Last Sunday was the OutFest street fair in Philadelphia. Our parish had a booth, which we set up at about 9:30 in the morning and tore down at 4pm, so we were out there on 12th St. for more than six hours. It was a gorgeous day, getting too warm only for a bit in the midafternoon, all of which meant it was a comfortable space for us to engage in our ministry of witness.
As is often the case at these events, although I answer lots of questions about one thing or another, the major impression I come away with at the end of the day is the simple power of our having been present with our “Episcopal Church Welcomes You” sign, and our Episcopal flag flying alongside rainbow flags. Jesus says in today’s Gospel reading (Matthew 22:15-22) to give the emperor’s things to the emporer and to God the things that are God’s. And that’s what we do at the OutFest. We set up a sign of God’s presence, of God’s healing love, of God’s caring creation, and then we let it become its own beacon to the swarms of folks swirling around all afternoon.
There often are so-called “protestors” at these events; I didn’t see any this time although a few distraught folks stopped by our table to say they wished our message was as loud as that of the protestors. I always chuckle, because for everyone who says something like that to me fifteen more stop by to whisper “thanks for being here.”
In today’s lesson from 1Thessalonians Paul writes words of encouragement remembering “your work faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope.” We had a varied crew of parishioners at our booth throughout the day, but the best moments came, I think, when it was possible for potential church-shoppers to actually have a chat with one or the other of our folks. I was grateful for their easygoing welcoming chatter, which is born of the reality of their genuine sense of home at CHT.
It is a ministry of witness, witness to the simple power of the love of God. Thanks folks.
Proper 24 (Exodus 33:12-23, Psalm 99, 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10, Matthew 22:15-22)
©2011The Rev. Dr. Richard P. Smiraglia. All rights reserved
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