I recently started watching Stanley Tucci’s new series Tucci in Italy on Disney+. I love how he highlights all the various traditions throughout Italy and of course drool over all the food he gets to eat as he travels through the country! In the first episode Tucci is in the Tuscan region and learns about the concept of campanilismo. This idea, taken from the Italian for bell tower, is a fierce belief that you belong not to your country but to the area within earshot of your bell tower. Tucci does acknowledge that this belief can lead to a fear of anything foreign and also highlights the bond of community campanilismo brings with it. Each year in Siena each contrada, district or neighborhood, within the city takes over the streets and holds a feast to celebrate each district. An army of volunteers prepares and serves the meal to the residents of the neighborhood, sometimes numbering in the thousands! It is clear that each neighborhood takes pride in their area and boldly claims their district-ness.
While we don’t all live within earshot of our own bell tower, I couldn’t help but think about our upcoming celebration of 100 on Fifth as I watched this episode. We know that our church is about more than this building. We’ve been reminded of this many times over our 150+ years as a congregation, a milestone we celebrated in 2022, as we’ve moved from other buildings, built new spaces, torn down those spaces, and started ministries in this building that have since left the building. First on Fifth as a congregation is so much more than our building and there is something about this space, in the heart of the city, that has housed us for 100 years that is so formative. I think, like those Tuscans, we each feel we belong to this place (and all that has come of it) and would proudly state we are First on Fifthians!
Also like those Tuscans a team of volunteers has come together to form the 100 on Fifth: Home in the Heart of the City Task Force. These individuals – Susan Welch, Nathan Mitchell, Beth Stainback, Josh McGee, Linda Stewart, Sarah Talley and Bethany Leggett – and I have been hard at work plotting out how we will celebrate our 100 years on Fifth Street over the next several months. This milestone celebration will kickoff with a celebratory worship service and lunch on Sunday, September 21. The lunch entree will be provided; we invite you to bring a dessert to share. You can RSVP here. Details on other celebratory opportunities will be forthcoming so keep an eye out. We do hope you will join us as we recognize this milestone, celebrate all that has taken place over these 100 years and dream about all that will happen over the next 100 years!
– Pastor Mary