On Sunday, Welcome the Rev. Dr. Don Hamer
Dear friends and members of St. Matt's,
On Sunday, as we enter into the month of August, St. Matt's will also enter into a time of learning, reflection, and discernment. Together, as a community, we will begin to wade into the work of racial healing, justice, and reconciliation. Over the course of the month, we will begin community conversations about race and systemic racism, we will learn to talk to each other about these important issues, and we will find a common place to begin. My hope is that this beginning will gather us, connect us, so that as we make our way into the fall we can have meaningful conversations about next steps, what to do, and how to build justice. But first, we need to examine ourselves, our history, and the structures around us. You could also start by reading a bit about the history of Wilton in this article that came out in GMW just a little while ago.
This coming Sunday, we'll begin with a Guest Preacher and a chance for conversation after church. Our Preacher will be the Rev. Dr. Don Hamer. Don retired in March 2019 as Rector of Trinity Episcopal Church, Hartford, having served there for over 15 years. Prior to that, he served as Associate Rector of St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Manchester, CT for 3 years.
Before his ordination in 2000, Don was in private law practice for 23 years, serving on the Board of Education in Glastonbury for 3 years and as Judge of Probate for 14 years. A graduate of Berkeley Divinity School at Yale, he earned a Doctor of Ministry Degree from Hartford Seminary in 2016, where his doctoral project was entitled, From Hospitality to Mission: Discerning God’s Mission at Trinity Episcopal Church, Hartford, CT. He is presently Convener of the Speaker’s Bureau for ECCT’s Season of Racial Healing, Justice and Reconciliation Network.
I hope you'll join us for this journey in the month of August. And I hope you'll join us on Sunday for worship when Don will invite this community into the sacred work of self-examination, repentance, and justice-making. No matter where you are on this journey, this is a good time to begin or begin again.
Join us for worship online at 10am on Sunday, August 2nd. Open your heart to hear God's call to love and equality. And then join us in a Zoom room at 11:30 for a beginning conversation with our Preacher.
As always, please be in touch if you have questions or if you need anything. I'm looking forward to seeing you on Sunday.
Faithfully,
--Marissa +
Tags: Welcome from the Rector