Happy New Year!
January 2, 2009
by Dan Marrin
Last night, at Isaac and Katie’s cozy apartment in Washington Heights, Transmission held its 2008 New Year’s Eve get-together. Katie prepared a feast of shrimp in a spicy tomato marinade, Greek style mushroom pie, warm French bread, radishes with apple and celery spice, and flourless chocolate cake and pies for dessert. It was the height of delectability.
Present at the bash were myself, Isaac, Katie, two guests from an emergent church in Canberra, Australia, Mabel and three of her friends, Sarah, and Ula and her friend Steve.
We started out with a discussion of circumcision, December 31st being the Feast of the Circumcision, as well as the Feast of the Holy Name. Historically, this day, December 31, or the 4th of Tevet as the Hebrew calendar puts it, was the day the Christ child was circumcised and given the name Jesus. They actually went against the orders of the Archangel Gabriel who had said “His name shall be Emmanuel.” Emmanuel was Hebrew for God is with us. Jesus was derived from the older Hebrew name Yeshua, for God’s salvation. Though the earth didn’t swallow the family up for not following orders, you wonder whether there’d have been any difference if our savior had been named Emmanuel Christ!
Isaac explained to us that circumcision was, in the Jewish tradition, the way of marking the faithful. It was what separated them from others, and those who weren’t circumcised were to be cut off from their people. According to Genesis, God said that any uncircumcised male “has broken my covenant.”
However, in the years after Christ, the apostle Paul wrote that circumcision was meaningless: salvation came through the spirit, and had nothing to do with one’s skin. He wrote in Philippians, “It is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh.”
Yet there has remained debate over whether circumcision should be required or not. As some members pointed out, circumcising newborns used to be custom at hospitals, often done without asking parents. Only in recent years has that shifted.
Then came Isaac’s question: what for us is the mark of the faithful? What shows that we are Christians? And also what kind of judgment have we experienced from other Christians or have we shown towards others based on an outward characteristic?
Mabel spoke of her inability to sit next to homeless people on the subway, because of the smells. She was reminded of a friend who was able to do so without a second thought. I spoke of the word “saved” and the meaning people seem to attach to it as being a kind of rubber stamp of the Christian, in evangelical circles: it seems like saved is a status, a kind of static title one can hold. For me, though, salvation is a process we live throughout our lives. We can fall away from salvation or we can go towards it, and ultimately we never know whether we’re saved or not until our judgment comes.
After singing a psalm that Isaac had put to music, we enjoyed some good long conversation and singing around Isaac’s guitar. When midnight came, it was actually very casual: Isaac and Katie don’t have a TV or radio, so we just counted down ourselves using the clock on Isaac’s laptop. Afterwards, a brief toast and some more talking late into the morning hours before we all headed home. ( I had a strange journey home. Here’s the story…)
Bono once sang, “Nothing changes on New Year’s Day.” I happen to agree, but that line misses the point. New Year’s isn’t supposed to change anything: it’s meant to summon the hope of change, the hope of renewal. The idea that we can start over and wipe the slate clean, however much time it takes. Our new president is channeling that hope. Whether Obama lives up to his promises or not, these last months have brought many of us hope in a brighter future. What some see in Obama is exactly what the shepherds saw in the newborn Jesus: the arrival of a savior who could shake down unjust kingdoms and renew the earth. Let us rejoice in Him now and forever, and fulfill the promises that He made, whether our new earthly rulers do so or not.
Transmitting 12/17/08
January 2, 2009
by Dan Marrin
On December 17, there was Transmissioning, and it was good. The Transmission group headed to Dan Marrin’s swank brownstone in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Mabel Bermejo prepared an Italian dinner, garlic bread and spaghetti, for our group of seven people, and Isaac led the ritual. He started with group songs and then read us a story from The Way of the Wolf, a collection of stories about bunnies, wolves and nature that start out sounding like children’s stories, but end as provocative and mature parables showing what it means to be Christian.
Then came the fun. Our theme for the night was “free gifts” and the free grace that we’ve been given through Christ. We don’t have to earn or pay for the love of God: salvation has been given to us through his son and our love for Him. So, in that spirit we brought each other gifts that cost us nothing and exchanged them. Each gift had its story, like Mabel’s Israeli soap (which she initially mistook for candy), Paul’s Bible Memory Match cards (random religious stuff- yay!) and Katie’s purple scarf (Who’d think Santa Claus would take the form of an Indian tailor?)
Afterwards, we held prayers for any of us who needed consolation and did a laying on of hands for personal healing. My roommates came in just as we were laying our hands on top of people’s heads and praying: a few of us chuckled and then Paul, who was the one getting “layed on” started screaming out a chant and we all burst out laughing. Yup, we’re a weird bunch, but in all the good ways.
All of us are going through trials and changes. Though we know our blessings, we pray we can face our challenges with grace and faith, knowing that we have friends we can turn to along the way.
Isaac announced that he’ll be hosting Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve get-togethers. So mark your calendars for those and keep reading the updates as they come in!
Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!
Eighth Day of Christmas! This Wednesday! 8pm!
December 28, 2008
Hello, Transmissioners!
Until the 1970s, it was called the Feast of the Circumcision of Our Lord. After that, it was called the Feast of the Holy Name. Most people today just call it New Year’s Eve. Whatever you want to call it, we’re celebrating it this Wednesday! Between 8pm and 9pm, we’ll do a short ritual based on the Eighth Day of Christmas and the Bris of Christ, and from 9pm onwards we’ll just be partying - drinks, games, music, you name it. If you have a friend you’ve been meaning to invite to Transmission, this would be a great week to do it! All are welcome.
Liturgical Chaos
December 18, 2008
On the train ride home from Transmission last night, we somehow got into a discussion of the various denominational backgrounds of our members, especially the Episcopalians and the Baptists. Well, this morning, our friend Emily Scott posted a piece on that very topic, and it’s well worth reading.
http://www.episcopalcafe.com/daily/liturgy/holy_chaos_or_what_episcopalia.php
An Advent Ritual From Home
December 15, 2008
Here’s a ritual that Bowie led us in last Wednesday. It’s loosely based on a Lessons and Carols service, and involves distributing the verses of Veni, Veni Emmanuel around texts and meditations. Copy it down and do it with your community, or just do it here!
Sing:
O come, Thou Day-spring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here;
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
And death’s dark shadows put to flight.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
Silence…
Sing:
O come, Thou Wisdom from on high,
Who orderest all things mightily;
To us the path of knowledge show,
And teach us in her ways to go.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
Watch:Blessed by Juli Allen and Jon Birch
Share Stories About Waiting
Sing:
O come, Thou Key of David, come,
And open wide our heavenly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
Waiting for the Miracle, by Leonard Cohen:
light candles while listening.
Sing:
O come, Desire of nations, bind
In one the hearts of all mankind;
Bid Thou our sad divisions cease,
And be Thyself our King of Peace.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
Postlude: Waiting in Vain by Bob Marley (performed by Annie Lenox):
Advent Transmission on waiting…
December 2, 2008
This Wednesday, December 3, is the first Transmission of Advent. We’re meeting at Isaac’s place (email for directions), Sarah is cooking, and Bowie is leading the ritual:
A quiet, meditative evening to reflect on waiting… in silence and darkness, and waiting… for a miracle to come. We will read Luke Chapter 1 and selections from the Prophet Isaiah, interspersed with songs, silence, sharing, and activities. Music ranging from O Come O Come Emmanuel to Coldplay.
Network of Ministry Innovators
October 25, 2008
Well, I’m back from an invigorating week in New Orleans, picking brains and sharing stories with other intrepid church mavericks from around the country. Transmission even got a nice mention in Episcopal Life:
“Trying to lead a new community can be confusing,” said Isaac Everett, of the Diocese of New York. “So finding others is really invaluable.”
Everett is co-founder of Transmission, an emerging liturgical community in New York City.
It’s great that they gave us link, although I wish that I came off as a little less clueless. Oh, well, you can never control what the press will right about you and, in all honesty, I can be more than a little clueless at times.
In any case, I have all kinds of ideas I want to share with the group, and I think we’re overdue for a “future of Transmission” talk, anyway, so maybe we can discuss on Wednesday. Bowie was at the conference, too, so I’m sure she’ll have lots to contribute.
Now I’m off to the Congregational Church of New Canaan to perform in a bibliodrama in which Cain’s wife takes Eve to weekend spa getaway in order to figure out why Cain is tormented with nightmares. No, I’m not making this up…
5th Wednesday Singing
October 23, 2008
This Wednesday, the 29th, we’ll gather around the new piano in Bowie’s apartment for a marathon psalm reading and antiphon signing session, testing out the antiphons Isaac has been working on for the Emerging Psalter. Readers and singers and knitters and listeners all welcome.
Bowie will be preparing a home-cooked autumnal meal, but folks are welcome to bring drinks and treats!
Women’s Retreat for Abuse Survivors
August 23, 2008
We got this in the Transmission inbox a few days ago and thought it worth passing on. Most everyone knows survivors of abuse, whether they’re aware of it or not, and we at Transmission are no different. Blessings on the work CFM is doing.
Committed to Freedom Ministries will hold a retreat for women who are survivors of childhood abuse in the Bronx, Riverdale area. The retreat does not focus on the abuse experience, but on practical spiritual tools to move beyond the damage of abuse.
The retreat begins at noon on Friday and concludes at 3:00 pm on Sunday. The cost is $400, which includes lodging, meals, retreat curriculum, and retreat materials.
Please call 1-800-713-7837, visit our website committedtofreedom.org or e-mail information@committedtofreedom.org for more information or a registration form. Registration forms are available for download from our website. Registrations must be received by August 22nd.
Emad Youssef is my hero
August 23, 2008
Gothamist recently reported on an Egyptian food cart vendor who returned a $100 bill to a woman who dropped it. When they asked him why he did it, he replied, “I’m Christian. In my religion, if I take somebody’s money, it’s haram.”
Although up until now I’ve only heard Jews and Muslims use the word haram (i.e. forbidden), I was super excited that Christianity is getting some positive press in NYC. Woo Hoo!