Author Archives: Matt Griffing

Enduring Mercy & Forgiveness

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Proper 22A
October 4, 2020

Exodus 20:1-4,7-9, 12-20. So that you do not sin
Philippians 2:1-13. I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call in Christ Jesus
Matthew 21:33-46. Listen to another parable

O God of mercy and forgiveness, may we have the wisdom, the strength, and the courage to seek always and everywhere after truth – come when it may and cost what it will.

I have a little exercise for you. Many of us are out of shape from not being able to sing together, so I’m going to say some opening words of various hymns and see if you can complete the first line –do it at home if you’re joining us by livestream. Those of you at home can even sing your parts! If I say: “Amazing grace,” you’d know that the next words are: “how sweet the sound.” If I say: “The Church’s one foundation,” you’d say: “is Jesus Christ her Lord.” If I say: “O God our help in ages past,” you’d say: “our hope for years to come.” If I say: “Immortal invisible,” you’d say: “God only wise.” If I say: “This is the day that the Lord has made,” you’d say:, “Let us rejoice and be glad in it.” One more time: “This is the day that the Lord has made. (Let us rejoice and be glad in it.)”
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Turn around and run for it!

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Proper 21A
September 27, 2020

Exodus 17:1-7. So that the people may drink
Philippians 2:1-13. For it is God who is at work in you
Matthew 21:23-32. Even after you saw it you did not change your minds.

O God of of mercy and pity, grant us the strength, the wisdom and the courage to seek always and everywhere after truth, come when it may, and cost what it will.

In today’s appointed collect, or gathering prayer, I’m struck by the idea that God declares almighty power chiefly in showing mercy and pity: mercy being forgiveness, and pity being sympathy for another’s suffering. It might not be the kind of almighty power we want, but I think it is what we need. Whenever we are invoking the mighty power of God, it behooves us to look for forgiveness and sympathy first, as evidence of God’s response. It is God’s forgiveness for our sins and sympathy for our suffering and for the suffering of others that we are running to obtain, so that we can be partakers of that treasure.

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Share the wealth!

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Proper 20A
September 20, 2020
Exodus 16:2-15. What is it? It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat.
Philippians 1:21-30. It is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be put to shame in any way.
Matthew 20:1-16. Take what belongs to you and go.

O God of grace, grant us the strength, the wisdom and the courage to seek always and everywhere after truth, come when it may, and cost what it will.

Hello! Welcome into this time and space and community that is Emmanuel Church gathered. Some are gathered in this physical place, and many more are gathered in places around New England and in various other time zones, to pray together and to worship God. Welcome into the future of God’s beloved community, as we figure out ways to adapt to challenging circumstances. I often hear people remark, when I tell them that I serve as rector of Emmanuel Church in Boston, that Emmanuel has such a great history. And I’m quick to respond, “yes! And a great present and future too!” Our vision of the future is foggier, perhaps, more treacherous perhaps, but we are sticking together. This first Sunday of the cantata season is “welcome forward Sunday. Come with us into the future, Sunday.”

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A Gentile and a Tax Collector

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Proper 18A
September 6, 2020

Exodus 12:1-14 This day shall be a day of remembrance for you.
Romans 13:8-14 Love is the fulfilling of the law.
Matthew 18:15-20 Let such a one be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.

O Divine presence, grant us the wisdom, the strength and the courage to seek always and everywhere after truth, come when it may, and cost what it will.

It’s Labor Day weekend, our secular signal that the summer is ended. That brings Jeremiah’s lament to my mind: “the summer is ended, and we are not saved,” say the people. The Lord responds: “For the hurt of my poor people I am hurt, I mourn, and dismay has taken hold of me. Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then has the health of my poor people not been restored?” …“It is because the people do not know me,” says the Lord of Love. That’s not the Hebrew Bible reading that our lectionary offers us this morning, but you might read chapters 8 and 9 in Jeremiah later on for extra credit.
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Finding my groove?

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Boston Warm Collage

Collaborative collage created by BostonWarm participants to commemorate the program’s five-year anniversary

It was tough for me to figure out what to write about for this week. It’s not that nothing happened, that’s for sure—there’s always plenty going on at BostonWarm and common art—rather, there was no singular topic or moment I could think to focus on. I was starting to ask fewer questions of my (incredibly patient) supervisors and starting to learn better how to initiate things on my own. Was it possible that I was starting to find my “groove” here at my internship?
Of course, now I realize that I did indeed have a noteworthy moment at BostonWarm—I led my first art project!

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Mistakes

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There’s a lemon in life that I’ve been trying to turn into lemonade for quite some time now: mistakes. Logically I understand that mistakes are a part of life and a key element to learning. Some of the world’s greatest inventions, from potato chips to penicillin, were discovered or created accidentally. If I were talking to a friend or a student, I would encourage them to try different things, make mistakes, and learn something new—but me make a mistake in my internship? Surely this would be the end of me, my career over before it started.

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A Suspiciously Good Day

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My initial description after my first day at common art was that I’d had a “suspiciously” good day. That is, I had such an interesting and fun time, it seemed a bit too good to be true for my first day at an internship. Wasn’t I supposed to be filling papers or organizing supplies? Instead I was instantly immersed in a community of interesting individuals, all of which with a unique perspective and many of which eager to share their art with me. Time flew by as I connected with members of the clergy, staff, and community; admittedly, I had a difficult time pulling myself out of any one conversation. I returned to Emmanuel Church three more times, once for common art and twice for BostonWarm and I’m happy to report my suspicions have disappeared; I am thankful to be at an internship that is both “too good” and true.

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Introducing Amanda Ludeking

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This year, Emmanuel is pleased to welcome Amanda Ludeking. Here’s what she has to say by way of introduction.

My first experience with theater and the arts was in the fifth grade, when a theater company came to my school to help us put on a play about recycling. I don’t remember the show’s title or even my role, but I plainly remember the excitement that came with rehearsing, the friendly cooperation when painting the set, and the exhilaration of performing alongside my friends. Nearly twenty years later, upon realizing that all of the aspects I loved so much about such performances could be utilized as a form of therapy, I was nothing short of thrilled: here was a concrete way in which my animated demeanor and flair for the dramatics could actually help others. I decided to pursue my M.A. in mental health counseling (more specifically, drama therapy—a form of art therapy) at Lesley University, a program which gave me the opportunity to intern with the BostonWarm and common art programs at Emmanuel Church.

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Don’t leave here without love!

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Second Sunday in Lent, March 17, 2019

Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18 I am your shield.
Psalm 27 Be strong and of good courage. (Jewish Publication Society translation)
Philippians 3:17-4:1 He will transform the body of our humiliation.
Luke 13:31-35 How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings.

O God of our longing, grant us the strength, the wisdom and the courage to seek always and everywhere after truth, come when it may, and cost what it will.

At the beginning of the Ash Wednesday service, the presiding minister invites the congregation to the observance of a holy Lent, by self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self-denial, and by reading and meditating on God’s holy Word. The spiritual purpose is named in the beginning of our Eucharistic Prayer during Lent: to respond to the bidding of the Holy One to cleanse our hearts and prepare with joy for Easter, and to experience the fullness of grace prepared for those who walk in Love. In Lent, we are urged to prepare for Easter by focusing our attention on our hunger and thirst for right-relationship with one another and with God. According to the Bible, God is Love, and I find that saying Love (capital L) in place of the word God is a helpful Lenten discipline.

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Holding Space

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While reflecting on the past three weeks working with common art, Café Emmanuel and the Art and Spirituality group at the Suffolk county corrections facility I noticed that I have been doing a lot of listening. Holding space is something we talk about often in my courses at Lesley. We talk about holding space in a therapeutic context yet I feel it is applicable in everyday life. For me holding space means engaging on a body level, using my posture to communicate attentiveness and support, and bringing myself into a group and participating cognitively through listening and responding when appropriate. I find that when I am holding space I am receiving so much from others who are given an opportunity to be and express themselves in an authentic way. Continue reading →