Jackson Kemper
May 24, 2017 First 12 step Eucharist at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church
Today at our first 12 step Eucharist at St. Mark’s we also remember Jackson Kemper, the first missionary bishop of the Episcopal Church. Kemper is especially known for his work with Native Americans as he founded parishes in what was considered the Northwest Territory (Indiana, Missouri, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Nebraska). Bishop Kemper founded Nashotah House and Racine College in Wisconsin, and from 1859 until his death served as the first bishop of the Diocese of Wisconsin.
I think that Jackson Kemper, our church’s first missionary bishop. would like our first 12 step Eucharist to be on the day we honor him. I think he would also like the reading from Corinthians, “I laid a foundation, and someone else is building.” That is a good definition of 12-step work. When we are in recovery, we tell our story, our foundation, but so often we are only planting a seed, and those still in their addiction, may not start to build their recovery until they also hear someone else. I can count on my hands the number of people I have told my story to who then went into recovery, but I know the others may hear the message later from someone else and together our stories may make an impact.
This Eucharist with the 12 steps is showing us how the foundation of AA came from the church, actually from an Episcopal priest at Calvary Episcopal Church in New York City, Sam Shoemaker. One of the most spiritual experiences I have had was attending Shoemaker’s church and being part of a 12-step meeting in the space that once was his office. I imagined all those, but particularly Bill Wilson who worked on the 12 steps with him in that office.
So many of us heard all these steps growing up in our religious traditions, but somehow, we missed important parts of them. We had to see this way of life with the new glasses in a community of others who had traveled the same road that we did. Then at some point, we had another moment of clarity as we realize the 12 steps are part of our tradition of our church all along. So, we are all now in the right place, exactly where we should be this evening as we celebrate and give thanks for the miracle of our recovery, we give thanks for all who gave and continue to give us the foundation for recovery, and we give thanks for St. Mark’s for supporting recovery ministries.
Joanna Seibert
Jackson Kemper
Samuel Shoemaker