I just spent the past three hours at my computer watching the ordination and consecration of Austin Keith Ríos as the Bishop of California in a service at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco. You may wonder why anyone would spend three hours on a Saturday afternoon doing such a thing, but I have to tell you it was a beautiful way to spend this day.
You may not be a church-goer and I am not here to convince you otherwise, but I will tell you that the liturgy and the music offered today in this service were as beautiful as any I have ever experienced. I think it is why I, who grew up in the Southern Baptist Church, fell in love with the Episcopal Church. That also has to do with the openness of the Episcopal Church to all of God’s people.
This is not to say the Episcopal Church or any church is perfect. I will be at the head of the line to say, “Not true.” But there is a definite truth to those roadside signs that say, “The Episcopal Church Welcomes You.” At least it is a church that believes all people are worthy of welcome and tries.
I know Austin Rios. We are not best friends but we know each other because we both served as priests in the Diocese of Western North Carolina. We both eventually went our ways and left this diocese; I went to become the Dean of the Cathedral of St. Paul in Burlington, Vermont and Austin went to serve in Rome, Italy at St. Paul’s Within-the-Walls.
Austin has many gifts that will be well-used and much appreciated in the Diocese of California—he is fluent in Spanish and Italian (and English, too, of course). He has a heart for those who others overlook and ignore. He also has a wonderfully quirky youthful presence (even though he is not quite as young as he was when I first met him—I distinctly remember a young man with a ponytail playing video games).
It says a lot for his early ministry in the Diocese of Western North Carolina that at least three young people who enjoyed his youth ministry traveled to San Francisco for this service. All three (at least the three I know of) are married and have children now. Austin was and is important to their faith journeys. I was very moved to see them there in the congregation today, bouncing babies and sharing this important day together.
Another friend, Brian Cole, now Bishop of East Tennessee, preached the sermon and it was a very fine sermon indeed. I don’t know if you can listen to it on YouTube (or if you have any desire to listen to a sermon) but it was honest and direct and challenging. It was also quite funny at times in a way that Brian has of being funny. It was a sermon written specifically for Austin and his transition to becoming a Bishop.
Grace Cathedral in San Francisco also has a place in my own faith journey. Many years ago, before I was ordained to the priesthood, Bishop Robert Johnson sponsored me to travel to Grace Cathedral and study about labyrinths with the Rev. Lauren Artress. When I returned, the Diocese of Western North Carolina purchased a beautiful canvas labyrinth that we could take around the Diocese so people could experience this walking meditation. Both my husband Tom and I took this first labyrinth around to numerous churches and community centers in Western North Carolina.
Tom, who served as the Director of the Valle Crucis Conference Center for 18 years, would later purchase two canvas labyrinths for use indoors at the Center as well as create several outdoor labyrinths.
The outdoor labyrinth at the Valle Crucis Conference Center in the snow.
Labyrinths are more common now but at the time it was a totally new thing, at least in this part of the world. I first heard about labyrinths when I went to a book sale in Green Valley, Virginia and discovered Lauren Artress’ book Walking a Sacred Path. I was curious about this, so bought the book and read it several times. I learned there was a labyrinth laid into the floor of Chartres Cathedral in France in the 12th century which was thought to be a representation of the spiritual quest of pilgrims traveling to the holy land. I was intrigued.
Not long after this, we were in San Francisco where our daughter was living at the time, and I told her I wanted to go to Grace Cathedral and walk the labyrinth. We made our way there to the outdoor labyrinth. There was a group of women doing tai-chi around the edge of the labyrinth so my first walk was surrounded by these women and their slow and graceful movements. I didn’t assign any particular meaning to that first walk but I knew—as we sometimes know things that don’t necessarily make rational sense—that it was something important for me.
I have walked many labyrinths—both outdoors and indoors—since that first walk in San Francisco, but none is as memorable as that one on that day. So I feel a connection to Grace Cathedral, especially now having served as Dean of the Cathedral in Vermont.
I am retired now but still find that beautiful liturgy and music—and labyrinths-- move my soul. That may sound trite but I don’t know how else to say it. Today is a cloudy grey Saturday, drizzling rain, and yet, I feel absolutely joyful having spent the afternoon at Grace Cathedral celebrating the Episcopal Church’s newest bishop. Oh, the places we can go and be!
I,too, have walked Grace Cathedrals labyrinth and love labyrinths. And I was also introduced to them by Lauren’s book. There is a labyrinth it’s UNC hospital in Chapel Hill. I walked it many times while my husband was in rehab for a stroke. I LOVE a walking meditation anywhere but especially on a labyrinth. ❤️
I too grew up in a Southern Baptist Church. I was confirmed into the Episcopal Church over 40 years ago. I love the fact that the Church welcomes everyone no exceptions. God loves us all. I love the liturgies, rituals & music. I haven’t tried the labyrinths, other than the one at the Solace Center off Sweeten Creek.