Service of remembrance & a dynamic preacher

I'm looking forward to two upcoming live-streamed events, each worthy in its own right and both reflecting the progressive nature of and radical hospitality practiced by The Episcopal Church.

The first, A Service of Thanksgiving and Remembrance for Matthew Shepard, begins at 9 a.m. (central time) today at the Washington National Cathedral (Cathedral Church of St. Peter and St. Paul) in Washington, D.C. You can follow this link to the service page and live stream access.

At 11 a.m. on Sunday, the Episcopal Diocese of Iowa will live-stream the Sending Eucharist  that will conclude the 166th annual diocesan convention at the Des Moines Marriott Downtown, 700 Grand, featuring as preacher the Rt. Rev. Michael Curry, presiding bishop of The Episcopal Church. Here's a link to the page where access to the live stream will be available.

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Matthew Shepard, of course, was murdered merely because he was gay at Laramie, Wyoming, 20 years ago this month --- tied to a fence outside town and left to die on Oct. 6, passing finally on Oct. 12 at a hospital in Fort Collins, Colorado.

The Shepards --- Matthew and his parents, Judy and Dennis, and brother, Logan, were members of St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Casper, Wyoming, where funeral services were held to the accompaniment of protesters from Westboro Baptist Church. But fears that his grave might be vandalized prevented the family from burying his ashes.

After today's service, his remains will be interred in the National Cathedral crypt. Officiating at today's service will be the Rt. Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, and the Rt. Rev. V. Gene Robinson, the Episcopal Church's first openly gay bishop.

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The dynamic Rev. Mr. Curry, the Episcopal Church's first black presiding bishop, gained a worldwide audience earlier this year after being invited to preach during the marriage of Britain's Prince Henry and Meghan Markle at St. George's Chapel, Windsor.

Sunday morning's service at the Marriott (the nearby Cathedral Church of St. Paul is too small to accommodate everyone) is open to anyone who cares to attend. 

Those of us who won't be in Des Moines for the service will gather in the parish hall at St. Andrew's at 11 a.m. to watch the live-stream. This will be the only service of the day at St. Andrew's and, again, anyone interested is welcome to join us. The big-screen television there is very big indeed.