Katrina’sDream

St.Stephen’sandtheIncarnationEpiscopalChurch

CelebratingWomen’sEqualityDay

AContemplativeInterfaithWorship

Friday-26thofAugust,2016 Washington,DistrictofColumbia Katrina’s Dreamwelcomes you to St. Stephen’s and the Incarnation Episcopal Church.Godhas brought all of us together today. You arewelcome to participate fully in thisworshipexperienceasmuchoraslittleasyoufeelcalledtodo.

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WelcomeOpeningPrayer

Person: God,openourlips.All: Andourmouthsshallproclaimyourpraise.

All: GlorytotheOne,andtotheChild,andtotheHolySpirit:asit

wasinthebeginning,isnow,andwillbeforever.Amen

FirstReading:TheColorPurplebyAliceWalker

“Theworldischanging,Isaid.Itisnolongeraworldjustforboysandmen.Ourwomenarerespectedhere,saidthefather.WewouldneverletthemtramptheworldasAmerican womendo.ThereisalwayssomeonetolookaftertheOlinkawoman.Afather.Anuncle.Abrotherornephew.Donotbeoffended,SisterNettie,butourpeoplepitywomensuchasyouwhoarecastout,weknownotfromwhere,intoaworldunknowntoyou,whereyoumuststruggleallalone,foryourself.SoIamanobjectofpityandcontempt,Ithought,tomenandwomenalike.Furthermore,saidTashi’sfather,wearenotsimpletons.Weunderstandthatthereareplacesintheworldwherewomenlivedifferentlyfromthewayourwomendo,butwedonotapproveofthisdifferentwayforourchildren.

Butlifeischanging,eveninOlinka,Isaid.Wearehere.Hespatontheground.Whatareyou?Threegrownupsandtwochildren.Intherainy

seasonsomeofyouwillprobablydie.Youpeopledonotlastlonginourclimate.Ifyoudonotdie,youwillbeweakenedbyillness.Oh,yes.Wehaveseenitallbefore.YouChristianscomehere,tryhardtochangeus,getsickandgobacktoEngland,orwhereveryoucomefrom.Onlythetraderonthecoastremains,andevenheisnotthesamewhiteman,yearinandyearout.Weknowbecausewesendhimwomen.

Tashiisveryintelligent,Isaid.Shecouldbeateacher.Anurse.Shecouldhelpthepeopleinthevillage.

Thereisnoplacehereforawomantodothosethings,hesaid.Thenweshouldleave,Isaid.SisterCorrineandI.

No,no,hesaid.Teachonlytheboys?Iasked.

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Yes,hesaid,asifmyquestionwasagreement.ThereisawaythatthemenspeaktowomenthatremindsmetoomuchofPa.Theylisten

justlongenoughtoissueinstructions.Theydon’tevenlookatwomenwhenwomenarespeaking.Theylookatthegroundandbendtheirheadstowardtheground.Thewomenalsodonot“lookinaman’sface”astheysay.To“lookinaman’sface”isabrazenthingtodo.Theylookinsteadathisfeetorhisknees.”MeditationSecondReading:Luke10:38-42-TheNewTestament

[38]AsJesusandhisdiscipleswereontheir

way,hecametoavillagewhereawoman

namedMarthaopenedherhometohim.[39]

ShehadasistercalledMary,whosatatthe

Lord'sfeetlisteningtowhathesaid.[40]But

Marthawasdistractedbyallthepreparations

thathadtobemade.Shecametohimand

asked,"Lord,don'tyoucarethatmysisterhas

leftmetodotheworkbymyself?Tellherto

helpme!"

[41]"Martha,Martha,"theLordanswered,"youareworriedandupsetaboutmanythings,[42]but

onlyonethingisneeded.Maryhaschosenwhatisbetter,anditwillnotbetakenawayfromher."MeditationThirdReading:Abdu’l-Baha,ParisTalks,p.134.Womenhaveequalrightswithmenuponearth;inreligionandsocietytheyareaveryimportantelement.Aslongaswomenarepreventedfromattainingtheirhighestpossibilities,solongwillmenbeunabletoachievethegreatnesswhichmightbetheirs.

Meditation

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FourthReading:Sukta30ofChapterThree–AtharvaVeda.

Omembersofhumanity!Beengagedinworksofcommoninterest.Owell-wishersofequality!Youallshouldsittogethertohavecommondishesoffoodanddrink.Thisthreadoflovebindsyoualltolivetogether.

MeditationFifthReading:SurahAli'Imran3:195TheQuran

AndtheirLordrespondedtothem,"NeverwillIallowtobelosttheworkof[any}workeramongyou,whethermaleorfemale;youareofoneanother.SothosewhoemigratedorwereevictedfromtheirhomesorwereharmedinMycauseorfoughtorwerekilled-Iwillsureremovefromthemtheirmisdeeds,andIwillsurely

admitthemtogardensbeneathwhichriversflowasrewardfromAllah,andAllahhaswithHimthebestreward."

Meditation

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SixthReading:WhiteBuffaloCalfWoman[excerpt]-LakotaLegend

AfterfourdaystheysawtheWhiteBuffaloCalfWomanapproaching,carryingherbundlebeforeher.Herwonderfulwhitebuckskindressshonefromafar.Thechief,StandingHollowHorn,invitedhertoenterthemedicinelodge.Shewentinandcircledtheinteriorsunrise.Thechiefaddressedherrespectfully,saying:"Sister,wearegladyouhavecometoinstructus."

Shetoldhimwhatshewanteddone.Inthecenterofthetipitheyweretoputupanowankawakan,asacredaltar,madeof

redearth,withabuffaloskullandathree-stickrackforaholythingshewasbringing.Theydidwhatshedirected,andshetracedadesignwithherfingeronthesmoothedearthofthealtar.

Sheshowedthemhowtodoallthis,thencircledthelodgeagainsunwise.Haltingbeforethechief,shenowopenedthebundle.Theholythingitcontainedwasthechanunpa,thesacredpipe.Shehelditouttothepeopleandletthemlookatit.Shewasgraspingthestemwithherrighthandandthebowlwithherleft,andthusthepipehasbeenheldeversince.

Againthechiefspoke,saying:"Sister,weareglad.Wehavehadnomeatforsometime.Allwecangiveyouiswater."Theydippedsomewacanga,sweetgrass,intoaskinbagofwaterandgaveittoher,andtothisdaythepeopledipsweetgrassoraneaglewinginwaterandsprinkleitonapersontobepurified.

TheWhiteBuffaloCalfWomanshowedthepeoplehowtousethepipe.Shefilleditwithchan-shasha,redwillow-barktobacco.ShewalkedaroundthelodgefourtimesafterthemannerofAnpetu-Wi,thegreatsun.Thisrepresentedthecirclewithoutend,thesacredhoop,theroadoflife.Thewomanplacedadrybuffalochiponthefireandlitthepipewithit.Thiswaspeta-owihankeshni,thefirewithoutend,theflametobepassedonfromgenerationtogeneration.

ShetoldthemthatthesmokerisingfromthebowlwasTunkashila'sbreath,thelivingbreathofthegreatGrandfatherMystery.TheWhiteBuffaloCalfWomanshowedthepeopletherightwaytopray,therightwordsandtherightgestures.Shetaughtthemhowtosingthepipe-fillingsongandhowtoliftthepipeuptothesky,towardGrandfather,anddowntowardGrandmotherEarth,toUnci,andthentothefourdirectionsoftheuniverse.

"Withthisholypipe,"shesaid,"youwillwalklikealivingprayer.Withyourfeetrestingupontheearthandthepipestemreachingintothesky,yourbodyformsalivingbridgebetweentheSacredBeneathandtheSacredAbove.WakanTankasmilesuponus,becausenowweareasone:earth,sky,alllivingthings,thetwo-legged,thefour-legged,thewingedones,thetrees,thegrasses.

Togetherwiththepeople,theyareallrelated,onefamily.Thepipeholdsthemalltogether.Meditation

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SeventhReading:LotusSutraChapter12-DragonGirl

AtthattimeShariputrasaidtothedragongirl,"Yousupposethatinthisshorttimeyouhavebeenabletoattaintheunsurpassedway.Butthisisdifficulttobelieve.Why?Becauseawoman'sbodyissoiledanddefiled,notavesselfortheLaw.Howcouldyouattaintheunsurpassedbodhi?TheroadtoBuddhahoodislongandfar-reaching.Onlyafteronehasspentimmeasurablekalpaspursuingausterities,accumulatingdeeds,practicingallkindsofparamitas,canonefinallyachievesuccess.Moreover,awomanissubjecttothefiveobstacles.First,shecannotbecomeaBrahmaheavenlyking.Second,shecannotbecomethekingShakra.Third,shecannotbecomeadevilking.Fourth,shecannotbecomeawheel-turningsageking.Fifth,shecannotbecomeaBuddha.HowthencouldawomanlikeyoubeabletoattainBuddhahoodsoquickly?"

Atthattimethedragongirlhadapreciousjewelworthasmuchasthethousand-million-foldworldwhichshepresentedtotheBuddha.TheBuddhaimmediatelyexceptedit.ThedragongirlsaidtoBodhisattvaWisdomAccumulatedtothevenerable

one,Shariputra,"IpresentedthepreciousjewelandtheWorld-HonoredOneacceptedit-wasthatnotquicklydone?"

Theyreplied,"Veryquickly!"Thegirlssaid,"employyoursupernaturalpowersandwatchmeattainBuddhahood.Itshallbe

evenquickerthanthat!"Atthattimethemembersoftheassemblyallsawthedragongirlinthespaceofaninstant

changeintoamanandcarryoutallthepracticesofabodhisattva,immediatelyproceedingtotheSpotlessWorldofthesouth,takingaseatonajeweledlotus,andattainingimpartialandcorrectenlightenment.Withthethirty-twofeaturesandtheeightycharacteristics,heexpoundedthewonderfulLawforalllivingbeingseverywhereinthetendirections.

Atthattimeinthesahaworldtoathebodhisattvas,voice-hearers,gods,dragonsandothersoftheeightkindsofguardians,humanandnon-humanbeingsallfromadistancesawthedragongirlbecomeaBuddhaandpreachthelawtoallthehumanandheavenlybeingsintheassemblyatthattime.Theirheartswerefilledwithgreatjoyandallfromadistancepaidreverentobeisance.Immeasurablelivingbeings,hearingtheLaw,understooditandwereabletoreachthelevelofnoregression.Immeasurablelivingbeingsreceivedpropheciesthattheywouldgaintheaway.TheSpotlessWorldquakedandtrembledinsixdifferentways.Threethousandlivingbeingsofthesahaworldremainedonthelevelofnoregression.Threethousandlivingbeingsconceivedadesireforbodhiandreceivedpropheciesofenlightenment.BodhisattvaWisdomAccumulated,Shariputraandalltheothermembersoftheassemblysilentlybelievedanacceptedthesethings

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MeditationClosingPrayer

All: OmMa-niPad-meHum. OmMa-niPad-meHum. OmMa-niPad-meHum

GUIDELINESFORWALKINGTHELABYRINTH

Thelabyrinthisnotamaze.Therearenotrickstoitandnodeadends.Ithasasinglecircuitouspaththatwindsitswayintothecenter.Thepersonwalkingitusesthesamepathtoreturnfromthecenterandtheentrancethenbecomestheexit.Thepathisinfullview,whichallowsapersontobequietandfocusinternally.

Generallytherearethreestagestothewalk:releasingonthewayin,receivinginthecenterandreturningwhenyoufollowthereturnpathbackoutofthelabyrinth.Symbolically,andsometimesactually,youaretakingbackoutintotheworldthatwhichyouhavereceived.

Thereisnorightwayorwrongwaytowalkalabyrinth.Usethelabyrinthinanywaythatmeetswhatyouneedwhilebeingrespectfulofotherswalking.Youmaygodirectlytothecentertositquietly--whatevermeetsyourneeds.

Toprepare,youmaywanttositquietlytoreflectbeforewalkingthelabyrinth.Somepeoplecomewithquestions,othersjusttoslowdownandtaketimeoutfromabusylife.Somecometofindstrengthtotakethenextstep.Manycomeduringtimesofgriefandloss.

Childrenenjoythelabyrinthandweaskthatparentssupervisetheiryoungchildrensoallmayenjoythemeditativeaspectsofthewalk.

Therearemanywaystodescribealabyrinth.Itisapathofprayer,awalkingmeditation,acrucibleofchange,awateringholeforthespiritandamirrorofthesoul.Retrievedfromwww.veriditas.org

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Uplifting the Voices of Women

ThankstothelateEqualRightsAmendment(ERA)champion,CongresswomanBellaAbzug,on

Monday,August26,2016,therewillbeobservancescommemoratingWomen'sEqualityDayallacrossournation.

Firstmemorializedin1971afterAbzug'sJointCongressionalResolutionproclaimingAugust26

ofeveryyearWomen’sEqualityDaypassed,thedayisatributetothe1920ratificationofthe19thAmendment--guaranteeingAmericanwomentherighttovote--callsonthePresidentoftheUnitedStatestoissueaProclamationonthishistoricdateeveryyearanduntiltheERAisratified,ismeanttoserveasareminderofthecontinuedstruggletoobtainfullequalityundernationallaw.

Thisyear,ERAAdvocatesacrossthecountryarejoiningtogethertoviewEqualMeansEqualagroundbreakingexplorationofgenderinequalityintheUSA"andtosendacollectivemessagetoourelectedofficials:"wenolongerwantnorwillweacceptameaningless“day”-wewantactualequality."

OnthegroundhereinWashington,DCthisyear,ERAActivistswillalsomarch,rallyandvisittheofficesoftheCongressionalJudiciaryChairstoinsisthearingbeheldonSJR15andHJR51.InconjunctionERAActionisspearheadingaThunderclapcallingonAmericansacrossthenationtourgeourUSCongresstoholdhearingsontheEqualRightsAmendment.MakeyourvoicehearandjointheThunderclap.Clickheretojoin.

Pleasehelpstrengthenthemessagebyjoiningyourvoicewithourstodemand#ERANOW!Call-Email-Tweet

U.S.HouseJudiciary

Rep.BobGoodlatte(202)225-5431goodlatte.house.gov,@RepGoodlatteRep.JohnConyersJr.(202)225-5126

conyers.house.gov@RepJohnConyersUS.SenateJudiciary

Sen.ChuckGrassley(202)224-3744grassley.senate.gov,@ChuckGrassleySen.PatrickLeahy(202)224-4242,leahy.senate.gov,@SenatorLeahy