Love Found in Tarrytown

On Sunday, June 23rd, the YASCers were graced with the presence of Christ Church in Tarrytown, NY. Graciously welcomed into this community with open arms through a beautiful service which combined cultures to expand our idea of the Episcopal Church.

Many of us grew up in the traditional Episcopal church with an organ playing, classic hymns sung and everything spoken in English. One thing I've come to realize is that is not everyone's Episcopal church.
Episcopalians speak a wide variety of languages and sing a wide variety of songs. Nobody is doing it the wrong way, just a different way.

Photo courtesy of Charlotte File

The Sunday service in Tarrytown combined their Spanish and English speaking congregations to celebrate us YASCers who are about to experience many different ways of celebrating on Sunday morning. It was refreshing and energizing to hear both Spanish and English overlap one another as we all prayed the same prayer. Maracas, tambourines and drums drove our feet to tap and hands to clap along to an upbeat sound. The Venerable Bill Parnell's, Archdeacon of Mission in the Diocese of New York, sermon reminded us of the power of love. (You can read the whole thing here.)

Bill Parnell preaching.
Photo courtesy of David Copley

Here are two parts that stood out to me:

"And that is what we strive to be as the Church – a community formed by Love. We don’t have it
all down perfectly just yet – we are a work in progress, continually being molded by Jesus who is
Love Incarnate. He alone is the one who bears our sins and our brokenness. No scapegoats are
needed, only a community of people who have seen Love at work in our own lives and are
commissioned to tell all that God has done for us. We who seek to follow in the ways of Jesus
are given that work of reconciliation which restores people to wholeness and challenges the
powers that prevent it from happening. It will surely comfort some; it will surely afflict others –
and the Church is called to reach out to both. That’s why Paul talked about a community united
in Jesus where all the marks of distinction and sources of division disappear: neither Jew nor
Greek, slave nor free, male nor female....
Today we have among us about twenty-five people who are being sent to some far-flung corners
of the world to serve in the name of Jesus who is Love Incarnate. Love is about to come to town
in some new ways through their presence. I give thanks for their energy and commitment, their
vision and their willingness to risk crossing oceans and borders and barriers to share the Good
News. But most of us are staying put, and there is no less need for us to be in mission right here.
There is plenty of need for Jesus to tarry a while in Tarrytown, and Love has come to town in the
people who are Christ Church, a community that is being formed by Love in new ways all the
time. Whether you’re staying or going, jump that train and catch that flame. Carry Love to town
by telling the stories of what God has done for you. Listen well to the stories of what God is
doing for those among whom you live. Let Love form a community. I bet you will see Love
conquer a great divide."

Love and support is what I felt throughout the morning from strangers but all brothers and sisters in Christ at Christ Church, Tarrytown. They threw a lovely lunch afterwards and sat down to get to know each one of us. And we were able to witness the blessing of their clothing closet. Another way this wonderful community and Church spreads its love.

That morning gave me great anticipation to celebrate with the Episcopal Church in the Philippines, to learn a new way to praise God, and share love with a new community.

Thanks for reading!

Having Faith

This past Sunday was Youth Sunday at St. James' Episcopal Church in Leesburg. I was invited to preach about YASC and present at the adult forum to fundraise. As my home parish which I grew up in, I was extremely excited and nervous about preaching. Fortunately, it was my third time up at the pulpit and it is such a wonderful, supportive community. And I felt so appreciative that the loose plate offering is being donated for my YASC journey!

I wanted to share my sermon, so here it is.

"Good Morning, I am happy and grateful for another opportunity to be preaching in front of you all today at St. James’ which I consider a second home. For those of you who don’t know me, I am Ashley Cameron and I’m a longtime member of St. James’. Four years ago, I stood up here celebrating youth Sunday and my completion of high school. Last year, I had the pleasure of preaching again, this time to celebrate my receipt of a college degree, a Bachelors of Science in Economics and Spanish.

And so you are probably wondering why I am up here again for a third time, a second year in a row.

Because I don’t think I qualify as a “youth” anymore to preach on “youth” Sunday, but to most of you probably still think I am a youngin’,

Sunday's Bulletin with an awesome graphic drawn by one of the youth.

The main reason I am here this morning is to speak about the Young Adult Service Corps or for short we call it “YASC.”

Young Adult Service Corps (YASC) is a ministry for young adults who are interested in exploring their faith in new ways by living and serving in communities around the Anglican Communion. It is specifically designed for Episcopalians ages 21-30. Service begins in late summer/early fall of each year. Missionaries have been sent to over 33 countries over the past 13 years. They have managed websites, provided administrative support, participated in medical programs and contributed to the mission and ministry of our Anglican Partners around the world.

Bulletin insert with an introduction of the guest speaker, me!

I am happy to say, I have been accepted as a Young Adult Service Corps member and been placed in the Northern Philippines. There I will be working with St. Mark’s church’s Episcopal Development Foundation in Santiago City. That work includes helping manage funds of a program that gives loans for poverty alleviation projects of local communities. Which I am very excited about because it fits directly with my passion of mission and development.

When I first tell people about my upcoming journey, they ask,

“when do you leave?”

“what type of place will you be living in?”

“what language will you have to learn?”

And these are all valid and reasonable questions, I simply do not have the answers, right now. I have faith that all my questions will be answered in due time. I have faith that it will all work out beautifully.

What do I mean by faith?

In the gospel today, John talks about the slave who has great faith. Jesus says, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.” The centurion always knows that if he asks the slave to do something he will get it done. The centurion does not have to always be present or watch over the slave’s shoulder. He has faith that the slave will always be loyal to get the work done. And Jesus rewards that great faith with good health to the slave to continue to live a full life.

Faith is knowing that if you truly live out the one true gospel of Christ, there will be a great, fulfilling end result.

This past year, I have had the pleasure of working as an intern in the Office of Mission and Outreach at the Diocese of Virginia. The experience has been truly wonderful and it has greatly prepared me for my upcoming work as a missionary.

One major lesson I have learned by assisting churches and parishioners to prepare to go on mission trips is you have to help them realize that not having all the answers is ok. The job of our office is to mainly assure people that a mission trip will shape their life. It will be an incredible, fulfilling experience. It is not necessary to have all the answers right away. Simply, know that it is rewarding to go and be surprised at the experience God shapes you with. See what challenges he throws your way and learn what you can overcome.

That is Faith.

As long as you know and have faith that the end result will be good, you may not know what that end result will actually look like but you know it will be grand.

St. James’ as a community has had the greatest faith in me throughout almost my whole life. You all planted the original seed. You all said that sixteen year olds could be a part of that mission trip to New Orleans back in 2006. And so you gave me an opportunity and an experience that shaped my viewpoints on the importance of serving others.

Then St. James’ said we want youth to be able to travel to Liberia, Africa to serve those at Bromley Episcopal School. And your faith that sending six youth to Africa would turn out all right, helped me bring light to those suffering in the dark.

The most talented group of youth leading the service and singing "Lean on Me."

You all. All of You in this congregation have had no greater faith in me. You all, as a community, planted the original seed for my passion in mission and outreach. You have helped water and nurture and grow this seed. None of you knew what the end result was going to be. You had faith.

And now I am here asking you to help continue to water this seed, by supporting me in my missionary work to the Northern Philippines. I cannot do it alone.

The most important part of being a missionary is developing relationships. I am representing not only THE Episcopal Church but the Diocese of Virginia and all of the parishes that it consists of. That includes all of you. I will be working to connect this diocese, its regions, its parishes and all of its members with the diocese in the Northern Philippines.

I am here to invite you all to be a partner with me on my mission and this journey.

As part of YASC I must raise $10,000 which boils down to $30 a day. I have been blessed to already have raised over $7,000! And it has all been accomplished by parishes and parishioners who see themselves as partners with me in my mission as I go and spread the one true gospel as a representative of this Diocese and this parish.

While I may be the one on the ground, serving those face to face, it will be knowing that the support of this St. James’ community is behind me that will help me in my work. It is not a solo effort, but a communal one. This is the community that has loved me, reared me and inspired me to serve the least of these and share in God’s work.

As a community, You planted the original seed. You had faith. You helped guide me to this experience that will allow me to work with our brothers and sisters in Christ on the other side of the Anglican Communion.

And as I work to build relationships with the people of the Northern Philippines and integrate into the community, I will remember that the heart of St. James’ is behind me. Therefore,

Never stop having faith.

Never stop planting the seeds of passion for mission in young people.

Never stop watering, growing and nurturing them as a community.

You never know what the end result will be.

AMEN."

Just Go.

I found this image on the internet the other day and it really just spoke volumes to me. Maybe because I am about to "go see all the beauty in the world." Or at least I am hoping to.

I've heard that the Philippines is a beautiful place, but not only geographically. One of the first things people say when I tell them I'm going to the Philippines is "the people there are so wonderful." And I cannot wait to see that side of the world!

To me, this quote is not only saying to go see the physical beauty as in the rivers, mountains, trees and so on, but also the beauty in people. The beauty in the hopes, dreams, and ideas that people have all over the world.

So Just Go.

image via