# The Season of Revelatory Light January 23, 2025 - [ Blog ](/news-categories/blog) ![The Rev. Matthew I.Potts, Easter Sunday, 2023](/sites/g/files/omnuum7126/files/thememorialchurch/files/230409eastersunday_25_0.jpg) *The Rev. Matthew Ichihashi Potts, Ph.D ’13, Plummer Professor of Christian Morals in the Faculty of Divinity, Pusey Minister in the Memorial Church. Photo by Jeffrey Blackwell, Memorial Church Communications*As I write, it is one of the shortest days of the year, just after the turn of the new year. On these dark days, the church anticipates the feast of Epiphany and its season of revelatory light. I wish the days’ darkness were only literal and not also metaphorical, but the world is as unstable and threatening as ever. This is my fourth spring as your minister. The first-year students I welcomed at Convocation under pandemic restrictions in 2021 will graduate this May. I don’t believe it is an understatement to say that the University and the world have been roiled by unrest in unpredictable and unprecedented ways these past four years. Nonetheless, our work at the church continues, and so much of what we do attempts to illuminate our world and to give light to others. This academic year, we have been honored to sponsor Professor George “Tink” Tinker as the Resident Indigenous Spiritual Elder for the Harvard University Native American Program. Tink will join Visiting Professor Kelly Brown-Douglas and our own Professor Emmanuel Akyeampong for an important roundtable conversation on the continuing colonial legacy of Christianity on March 5. Professor Magda Teter of Fordham University will offer an inaugural lecture on the historical and present reality of Christian antisemitism on April 2. In addition, our Assistant Minister, the Rev. Dr. Calvon Jones, will offer a song-lecture on the music of Black spirituality at noon on Feb. 12 in commemoration of Black History Month. We also continue to offer direct service to our neighbors, providing meals for homeless women and non-binary folks each month, as well as mentorship to incarcerated college students in Shirley. As always, the church’s musicians have exciting plans to contribute to our community and university this spring. In addition to their regular sacred offerings at morning prayers, evensong, compline, and Sunday worship, the music department will also present some special performances during the term. On Sunday, March 9, at 4 p.m., the University Choir will give a concert celebrating Alessandro Scarlatti and Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, including the world premiere of Dr. Luca Della Libera’s edition of Scarlatti’s Messa ottoboniana. Then, on Sunday, May 4, at 4 p.m., the choir will offer an Arts First presentation of Nancy Galbraith’s Sacred Songs and Interludes. Please make sure to join us for these events. Holy Week will arrive later than usual but will once again include sacred and solemn observances at the Memorial Church. This year, I would like especially to encourage all to join us for our weekday services on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, which so movingly frame the Easter story and celebration. Please also note that we will have three services on Easter morning: a sunrise vigil service, a 9 a.m. service for children and families (without the choir), and an 11 a.m. service of festival choral eucharist. It is a dark season, but your support for the life and work of this church is truly a light to my ministry and work. I am so grateful to serve this church and you. I know our whole staff joins me in praying that this community can also be a light to our campus and to our world in days and months to come. Yours faithfully, Matt The Rev. Matthew Ichihashi Potts, Ph.D. '13 Plummer Professor of Christian Morals in the Faculty of Divinity Pusey Minister in the Memorial Church ## [Download the Fall 2024 Calendar](/file_url/4241) ![spring calendar](/sites/g/files/omnuum7126/files/2025-01/250121_springcalendar.jpg) See also:- [ Pusey Minister ](/blog-categories/pusey-minister) - [ Matthew Ichihashi Potts ](/media-archive/matthew-ichihashi-potts) Share on:- [ Facebook ](#) - [ Twitter ](#) - [ Linkedin ](#)