Reflections on Marissa's memorial

11/3

Russ and I go to lunch to talk about the upcoming dialogue  between Bob Avakian and Cornell West at Riverside Church. The dialogue between revolutionary Christianity and Revolutionary Communism. ( An effort to establish BA as a public intellectual. The dialogue with Cornell West giving a sense of public legitimacy ) Seems like a perfect time to invite those who are interested in this dialogue to come to West-Park to work on creating a community inspired by that dialogue. A place to explore radical spirituality, radical discipleship. I’m going to work of putting this into words. Making the invitation.

Karen is playing her music. And has a contractor friend who wants to look into the pigeon tower clean up project.

The Revolutionary Communists are busy as worker bees using Mc Alpin as their command central as they work on getting the word out about the dialogue. A real dedicated and highly organized cadre.

Tom Bo is in and we’re working on the music for the November 23^rd Sunday concert and service. He’s got a new poem inspired by the Matthew 25 theme that comes on Christ the King/Reign of Christ Sunday. By the same young poet who wrote the Prophecy from the Refrigerator Box poem. And the music is emerging.

Finally get to talk with Jeremy and the Seed group about their experience with Marissa’s memorial service. How they had been called and asked to help organize something. Their presence as a community in a  spiritual setting inspired the call. Jeremy’s theatre experience in theatre gave him confidence in organizing a liturgy. And the Grotowski experience helped see the deeper connections. And the group saw an opportunity to serve. Their own unique practice gave them the opportunity for others to actually participate through movement and song in the memorial. To be physically and spiritually engaged. I explained that this was liturgy. Mario had said that these songs have a purpose. And the group had discovered their purpose.

Two members were part of religious communities, one Episcopalian, the other Unitarian. I talked about the liturgical significance of the popcorn and prosecco eucharist and their breaking of bread following the service, which was a service to the gathered community. And the offerings of music and word that so many brought.  And my interest in nurturing  new communities of spiritual practice. And how they are becoming one.

One woman said that she was surprised that a church would open itself up for this kind of event by a group not members of the church. And at no charge. And that when I said, that’s why we are here, all of a sudden she realized, I am affiliated here. I am part of this. This is my (spiritual) home. Heads nodded in agreement. And I spoke of my desire to create a community of communities. And that nearly 1200 people from around the world had read about Marissa’s memorial.

The conversation will continue.