Churches around the Diocese of Central Florida will soon celebrate the inaugural Canon Nelson Wardell Pinder Commemoration Day. In accordance with a resolution passed at the 54th Annual Convention of the Diocese of Central Florida, the Commemoration Day will be celebrated annually on July 10.
In order to allow as many churches as possible to corporately observe and celebrate this momentous day, the Rt. Rev. Dr. Justin S. Holcomb, diocesan bishop, has given his permission for the liturgy to be transferred this year to Sunday, July 9. In this video, he encouraged churches to participate in the historic event, for which resources can be found at this link.
To the Becoming Beloved Community Task Force, this first Commemoration Day offers much more than a liturgy. “This liturgy offers an experience, and we know that experiences lead to transformation,” said Faye Henderson, task force member. The experiential focus was inspired in part by the Rev. Canon Nelson W. Pinder himself, who in a 2016 interview said, “You’re going to make change, you’ve got to make change from the inside, not the outside.”
Sonja Johnson, also a task force member, explained that this kind of inside-out transformation is their intent. “Our goal is to transform the hearts of the people in the diocese and beyond by carrying on his legacy, not just so they understand what he did, but so that their own lives can be transformed.”
The Commemoration Day Liturgy was carefully designed to do just that. In addition to biographical information, it includes a collect, lessons and a litany. Johnson was charged with selecting lessons with Canon Pinder’s widow, Mrs. Marian Pinder. The lessons chosen were Isaiah 6:1-8, Psalm 27:1-7, 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 and Matthew 25:35-40, which together speak to the call to all Christians to show compassion and mercy to the poor, persecuted and oppressed, and to be united in the Holy Spirit. As the collect and litany describe, Canon Pinder was faithful in that call.
While the idea for a Commemoration Day came from the Rev. Joy Willard-Williford, the entire task force joined together to make it a reality. “What we’re doing is an example of how diverse people come together with a united goal to make change,” said Henderson. “This is what Canon Pinder’s work was: organizing people together toward one goal.”
Dr. John Robertson, president of the Canon Nelson Pinder Union of Black Episcopalians Chapter of Central Florida, explained that many people in the pews today might not know about Canon Pinder’s legacy and that participating in this liturgy will open their eyes to the lessons of history, lest we repeat it. Willard-Williford agrees. “I hope that the life and witness of Canon Pinder will challenge and encourage people to go deeper, to learn more and to transform their way of thinking across races and across differences,” she said.
The task force is grateful to have had the support of both past and present diocesan bishops, the Rt. Rev. Gregory O. Brewer and the Rt. Rev. Dr. Justin S. Holcomb, who have championed their efforts. In his video message to the diocese, Holcomb urged churches to participate in what he called a “landmark” day. “Canon Pinder left an enduring legacy of challenging our churches and diocese to move toward becoming beloved community by examining and enhancing anti-racism efforts,” he said.
It is the hope and prayer of the Becoming Beloved Community Task Force that with diocesan support and the backing of the UBE, this Commemoration Day liturgy will eventually be offered as a resource to the national church. But the Rev. Michelle Roach, task force chair and rector of Christ Church, Longwood, also sees the potential for generational impact. “I hope some young person listening in the pews will use Canon Pinder’s example as motivation to stand up, get into ministry and make a difference in the community’s life,” she said. “As we continue this work and as the years go by, I hope many of our young people will use Isaiah’s words and say, ‘Here I am, Lord. Send me.'”