|
 |
 |
|||||||||||||
|
|
|
[Back to index of May articles] Body of Christ By Diane Ney "Though we are many, we are one body, because we all share in one bread." (BCP) There are 93 parishes in the church family of the Diocese of Washington, and this new column plans to take you to a different one each month. Here, to start off the series, writer Diane Ney speaks with the Rev. Kortright Davis, rector of the Church of the Holy Comforter, D.C. to learn more about the life, history, plans and character of that congregation. Church of the
Holy Comforter, WW: Holy Comforter is one of the more historic parishes in the Diocese of Washington. And I understand it's very culturally diverse. DAVIS: Well, you know, it has a history when it was lily white and then that started to change. One of the first black families that moved into the area in the late 1940s was the family of Cheryl Daves. (Mrs. Daves Wilburn is now special assistant to Bishop John B. Chane.) The priest at that time begged the Daves family not to come there because they would drive the whites away. He even refused to baptize Cheryl, and so it was Bishop Angus Dun that baptized her. Well, the Daves stayed. And eventually the neighborhood did change and has become quite diverse. Besides African Americans, we have people from the Caribbean and a few from Africa. I myself am from the Caribbean. WW: Do your programs reflect that diversity? DAVIS: Yes, we have three programs that are very important. The first is related to the fact of Washington being an international city, where you have so many embassies. Holy Comforter has functioned as the host church for national celebrations of independence - seven each year - for Caribbean and other nations. The ambassador and the embassy are joint hosts with us, and invite many of the diplomatic community. There's a service, and a major reception afterwards, based on the national food and music. This program has been going on for many years, and, in fact, I think has been one of the driving forces encouraging a growth in membership. WW: People who come for the celebrations find a home. DAVIS: Yes, they do. Now, the second program is related to that. We provide a host and home for many of the national associations of these countries. They regard Holy Comforter as their home base and hold their meetings here. Also, the Caribbean American Intercultural Organization, CAIO, and other international organizations meet here. WW: It sounds as if one of your strongest ministries is hospitality and building community. DAVIS: And related to that is the Annual Multicultural Festival, which we hold at Grace (Silver Spring) off Georgia Avenue, because it has more space. There's a cultural program and then music and food. We've been doing this for years. WW: So these multicultural programs give your American-born parishioners, especially the younger ones, a chance to find out about different cultures? DAVIS: Oh, they love it. So we focus on one of the four marks of the church, that is the catholicity, catholicity in terms of interculturality. Intercultural linkages and expressions are very important. I believe that's what catholicity is about - the universal church, the nature of God's people to mutually affirm who we are. WW: Now, what about your youth ministry? DAVIS: First, our policy is that babies have right of way. That means crying babies are not taken outside, that children may wander up and down the aisles and even up onto the altar, especially when there's a crèche at Christmas. I have pushed the point that crying babies tell two things: one, the church is alive and, two, the church has a future. Because they come to think of this as their home away from home, they're so comfortable here. WW: And they become involved in the church as they get older? DAVIS: Yes, we confirm early and have a strong Junior Church. And then we have an active acolyte program. Nobody escapes being an acolyte. And at our first service each Sunday, only the children read. We give them the lessons ahead of time, so they can read them with their parents, and on Sunday they stand up before the congregation. This gives them familiarity with the sacred text, and provides them with the opportunity of speaking in public. WW: This also gives them a sense of inclusion, doesn't it? DAVIS: Yes, the knowledge that they're part of this, that we're giving them a strong spiritual, social and moral grounding. By the way, we also have a strong senior ministry, not only for our members but for others in need. WW: Another way of reaching out to the community. DAVIS: I have always been wedded to what William Temple said years ago about the church. He said, "The church is the only organization in the world that exists primarily for the benefit of those who are not its members." WW: Would you tell us about the John G. Walker Center? DAVIS: Well, Holy Comforter decided some years ago that we needed more ministry space, for our many multicultural programs. So our mission is to build this space and to dedicate it to Bishop John Walker. I have always felt it to be a serious omission that there is nothing specifically commemorating the legacy of Bishop Walker in the diocese. We want to honor his being such a driving force ecumenically in the international community. The center will include theological and lay training institutes in the areas of advocacy and social services and a library. We've raised $340,000, but with the project estimated to cost $1.5 million, we'd certainly welcome additional funds from friends and admirers of Bishop Walker, as well as parishes that seek to continue his legacy. [Back to index of May articles]
|
|
||||||||||
