The Manual€¦ · Janet Forbes (’21) Ora Damon (’20) Donald Gonzalez (’21) LiKam Lie (Fall...

The Manual

May 2020

Call to Annual Meeting and Nominations

p. 6

Michael Bancewize Snapshot of our History

p. 13

Corona Closure Calendar

p. 15

The Manual Church on the Hill Boston May 2020

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About Our Church

Pastors

Rev. Kevin Baxter Rev. Colin Leitch

Church Officers

President Paul Logiudice (’20) Vice President David Dorsey (’20) Secretary/Clerk Deborah Hammer (’21) Treasurer Sue McQuarrie (’21)

Governors Vickey Davis (’21) Janet Forbes (’21) Ora Damon (’20) Donald Gonzalez (’21) LiKam Lie (Fall ’19)

Staff

Director of Music Carlton Doctor Church Administrator Laura Cohen Receptionist Mary Guarino Bookkeeper Don Vashaw Music Admin Asst. Deniz Topac

Who We Aspire to Be

The Boston Society of the New Jerusalem is a progressive Christian presence in the City of Boston, a reflection of the Swedenborgian theology of service and mission through our commitment to education, social justice, and human rights.

We seek to make a difference in the lives of strangers and seekers through our compassion and acceptance by inviting all who share our common values to be members of our community.

We attempt to be a “rock” of stability and support in an uncertain world—a tranquil and peaceful “home away from home” for all people, where a person is missed when absent, and where one can find comfort, healing, and normalcy when things are not going well.

We worship the Lord Jesus Christ according to His Holy Word and the theological writings of Emanuel Swedenborg. In following those teachings, this Church shall maintain free and open worship of the Divine and shall honor the good in all religions that seek to foster a positive regard for all humanity, recognizing unity and diversity.


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Happenings from the Office

Dear Readers,

I am glad to hear through the grapevine that everyone in the Church on the Hill community is doing well amidst the coronavirus outbreak

I would also like to say a sincerest Happy Mother’s Day to all of the mothers in our community. I know t h i s i s a d i f fi c u l t t i m e f o r celebrations, but know that you are loved and appreciated and May 10th is your day!

As mentioned in the previous issue, the church remains closed for worship and most activities, but Revs. Baxter and Leitch are working hard to continue to reach out to the community. Worship wi l l be occurring on Sundays as usual - you can view the service by going to the Church on the Hi l l websi te

(www.churchonthehillboston.org) or listen to the audio by calling our main office phone number, (617) 523-4575. There are also audio r e c o r d i n g s o f s c r i p t u r a l meditations by Rev. Leitch, available in the same locations as the worship services. See page 15 of this issue for more information about the coronavirus closing schedule.

Now is the time for everyone to work together, to retain some kind of normalcy amidst the chaos of the world. It is heartwarming for me to see all of the love and care everyone has shown so far in this church community and elsewhere around the world.

Stay safe and be well. Laura Cohen Church Administrator


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What now?

Many of us have had to learn new ways to live in the midst of crisis. I have been keeping my eye on a variety of church-

related issues and responses through the past few weeks. The question in mid-March and April has been, “How shall we maintain some semblance of a community in the midst of a pandemic where isolation is the rule of the day?” I have had to focus on a variety of digital infrastructures that were almost nonexistent within the church a few months ago.

The rapid adoptions of a shift in our p h o n e s y s t e m , r e m o t e wo r k i n g conditions, virtual worship, Zoom meetings, and MailChimp mass emails were essential in forging the degree of church function and community connection. A core group of members and friends have shown up on Sundays for these programs. Each week, Sunday worship is recorded and launched at

around 8:00 AM. At 10:00 AM, we hold a virtual coffee hour during which we can virtually check in and informally chat. That hour is followed by a more formal discussion on spirituality and tragedy. I would not have had the time to focus and learn about new technologies if it were not for the teamwork of the two pastors, who have been able to divide the pastoral tasks so well.

As May starts, a new question is in the forefront of our minds. What does it mean to plan the next steps, with regard to public health, community life, and COVID-19? I have been reading up on resources from the CDC and other groups who are asking that same question. It is generally understood by most groups that the next step will not mean going back to the way things were. Many have hypothesized that returning to a new normal will be a gradual process that takes a long time. It will probably be after mass inoculation.

Church resources ask this question in a special way. What does it mean to transition to the new normal in the wake

✤ ✤ ✤ Kevin’s Corner ✤ ✤ ✤


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of COVID-19 as a spiritual entity, as a disciple of the Lord? Some say the post-pandemic adjustment will start with worship leaders returning to the church to continue online worship, but with a larger complement of people. The next step would be continuing online worship with limited numbers of people attending in person, keeping in mind social distancing. The step after that would involve larger and larger groups, and ultimately entire congregations, returning to worship. But those decisions need to be tempered with p r a y e r f u l r e fl e c t i o n i n v o l v i n g knowledgeable people, and not just our desires. The qualities of love and wisdom, of good and truth, of charity and rationality must reside at the center of both the question and the answer.

Our society’s primary population is high risk, and we must keep that fact constantly in the forefront of our minds. To date, we have been blessed to have escaped any serious illnesses or deaths from coronavirus among our people. We all dearly desire to get back to our favorite part of church—togetherness, music, food and fellowship—but we must keep faith and understanding in their proper place. God’s plan and our plans do not always coincide. We must be flexible and open to how God is calling us to respond to the times.

May the Lord bless you and keep you,

Kevin

Happy Mother’s Day to all our mothers,

those who are with us&

those who have gone before.


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Call to Annual Meeting and Nominations

The Annual Members Meeting of the Boston Society of the New Jerusalem will be held on Sunday, June 14, at 12:30 PM.

The Annual Meeting shall be held for the purposes of updating the Membership, election of Officers and Governors, receipt of reports in writing of the Board, the Pastor, Officers and Committees, review and

approval of the Audit Committee’s report on the annual financial statement, approval of new members, and the transaction of any other

business. The following is a list of all candidates who have responded to last month’s request for nominations by the Nominating Committee:

President Nominee Paul LoGuidice

Vice President Nominee Janet Forbes

Governance/Bylaws Committee Nominee Janet Forbes

Please be aware - if you missed the April 15th deadline for nominations, nominations from the floor will be allowed at the time of the voting.


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The coronavirus is teaching us many, many lessons. Some of them will be years until the full understanding and the possible implementing. Our national healthcare system has major holes in it - as if we didn’t know. The world healthcare system is in much worse shape.

If you had to pick a locale to ride out a pandemic, Massachusetts might well be the place, Boston the city. Our hospitals are simply the best. At this the peak of the crisis here, we have enough beds. What a blessing.

And beds have been added. For instance, under the leadership of General Jack Hammond, a 1000 bed field hospital has been set up in the Convention Center in South Boston. That’s not beds lined up side by side. That’s individual sheet-rocked rooms, many with oxygen lines. Construction crews worked 24/7 to bring this about. Human cooperation is an impressive phenomenon to witness.

For the rest of our lives, we will remember and think about the people who have worked in our hospitals during the pandemic – from food handlers to doctors. They model loyalty to duty, physical courage, high professionalism, above all competence. Thinking about them reminds us how good it is to be thankful. We will never stop being grateful to these people.

Governor Charlie Baker and Mayor Marty Walsh have been outstanding in their leadership and their morality. It is reassuring to hear them speak. They have done a great deal for the least among us.

Journalists covering the crisis have been out in the fray. Good information is at a premium at times like this, and it is readily available in our state. Some of the statistics are painful.

People of color have become ill with the coronavirus and died from the virus at significantly higher rates than white people. Will this ever be adequately debriefed and analyzed? To really follow up would be to wrestle with history.

Some 50% of all coronavirus deaths in Massachusetts have been in nursing homes. Ouch! Certainly, different protocols for nursing homes will result. Is it possible we will rethink elder care systematically? Nursing homes are relatively recent in human history. They are money-makers. A high percentage of the people who work in nursing homes are people of color, many of them immigrants. We owe them big-time.

Who do you particularly admire these days? The postman? The supermarket worker? The cop on the beat? Others? They go home to their families.

Apparently, Massachusetts is the first state to have statewide community tracing. State workers try to identify and isolate anyone who’s exposed to the virus. Short of a vaccine, testing is our best hope. If you see MA COVID 19 Team on your caller ID, pick up. It could save lives.

Our society in Massachusetts has held together rather well because so many have risen to the occasion. What a blessing to admire these people. It feels good.

Take care. Be prudent. Be well. God bless you. Pastor Colin

Much to Admire by Pastor Colin


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Dear Church Members,

Another day has arrived, and we have the opportunity to reflect on time that we have spent with each other. Of course, a lot of the time that we have spent together has involved music and laughter. At this point, we are missing moments when we were together, when we could share music, a word, a smile and a

friendly conversation. As we hold these memories in our hearts, we know that there will come a time when we will see each other, when once again we will enjoy the experience of live music and the fellowship it brings.

The music committee and I are committed to working toward the church’s mission of sharing the benefits that we have with each other and everyone who attends the Boston Society of the New Jerusalem/Church on the Hill church services and other gatherings. In “Charity – The Practice of Neighborliness”* by Emanuel Swedenborg, it is written, “The goods of use that individuals do, out of which the general good arises, are ministries, offices, callings, and different occupations. We mean by “ministries,” priesthoods and their duties; by “offices,” various civil positions; by “occupations,” we mean the work of artisans and others…” The vocal and instrumental music that is part of the life at the Boston Society of the New Jerusalem is presented by artisans who have achieved a high level of proficiency on their given instruments. They share music with the intent of reaching the human spirit of each individual, to bring an inner-peace, joy and spiritual fulfillment.

Our current “stay-at-home” guidelines make life very difficult for musicians because we want to share with people. In recent months, musicians have been able to share music in various ways: they have sung from their balconies, given group lessons online, played a piece of music on their front porch for neighbors, serenaded a loved one outside a nursing home, and presented a performance online for everyone’s enjoyment. When

music is shared, one of the aims is to help or comfort others. As musicians, we hope to help and comfort others by presenting them with moments that bring a feeling of joy to their hearts and the sense that we all share in a common humanity.

There is a very delightful song that I would like to share with you about someone who has shared so much with others. It is entitled “The Ballad of Johnny Appleseed” by John Riggio** and can be found online at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5t0dM3Dh-Nc. This song is about a businessman who traveled throughout the early American frontier, sharing his knowledge of apple seedlings as well as the teaching of Emanuel Swedenborg. John Chapman (Johnny Appleseed) was born in Leominster, Massachusetts on September 26, 1774. He never married and loved nature. Many people think of him as a vagabond who wore torn trousers and slept out in the open air. It is said that occasionally he could be seen wearing a pot on his head. On the contrary, he was a landowner and successful businessman. He took his knowledge about apple trees and traveled throughout the mid-Atlantic and mid-Western states selling apple seedlings to young settlers. Apple cider was the most sought after drink during this time, and everyone wanted to have his or her own apple trees. Mr. Chapman was not hardhearted; if someone were unable to pay, he would gift him or her a couple of seedlings. It is also stated that he worked to promote good relations between Native Americans and the settlers. In the true spirit of Swedenborg, he worked toward the healing of individuals and human society. On his gravestone is scribed: “ ‘Johnny Appleseed’ (John Chapman) He lived for others. 1774-1845”

We look forward to the time when we will share music with you again.

Respectfully,

Carlton Doctor Music Director

*Second Edition Edited by William Ross Woofenden, published by the Swedenborg Foundation

♫ Musical Notes from Carlton Doctor ♫


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** “Johnny Appleseed”

Lyrics by Paul Austin Kelly In the great Ohio Valley, The old farmers tell a story That their fathers told to them, All the way back to 1840 The story of a ghost, That sings above the rustling trees And the farmers know the name for him, Johnny Appleseed He was born John Chapman, And his brother was Nathaniel From a farm in Massachusetts, They lit out for Pennsylvania And he told his brother, All about his dream Nat, someday they'll have a name for me, Johnny Appleseed

REFRAIN Apple seeds, take and sow them Apple seeds, take and grow them They will bring you in good time Summer pies and Autumn wine Is that coffee that you're brewing, my good lady? And he gathered up his treasure, At the cider mills round Pittsburgh He packed them into buckskin sacks, So he could barely lift'em Then he lashed together two birch bark canoes, And he bid Nathaniel fair-thee-well And Nat bid him adieu, His voice sang o'er the waters And it made the settlers shiver, As they fished along the banks Of the great Ohio River, As he paddled up the branching streams Through the marshes and the reeds, He would call his name out loud and clear Johnny Appleseed

(REFRAIN)

Then he slung his pack across his back, And on his head a tin pot And he wandered through the forests wild, Seeking out the right spots

“There's going to be an orchard here someday,’, He'd say to all the squirrels “Don't take these seeds away!”, One day he found a trading post Where trappers bartered fur skins, And he traded fists of apple seeds For a bony horse named Hawkins, And lying nearby in the weeds Was a wolf pup in a bear trap, Crying, “Johnny Appleseed!” Well, he opened up that trap, Made a splint and bound his leg up Then they hit the road together, Johnny, Hawkins, and the wolf pup The power of apples was their only creed, And his name and fame spread far and near He was Johnny Appleseed

(REFRAIN)

So they journeyed through the forests, Down the valleys, along rivers And they witnessed the arrival, Of the potters and the weavers The blacksmiths and the carpenters all came, To this vast and fastly growing land To conquer and to tame, In the spring of 1845 At an Indiana farmhouse, He slept up in a hay loft Where a barn cat chased a field mouse, And his soul that night did softly slip away While the birds sang all the whole night through, At least that's what they say Now his spirit haunts the valley, Of the great Ohio River As he brews his coffee o'er a fire, Some still can feel the shiver As he sings above the rustling of the trees, You can hear the wind a-whispering, Johnny Appleseed


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This month, the Music Committee and I invite you to join us in taking a closer look at “Be Strong! We Are Not Here to Play” on page 260 in our Swedenborg hymnal. The author is Maltbie D. Babcock (1858-1901). The lyrics are: 1 Be strong! We are not here to play, to dream, to drift; We have hard work to do and loads to lift; Shun not the struggle, face it, ’tis God’s gift. 2 Be strong! Say not the days are evil— who’s to blame? And fold the hands and acquiesce— Oh, shame! Stand up, speak out, and bravely, in God’s Name. 3 Be strong! It matters not how deep intrenched the wrong, How hard the battle goes, the day, how long; Faint not, fight on! Tomorrow comes the song.

***Maltbie D. Babcock (b. Syracuse, NY, 1858; d. Naples, Italy, 1901) graduated from Syracuse University, New York, and Auburn Theological Seminary (now associated with Union Theological Seminary in New York) and became a Presbyterian minister. He served the Brown Memorial Presbyterian Church in Baltimore, Maryland, and the Brick Presbyterian Church in New York City. In Baltimore, he was especially popular with students from Johns Hopkins University, but he ministered to people from all walks of life. Babcock wrote hymn texts and devotional poems, some of which were published in The School Hymnal (1899). ***https://hymnary.org/person/Babcock_Maltbie

Monthly Hymn from the Music Committee


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During the pandemic, the Directors of the BostonView have continued to meet by electronic communication. Notice was given to members that they can attend the meeting by contacting the President or the Secretary.

The president called the meeting to order through a video conference. We continue to hold off the adoption of minutes. The minutes are being taken, distributed, and corrected, but formal adoption will happen in person at 140 Bowdoin Street.

The roof deck is open to residents, who have been reminded to follow appropriate social distancing. There is a problem sourcing the teak that is needed for completion. Sean is looking at comparable materials and will send information to the Board for their approval. We are hoping that the deck will be completed quickly, once construction is allowed to continue.

The 12th floor remodel is also suspended due to the pandemic. We have all the permits and have begun ordering anything that needs lead time. The project will start when the city allows construction to continue.

After reviewing multiple bids, Powderhouse Plumbing offered us the lowest bid to repair the main mixing valve and straining system for $8,500. This repair can be taken from the

repair budget, but due to the cost, the Board had to approve the contract.

The continual occupancy has put some strain on the building. The maintenance staff has been busy doing a variety of routine and minor repairs (such as drains and so fourth).

Charlesgate continues to respond to mitigate exposure to building staff and residents. They have plans in place to respond if a positive Covid19 diagnosis occurs.

The building is still 95% on target with rent and delinquency. This may not be the case next month, but at this point things are going well. The delinquencies that do exist have contacted the office and are working on mitigating any problems.

Bids for the driveway wall are being researched. The next meeting is May 20th at 4:00 PM on the BSNJ’s Zoom Meeting conference call line. Any member of the Boston Society of the New Jerusalem interested in participating should contact the Secretary (Rev. Baxter) for call-in details.

Respectfully submitted, Kevin Baxter

BostonView Update


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A Snapshot In our Church’s History

Our church opened the doors to our first permanent church in 1945 over looking the rear of the Massachusetts State House. Four years later, an amazing reservoir was completed just across the way on the corner of Hancock and Derne St.s which is presently the location of the annex to the state house. The Beacon Hill Reservoir could hold 2,678,961 gallons of water. By 1876 the reservoir became obsolete as the city advanced in water distribution and pressurization, leaving the structure as a storage facility and in 1883 the entire reservoir was dismantled (I am curious what became of all that granite and how it was repurposed).

Beyond the Reservoir you can see a white steeple, in front of that is our church with the dark roof. Map by F. Fuchs, 1870.

The History of the water supply to the City of Boston is an incredible journey from the original springs on Boston Common, the Spring (Spring Lane), in downtown Boston across what is now School St. and Washington St., the wooden pipes coming from Jamaica Pond, Lake Cohituate (then Long Pond), Chestnut Hill and Wachusett Reservoirs…

In the Church Parlor, there is a portrait of John Wilkins, early church member who served on the Church Council as well as helped finance the original church, 1945. His wife, Mrs. Wilkins , was one of the founding twelve members of our church

when she was then known as Mrs. Thomazine E. Minot. Mr. Wilkins served on the Boston Water Board as well as President of the Cohituate Water Board, which was also served by one of our church’s earliest members, Sampson Reed. In 1945 John Wilkins wrote a pamphlet “Mr. Wilkins’s Remarks On Supplying The City Of Boston With Pure Water” and was well learned on the water sources and their viability to serving Boston.

(Illustration of the Reservoir, Gleason’s Pictorial, 1852)

Photo by John B. Heywood, public domain (Notice Old West Church, then Grace Church, in the center looking towards

Charlestown.

Article By: Michael Bancewicz


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Lockdown by Brother Richard Hendrick

a Capuchin Franciscan living in Ireland, has penned this poem about coronavirus.

Yes there is fear.Yes there is isolation.Yes there is panic buying.Yes there is sickness.Yes there is even death.But,They say that in Wuhan after so many

years of noiseYou can hear the birds again.They say that after just a few weeks of

quietThe sky is no longer thick with fumesBut blue and grey and clear.They say that in the streets of AssisiPeople are singing to each otheracross the empty squares,keeping their windows openso that those who are alonemay hear the sounds of family around

them.They say that a hotel in the West of

IrelandIs offering free meals and delivery to the

housebound.Today a young woman I knowis busy spreading fliers with her numberthrough the neighbourhoodSo that the elders may have someone to

call on.Today Churches, Synagogues, Mosques

and Templesare preparing to welcomeand shelter the homeless, the sick, the

wearyAll over the world people are slowing

down and reflecting

All over the world people are looking at their neighbours in a new way

All over the world people are waking up to a new reality

To how big we really are.To how little control we really have.To what really matters.To Love.So we pray and we remember thatYes there is fear.But there does not have to be hate.Yes there is isolation.But there does not have to be loneliness.Yes there is panic buying.But there does not have to be

meanness.Yes there is sickness.But there does not have to be disease of

the soulYes there is even death.But there can always be a rebirth of love.Wake to the choices you make as to how

to live now.Today, breathe.Listen, behind the factory noises of your

panicThe birds are singing againThe sky is clearing,Spring is coming,And we are always encompassed by

Love.Open the windows of your soulAnd though you may not be ableto touch across the empty square,Sing


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There's a new binder in the office. It's the product of our Mission Committee. We attempt to have Open Meetings the first Sunday of each month, following lunch. Everyone interested in how our

Mission budget is and can be used is welcome to attend. All ideas are welcome and will be considered.

The binder is in two parts. The first contains the minutes of each meeting, and the second section contains a detailed account of each agency that receives a donation of over $1,000.00 from our

church. Please feel free to check out the binder, and if you have questions, speak to anyone on our

committee. Janet Forbes, Chair; Patricia Blakeney; Diane Beverly; Likam Lie; Rev. Baxter

May Birthdays

Andrew McLain

Jennifer Whitmore

Polly Baxter

Cody Barbin Cynthia Duryee

Irene Legeros

Mission Committee Announcement


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1. Sunday Worship Program: Each Sunday at 11 o’clock or before, Rev. Baxter will post an on-line worship program. The program will generally have music, the weekly scripture reading, and a short message. The program is about 20 to 30 minutes in length and can be found on the Church’s Facebook or web page: www.churchonthehillboston.org. If you do not own a computer, they can heard by calling the church and following the menu on the phone.

2. Rev. Leitch’s scriptural Meditations: Five 8 minute scriptural meditations of various passages from scripture. As they are audio only, people can hear them by calling the church and they will also be posted where the weekly worship programs can be found.

3. Committees can meet in the phone meeting

room: Contact Rev. Baxter to schedule meetings or see how you can use the church’s phone system to have group calls for church purposes for up to 10 people.

4. Church group email list: If you want to get the weekly church email, please make sure Rev. Baxter knows. He has been sending out a weekly email with the service and other announcements.

5. Board of Governors Meeting: April 15th at 11:00. Members can listen in if they would like. Please contact the President to be added to the list.

Corona Closure Calendar

Visits, Cards, and Prayers Please take a moment to call, send a card, or visit those in our community who are not able to be with us!

We will be working to enhance our ministry to our shut-ins, please consider helping.

Bill Davis Cambridge Rehab. Nursing 8 Dana St. Cambridge, MA 02138

Norman Herr 1 Michelangelo St. #310 Boston, MA 02113

Al Cortese Marina Bay 2 Seaport Dr. Quincy, MA 02171 617-769-5124

Sister Linda Bessom 8 Bigelow St. Somerville, MA 02143-2002

Ann Klein 112 Centre St. Apt #3T Brookline, MA 02446

Andrea Martin Webster Park Healthcare Center #212 56 Webster St. Rockland, MA 02370

William “Martin” Coor Tewksbury Hospital 365 East St. Tewksbury, MA 01876

Stanley Goldstein Brush Hill Care Center 1200 Brush Hill Rd., Floor 2A Milton, MA 02186

Duncan MacDonald 830 Ocean Ave., Room 409 Portland, ME 04103


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Boston Society of the New Jerusalem Church on the Hill (Swedenborgian)

140 Bowdoin Street Boston, MA 02108-2799

200 Years of Celebration 1818-2018

Lydia Maria Child (1802-1880) Member of the BSNJ

Writer, Author, Abolitionist, & Civil Rights Advocate

“It is my mission to help in the breaking down of classes, and to make all men feel as if they were brethren of the same family, sharing the same rights the same capabilities, and the same responsibilities. While my hand can hold a

pen, I will use it to this end; and while my brain can earn a dollar, I will devote it to this end.” Lydia Maria Child

www.churchonthehillboston.org | (617) 523-4575

The Manual€¦ · Janet Forbes (’21) Ora Damon (’20) Donald Gonzalez (’21) LiKam Lie (Fall...

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Transcript of The Manual€¦ · Janet Forbes (’21) Ora Damon (’20) Donald Gonzalez (’21) LiKam Lie (Fall...