On August 25, 2013 I was honored to be the preacher at the dedication service for the completion of the Reaching New Heights campaign at the Episcopal Church of the Holy Nativity, in Clarendon Hills, IL. Holy Nativity is the church in which I grew up.
+Two events in 1979 were very important in the life of the Church of the Holy Nativity, events that have shaped this community for the past 34 years: The liturgical renewal and re-focus brought through the ratification of the 1979 BCP, which was monumental for all Episcopalians, and the birth of John Dempesy Reis which should have been monumental for all of Christendom but was especially meaningful to the Dempesy family!
Today these two events come full circle.
The prayer book revision may be a blip on the radar to some of you, to others it doesn’t even register, but for some of us, long time “cradle” Episcopalians of a certain age, the ratification of the 1979 Book of Common Prayer was a watershed moment. Moving from the 1928 Prayer Book to the 1979 Prayer Book was a change not only of language, but of theology. The theology of the ministry of the baptized. Now the focus of our faith is on how we, through the power given to us at our baptism, are the ministers of the church. It is up to us—all of us not just the ordained people set aside to do some of the nuts and bolts work of the church---to spread the Good News of Christ, to be the hands and feet, eyes, ears and mouth of God here on earth.
We are all called to walk in the footsteps of our Lord, refusing to rest until peace, equality, justice and dignity is available to all people everywhere, no exceptions. Nowhere in our liturgy is this more profoundly stated than in the Baptismal Covenant, recited on major feast days of the church year and at each and every baptism. You had a baptism last week so no doubt these words are still ringing in your ears:
Will you strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being?
Well today, with God’s help and a lot of perseverance and generosity you are respecting the dignity of every single human being, No Exceptions. Today you are continuing, here in this place, the healing Jesus undertook 2000 years ago in the temple, on the Sabbath Day. Today your work as agents of God on this earth, as foot soldiers of Christ, has reached its pinnacle. For today you are healing the hurts of years of exclusion and not quite full membership for anyone who is unable to climb steps. Today the focus of that renewed faith of 1979: NO EXCEPTIONS EVER has come to fruition.
On May 5, 1979 John Dempesy Reis was born. His wasn’t an easy birth and as a result he suffered a neurological injury that eventually took away his ability to walk or talk in the usual way. As John grew, the inaccessibility of this place became profoundly evident: there wasn’t an elevator, there wasn’t a bathroom to accommodate his wheelchair so...John was carried...down to Sunday School, up to the bathroom.
Imagine the indignity of it all…..
Clearly, this building wasn’t matching up to the people’s vision of no exceptions. But, even though you couldn't make the necessary changes to this building then, the people of CHN worked hard to include John in the full life of the church---he was a crucifer, he was a special category of acolyte (lavabo boy) he was front and center each and every Sunday, flashing that magnetic smile and offering his abundant hugs. But in spite of everyone’s efforts, John and everyone who used a walker or wheelchair was not able to fully participate in the life of this place. 99 % of the people at CHN entered through a different door than those who cannot climb steps. And the undercroft, the downstairs, has been off limits to John and others for years.
Today, finally, the brick and mortar of this place has caught up to its spirit. Today the dignity of every human being—no exceptions—is a reality at CHN. John, along with Christine Massie and Kathryn Brackett and anyone else who can’t stand up straight on their own, have, in their hearts, been healed.
Our Baptismal Covenant serves as the marching papers we all need to be Christ in this world, to fully and truly love your neighbor as yourself.
This project has made your promise to respect the dignity of every human being a hard and fast reality.
Because of this project John, Christine, Kathryn and all people who cannot stand and walk straight are able to enter this place with dignity and inclusion.
Because of this project you have taken on the mantel of the prophet Jeremiah, accepting God’s work through you in this place and beyond. For YOU, the Church of the Holy Nativity said, “who we are is not represented in different entrances for different people,” so you took a long, hard, deep and honest look at who you were and who you wanted to be and then set about to be who it was you envisioned.
With this project you have spoken loud and clear that everyone—NO EXCEPTIONS—is welcome in this place and that everyone --NO EXCEPTIONS-- has a voice and a vision to share.
Today as you cut the ribbon on the Reaching New Heights campaign you, along with Jesus, say, "the only way we can reach new heights is if everyone, NO EXCEPTIONS, is allowed equal and full access to all we do here at the corner of 55th Street and Richmond in Clarendon Hills Illinois."
For some of you this project may not have had that much to do with universal access, it may have been more about updating the bathrooms, expanding the kitchen and embellishing what has already been done to create a more user friendly space. For some of you all this stuff about full and complete access may not resonate as it does for my family. But today, in the sight of God, with a great cloud of witnesses including Ralph Brown, Ellouise Ford, Alan and Jean Sims, Ruthanne and Bob Mason, Jean Ellison, Nancy Handke and John’s grandpa, George, cheering you on, you, through this project, have provided full and free access to the Holy for all who desire it. No exceptions.
And for that I say, Thank you and Amen.
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