by Shelley Byrnes
As I sat down to write this article, my head was spinning. Some of it was brain fog from the Long Covid I am still recovering from, but some of it was from trying to wrap my head around ALL the events happening this Sunday! We have our monthly Racial Healing Eucharist, a special Gospel presentation, the Blessing of the Backpacks and Craig’s sabbatical, a Croatian-themed coffee hour … it is such a mish-mash of happenings for one Sunday in August! I wanted to write an invitation to everything in a way that would make sense, but how could I bring them all together? Finally, I realized that it all flows around Jonathan Myrick Daniels.
Racial Healing Eucharist Honoring Jonathan Myrick Daniels
Jonathan Myrick Daniels was a seminarian at the Episcopal Theological School in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He became deeply involved in the Civil Rights Movement, traveling to Alabama in 1965 to stand alongside African Americans fighting for voting rights. His activism culminated in an act of ultimate sacrifice: Daniels was shot and killed while shielding a young Black girl, Ruby Sales, from gunfire in Hayneville, Alabama. There is an amazing independent documentary on his life you can check out on YouTube: Here Am I, Send Me.
We will be welcoming our own Keith Davis to the pulpit as our guest preacher, exploring the lessons we can learn from the life of Jonathan Myrick Daniels.
Daniels’s faith, courage, and selflessness are a testament to Christian love in action. His story is not only a powerful example for adults but also provides meaningful lessons for children and youth about living out their faith.
A Godly Play Gospel
Godly Play, which we use in our Sunday School program, is a Montessori-based method of teaching Christian stories to children. It emphasizes wonder, creativity, and the active participation of children in exploring their faith.
Stories like that of Jonathan Myrick Daniels, where faith is lived out in a tangible, courageous way, are perfect for the Godly Play approach. Jay Clark and I have created a Godly Play story about Daniels to share with the whole congregation during the Gospel time. This is your opportunity as an adult to encounter a first-hand, modified experience of Godly Play.
(By the way, if Sunday’s gospel makes you want to learn more about this amazing way of nurturing our children’s spiritual growth, please come to our Godly Play training from 11:30-1:30 on Sunday, September 8! RSVP to me by September 1 so I can have enough lunch for everyone.)
Blessing a School Year and a Sabbatical
This Sunday, we will continue to nurture faith and honor students and educators in our Blessing of the Backpacks. This blessing acknowledges that God is present in every aspect of life, including education and daily routines. It’s also a reminder for students to carry their faith into their learning environments, just as Daniels carried his into his work for civil rights.
Additionally, we will be blessing our very own Craig Lemming as he heads to his sabbatical to rest and finish his work on his DMin program. His doctoral disseration focuses on creating kinship across lines of difference and developing a decolonial, antiracist theology for justice-seeking young adults. Jonathan Myrick Daniels and his fellow Civil Rights activists were also young adults reaching out across lines of difference, and their legacy continues with those working for justice in the Twin Cities today. Craig’s scholarship will be a great blessing and resource, and we wish him all the very best.
Croatian Pilgrimage Coffee Hour
Following 10am worship on Sunday, our Youth Pilgrims will be hosting a Croatian-themed coffee hour in the gym, to introduce our pilgrimage plans and begin our fundraising efforts.
The concept of pilgrimage has always been significant in Christian spirituality. It involves setting out on a journey, both physical and spiritual, to encounter God in new and transformative ways. Jonathan Daniels’ life itself was a pilgrimage—a journey of faith that led him to a place of profound sacrifice. Croatia, with its rich Christian heritage will allow us to engage in spiritual reflection, prayer, and connection with the historical roots of our faith.
Jonathan Myrick Daniels’ life serves as a powerful reminder of how faith calls us to action. Whether it’s through the storytelling practices of Godly Play, the everyday spirituality encouraged by the Blessing of the Backpacks, or the transformative experiences of pilgrimage, his legacy invites us to consider how we, too, can live out our faith with intention, courage, and love. I guess this Sunday isn’t such a mish-mash after all.
