Between Juneteenth and Ketikoti
Greetings from All Saints!
This week:
Thursday, 18:00, Vrijburg: Bible Study
No worship this Sunday or next. Next service is 7 July.
Preparations are underway for Keti Koti, the celebration of the official end of slavery in the Dutch colonies in Suriname and the Caribbean on July 1, 1863. The name means “the chain is cut” in Sranan Tongo In Suriname and some cities in the Netherlands, including Amsterdam, the celebration begins with an act of remembering the victims of slavery as well those, such as the maroon communities, who heroically resisted it. Then the party starts. In Amsterdam, the commemoration is at the slavery memorial in Oosterpark, and the party is on the Museumplein. Several people from All Saints have plans to be there, so make use of the WhatsApp group if you’d like to join.
Celebration and honoring of victims and their descendants is a very important part of transforming the world from the horror we have inherited into the one God has promised us. It is important not to let it stop there though. As one of our people put the matter, there is a temptation to make such things “more about inclusion of my white ancestors in something than about liberation for my African ancestors.” If the “something” is God’s work of liberation and joy, it’s a thing to include everyone in. But as prophets and activists inside and outside of the church have been telling us with increasing urgency, we cannot do one of these things without doing the other. Geen heling zonder herstel (no healing without recovery/recuperation/reparation), as an exhibition by The Black Archives is entitled.
The law that went into effect on July 1, 1863 in Suriname and the Dutch Antilles was only the “official” end of slavery, as freed persons were required to continue working on plantations in slavery-like conditions for a further ten years. At the conclusion of that period, they received no compensation, though their former “owners” did, as was also the case in other countries such as the United Kingdom (and the District of Columbia in the United States).
Those of us with ties to the United States will note how Keti Koti comes close after Juneteenth (named for June 19, 1965), the day when the Emancipation Proclamation (from two years earlier) came into force in Texas, thus freeing the last enslaved people in the so-called Confederacy. People remained enslaved in non-seceding states until the 13th Amendment came into effect on December 18. As in the Netherlands and its colonies, formerly enslaved people received no compensation, even as white Americans continued to benefit economically from the unjust labor and living conditions of Black Americans (and still do).
Official apologies have been made by the US government, by several Dutch cities, and by the outgoing Dutch prime minister. The Black Archives reminds us that Mr. Rutte’s speech acknowledged the incompleteness of the act. “We are not placing a period here, but a comma,” he said. Their exposition asks us to imagine: what should come after the comma?
(The link goes to an English translation of a previous version of the exhibit. I highly recommend reading through it. CW: it is about agency, resistance, and reparation, but chattel slavery is described in brutal detail.)
What should come after the comma? What chains still need breaking (in the Netherlands, the US, or elsewhere), and how do we break them? What is All Saints’ part? These aren’t rhetorical questions! Share what you think on the WhatsApp group, come to church and talk about, or (if you a friend of All Saints who lives farther away) send us an email with some thoughts.
The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound.
-Isaiah 61:1
Bible Study and Prayer Continue, next service July 7
This is a reminder that “first and third Sundays” really does mean just that at the moment, and not “every other Sunday.” The next service is on July 7. But Mpho will lead Bible study today, and there will be some program next Thursday as well.
Summer plans?
We are still finalizing our programming plans for July and August, and it would be helpful to know if people are planning to be around, or would likely miss a few Thursdays or Sundays. If you know your plans (and half of you are Dutch, so you probably do), send us an email and let us know. We’ll report back next week with what to expect.
General Convention
The Episcopal Church’s General Convention is meeting this week in Louisville, Kentucky, USA. All of the bishops, and representative priests and lay people gather to talk about things, vote on things, and worship. Our Convocation has delegates too (“deputies,” in Episcopal-ese). You can check out the highlights if you like, but the big news item is that a new presiding bishop has been elected. Congratulations to Bishop Sean Rowe, who starts the job on November 1. Here in the Convocation, our bishop is technically the presiding bishop, though he will continue to be represented for all intents and purposes by Bishop Mark.
Festival of Gathering
Kentucky is far away. Italy is also far away, but nowhere near as far. So consider attending the Convocation of Episcopal Churches in Europe’s Festival of Gathering on October 18-19, immediately following our diocesan convention (“Convocation Convention” is more correct, but that’s a mouthful). Registration isn’t available yet, but put it on your calendar. The theme is faith and art, and it will give you a chance to meet cool people, learn from cool people, share what you know with cool people, and make this whole Episcopal thing even less abstract. Let us know if you are interested, as funding may be available.
Stuff from Elsewhere
Mpho offers some reflections on lament related to justice and reparations from the Center for Contemplation and Action that is good for reading and discussing.
That's all for today!
Want to talk to a priest? We want to talk to you too!
Website: https://allsaintsamsterdam.church/
Mpho: mpho@allsaintsamsterdam.church
Kyle: kyle@allsaintsamsterdam.church
General: info@allsaintsamsterdam.church
