A Finish Line Reclaimed

The Great Tower Bell of Old South Church tolled five times Sunday. The church of the Boston Marathon finish line tolled the bell five times, once for each of those who died in the bombing and its aftermath: eight-year-old boy Martin Richard, restaurant manager Krystle Campbell, Boston University graduate student Lu Lingzi, MIT officer Sean Collier and bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev.

Located in Copley Square, the Old South Church welcomed parishioners to its Festival Worship Sunday morning, for the first time since the April 15^th attack.

Worshipers wearing Boston Strong t-shirts and Boston Marathon race jackets were sprinkled throughout the church as Associate Minister, John M. Edgerton led the congregation in a Call to Worship. “God is our refugee and strength, a very present help in trouble,” said Edgerton reading from Psalm 90. “God is in the midst of the city; it shall not be moved; God will help it when the morning dawns.”

Psalm 137- By the Rivers of Babylon was the scripture at the center of the worship service. The psalm is a hymn expressing the yearnings of the exiles in Babylon as they weep and pray for deliverance. In exile the Israelites pray, reminding themselves to remember their Lord and their suffering.

In response to the psalm, Seminary Intern Maggie Lowe gave her sermon The Sacred Lament saying, “This is the lament of the finish line.” She urged worshipers to, “Take God’s all encompassing love into the world to stop the violence.”  

Following the end of the Festival Worship service congregants were led by the choir and clergy to the Boston Marathon finish line for a moment of silence as the bell tolled for all of Boston to hear.

“I feel very involved, there were hundreds of athletes that we blessed at our church the Sunday before the race,” said Nancy S. Taylor, Senior Minister at Old South Church, “We come here to reclaim the finish line.”