists that it was time for them to go home.

On a day when I preached about Shiphrah and Puah – the Hebrew midwives who committed civil disobedience by refusing to carry out the Pharoah’s order to kill the Hebrew children – and the need to live our faith publicly, the story of the keys spoke to me with great power. I told Andrew that I will no doubt use the story in a future sermon; I will credit him when I do.

Thanks be to God for Shiphrah, Puah, the people who jingled keys in Czechoslovakia, and all who work nonviolently for life and peace and justice.

See you along the Trail.

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August 20, 2011 · 3:48 am

Seen on the train – August 19, 2011

On the train into work today, I watched as a guy read Dracula by Bram Stoker on his Kindle directly across from a poster for The Vampire Diaries. Interesting contrasts of technologies and story lines.

See you along the Trail.

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