June 2009
The Rector's Letter
There is a story of a beggar who asked a man for money. The man had no money to give to the beggar, so he said to the beggar, “Brother, I have nothing to give you.” The beggar thanked the man. The man asked, “Why did you thank me. I gave you nothing” The beggar responded, “You called me brother.” This story reminds me of the verse in Genesis 4:9 when the Lord inquires about Abel. Cain responds, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” This encounter between God and Cain is the timeless question of asking ourselves is brother’s keeper and we our sisters and do we have an obligation to care and protect one another?
In Paul’s Letter to the Romans, the Apostle Paul teaches that we are to love another and in the Gospel of John Jesus commands his disciples to love another. At Christ Church, you and I live out the command to love one another in a myriad of ways through outreach, pastoral care, and healing. One of the clearest manifestations of taking care of our brothers and sisters is through Habitat for Humanity; and it is important to acknowledge that work has begun on the Needham Habitat for Humanity home being built at the corner of Brookline and Bancroft streets. As many people know this project of affordable housing in our community is a joint venture among many people and congregations. As a member of the Needham Clergy Association, I am proud of Christ Church’s active participation among the ecumenical and interfaith communities who have worked together in ministry who are helping to make this home a reality for a deserving family. In the weeks and months ahead, you will be hearing more about workday opportunities for our youth and adults to assist working on building the house. This will be a wonderful opportunity for us to work collaboratively with other houses of worship that will not only deepen our ties with one another but also go with the knowledge that each of us are our sister and brother’s keeper.
