Samuel Isaac Joseph Schereschewsky and his wife

Today the Episcopal Church remembers the Bishop of Shanghai, Samuel Schereschewsky. Born in 1831 and consecrated a bishop in 1877, he is primarily remembered for his work in translating the Bible and parts of the Prayer Book into Mandarin. He also translate the Bible and other works into Wenli and Mongolian. He developed Parkinson's in 1833 and resigned as Bishop. He did not, however, quit his work as a translator. For the next 20 years or so, he continued his work typing with just one finger. Amazing!


What is not mentioned in the short bio found in Holy Women, Holy Men, is the name of his wife. It only says that he was buried beside her in Tokyo and that she supported him constantly during his labors and illness. Imagine what that support must have looked like. Getting him up, cleaned, fed, and dressed each day; getting him into that chair where he worked for 20 years; even changing the ribbon and paper in the typewriter. While his mind and solitary finger worked on the word of the Lord, her mind and body worked to keep that vessel going.


Though the church sites do not name her, this energetic woman was named Susan Mary Waring. She also arrived in China as a missionary and they were engaged to be married only two weeks after they met!


As we celebrate the one's whose names are remembered, let us never forget that they lived often in some kind of community and many saints are not remembered. The work of Samuel Isaac Joseph Schereschewsky relied heavily on the love, support and hard work of Mrs. Susan Mary Waring Schereschewsky.

Dancing before the Lord

Today was our first 6:30 a.m. Holy Eucharist here at St. Luke’s since I’ve arrived. It was once a practice of Fr. Harrell, now mine. We had five folks here, including me. It was a little rushed as I wasn’t sure of the timing and had promised we would be no longer than 40 minutes. We finished in 20. On Tuesday, our next one, I’ll aim for 30.

There was a moment though that really spoke of who St. Luke’s is as a community. It was during the Eucharistic Prayer. I was at the altar and the four members of the congregation were kneeling in the pews. They each sat in their own pew, two on the Gospel side and two on the Epistle side, one behind the other. As I said the words, “As our Lord Jesus Christ taught us, we are bold to say…” the four rose, and came into the aisle. The two from the first pew joined hands as did the two behind them. It was just like a dance.

As we said the Lord’s Prayer, I glanced at them and saw the four – one from England via Jamaica, one from the USA, one from Chile and one from the Bahamas or Guyana. St. Luke’s a place where the world comes together to worship and dance before the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

A resolution for the New Year

New Year’s

As this New Year begins, the teens I guess, I’m just plain tired. And no, I’m not trying to compete with you as to how tired you are or anyone else. Tiredness is not a competitive sport. I’m tired because I have not taken enough time lately to read and to pray and to be quiet.

I know that quietness is hard to really talk about publically. At least at my church, I’m more often met by people who are trying to out-do each other in doing. I’m not complaining about it. Many times I ask someone to do something more. I just think some times I need to be quiet.

So this year, I am going to take some time each day to be quiet. To schedule in time to read and think. It can’t be put off to the end of the day, because then I’m too tired and quiet resting in God is not the same as collapsing on the couch. When I put off my reading to the end of the day, I fall asleep over the book. When I try to pray deeply when I’m tired, my mind drifts and I pray rapidly without true attention.

And so, my first resolution of the new year is to take some time each day for reflection, prayer, reading, and just being quiet.