by Br Peter Pearson
On Sunday evening, Feb 15, Brothers David and Peter, along with a friend, met at Saint Thomas African Episcopal Church in Northwest Philly for a celebration to honor the memory of Absolam Jones, a freed enslaved man, who was ordained a priest and served in the same area where he had been enslaved. Together with several other friends from a variety of denominations, Jones saw the people of Philadelphia through a severe outbreak of yellow fever and worked tirelessly to shepherd those entrusted to their care. Today Jones is remembered on the calendar of saints in the Episcopal Church.
On this evening, there were over a thousand people gathered to worship God in Jesus and to celebrate the memory of this servant of God. Bishop Daniel Gutierrez, Ordinary of the Diocese of Pennsylvania, presided and Bishop Michael Curry, the former Presiding Bishop, preached. Scores of clergy from the Episcopal Church, along with clergy from the African Methodist, Lutheran, and Methodist churches were also present. Three or four choirs, (one from Minneapolis, Minnesota) and a dance troupe also contributed to the joyful celebration which lasted for three and a half hours.
Perhaps the most memorable part of the liturgy was the fiery and prophetic preaching. Bishop Curry repeatedly reminded us that he was being biblical and not political, but his message was not lost on anyone in the room. He challenged us to follow the example of people of faith throughout the centuries; to be courageous, to be faithful, to do the loving thing, the right thing, and to never give up. It’s difficult to put into words how inspiring this experience was for us, especially here, especially now.
A link to the service is attached and Curry’s sermon begins at 1:11:00.
