Showing posts with label outreach. Show all posts
Showing posts with label outreach. Show all posts

Tuesday, July 24, 2018

Uptown Community Services Center Needs you!

Dale Hoppenrath writes,

Uptown Community Services Center, a ministry of St. Paul’s, is in need of a second representative from St. Paul’s to be a member of the Uptown Board of Representatives. The Board meets every other month for approximately 1.5 hours at St. Luke’s Episcopal in North Park. The Board sets the long term vision for the Center and addresses current issues affecting the Center.

The Center is also in need of volunteers to help provide services for our friends in need and a volunteer to assist in managing the Uptown Website.

The Center is open 9-3 M-F and a typical shift is 3 hours, the day of your choosing. Please contact Dale Hoppenrath at 619 618 5405 if you would like to help bring the many services Uptown provides to our neighbors in need!

Sunday, May 27, 2018

Faith to Go: a new connection online for families

At St. Paul’s and in a growing number of churches, Sunday mornings bring an unforeseeable number of children and families to church each week. For some, regular attendance means showing up monthly, for some it means quarterly, while for some it still means weekly. As a result, on any given Sunday, it is almost impossible to know who will be at church. This makes it hard to continue doing Sunday School as we have for the last 50-plus years; and it means that if we don’t adapt to the changing lives of the families, there are large holes in their faith formation.

At St. Paul’s, while we have an average of six children in Godly Play class per Sunday, 30 different children have taken part in the offering since September. This means that each child is coming an average of once a month, or even a little less. But this does not mean that these children and their families are not looking for faith formation. Rather, it means that their lives and schedules allow for this frequency of attendance, as more and more extracurricular activities outside of church take place on Sunday mornings. While it may be tempting to wish that people aren’t so busy, instead we can take this as an invitation from God to transform the way we understand what faith formation for children and parents looks like in the 21st century. Through this rapidly changing cultural landscape, God is calling us to move outside of our comforts zones, outside of our walls, and utilize the tools of the 21st century that are at our disposal. Today it is our job to bring the faith formation to them and to fulfill our mission of supporting the formation of disciples by responding to the world around us and taking advantage of the technology at our fingertips.

St. Paul’s will always have programming for children and families on Sunday mornings, but now we also have faith formation resources for families that do not require their attendance at church. In responding to this call, we have spent the last year crafting a faith formation offering that goes with families wherever they go, and meets them where they are instead of requiring them to come to us. This offering is called Faith To Go.

Faith To Go is a digital and online collection of resources that includes age appropriate videos, reflection questions, at-home liturgies, discussion questions, activities, and articles for three different age ranges (0-4, 5-10, and 11-18). These resources are found on our website (www.stpaulcathedral.org/faithtogo) as well as in a weekly email that anyone can sign up to receive. The resources are all based on the gospel reading for each Sunday, so no matter how often their family attends church, they are taking part in the same lectionary rhythm as the rest of the congregation. The resources also include a podcast (Faith To Go Podcast), which is available on iTunes and prepares parents to discuss the week’s vital themes of the gospel reading.

If you are interested in receiving the weekly email, you can sign up by clicking this link, and you can subscribe to the podcast by searching for Faith To Go Podcast in iTunes and clicking the “Subscribe” button or by clicking this link on your mobile device. You can also visit the website (www.stpaulcathedral.org/faithtogo). We are very excited about this new opportunity to cultivate community and faith formation in these new digital and online spaces, and we are thankful to all the families here at St. Paul’s and for all of the ways that God is inviting us to transform and to explore new ways of doing what we are called to do as a community of faith in the world.

David Tremaine

Monday, April 24, 2017

Was it Fate, Timing, or a God Thing?

Have you ever question how or why certain situations appear at your front door (metaphorically speaking). Lately, this has been happening to me whether it’s my impeccable timing or just cause. Here are a few stories that I want to share.

Initially the weekend of April 8th-9th I was supposed to be up in the bay area visiting my uncle, but plans changed. With the change it allowed me to participate in our monthly Showers of Blessings and it was my first Sunday to go get sliced bread donated by Bread and Cie for our homeless guest. Also, I was able to join in the celebration of our 2nd year anniversary of Showers of Blessing; Claudia Dixon brought 2 cakes to celebrate the occasion with the First United Methodist and our homeless guest.

Was that a fate thing?

On Palm Sunday, April 9th I attended the 8am services and then stood in the courtyard chatting with others prior to the forum. The forum was our last week of our interfaith book club session held in the Great Hall and the people who attended were muslim women, different age groups and cultures , definitely a diverse group. Towards the end I sat next to Don Pelleoni and we started discussing a little about the book and the word “Fear”. We have known each other for a bit and served on chapter together but had not had one on one time. It was a great to be able to share our beliefs and experiences. We both have busy lives and its hard to find time to fit stuff in but I felt we stopped and took that moment to spend time to get to know each other better .

Was that fate or timing?

The Samba dancers and the congregation, and clergy were processing into the courtyard from the Palm Sunday march. After a few pictures were taken people were headed inside for service. I lingered in the courtyard by myself repositioning my signup table. As I was about to leave I was looking for my sunglasses and couldn’t find them so I thought I must have left them on the pew.

I started to enter the cathedral but something caught my eye on the sidewalk, there was this young gentleman pushing a woman (looked like his mother) in a wheelchair looking lost. I asked if they needed help and he responded that his mother wanted to go inside but they were only going to spend 5 minutes. I opened the cathedral doors and escorted them inside towards the back and gave them a bulletin; it was around 11:30am.

I stood in the back for a moment to make sure they were okay and heard them speaking in another language I thought was Spanish, I went over to ask and was going to tell them about MISA service it was. He replied that is was

Arabic, some strange thing came over me and I presided to tell them about communion or if they wanted just a blessing what to do at the altar.

Normally I wouldn’t get into people’s space not knowing their beliefs. He turned and asked his mother in Arabic and she said yes she would like to go up for a blessing. About 5 more minutes went by and I notice he was getting antsy, he called me over to say they were going to leave because he had lots to get done today and his mom couldn’t swallow a wafer anyways.

I felt a strange nudge (had to be the holy spirit- or I call it a God thing) and told him give it a few more minutes and communion was about to start. When it was time I speedily escorted them down the aisle passing everyone and made it to the far left altar ; Rev. Collins was posted there so I gave him the run down of her not speaking English and she couldn’t swallow a wafer but could he give her a blessing .

I was trying not to be intrusive standing to the side, but when he put his hands on her and gave a blessing she looked very peaceful and that was what she needed. It warmed my heart knowing she got what she needed from the blessing and that her son agreed to wait a few more minutes. We quickly walked back down the aisle and I held the doors open so he could wheel her out and right as we exited the last doors she looked up at me and said “ Thank You” and gave me a big smile. What a moment I had just then with her, I went to the greeters table to get them a card with our service times but within those few seconds they were gone.

Was that a God thing?

Have a Happy Easter everyone!!!

Blessings,

Jen

Jennifer Jow
People’s Warden and Outreach Chair

Sunday, March 19, 2017

Thank You notes Show the Reach of Our Advent Gifts

During this time of Lent, Advent feels like it was a long time ago. But we recently received some notes that show the many blessings that came from the Advent project created by our outgoing Director of Children, Youth, and Families, Robin Taylor.

You may remember that more than 30 St. Paul’s families signed up to engage in Advent through an at home spiritual practice devised by Robin. Each family was given a basket and daily scripture and meditation cards, one for each day of Advent. Each family was also matched with a family in the All Kids Academy Head Start program at St. Alban’s in El Cajon, many of them refugee families. The cards asked the St. Paul family to meditate on an idea and, if they wanted to, add something to the basket for their match family. In January, Robin then took a carload stuffed full of gifts to St. Albans.

Last month, St. Paul’s received gifts of gratitude in return from some of the families at St. Alban’s. They sent thank you notes, chocolates, and a teddy bear. We invite you to read their touching notes, which have been transcribed below:



To the wonderful people at St. Paul’s Cathedral,

This is just a short note where I can’t say thank you enough for the beautiful Epiphany gifts and turkey. The card from your best friend A makes me want to explore and the scarf, hat and gloves were much appreciated for my daughter. My grandson is thrilled for baseball season to start to use his new glove and my son who is autistic fell in love with the backpack. Every item is cherished and appreciated.
Thank you,
T, K, KJ and M
*********************************************************************************
Thank you for the Christmas gift and turkey. My family really appreciated the wonderful gifts and drawing! Love,
The H Family   *********************************************************************************
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. We are very honored and humbled to be blessed by the staff and families at St. Paul’s Cathedral.
Many love and blessings to you all,
The F Family
*********************************************************************************
Thank you so much for the gifts. As a single mother of two small children, I am very appreciative of all of this. My children are as grateful as I am. Every bit helps make my life and my children’s life better. Again thank you so much. Happy Holidays from myself and my babies.
Thank you!
M, N, and N
*********************************************************************************
Dear C
We are very grateful for the blessings you have given us. I’m also a grandma, and I know what is like to be proud of one’s family. God bless you, and your family too. Also, I know you like crafts, so I give these to you with love!
From,
NP and family
*********************************************************************************
Thank you for the act of kindness and everybody included.
Thank you from the B family *********************************************************************************
To Whom It May Concern,
I wanted to write a letter acknowledging the generosity and kindness this holiday season. My son was rewarded with a Three Kings Basket with numerous great gifts, as well as a holiday turkey. We are very grateful that we were chosen to receive such great gifts.
Thank you again,
S, R, and W
*********************************************************************************
Dear A & family
Thank you so much for all the wonderful goodies. We truly appreciate them. We hope your holidays were great.
A & B
*********************************************************************************
I really want to thank you for the beautiful gesture of generosity that you so kindly give to us. My kids and I enjoy the basket gifts and we also went on a shopping spree (groceries!). Words do not express my gratitude, but I am very thankful.
The R Family
*********************************************************************************
Thank you so much for all the gifts. My son is very grateful and as a single mother of two children I appreciate it very much as well. My little family is very fortunate to have received these gifts. God Bless!


Amikas Tiny House Expo and City Council meeting


Visit the Amikas Tiny House Expo - A bridge from Homeless to Housed  held at St. Luke's March 15- MArch 26 .  Amikas will be presenting a demonstration of emergency sleeping cabins and very affordable bungalow homes at an Expo at St Luke’s Episcopal Church from March 15-30.   The structures could be a crucial part of San Diego’s efforts to house homeless people by filling the gap of insufficient emergency shelter and the scarcity of very affordable housing.   This part of an effort spearheaded by Amikas to amend the California Shelter Crisis Act to authorize a limited period where San Diego can build emergency bridge housing. 

Hopefully, they city will adopt this type of short term solution to house the current homeless population until long term plans are finalized.  There will be a special City Council meeting on March 20 @ 1:00pm - Golden Hall.  Any questions, please contact  Rev. Susan Asarita @301.943.4550 or Jen Jow @ 619.840.2327.





Monday, May 23, 2016

Showers Stories: Christian's Progress

Showers Stories is our new series about the Showers of Blessing ministry, where we share stories of volunteers and guests. 

Claudia Dixon writes:  

A week or so ago I posted a story on the Blog about a homeless young man who regularly comes to our Showers Of Blessings and also now comes regularly to church on Sundays. At that time Christian had just found a bed at Father Joe’s Village and was so relieved he no longer had to live in the park. This last Saturday at our Showers of Blessings, Christian took another step in his progress to a better, more stable and secure life.

 The following is a report by Jen Jow:
It was a happy day this past Saturday for Christian. His comment was that he is so thankful that his life feels like it's moving forward - especially now that we were able to proceed on getting a copy of his birth certificate. He was smiling from ear to ear when we were done notarizing forms needed for Texas Vital records to release the copy.

Without a birth certificate you can't get a formal government identification card, which is proof of your identity and which allows you to apply for SSI/food stamps or housing. 
Photo by Jen Jow
This has been a bit of a challenge for me this past month to get it notarized, because he didn't have a valid government id. That's why we needed a birth certificate to get one (vicious circle). But I figured out a way to circumvent the system and get it done.

Veletia (Kennedy) and I ended up being a witness to knowing Chris and we used our IDs as verification and proof for the notary to document. 
We were so happy for him and hope this can turn his life around or at least get it moving in the right direction.  

Thursday, May 5, 2016

Showers of Blessings needs YOU!

Showers of Blessings recently celebrated its FIRST ANNIVERSARY!!! One beautiful year of offering Showers, haircuts, breakfasts, donated clothing, fellowship and sometimes music with our neighbors who live in Balboa Park. As we look forward to the coming years we are immensely proud of our work so far and we hope not only to keep it going, but also expand it.

  We are always in need of help. If you think you would enjoy being part of this amazing ministry and want to join one of our work crews or just sit and visit with our guests, we invite you to come by the second Saturday of every month (except this June when it will be the 3rd Saturday) and lend a hand. A volunteer coordinator will be on site starting at 7 a.m. to show you the various ways you can help. Here is a list of the work areas:

Staffing the Intake Table: signing in each guest and making sure they have a name tag, have a waiver on file, and are aware of the rules.

Showers: handing out towels, and sample size toiletries, cleaning the showers after each guest, keeping track of the list and calling the next in line.

Hair Cuts: If you are an experienced barber/haircutter we invite you to set up shop with our regular barbers near the showers and provide the crowning glory of a fresh haircut or shave to men and women whose only chance for it resides with us.

Clothing Donations: We have a fully stocked storeroom of carefully selected donated clothing. You can help set up tables and bring out clothes, man the table and/or volunteer to sort and store during the week.

Food and Kitchen Service: We are fortunate to have the United Methodist Church Volunteers providing delicious breakfasts and bag lunches for our guests in the Guild Room. We need people to help set up and bus dirty dishes up to the kitchen, learn how to use the professional dishwasher, process the dishes and then return them to the Guild Room.

We hope to see you this Saturday May 14, or June 18, to join this rewarding ministry! 

Claudia Dixon (Volunteer Coordinator)







Thursday, April 21, 2016

Being Homeless

One of our long time showers guests
in his new donated jacket at Christmas
What kind of shoes would you want to wear if you lived on the street night and day and had to walk long distances to get whatever you needed?

What kind of pants and shirts would you choose to wear if you had to sleep in the park on cold nights and in the rain?

Homeless people don’t have many choices but if they are lucky enough to be given clothing, it helps them feel understood and cared for if the type of clothing they receive recognizes them and their precarious situation. How would it make you feel if someone gave you clothing that was ragged and full of holes, stained, or in bad repair? Or if someone gave you a fancy negligee for sleeping on the ground under a tree in winter?

The homeless who live in the park and come to us for the Showers Of Blessings are mostly adult males size M-L- some XL. A few wear S. Hardly any are XXXlarge.

The women on the street are adults and some are older. They wear mostly M-L. They do not wear dressy clothes, skirts, shorts and party attire or flimsy nightgowns. They also don’t wear high heels and dressy sandals. Remember they are on their feet most of the day and have to walk long distances.

Their shoes sizes tend to be medium to large too.

The homeless need shoes and clothing that is durable and can protect them from harsh conditions on the street, and because they cannot wash their own clothes they are always need underwear and socks.

Please be mindful of the daily and seasonal reality of our homeless neighbors when you make your donation to Showers Of Blessings. You can bring donations to the church on Sundays (leave with sexton or staff) or at the office on weekdays. Many thanks for all your help and support!

Most Needed Items For May,
For Showers Of Blessings
 MEN: S-M-L
Jeans, Work pants, Cargos
Underwear, Socks
Belts
 WOMEN M-L-
Jeans, Work Pants, Cargos
Underwear, Bras
Socks
 
-Claudia Dixon, Showers Of Blessings

Sunday, March 13, 2016

The Sunday Sermon:Mary, Judas, and the Rest of Us

The air in the house in Bethany is thick with drama. Recently Jesus had raised from the dead the man sitting next to him, Lazarus, and now the authorities had issued a warrant for Jesus’ arrest. So he’s returned in secret just a week before Passover, preferring to rest on the edges of Jerusalem, in view of the Temple, as the time of his triumphal entry draws near. He knows what’s coming -- John’s Gospel makes clear that Jesus the Word incarnate is always in command. And Mary, in many ways the ideal disciple, shows us that she too sees the crucifixion ahead by anointing Jesus’ feet -- a prophetic act of burial preparation. Her perfume’s scent quickly fills the small home, overwhelming the senses. Yet our Gospel writer has other plans for this tender and heart wrenching moment: he sticks Judas Iscariot (of all people!) at the table, who sharply rebukes Mary even as her now-matted hair hangs limply at her side. He has missed the lovely conversation without words Mary has shared with her Savior, thanking him for restoring her brother Lazarus to life and thanking him for the even costlier and more extravagant act he would soon take by way of the cross. But Judas’ fear for his life, fear for the life of his beloved teacher, fear for the life of the movement to restore Israel to its former glory -- to which he has devoted these many years -- this fear overtakes him so that he cannot even smell the room’s sweet perfume of loving sacrifice. Instead he lashes out in thinly disguised greed.

Why does Judas even appear here, why let his words distract us from Mary’s precious gift? Intriguingly, in the Gospel of Mark the story of Jesus’ anointing in Bethany relates only that others present objected to Mary’s extravagance, while in Matthew’s Gospel this concern is placed in the mouths of all the disciples. Perhaps Judas’ unique presence in John’s Gospel has something to teach us.

Now it is natural to wonder how Judas, one of Jesus’ hand-picked disciples, who had walked the dusty paths and rugged hills of Galilee and Judea for years, could have come to betray Jesus. He had the best seats for all of Jesus’ most moving teachings. And after the villagers had gone home each night, he remained in the privileged inner circle that heard Jesus’ interpretations of parables too difficult for the rest of us to crack. He witnessed Jesus walking on water, turning water into wine, and raising Lazarus from the dead. How could he be so impervious to Jesus’ cool and refreshing and life-giving message?

Honestly, I’m relieved that Judas in particular is present in today’s home in Bethany, because that means he in particular is invited to continue in the passion story to follow. It means that Jesus -- who in John clearly knows he is the Son of God, clearly knows what happens next -- wants Judas to witness his triumphal entry, wants to wash Judas’ feet in the upper room, wants Judas to continue serving as a disciple until he no longer can. Judas’ presence tells me that though I may strive to be like Mary on my better days, I am still included in the Christian story when I find myself with the sorts of doubts and frustrations and fears that plagued Judas.

Last Sunday night I slept on the floor of the Great Hall. I shared this floor with parishioners Kris Summit and Lynne Fish and also with Randy, Ron, Lee, Christian, Chris, Victor, and Joel, seven neighbors we’ve gotten to know over the last year through our Showers of Blessings ministry. They sleep most nights in Balboa Park, but last Sunday night they slept inside away from the forecasted rain.

When our guest Ron first arrived he was slow to stow his bags, sit down, and relax. A parishioner came over to see if everything was alright. Ron responded by calmly saying that it had been so long since he’d been inside that he just needed some time to take it all in. Another parishioner had brought lasagne for dinner, and folks chatted some with each other. The general sound of the evening was comfortable, even relieved, silence. The pace was slow. I’m not sure when last I was in the same room with nine other people for that long and enjoyed so much peaceful quiet. Love for neighbor perfumed the air of that great space.

Now I wish that I could report to you that I broke open a bottle of Clive Christian No. 1 perfume and anointed our guests’ feet with my hair that night. Or at least gave them some hot water to soak their feet in. But instead, I mostly talked with my fellow parishioners and then worked on my laptop to clean out my email inbox as I’m in the habit of doing on Sunday nights. By the time I was done, our guests had already laid down.

I got ready for bed myself, inflated my sleeping mat, crawled into my sleeping bag, and wondered: was I going to be safe tonight? True, we had collectively befriended our guests over the past several months, but we didn’t really know them that well. What if one of them had a knife in his bag? (I know I would carry one around with me if I lived outside!) I was scared, and I didn’t sleep that well. I was especially sensitive to the sound of boots striking the tile as Lee walked past my sleeping bag on his way to the door throughout the night to smoke.

But I made it through the night. In fact, we all did. And as rain was forecasted for Monday night too, we invited these seven guests to return for another twelve hours of dry safety. That day it occurred to me that our guests were probably as worried as I was about their safety the night before. They probably didn’t know each other that well, either. And they weren’t used to sleeping in such close quarters with so many others.

I returned to the Great Hall that night paying attention more carefully to God at work. I noticed that all seven guests had returned, that they had been enlivened by parishioner Bob Reese’s made-to-order breakfast that morning, that this space now felt a bit more secure and comforting for all of us. I heard the gracious surprise in parishioners’ voices as they recounted their own experiences serving our guests, saw the gratitude in their eyes for this chance to take care of others in need in a real, down-to-earth way. I slept a whole lot better on Monday.

We’re hoping to try this experiment in hospitality a few more times (if it ever bothers to rain) this El Niño season. It was a humbling experience for me that surfaced some hidden prejudices against homeless persons, especially those with whom I was planning to share a night’s sleep. And it gives me more appreciation for Judas, the disciple who tried his best to follow Jesus until he no longer could.

Even when we can’t manage to walk in the at-times daunting footsteps of our Savior, John’s Gospel reminds us that Jesus believes we still belong to his group of friends, his group of disciples. Jesus wants us there to witness even when we’re not sure we can follow. I imagine that’s because Jesus knows that not only his actions but the faith of his disciples will encourage us when we are foundering in fear, as the inspiring servant leadership of parishioners Lynne, Bill, Kris, Bob, Debbie, Claudia, Calvin, Vicki, and Elaine strengthened me in the Great Hall.

As hard as John’s Gospel is on Judas, warning us several times to beware of his imminent betrayal, there is something else that is notable about John’s treatment of our Lord’s betrayer. John follows the Gospel of Mark in not mentioning how and when Judas died. I think we’ve been influenced so heavily by Matthew and Luke’s immediate and graphic depictions of Judas’ demise that there hasn’t been much room to imagine any other possibility.

We have our doubts and our fears and yet we continue in this walk anyway, looking for new strength and clarity of faith in the lives of those around us and in prayerful conversation with God. That is part of what it means to be human and what it means to be Christian, and we doubters and saints are always welcome here. Each of us belongs to that great Christian story of costly, extravagant love.

With thanks to George W. Stroup, “Theological Perspective, Fifth Sunday in Lent,” in Feasting on the Word, Year C, Volume 2, edited by David L. Bartlett and Barbara Brown Taylor, (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2009).

Monday, January 18, 2016

Help us with a matching grant for Haitian healthcare

A matching grant is challenging YOU to Support Rural Healthcare in Haiti ! 

 On January 24 and 31 the St. Paul's Outreach Committee will be asking you to support a fundraising campaign to bolster up the rural healthcare efforts of local Haitian organizations well known to parishioner and physician Bart Smoot. 

For every dollar you give,  it will be matched by a dollar, up to $500 by St. Paul’s Outreach Team. Your dollars will go a long way to providing essential and critical health care to those in need, particularly blood pressure screenings and medication to treat high blood pressure.

 INFO: Bart Smoot, cbsmoot1@gmail.com.

Tuesday, December 15, 2015

Showers of blessing update (with photos!)


Dear Friends,

 What an amazingly beautiful morning! Today, very early on, I gave Colin a bad time because (well, because I always give Colin a bad time) I thought he was being Pollyannaish when he declared very early, “This is the best Showers yet!” And I’m not going to admit this to him so, Colin, please skip this part … [He was right!!!!]

To those of you who weren’t able to make it, I’m so sorry we missed you and that you missed our Christmas Showers. It really was great.

I haven’t yet done my “number work,” but I believe we hosted 59 guests today. This is a huge (30%) increase over our previous high of 45. Of course, growth is good news; yet it also makes me aware that we’re each going to have to exert more effort to ensure that we have real conversation with each guest. We can’t individually, but we can as a community. We don’t want to lose that personal touch which is the heart of this ministry. As I walk around, I’m thrilled with all of the blending and the conversations that I see happening because my prayer is always that our guests are nourished when they leave us. Let’s always make this happen.

So highlights from this morning, and there were many!

· We had many merry Methodists. (Did anyone besides me happen to notice that they had a huge box of chocolate candies in their breakfast food lineup today? I’m seriously going to have to check out that religion!)
· We also had homemade Christmas goodies that seemed to continuously appear on the courtyard table throughout the morning. (Many thanks to all of you who made that happen!)
· And this convergence was somewhat coincidental, but we had 3 guests assessing medical and mental health needs which I hope will lead to something more tangible for us in the future. (Thanks for your initiative in arranging that, Colin.)
· There was Claudia’s Winter Coat Boutique, complete with rolling clothing rack, and Claudia snapping “after” photos of all of the smiling coat recipients (I hope, to share with her generous – and now underclothed – family of donors).
· And then what I loved most … we had lovely, string, angel music drifting down from the balconies. So it wasn’t really 18 cellos. It was more like 11 cellos, 4 violins and one flute. I thought it was absolutely beautiful, though, and I’ve asked Sr. Karla to please bring her gang back without waiting for next Christmas. She’s now thinking maybe for our March Showers.

Finally, Elaine was at home, sick this morning, no doubt tormented at having to miss her beloved Showers. In a text, she’d asked that we capture and share with her the “God moments.” I hadn’t seen her text until we got home, and we didn’t get home until the event was well over, after having spent quite a bit of time on site afterwards, restocking hygiene supplies and waiting for the laundry to finish. As we waited in the now-empty-and-quiet courtyard, Bill and I commented to each other how it was a place transformed – there was no sign left of the magic that had occurred just that morning.

As we drove home – not even having seen Elaine’s request – we tried to get each other to pin down a particular God moment, and we couldn’t. Then we got home, and I found several emails in my Inbox from Claudia because she’d forwarded a beautiful, vibrant series of photos that she’d taken this morning. Looking at those photos after having been in the empty courtyard was almost like when “The Wizard of Oz” springs into Technicolor. The place had been completely and wholeheartedly alive! And I realized, Elaine, that there wasn’t one particular moment because the whole thing had really been a God moment. He was there in the Technicolor and the vibrancy and the motion and the love and the human interactions and (I’m pretty sure) in whomever thought to put that box of chocolates in the Methodist breakfast lineup. That’s why we keep coming, right?

I think I say this a lot, but I say it in complete sincerity: thank you all tremendously for making this such an incredible ministry!

Lynne Fish

See more pictures here: 
 https://www.flickr.com/photos/stpaulscathedral/albums/72157662466796545



Tuesday, December 1, 2015

Breakfast hospitality at Showers of Blessings

Dear Friends in Christ,

Providing hospitality at the breakfasts for our Showers of Blessing guests is a great joy in my life. Besides serving our guests I get to work with the lovely folks from First United Methodist Church who provide the meal.

We provide hot coffee (tons of it!), tea, and cool water, both in the Guild Room for the breakfast, and outside in the courtyard as the guests and St Paul’s parishioners provide the showers and other support. This involves making coffee and then ensuring that all the pots are filled, keeping plates and utensils available, setting and cleaning up the Guild Room. It takes some running around– more than one person can handle!

Maybe “breakfast hospitality” has your name on it! If you’d like to help me – the second Saturday of the month, from about 7 a.m. – 11:30 a.m., I’d love to talk with you. Phone – 858-274-0587 or 858-342-7159; or email – cglief@aol.com.

Thank you!

Carolyn Lief

Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Feeding people with Loving Spoonfuls

Cathedral friend Cliff Berkowitz has been inspired by Loving Spoonfuls, and invites you to join him.  He writes,

Loving Spoonfuls, a San Diego based non-profit organization founded in 2014, has a mission to provide daily meals to those in need. I have been a proud supporter and volunteer since their beginning. By partnering with organizations that provide shelter and transitional services, Loving Spoonfuls focus their resources where there is the most impact.

 Being a volunteer, whether it is helping to assemble healthy meals, or being part of a team that distributes the meals to those in need, is always a very fulfilling experience. It is very rewarding to know that I am helping make a difference to those in need. I believe that to give on a regular basis to an organization or cause that one is passionate about is part of the solution to help solve social challenges, and feeds the soul!

 More information about Loving Spoonfuls, including ways you can help out, can be found on the web at www.lovingspoonfuls.org.




Monday, April 13, 2015

Showers of Blessings

Open for Business
It was a beautiful and Christ-filled morning at the Cathedral Saturday as Showers of Blessings arrived at our 6th Avenue courtyard and more than a dozen volunteers enthusiastically seized the opportunity to try to live out our baptismal vow to strive for justice and peace among all people and respect the dignity of every human being.

For those unfamiliar with the Showers of Blessings Ministry, it’s a ministry of our diocese, whereby the diocese loans its two-unit, mobile shower trailer to any parish wishing to offer showers to homeless neighbors. At the Cathedral, this is a no-brainer. We don’t have to ask, “Who is my neighbor?” We clearly see our neighbor every day, immediately across the street in the park, sleeping on the lawn (dowsed by sprinklers most mornings), lugging all of his earthly possessions in a small, wheeled suitcase (if lucky) or in a battery of plastic grocery bags (if not), trying his best to keep clean in the dirty restroom sinks that the park has to offer, every day feeling more and more cast out by the rest of society. This is no exaggeration. Those of us who do regular outreach within the park hear in their voices and see in their eyes how rare it is for these beloved children of God to feel embraced or even acknowledged by their housed neighbors. We’ve found that there is immense dignity to be offered in just acknowledging their presence or their right to try to eke out an existence as best they can. And offering a chance to shower! That’s huge in the life of someone who so rarely has the chance to feel clean. Fortunately, we now have showers to offer!

Veletia Kennedy, Kristen Hill Maher, 
John Townsend,  and Kim Sorrell
At our bishop’s most recent Cathedral visitation, in the forum, he spoke of the church of the future. In particular, he pointed out that putting up a sign saying, “The Episcopal Church welcomes you,” is grossly insufficient – that we need to get out to meet people on their ground if we are truly to welcome them within the church. Interestingly, despite having promoted the idea for weeks among the seemingly enthusiastic park residents, we immediately found on Saturday morning that merely parking a shower trailer decorated with the inviting and cheerful “Showers of Blessings” logo was insufficient as well. So, two of our volunteers went to meet our neighbors where they live. Traipsing through the west side of the park, the volunteers introduced themselves (and St. Paul’s) to our neighbors, offering tickets for free showers. The Cathedral now truly had its gates and doors wide open to them.

By the time our guests arrived, we had prepared a simple welcome, with one volunteer having supplied donuts and coffee, while others placed chairs around the courtyard, so people had a place to rest without having to sit constantly on the hard ground… the beginning of dignity and the beginning of feeling welcomed within the Cathedral family.

Coffee and fellowship with Kris Summit, 
Mary Doak, Randy, Kim Sorrell
While waiting for their showers, guests and volunteers enjoyed fellowship and quiet conversation, getting to know one another. A second group of volunteers staffed the actual showers within the clergy parking lot. As each guest’s designated shower time arrived, in addition to smiles and genuine warmth, the volunteers provided towels, hygiene supplies, and instructions for leaving the shower clean for the next guest. Later, these volunteers remarked at the transformation that the showers provided for our new friends. One was quite obvious as our very first guest had shown up early with a Wal-Mart bag of new clothing that he’d purchased on sale (via a bus trip to Clairemont), but had been carrying around unopened for weeks, waiting for the occasion of this shower to don the clean clothes. But for other guests who didn’t even have clean clothes, the transformation was still apparent, as someone noted that – once clean – they’d been visibly friendlier, happier and more “chatty.” It’s hard for me even to imagine the sense of lightness that one must have in feeling clean after weeks or months without a shower.

We know how we’re supposed to treat the “least among us.” On this, the gospels are quite clear. If you’re like me, though, sometimes putting that into practice, determining what precisely we might do, how do we even interact with our homeless neighbors, is what becomes difficult. The Showers of Blessings makes this very easy. We all came with open hearts, ready to provide very simple hospitality to those in need. As often happens, though, this was turned on its head, as we all came away feeling blessed many times over as though we, and not our guests, were the true recipients of the gift of love.

It was a beautiful and Christ-filled morning at the Cathedral Saturday. The next chance to serve will be Saturday, May 9th. We’ll be hosting Showers of Blessings on the second Saturday of every month. If you’d like to participate in this ministry, even if you’re currently somewhat apprehensive, feel free to contact me at lynnegfish@gmail.com, or I’d be happy to discuss it after 10:30 worship on any Sunday.  Click here to see more pictures on the flickr site.

Lynne Fish


Saturday, March 28, 2015

Update from the Outreach+Mission Team

Our new Showers of Blessings need YOUR help!
Contact Lynne Fish 
lynnegfish@gmail.com
Paula Peeling shares notes from the recent  Outreach+Mission Team meeting.  

If you are interested in joining, meetings are 2nd Tuesday of every month, 4pm-5:30PM in the Guild Room
 
*Ellen Meier introduced the Stephen Ministry program which is starting at St. Paul’s. With 11 St. Paul’s lay people signed up to receive extensive training, the Stephen Ministry will provide high-quality, confidential, Christ-centered one-to-one care to people who are hurting- a death, divorce, loss of job, severe illness, etc. Parishioners interested in learning more and receiving training may contact Ellen Meier.

*Budgets are a tool to meet your ministry’s goals and projects. There was meeting consensus to devote the April meeting to a realistic budget discussion.

*Over the past 3 months ideas have been placed on the table for you to react to and get the juices flowing. Based on your reactions, modifications, and some actual expenses incurred we are now ready to allocate the remaining budget in April. Before the meeting I will provide you with the budget, as we currently understand it, including amounts earmarked by Chapter, and expenses already incurred and promised. Our group will then allocate approximately 80% of the remaining discretionary budget. This would leave 20% for unexpected expenses, and also year-end grants to our partners.

*Jerry Motto is meeting with Rev. Susan Astarita to learn more about being the Episcopal Refugee Network liaison.

*Janet Collins has agreed to be the liaison to Dorcas House/Vida Joven. Thank you!

*Plastic bags for sleeping mats for Sr. Karla’s homeless youth will be collected on Sundays through April 12. There is a drop-in receptacle at the entrance to the Cathedral in the Queen’s Courtyard.

*Gladys King announced she has a volunteer to create a St. Paul’s Cathedral informational brochure to be used as a handout by the Docents. There is also a need for new docent nametags. She has requested $300 to help meet this need.

Ministry highlights-

*Showers of Blessings (see picture above)- This will start the 2nd Saturday morning in April and will continue the same time every month. There will be an ongoing need for hygiene items (Red Cross Comfort Kits were given as an example). Storage for items associated with the program and the upcoming Interfaith Shelter is in flux. (Lynne Fish)

*Parishioners interested in pursuing more outreach from St. Paul’s to the homeless are meeting with Rev. Colin Mathewson.

*New Shoe Campaign for Maundy Thursday foot washing has collected 55 pairs of shoes and $400 cash from our SPC community. (Bob Carney)

*50 pizzas were delivered to the Fisher House (the Ronald McDonald-type house for the Balboa Hospital) by FOMOS (Susan Astarita/Kim Sorrell)

*April 19 is EarthDay in Balboa Park. Phil Petrie and Simpler Living are organizing the day. Volunteers from our SPC and others who are interested are needed! (Phil Petrie)

*Day of Peace in September is focusing in on a keynote speaker and theme. Currently bullying in elementary school is a probable topic. (Rev. Richard Lief)

*St. Paul’s has earned the title of a Fair Trade Congregation. Certain educational opportunities for our community are to be offered throughout the year. For more information check these Facebook sites: San Diego Task-Force for Economic Justice and Fair Trade USA (Carolyn Lief)

*Dowtown Fellowship of Churches sponsored a successful trash pickup day in downtown with 20-25 volunteers. The Diocesan Service Summit is working on a presentation about homelessness to reps from the Diocese by the Rescue Mission’s Vice-President of Development, Michael Johnson. (Gary Arps)

*St. Luke’s will present the May 17 Evensong paying tribute to the “Martyrs of Sudan.” Each year in May, the Episcopal Church commemorates the martyrdom of Christians in the Republic of Sudan. Approximately 2 million people, many Christian, died between 1983 and 2005. (Lucy Larrabee)

*Cathedral 4 the City evangelism group meets on the last Friday of the month at 12:30 at the LGBT Center on Center St. in Hillcrest. Anyone is welcome to attend. (Elaine Graybill)

*A regular donor to UPTOWN Community Service Center has recently died. Uptown asked that the earmarked money for Uptown as approved by Chapter be offered in its entirety now to help meet expenses. $1,000 will be sent. (Vicki Hoppenrath)

Saturday, February 14, 2015

Valentine's Day at Downtown Safe Haven

Paula Peeling writes:

Our St. Paul’s community recently put on an evening of Valentine’s love with the residents of Downtown Safe Haven. Downtown Safe Haven, a program of Episcopal Community Services (ECS), operates two Safe Haven residences: Downtown Safe Haven, and Uptown Safe Haven.

The ECS Safe Haven programs are transitional housing residences serving people with mental illness who are chronically homeless. In addition to providing a safe home, the program offers case management and assistance in securing a stable income, permanent housing, and valuable life skills. Our director of Children, Youth, and Families, Robin Taylor, designed a 4 week curriculum with our children to discuss, serve, and reflect on safe housing. This included a visit to meet the real people who are Safe Haven residents.

On February 11, Robin led a group from the Cathedral to Downtown Safe Haven for a Valentine’s potluck dinner and fellowship. Here is the lovely letter we received from the program manager after the event sharing food, decorating cookies, and making cards.

On behalf of the residents and staff here at Downtown Safe Haven I wanted to say thank you for everything you did to help put the Valentine’s Party together this past Wednesday. Deann, Robin, and Jennifer, your efforts made it a truly special evening for our community. Peter…the meal was wonderful! People are STILL raving about the lasagna you provided. And the volunteers from St. Paul’s Cathedral were absolutely amazing with the unconditional support provided to our staff and residents. We were truly happy to be a part of it.

22 residents were in attendance that night and between the wonderful food, side dishes, desserts and activities I can safely say they enjoyed the evening thoroughly.
Lesslie, thank you so much for attending. It was wonderful to have you join the celebration. Robin and Jennifer, please thank all of the volunteers who joined in. It means a great deal to all of us here to know that there are people out there who support the hard work our residents put in on their recovery efforts and permanent housing goals. I hope we have an opportunity to collaborate on events like this in the future.
Have a wonderful Friday everyone and a fantastic weekend!!

Respectfully,

Dennis Crosby, M.A.
Program Supervisor
Downtown Safe Haven



Monday, November 17, 2014

It is up to each of us…


I wanted to share with you how St. Paul’s has helped meet an urgent need for sleeping bags at the Episcopal Church Center (ECC) in Ocean Beach, and also keep us thinking about a longer term plea that was brought to us by Sr. Karla Maria Moritz-Holland, a member of our community and a nun at The Little Monastery of the Way.

Sr. Karla's plea last week for a home-cooked meal and sleeping bags for a group of homeless young people at ECC caught us by surprise. Several of you who learned about this immediately sprang forward with offers of home-cooked food.

The sleeping bag request was more immediate. Our Outreach+Mission team promptly responded with 11 sleeping bags (see picture). Karla was able to take delivery of the sleeping bags the same day.


Below Sr. Karla  Maria describes the needs  of these homeless young adults who are receiving free music lessons every Sunday afternoon at ECC. 

I would like to share with you my experience at the program last Sunday. Jeffrey Sitcov [organizer of the music lessons at ECC], when making announcements before supper, told the youth that if anyone needed a sleeping bag, they should write their name on a small piece of paper and put it in his hat. There were 20 people there, young women and men, and it appeared that at least half of them put their name in the hat. There was ONE sleeping bag. One person received a sleeping bag. The others received nothing; there were no more sleeping bags and no blankets.

Some of the young people who hoped to get the sleeping bag did not even have a jacket, just short-sleeved shirts. And at 6 p.m. we all said good-bye, hugs were exchanged, and I watched them walk into that particularly cold night, knowing that they had no shelter, no bed, no blanket, and no clothing to keep them warm.

We locked up that large room at the ECC. That room was empty for the night, and those young people were on the street. I returned to the Little Monastery of the Way and spent the night thinking about those young people, praying and holding them in my heart, unable to sleep. They, on the street without even a jacket. Me, in my bed with my winter blanket.

Sleeping bags are needed, warm jackets, hoodies, hats, gloves, scarves are needed. Can't we find donated sleeping bags and jackets for them? Shelter is needed. Couldn't we find room in area churches for these young people, with supervision, to sleep?

What we are doing as a society with these young people is unconscionable. I hope to help gather support, and I see my role as a support gatherer, finding leadership to take this on, and supporting and participating in any way I can. I am not the person called to administrate the support, but there will be someone called to this.

Thank you for reading this long email .

Thank you again.

In Christ's Love,

Sister Karla Maria
khollandmoritz@sbcglobal.net

Dear people of our St. Paul’s community, let your hearts and hands be moved to see Jesus in these young lives and in the heart of Sr. Karla Maria. Sr. Karla is especially interested in donated home cooked meals on an occasional Sunday night and peanut butter sandwich sack lunches, donations of cold weather clothing, and toiletries. She would also value the gift of leadership to more completely address this need.   Please contact Sr Karla Maria at the email address above.

Paula Peeling







Friday, February 28, 2014

Why do outreach and mission matter?

In a recent book titled Globalization, Spirituality, and Justice, Fr. Daniel Groody tells a modern day parable. In this story, people rescued from drowning on a hazardous coast form an organization to save others shipwrecked there. The group of rescuers and their families become good friends and enjoy socializing with each other. Over time, the organization evolves into a rather exclusive social club, neglects to staff the rescue stations, and eventually forgets its original purpose. Drownings increase until another organization is founded to save those caught in the treacherous waters.

For many Evangelical Christians, the point of the story is clear: the church is a gathering of the saved who, however much they enjoy each other’s support, must not neglect their calling to convert others, to rescue them from an eternal destiny in hell. Yet many of us share the broader Christian tradition’s realization that God’s mercy has no bounds. We believe that a God of infinite love and creativity has an inexhaustible variety of means to reach people and bring them to wholeness. Considered from this perspective, the parable of the rescue organization perhaps only increases Christian confusion over the purpose of the church.

If becoming a Christian is not the only means to redemption, then is Christian outreach all that important? Why is it not enough to spend our time, talent, and treasure maintaining a mutually supportive community among those who are already struggling along this Christian path? To put it bluntly, why is more asked of us?

Of course we know that Christian faith has, throughout its history, inspired an outward mission to share God’s love with others. Christians recall Jesus’ teaching that we must love God above all things and love our neighbors as ourselves (or, more accurately translated, “as another self”). This Great Commandment did not originate with Jesus: well before his time, this two-part commandment was an accepted summary of the Torah, so that (as one early rabbi said) “the rest is commentary.” The recognition that anyone who would love God must love all that God has loved into being is wisdom deeply rooted in the Biblical tradition.

Many Christians are also motivated by the Hebrew prophets, whose writings comprise the largest section of the Bible. Through the challenging words of these ancient prophets, we continue to be called to resist the injustice and oppression that plague modern society no less than ancient Israel. Living amid today’s inequality, in a world where goods are plentiful and cheap for some because of slave labor and wages that barely sustain life for others, it is difficult not to be disturbed by the prophet Amos’s condemnation of those who oppress the poor or who buy the needy for a pair of sandals. At the same time, Isaiah’s beautiful vision of a coming peaceful kingdom, one where no one hurts or destroys in all of God’s holy realm, continues to inspire work for justice and reconciliation.

As disciples of Jesus of Nazareth, Christians learn from the Gospels that Jesus calls his followers to continue his mission of inaugurating the reign of God, bringing good news to the poor, healing to the sick, and liberty to captives. In chapter 25 of the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus himself identifies so thoroughly with those who are in physical, mental, or spiritual need that whatever we do for them is done for Jesus. Indeed, we are told in this passage that how we respond to the needs of others is THE standard by which our own lives will be judged. (This point is echoed in Charles Dickens’ great Christmas classic, when the ghost of Jacob Marley, assured that he had been a good man of business, howls in anguish, “MANKIND was my business.” Surely the church must say the same!)

As currently compiled, the Bible presents human history as a journey from a lost harmony (in the beginning of Genesis) to an even greater harmony in the reign of God. This final goal is described in the Book of Revelation as a shining city of people who live in peace with each other and with all of creation in the presence of God. The church is thus called to join with the people of Israel as God’s servants, mending the world and preparing for the fullness of God’s reign.

The wisdom of the Christian tradition further teaches us that God is a Trinity, a loving community actively seeking to bring the world into the very being of God. Our God simply IS love, so much so that God can—and does—make room within the loving life of the divine trinity for all of creation.

As Eucharistic Christians, we celebrate—and deepen—the communion we share with God and with all else in God through sharing the sacred bread and wine, a foretaste of that great banquet when all will be completely united in God. Every Eucharist is a prayer of thanksgiving for the divine love and grace that strengthens us to serve God and one another.

In every time and place, the Holy Spirit gives each Christian particular gifts and insights to contribute to the church’s redemptive mission. In the season of Lent, we are inviting to attend more carefully to the deepest impulses of the Spirit in our own lives and in our faith community. Where is God calling us? What insights into the life of Christian faith and discipleship do we have to share?

Mary Doak, Associate Professor of Theology, University of San Diego


What do you think? Is this your understanding of mission and outreach? Why do you do the good work you do in the world? Comment on this post or send an email to Colin (mathewsonc@stpaulcathedral.org) or Mary (mdoak@sandiego.edu) to keep the conversation going!