Living in coronavirusworld 56: strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow

5/17

Jackie Robinson Park

The West Park congregation gathers for worship on ZOOM.  I am very happy that our former music director, and one of my original band members, Jeremy, will be leading the music. From Switzerland.  Andre will be providing some solo songs. From Harlem. As the service is beginning,  Andre sings his own solo  version of “Great is thy Faithfulness.”  At the end of the service, Andre will share Precious Lord, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr’s favorite song. We are all together. In one place. It  brings back memories, both warm and painful.  

We are gathered together for an annual meeting. And to face once again the question of what will happen to the church. A struggle that has been going on for almost two decades. Or more depending on how you look at it. At the center of this story has been the West Park building, a blessing and a curse. Although this story has its unique aspects, it is a common story among aging urban congregations. The original version of this blog, West Park Press, carries the detailed daily story of that struggle between late 2010 and March 2017. Reading through it, you find all those moments of hope and despair.  All those times  when the corner seemed to have been turned only to once again feel victory slip away.  The extent to which the story is my story almost makes me want to just back away completely. Whether my personal actions  helped us survive or failed to move us to the promised land I don’t know. The truth is both. And somewhere  in between.  But responsible still. 

After much discussion, the church votes to transition the ownership of the building. Whether that means sale or lease or a new  kind of partnership remains to be seen. But it will not remain as it has been. There is a second decision to be made: 

1. Dissolve the church

2. Seek a merger

3. Renewal

The church, not surprisingly, votes for renewal. It is part of the church’s DNA to continue the struggle. 

Already one of the church’s I work with has decided that , because of the end of its (mainly music performance) rentals, without an influx of cash, it cannot reopen for worship when the time for reopening comes.  Two other churches I work with edge closer to insolvency. When the coronavirus crisis eases, it will be interesting to see who will still be standing.  No one yet understands how radically the landscape of American churches will be changed. There will be an  accompanying impact on theological seminaries as well. Once again, things will never the same. 

My family gathers for its weekly international ZOOM meeting. My oldest, a teacher in Germany, talks about the child abuse that has accompanied quarantine.(My domestic violence friends tell a similar tale.) The devil’s bargains we make. He’s ready to open the doors.

It’s been a long day. Still I head to Jackie Robinson Park to meet a friend. We sit at opposite ends of the bench. She wants to wake up and find that this has all been a dream. I add a Twilight Zone twist and imagine we wake up to find that we all must fill every  inch of our living space with people and be no more than six inches apart. This quarantine gives us time to reflect on troubled relationships but no way  to act on them  even if we do figure out what it is we want. 

There is a row of trees with hearts strung on them at the edge of the park. 

tree with hearts

wrapped around  by hearts 

The last two days have seen a lot of volunteer work in Luigi's Garden on my street. Getting it ready for when we can all can go back.

Working on Luigi's Garden

Thankfully,CC runs her open mic from outdoors in Montreal. We’re joined by a new musician from Los Angels who just happened

 upo us via google. It feels good tend the day with  music. 

Amen

Rush hour concert

6/21

Still sweltering. Back from a miserable morning in court. ( Attorney Trieff: Thank you! Sorry for the frustration, but thank you!)

Teddy calls Christopher down so that we can try and figure out the source of the noise the neighbors complained about last night. Christopher, by the way, is looking quite summery in a pastel blue shirt over mint green pants. He calls it his Young Republican look.  The noise remains a mystery but  he will keep his ears open. 

Glen is showing me what he wants to do in the balcony. Design plans. A whole concept for a church run Little Theatre. It will start with fresh paint. 

Andre

Andre  has arrived for our afternoon rush hour concert on the steps for our part in Make Music New York. Jeremy hasn’t arrived yet.  My sons Micah and Dan arrive and are quickly enlisted by Glen to join in the painting project. 

It’s 5:15. The Sanctuary NYC singers have arrived. We head to the steps. Jeremy has his guitar. And a wooden percussion box. We start with what else, Sanctuary. Some of their favorites. Some of ours. I’m joining in.There’s an ever shifting audience as buses stop unload, move on. Some people stay, listen to a few songs. Smile. Someone suggests that as buskers, we need a tip bucket. So we get one. (We make $3.10)

Our real estate attorney Harris stops by. Happy to see we’re still alive and well. Micah and Dan take off. Are they leaving? They soon reappear with ice cold water for our sweltering singers. An African-American woman stops and joins in on a gospel song. And then, I don’t feel no ways tired.... Another woman with a stroller stops. Makes some requests. Stays til the end. Jeremy’s wife and uncle from across the street are in the audience. Glen and his lighting assistant join us. 

We close with a reprise of This little light of mine. This has been good. We’ll have to do this again some time.  Maybe with brochures. Cards.

Back inside, Jeremy is at the piano. Singers gathered around. Singing. Glen’s cast is arriving.

Jeremy and the singers

I decide to take Dan and Micah down the street to see if RL’s in his office. More music in the garden beside the school. It’s mad hot out. But a beautiful day.