During this season of Easter, we’re asking our community to celebrate and embody resurrection by reflecting joy and generosity to each other in concrete ways. One practice you’ve probably heard me emphasize repeatedly is simply wearing a name tag when we come together in worship and community. Now…here’s the confession part. I, personally, really hate wearing a name tag. I do. It gives social anxiety about where to put it, and control issues, and a bunch of other things. And here’s confession #2. It really helps me when other people wear name tags. I have a very visual memory and while I can recall the details of someone’s favorite opera somehow, names seem to give me particular trouble. And…I know how important it is to be called by name as when Christ called to Mary in the garden, dissolving what was left of any veil over the resurrection.
So when I’m in spaces, like I was this week – with familiar faces, semi-familiar faces, and strangers mixed together – I am committed to wearing my name tag anyway. I’ve been reflecting on this simple practice as an act of generosity of self – as an act of grace to my neighbor who always sits on the other side of the pews, who has shared coffee and candles with us here and there, but feels bad about asking our name at this point. Or for the newbie who is like me…very human.
This is St. Stephen’s. So while we’re asking you to take on this practice, we really want it to be a blessing to be called by name and known as you hope to be. So feel free to embellish your name tag a bit as you’d like (just remember this is about hospitality, so it’s gotta stay legible). But you can add nicknames, pronouns, stickers, pins, or something else that shows us “you.”
I recognize this is a very small thing in a world of very large issues. But that seems to be where resurrection often starts. A small practice here that might help us take this joy into our bones and be inspired toward another blessing somehow or somewhere else. What’s something you know helps you to feel welcome and at ease and beloved among others? How can we preemptively and proactively offer that to others here and elsewhere? That’s where I often see a risen Christ in this world.
– The Reverend Ashley Dellagiacoma, Associate Rector
