Churches that commune

By Brett Donham

Winston Churchill once said, “Initially we shape our buildings and then, thereafter, they shape us.” This is never truer than with our places of worship. By and large, these buildings, as beautiful as they can be, frustrate the purpose for which they were built, or the purpose for which they should have been built. They can stifle the formation of fully engaged Christians.

Today, in many places, church buildings are being built and existing ones remodeled to serve a new model of “church” (the people gathered), that harks back to the early days of Christianity. In these places people gather in community to offer praise and thanksgiving, to reflect on scripture, to share stories about Jesus Christ and his impact on their lives, to share a commemorative meal, and through this to come into communion with Christ, and with one another. These are communal activities, with many players, several centers of action and movement, and require the ability to see one another and feel as a gathered body.

The traditional forms of church buildings, with everyone facing in the same direction and with the “expert”; the intermediary or interpreter, on a raised stage addressing an audience is the antithesis of gathering in community. The ministry of all the baptized, the gift of the Holy Spirit that says we all have something to contribute, has no acknowledged place in this style of church building. Church as a spectator activity doesn’t engage people in the ongoing work of formation. Only buildings that encourage a sense of community and participation can create the apostles necessary to invigorate the Church.

One such church building is St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Brookline, Massachusetts. Originally designed by Richard Upjohn at the high point of the Oxford Movement, that sees the Holy as dark, mysterious and unapproachable; the building was reconstructed after a disastrous fire that left only the four walls and the tower standing. [See the 1849 plan].
1849 Plan
After two years of mourning, reflection, planning and discernment, the building was reconstructed in a centralized form. The former chancel was closed off to make a chapel. The altar which had been set against the east wall was moved a third of the way into the space. Dormers were added to the roof to flood the altar area with natural light, and the seating was wrapped around the altar on three sides with the choir seated on the fourth. [See the new plan].

New Plan

All the congregants are in close relationship to the altar area and members easily come forward to read scripture, assist with Communion and healing prayer, and offer announcements of mission opportunities and parish activities. Intercessory prayer is offered from the seated congregation, but because of the close seating arrangement, all can hear them. The altar, which is movable, sits on a platform around which the congregation gathers for Communion. As worshippers leave the circle to return to their chairs, others take their place. The priest and chalice bearer move around the platform, serving the bread and the wine, until all have received.


My last eight years as a trustee of Episcopal Divinity School, interacting with students and faculty, participating in worship and the classroom, have taught me the centrality of community in forming apostles and faithful people. I believe we need to rediscover our first century roots. Our theology demands it; the future of the Church demands it; creating the Kingdom here on earth demands it. Our designs of spaces for worship need to support it.


*Brett Donham is an architect whose practice includes churches. He is a trustee of Episcopal Divinity School.
(The photo shows St. Paul's Church Brookline, MA)

Christ’s Light Shines in Haiti

By Robert T Brooks

I’ve found over the years that God uses my experience, gifts, and talents in unexpected and powerful ways. I left my parish assignment four months ago. People are asking me, “What are you doing with yourself in retirement?” During the Epiphany season, I want to reframe the question: “How is the light of Christ showing forth, manifesting itself in your life now that you’re retired?”

I find this question useful, first, because it reminds me that my vocation is to do my part to further God’s mission, the missio Dei, in my work and in my life. I’ve always defined my personal vocation as “serving God and God’s people.” Second, the question reminds me that as a disciple of Christ, I always look to Jesus as my fellow traveler, my mentor, my guide, my friend. Finally, I’m reminded that I’m called to walk the walk, that it is in the showing forth of Christ’s light in and through me that those I know and meet will see God’s mission in action.

The newest manifestation of Christ’s light in my life is my developing involvement with 1000 Jobs Haiti (www.1000jobshaiti.org). Shortly after I retired last fall, I accompanied the Reverend Deacon Buck Close on a five-day trip to Haiti. My mission was simple: to observe his work and to discern how I might be of assistance. I had no clue of the answer.

Half way through the trip, on our daily visit to the Central Plateau, I had an epiphany. “Buck, I think I know how I can help.” Before I could explain, Buck shot back, “Bob, I know exactly how you can help. I want you to be the non-executive chair of the board of 1000 Jobs Haiti.” Since I was going to propose that I work with 1000 jobs on governance and strategy issues, I immediately accepted his offer.

What interests me about this assignment, this epiphany, this manifestation of Christ’s light showing forth in and through me, is how it so perfectly fits with my theology, my experience, my gifts, and my interests.

Episcopal Divinity School trained, it continues to form me “to serve and advance God’s mission of justice, compassion, and reconciliation.” So to be involved in a project with a focus on the creation of sustainable jobs at fair wages in one of the poorest countries on the planet, on promoting employment and self-sufficiency, and on developing markets for Haitian products; all of this is consonant with my theological understanding of what it means to be a Christian.

So for a “late vocation” Episcopal priest whose training and work includes military service in logistics, graduate study in finance, work in investment management, and a variety of not-for-profit board work, Buck’s offer was providential.

As I prepare for my first board meeting of 1000 Jobs Haiti, I am comfortable and confident in knowing that this is indeed an Epiphany moment for me.

*The Reverend Robert T Brooks '95 served three parishes as Rector: Christ Church (Kent, Ohio), Grace Church (Providence, Rhodes Island), and St Andrews (Little Compton, Rhodes Island). He is a faculty member of CREDO, chair of the Audit Committee of the Episcopal Church, and has served as a trustee of EDS since 2001.

Creating a future to support the exceptional

By Doug O Fitzsimmons

Across the world educational institutions are struggling with finances. In Britain university tuition has been increased 300%. In the United States and other nations schools, colleges and seminaries have been forced to close because of financial pressure. All are looking at ways to survive. The example of Episcopal Divinity School which sold some of its land and buildings and entered into agreements with neighbouring Lesley University to share certain resources such as the library, refectory and maintenance is instructive, for more go to the EDS press release of December 15, 2010 http://www.eds.edu/sec.asp?pageID=376  Here an EDS trustee explains the decision.

I voted for the partnership between Episcopal Divinity School and Lesley University in 2008 as a trustee of EDS.

Since then many people have asked me what it was I had in mind.

“Growth” was what I had in mind. Greater freedom for EDS to grow from its established strength. Years of further opportunity to help the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion strengthen parishes to meet the leadership needs of today and tomorrow. 

The context in the United States seemed clear: decades of membership decline and challenges around financial resources in the Episcopal Church and other mainline denominations. We are all experiencing stressful, rapidly changing lives because of globalization and accelerating technology. US exceptionalism is being questioned. But with that all is a quest for spiritual growth.

And the context at Episcopal Divinity School also seemed clear. Decades of superior academic training and community formation for ministry with a progressive focus on issues of social justice: anti-racism, anti-oppression, gender equality, and a strong pool of candidates for enrollment but steadily fewer who were able to afford the costs of living in Cambridge.

Episcopal Divinity School has a track record of educating lay and ordained leaders with skills particularly well adapted to urban and rural budget-squeezed communities.

The prospect of a partnership with Lesley University illuminated a path forward. In addition to a residential program, we would have an opportunity to develop curricular modifications by which we might offer degrees to students across the country without requiring that they disrupt their lives, sell their residences, and experience the costs of moving to Cambridge. We would also be able to upgrade the quality of our campus facilities for the resident student body we hoped to grow.

In short, we saw opportunities for growth: more students from more locations, domestically and abroad. More graduates serving a greater number of parishes. Strong training for more lay leaders.

“But haven’t you failed to tell us about the financial story? Surely fiduciary obligations were uppermost in your mind when you voted for the Lesley arrangement.” Those who question me ask.

“Yes,” fiduciary concerns were prominent. For some years we were operating a campus of high market value, with elegant but aging buildings beyond the needs of our student enrollment. Deferred capital infusions would, in time, have created a very difficult financial picture for us, a difficulty our endowment would not have been able to meet. Fortunately, we were able to envision a creative a shift in our pedagogies that would make the partnership with Lesley work for us.

That is what I was thinking.

* Douglas O Fitzsimmons has been an EDS Trustee since 2003. He is retired from Mobil Corporation where he worked in Human Resources Management. Doug lives in Cambridge, MA and serves on the Vestry of Trinity Church in the City of Boston.