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A Breathless Moment

It is a breathless moment
when, coming to the edge
Of what confounds me,
I pause and ask myself
if I have courage
To trust completely
and risk failure,
Sometimes I have faltered,
Turned back into the
Wilderness of self-contained
existence and stumbled,
But when I listen to the
beating of my heart
I hear the voice of
My Creator calling me
to step outside myself,
And I am always held
safe and secure.

by C.C. Johnson

Diocese of Lexington
Parish – St. Raphael the Archangel

Episcopal Church Women2020-08-18T14:22:29+00:00July 27th, 2020|

I wanted to bring you all up to date on the status for Triennial 2021. Basically at this time, we are not certain as to how we will proceed, whether Triennial will be rescheduled, held in a virtual meeting or exactly how it will evolve. We will keep you all informed as we know. Triennial is held in conjunction with General Convention and we cannot determine how we will proceed until their arrangements are confirmed. This has not yet been decided.

To date, General Convention’s Chairs and Vice Chairs, parliamentarians and chancellors of both houses and the executive officer have met to consider alternative plans for General Convention. The task group is working actively to consider various scenarios and will make a report to the Standing Committee on Planning and Arrangements. That body will make a recommendation to the Presiding Bishop and the President of the House of Deputies, who will then ask Executive Council for their advice and consent to their decision about how and when the 80^th General Convention will proceed.

All of this sounds very detailed, I know, but we must take so many factors into consideration. As many of you know, Pat Wellnitz and I serve on the Standing Committee on Planning and Arrangements. The Committee, as well as others, are exploring new ways to seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit as we go forward.

Karen Patterson Episcopal Church Women President 2018 to 2021 Karen O Patterson
Episcopal Church Women
President 2018 to 2021

Episcopal Church Women2020-07-25T19:59:46+00:00July 25th, 2020|

Cornerstone Kids, Inc., the Children’s Haven

The mission of Cornerstone Kids, Inc. is to assist at-risk inner-city children in their educational, spiritual and emotional development in a safe, secure and nurturing environment.

Cornerstone Kids, Inc. is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit after-school program located at St. James House of Prayer Episcopal Church in Tampa. The program is structured specifically to reach at-risk, inner-city children who reside in low-income, single-parent households in Tampa Heights and surrounding neighborhoods. Cornerstone Kids, Inc. was started as a club in 1984 for the children in the neighborhood by Reverend Bruce Caldwell, the rector of the church at that time. He filled an unmet need for the underserved children of the area.

In 1994 the program expanded to include hot meals served daily, homework assistance, and academic and social guidance/enrichment. Cornerstone Kids, Inc. provides a comprehensive after-school program that serves 35 children in grades K-5, ages 5-11 years old. When the program was reorganized the decision was made to become a registered nonprofit organization. Several members responsible for enhancing the program make up our diverse, 10-member board of directors today.

At Cornerstone Kids, we offer the children the opportunity to develop academic skills to succeed in school and provide opportunities for learning outside of the traditional school day. Our program activities assist us with our mission of providing the educational, spiritual and emotional development of the children who do not have this opportunity for growth and academic support in Tampa Heights.

Our curriculum activities include homework assistance/tutoring, reading, STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math), mentoring and development of social emotional skills for all children, free of charge. You will find the children Monday-Friday in a safe, nurturing, supervised environment from 2:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. with four instructors, a cook and an executive director. We are also blessed to have many partners who volunteer with the program to implement valuable projects/programs to help us live our mission.

During the summer we operate on a modified schedule Monday through Thursday from noon until 4 p.m. Lunch is served daily. The curriculum includes field trips, indoor and outdoor activities, Spanish, reading and math programs, and other enrichment activities. One of the highlights of our summer program is vacation bible school (VBS). Every summer we are given the opportunity to attend VBS with the children of St. John’s, St. Andrew’s and St. James House of Prayer Episcopal Church. It is a beautiful experience when the children meet new friends and learn about God together. We have many success stories. One of our former students is an airline pilot, which was his childhood dream, and others are having successful high school experiences. Some of our students have finished college and others are enrolled in two- or four-year programs. During the summer, some former students return to volunteer. A few students in our program today are children of former students.

Cornerstone Kids, Inc. is funded by our annual fundraiser, The Lincoln-Douglass Ball; special projects, grants, private donors and donations from many of our churches; The Episcopal Church Women; and other organizations in the Diocese of Southwest Florida. Thanks for helping us make a difference!!

Due to COVID-19 and the Safer-At-Home Ordinance in Hillsborough County, the school system is closed until May 1. Cornerstone Kids, Inc. follows the Hillsborough School System calendar; therefore, our program is not in operation at this time.

KFORCE Giving Day

On December 6, 2019, Cornerstone Kids, Inc. partnered with KFORCE Staffing Agency to celebrate their Annual Giving Day. Approximately one dozen KFORCE employees attended the event and participated in a variety of indoor board games and artwork with the children. They also provided goody bags with healthy treats and gifts for the children to take home. It was a fun day for all.

Bess The Book Bus

Bess the Book Bus visits Cornerstone Kids up to three times each year. She is usually our Special Guest Reader at our “Annual Book Give Away” in March of each year and she supplies books for the kids to take home as well as for the program.

Framework’s Teens in Action

The Teens in Action have been volunteering with our program for many years. This year they took a different approach on delivering the Social-Emotional Development Training to the children. The program is delivered to all of the students on a level to help them understand. The sessions are called “Social Emotional Learning Themes.”

The themes are designed to help the students build prosocial skills through positive social interactions with the staff and their peers. The children perform activities that involve Self-Esteem, Comfortable and Uncomfortable Emotions, Gratitude, Kindness, Making Good Decisions, Teamwork, and Diversity and Culture. Each theme has a learning activity that relates to it. The children enjoy interacting with the teens each week.

What are Cornerstone Kids, Inc.’s plans for the future in connection with the kids and the effect that the coronavirus has had on the them and the program?

As of April 18, 2020, our governor announced that all schools in Florida will continue to stay closed for the rest of this school year. With that decision plans are to prepare to open our Summer Enrichment Program based on the date Florida and the CDC will suspend the Safe-at-Home/Social Distancing Coronavirus guidelines and when Bishop Smith will allow face-to-face meetings/gatherings on the church premises. When that happens, hopefully we will open our Summer Enrichment Program for six weeks, which will include Vacation Bible School, recreation/enrichment activities and fieldtrips.

Cornerstone Children Group Since the program has been closed, I have been contacting our parents via telephone and text messages to find out how the children are handling their schoolwork online and offering to help any way that I can based on the current condition. Getting the work done online has been a challenge for some of our parents due to no online service or computer; however, the children are still able to complete their work using prepared paper assignments. Many parents expressed how thankful they are of our program for doing what we do on a daily basis with the children. Some expressed how sorry they were for not saying it often enough.

Children in our program are able to receive a free breakfast and lunch at “Grab-and-Go” locations at designated schools. Some parents are receiving food from the local food bank and other locations. This was a concern since a part of our program was feeding the children a hot meal daily.

Olatha Leggett

Executive Director

Cornerstone Kids, Inc.

813-293-1284

Episcopal Church Women2020-08-17T19:37:07+00:00July 21st, 2020|

For I Was A Stranger and You Welcomed Me

St. Luke’s Guesthouse – Temporary Shelter – Sheltering for Self-Sufficiency

In the Beginning…

It was not a Noah experience! God didn’t say, “Go and build a homeless shelter!” It happened slowly over time, with inspiration from the Holy Spirit and matching resources with a need.

It started in the year 2000 when my husband John, a family physician, went back into private practice and bought a large Victorian house in Southbridge, MA. He planned to use only about one-quarter of the space for his medical practice, but the house came complete with apartments and tenants.

Over the next few years tenants came and went. The realities of being a landlord became clearer and more complex, along with the realization that we were not called to be, nor good at, being landlords. When our last long-term tenant moved out in 2013, we decided to let the apartments lie fallow for a while to see where God was calling us in this new chapter.

It didn’t take long before my husband saw a patient who had lost his job, lost his apartment and was homeless. John said, “We have some space upstairs. Why don’t you stay in our vacant apartment until you can get back on your feet?” The young man stayed for a month or so, got a job and an apartment, and moved on. This inspired John to keep watch for other people, and sometimes families, who needed the same opportunity. Three years later we had an informal homeless shelter in our old Victorian house.

Into the Wilderness…

We were meeting the needs of homeless people, but the informal structure led to a series of problems. The reality is that people who are experiencing homelessness have walked a hard road, which creates a variety of psychosocial problems: mental illness and substance abuse as examples. To complicate matters we had no paid staff; John and I took care of all the details of interviewing, policies, rules, a modicum of social support, paying bills, maintenance, cleaning and other details.

It was finally the bedbugs that forced us to make a dramatic change. As we tried to empty the house to exterminate the vermin, our “guests” refused to leave and we were forced to evict them. We closed the house for two months to re-envision a better program and work on the difficulties we encountered. We looked into housing law, spoke to lawyers (who said steer clear of homeless shelters!) and finally tapped into the wisdom of a longstanding homeless shelter for women, Abby’s House in Worcester, MA.

The Next Stage of the Journey…

On January 1, 2017, we formed an ecumenical Board of Directors, incorporated as Friends of St. Luke’s, became a nonprofit organization, and launched St. Luke’s Guesthouse, an 11-bed short-term shelter modeled on the best practices we had learned.

St. Luke’s Guesthouse is now the only homeless shelter for men, women and children in southern Worcester County, Massachusetts. Our mission is to provide Christian hospitality and support self-sufficiency. Our vision is that all people who are homeless in southern Worcester County will have a place to experience Christian hospitality and receive tools for self-sufficiency.

Located in the center of Southbridge, the Guesthouse has seven bedrooms to accommodate a combination of single and married family guests. Rooms are fully furnished, and containers are provided for guests’ personal belongings and clothing. Guests are responsible for preparing their own food in the Guesthouse kitchens and expected to follow common sense house rules including staying drug and alcohol free. Guests meet regularly with a guest advocate for case management and connection with appropriate resources for self-sufficiency. Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., our guests are required to be out of the house, either working, looking for work, or otherwise contributing to the health of their family and the community. Our guests may remain in the house on Sundays and holidays for rest and personal time.

In 2019, the Guesthouse provided short-term shelter for 89 guests. All adult guests worked extremely hard on employment search and budgeting with the Guesthouse staff and were able to save close to 75% of their income. Their savings allowed those with enough income to afford first/last security deposit to transition out of shelter back into an apartment in the community.

How Do We Pay for the Guesthouse Operations?

In 2013 the Guesthouse was privately funded, and the space and some utilities are donated “in-kind.” In 2017, when we became a nonprofit corporation and were granted 501c3 status, we were able to launch fundraising initiatives. In 2017 we applied for a United Way Grant and received $10,000. Reaching out to local banks and foundations we found financial partners for our mission. We have developed a wide network of churches and individuals who support our effort financially, with in-kind gifts, and with prayer. With this funding, over the past three years we have been able to hire staff – a director, case manager, overnight and security staff – and pay the operational expense of the Guesthouse. We publish a quarterly newsletter to let our supporters know about what’s happening at the House. Only with the help of our community partners have we been able to meet our mission and vision.

Success Stories…

“Bobby,” a middle-aged gentleman, had been homeless for months. Bobby never had a steady job, had little income and struggled with sobriety. He got occasional work painting houses, doing yardwork and cleaning out basements. Bobby wanted more out of life. Unsure of what he wanted to do for work, he knew he wanted an education. Bobby had dropped out of school in the 10th grade and began drinking. Eventually, his life spiraled out of control and he lost everything. When Bobby was accepted into the shelter, our case manager referred him to the Tradewinds Clubhouse, where he was provided support toward obtaining a GED. Over the course of a couple of months, Bobby studied diligently with support from his peers and staff at the guesthouse. He received his GED, found employment and finally found affordable housing. Bobby continues to maintain sobriety and is happy and healthy.

Sleeping Tent May 2020 “Britney,” “Chris” and “Baby G” had a lot of challenges when they arrived at the Guesthouse. We worked closely with them to set up goals and a plan. They put together a budget and began to save money to get an apartment. They started going for counseling to sort out and cope with the many hardships they had endured. During their time with us, Chris and Britney hit walls and were ready to give up, but with support from the staff they persisted and regained hope for a better future. Chris found a good job and they were able to save 75% of his paycheck. With help they were able to find an apartment. It was a happy day when they left the Guesthouse for a place they could now really call home.

“Martha,” a middle-age woman, came to us homeless and broken. She had suffered from years of domestic violence, become addicted to heroin and lost everything. We welcomed her into the house and helped her get into drug treatment. We gave her the time she needed to begin to heal emotionally, and she got a part-time job. She helped around the house with yardwork – a real hard worker. Martha had rough times; complications from surgery almost drove her back to using drugs. But she was tough. Our guest advocate met with her twice a week and they talked over the phone frequently. For the first time in years Martha was able to visit with her grandchildren; what a joy that was. Bit by bit she saved her money. She made friends with a handicaped person also looking for an apartment, and the two together were able to afford the rent. Once homeless and broken, Martha is now home and healing.

Some Days Are Tough…

Running a homeless shelter is hard work and often heartbreaking. Those who become homeless suffer from a range of problems including severe mental illness, trauma, addiction, chronic health problems, lack of education and alienation from family and community. One of our guests was a young woman who had been on the streets for months. She suffered the emotional effects of physical and sexual abuse and had been addicted to heroin for many years. But she was trying to get back on track. She got into drug treatment and came to us for shelter. She began counseling and psychiatric care. Sadly, she relapsed into active drug abuse and we had to ask her to leave the Guesthouse. Those days are tough, when we have to put someone back on the street.

The COVID-19 Crisis…

The first case in Massachusetts of COVID-19 occurred in early February. By early March it was clear that the virus would have a tremendous impact. Homeless shelters across the state, including ours, feared that they would become hotspots of the infection. When the Guesthouse is fully occupied there’s no way to practice social distancing—everyone is sharing bathrooms and kitchens and congregating in our small space. We stopped accepting news guests to prevent overcrowding in the house, though it’s always hard to have to say no to someone seeking shelter. On March 18 our governor issued a stay-at home advisory. With public spaces like libraries and coffee shops closed, the homeless even lost access to toilets. We became very concerned about the people on the street, their health, vulnerability to illness and potential to spread the virus. The first thing we did was order a portable toilet for public use near the sidewalk on Main Street where the Guesthouse is located. That was a simple, down-to-earth way to help those on the street. But how do you run a homeless shelter in the midst of an epidemic? It was a real challenge! Our executive director and case manager normally worked out of a small office on the second floor of the house—in close contact with our guests. They grabbed their computers and important files, locked the office and began working remotely from home. We also had to furlough our overnight staff temporarily to keep them safe.

By the beginning of April we had 10,000 cases of COVID-19 in Massachusetts. Homeless shelters across the state were forced to reduce capacity by as much as 75%. This created a crisis for those experiencing homelessness. We had reduced our capacity from eleven to four. Fortunately, we didn’t have to put anyone out on the street. Because of the freeze on new admissions we were down to two guests upstairs and a family of four downstairs—a mother with her three young children. We were able to help the family get into an apartment—such a relief. But in reducing our census to make the Guesthouse safe, we were forced to turn away others seeking shelter.

We heard that our state government was trying to set up temporary emergency shelters to provide additional space using large tents. So on April 4 we approached the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency and requested help setting up a tent to provide emergency shelter space. We needed approval from various town departments including the local emergency management, fire department, health inspector and housing inspector. Amazingly it all came together—everyone realized that additional shelter space was an essential part of responding to the COVID-19 crisis.

On April 9 a 20-foot by 60-foot heated tent arrived and was set up in the yard next to the Guesthouse. We got two additional portable toilets. The next day 11 metal cots along with bedding arrived from the Department of Corrections. On April 10 we received a temporary occupancy permit from the town and two hours later welcomed our first guest, “Larry,” who had been sleeping on the street for three weeks since getting out of jail. He had nothing but the clothes on his back and a sleeping bag. We helped him take his first shower in three weeks, and while Larry was in the shower, we threw his clothes in the washing machine. While the clothes were drying, he waited while wrapped in a blanket because he had nothing else to wear. In the days that Larry was with us, we got him restarted on his psychiatric medications and helped him get a phone so he could get in touch with his sister in New Hampshire. After fighting our way through all manner of red tape, Larry was able to get back into permanent housing.

The emergency tent shelter remained in operation from April 10 until June 5. For much of that time all 11 beds were occupied and we had an additional couple sleeping in their car in the parking lot. During the course of those eight weeks of hard work, we provided 423 nights of emergency shelter and over 1,200 meals, washed about 150 loads of laundry, handed out lots of masks and went through a lot of hand sanitizer! Tamsin Lucey of Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Southbridge and a lifelong Episcopal Church Woman organized the food service for our guests. She scoured the community for donations and signed up churches and other organizations to provide food and prepare meals for our guests. We did temperature and health checks on each guest every morning to be sure no one was developing COVID-19. We had one guest who had to be quarantined for 14 days and another who had to be isolated for three days pending test results, but amazingly we had no confirmed cases of COVID-19. Our Guesthouse staff worked hard to ensure everyone’s safety and to keep the peace in the midst of a stressful living situation. We helped guests with a range of needs from getting a new pair of socks to applying for housing assistance, obtaining phones and getting needed medication.

The emergency tent shelter was operational for two months during the “surge” in Massachusetts. With the easing of the epidemic in late May, after an exhausting eight weeks of work, we closed the tent operation on June 5. Throughout the time the tent was in operation, we had three additional guests staying in our upstairs rooms. We used the downstairs space to support the tent guests. With the removal of the tent we reopened our downstairs rooms for homeless guests—though it will not be “business as usual” for a long while. Day by day we are trying to do our part to make a difference for homeless people in our corner of God’s Kingdom.

If you would like to know more about St. Luke’s Guesthouse you can visit our website, www.stlukesguesthouse.wordpress.com, or visit us on Facebook at facebook.com/StLukesGuesthouse/.

Susan Howland

Diocese of Western Massachusetts

Province 1 ECW President

Episcopal Church Women2020-08-17T19:36:37+00:00July 21st, 2020|

Church Periodical Club Communique’ Summer 2020

Church Periodical Club Have you read a book, a newspaper, a Bible, a prayer book, a magazine, a bill? Have you used a Kindle, CD, or DVD? Do you look up things on your computer or ask Google a question?

How fortunate you are, as many have limited or no access to these written words.

How about providing Bibles to Bible students? What about providing books for children coming to a food pantry? Children coming to a Peace Camp? Prayer books for campus ministry? Recovery (addiction help) for those in prison? The list continues.

Church Periodical Club (CPC) has funded those activities.

We are all familiar with the biblical quote “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit” 1 Cor. 12:4. Church Periodical Club (CPC) is one of many ministries that seek to serve Christ in the world. We provide the written word that allows us to study, understand, communicate and, yes, have dreams.

The CPC has been a ministry in the Episcopal Church since 1888. The club was formed to send church periodicals—magazines and printed tracts as well as prayer books and Bibles via the Wells Fargo stagecoach line to western settlers. It was the support of Episcopal Church Women who assisted in CPC growth. CPC continues this relationship. In 1922, CPC started grants for adult materials needed by individuals, churches and organizations affiliated with the Anglican Communion, now known as National Book Fund (NBF). Seminarian grants were also started. Money is sent to Episcopal seminaries for each seminary to distribute. Currently 10 seminaries receive an amount that is dependent on the money collected in the previous year. Presiding Bishop Curry received a grant in 1974.

The need was seen that children and youth should have a separate fund, and Miles of Pennies began in 1989. Grants are up to $844.80, which is the number of pennies to make a mile. These grants are considered year-round.

One ministry has expanded and changed from printed periodicals on a stagecoach to the written word through all media, from books to Kindles, from CDs to DVDs sent throughout the Episcopal Church and Anglican Communion. This ministry exists and continues only with the support of you, your congregation and your diocese. CPC does not receive money from the Episcopal Church budget. Join us as we bring light into the world through the written word. Our website is under revision, but there is plenty of information there.

PO Box 1206
Manorville, NY 11949

Phone 631-447-3996

Mrs.fargosclub@gmail.com

Episcopal Church Women2020-08-17T19:35:47+00:00July 21st, 2020|

Love Is Contagious – Back Door Ministry

Back Door Ministry Donations The Back Door Ministry, connected with Christ Church in Rolla, Missouri and its ECW members, is showing the community that there is also a spreading of love during the current COVID-19 pandemic. When social distancing mandates went into effect, the parish was unable to offer a sit-down Sunday meal via their existing Open Door ministry. How could Christ Church members continue to offer conversation and a kind face to those facing food insecurity and homelessness to the community as they previously had before?

Open Door moved to takeout meals only, and literally became a ministry out the back door. The Back Door Ministry utilized a $2500 grant Open Door had received from the New Ventures in Community Ministry program under the Diocese of Missouri. With some hard work and creative ingenuity, the ministry not only tries to help the food insecurity their patrons face, but they also take requests for personal care items, which are filled by donations through online shopping and delivery. Parish members support the requests through Ingatherings. Their first Ingathering was accomplished while the church was closed to worship because of COVID-19. Parishioners bought underwear, socks, and batteries online, and had them shipped to the church.

Although Christ Church members are no longer able to sit down with the people that utilize the program, their meal teams still provide nutritious food from the back door, and Sharon and Larry Meusch still offer that kind face and the contagious love that Christ Church and ECW members offer, literally placing meals and requested items outside the back door of the church every Sunday.

The love of Christ flows though those who meet challenges with new ideas for ministry. Indeed, love is contagious!

Submitted by Deborah Caby, President,

ECW Board, Diocese of Missouri

Episcopal Church Women2020-08-17T19:35:06+00:00July 21st, 2020|

UTO: United Thank Offering Outpourings and Ingatherings

For I have learned, whatever state I am in, therein to be content. Phil. 4:10

Difficult times bring out both the best and worst in us. The COVID-19 pandemic and self-isolation are doing just that. Some people hoarded hand sanitizer and toilet paper that they then tried to sell to desperate people at a huge profit. A few truly troubled souls have walked around grocery stores licking packages to try to spread the virus as widely as possible. As a grace to our humanity, for every person behaving selfishly, there are thousands doing their best to help others. They are staying home alone, sewing and giving away facemasks, delivering food to people who need it, and connecting with others through online media in innovative ways. The worst will eventually pass and we will return to life as usual, but some things may be changed forever—some for the better and some for the worse.

UTO too is being affected by this pandemic, and the UTO Board and Staff are planning for the long recovery period to come. First, many of you have expressed concern about collecting the Spring Ingathering when churches are not meeting in person, but there are many ways to give to UTO that do not involve gathering at church. Everyone is encouraged to send their Spring Ingathering using one of the following methods:

Text to give: INGATHER to 41444
Give online: unitedthankoffering.org/give
Mail your check directly to the bank. Simply make the check out to UTO with Ingathering Diocese of (name) in the memo line and mail it to: The United Thank Offering – DFMS – Protestant Episcopal Church, PO Box 958983, St. Louis MO 63195-8983

Every donation will be acknowledged with a card and will be recorded. If you want to ensure that your parish/ECW chapter recordkeeping can keep track of the offerings given by parishioners, simply ask them to note their church and diocese on the memo line of their checks or in the comment/memo box at the bottom of the online donation page and it will be recorded appropriately in UTO’s records. Dioceses can request their donation lists quarterly from the UTO staff. If you usually hold your Spring Ingathering at a retreat or luncheon, we encourage you to hold that event online. If you need help with Zoom or would like Heather to speak at your Zoom event please email her; she is happy to help.

Please remember that UTO is about gratitude first, money second. Encourage people to practice gratitude and place monetary offerings into their Blue Boxes if they can, but if they can’t give money encourage them to write notes of thanks for their blessings and put those into their Blue Boxes. They can later read all of those notes, remember their blessings, and give thanks again, either with simply a prayer or with a monetary offering. First, practice gratitude, which will help them and their loved ones get through this difficult time.

Second, the UTO Board plans to change our focus for the next round of grants to center around recovery efforts from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. We will give you all of the details on this new focus if it is approved by the Executive Council in June, but we wanted you to know about this change as soon as possible so you wouldn’t put effort into grants based on our previously announced focus for 2021 and would know that UTO will be there to help with the spiritual and economic recovery process. We plan to return to the important creation care focus in 2022, so just put those grant ideas on hold for now.

As always, the UTO Board gives thanks every day for the work of ECW and everyone else who participates in the United Thank Offering by practicing gratitude—noticing the blessings in their lives, giving thanks for those blessings and making an offering to share their blessings. And gratitude is even more important than usual during these difficult times because it helps with emotional health and resilience. Practicing gratitude is like staying home to protect yourself and others from COVID-19—it’s good for you and good for everyone around you. Stay safe, stay well, and stay grateful.

Episcopal Church Women2020-08-17T19:34:32+00:00July 21st, 2020|

Herstory: Church Women Making a Difference

Sharon from St Monica's by Ann Smith, Former National Episcopal Church Director of Women in Mission and Ministry and Companion of the Society of the Companions of the Holy Cross

There is a long herstory of church women taking an active role in helping when needed. During the Civil War, church women in both the South and the North made bandages from whatever materials were available. In the movie “Gone with the Wind,” Scarlett O’Hara complained that rolling bandages hurt her fingers.

During World War I, in February 1918, the Omaha Red Cross chapter sent its largest shipment overseas of church women’s rolled bandages and knitting. It included 30,560 bandages, 7,000 sweaters and 5,000 pairs of socks.

During World War II, First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt was often photographed knitting for the war effort, or at least carrying her voluminous knitting bag. She effectively launched the World War II knitting effort at a Knit for Defense tea held at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City on September 31, 1941.

The herstory of Episcopal church women helping during war and other times of crises continues today with the sewing of facemasks. Many Chapters of the Society of the Companions of the Holy Cross heard the need for facemasks in Immokalee, Florida. The Rev. Ema Rosero-Nordalm, Social Justice Representative of Episcopal Church Women National Board, and I, a Companion of the Holy Cross and Companions of the Holy Cross of the Southeast Region, put out the call: Grandmothers, mothers and children of the town of Immokalee, Florida, need your help: 27,000 farmworkers and thousands of others are in danger of contacting the coronavirus and are without protection or treatment. They need facemasks, so please get out your sewing machines and tell others.

I wrote a prayer and the Companions sent it out to all chapters. It was translated into Spanish to accompany the facemasks. Chapters from both the north and the south answered this call to help Immokalee farmworkers. St Monica’s Episcopal Church, Naples, Florida, located just miles away from Immokalee, heard the call and the Church Women armed their sewing machines.

Almighty God, Creator of all life. We praise you and thank you for your love and protection.

Open our ears to hear from medical experts how to keep our families safe from the deadly Coronavirus.

Sooth our fears and make us strong during the crisis.

Help us to be your disciples in carrying for ourselves, our families and the people of Immokalee.

In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen

Angie Morris, SCI Representative, ECW Diocesan Board

Angie Morris I heard the desperate cry for masks in the medical community in the middle of March. My husband Bill and I started making masks right away to donate. We have personally made over 1,500 masks for essential workers in the community and for friends and family since March 11. I joined a newly formed Stitched Together Long Island group of 2,262 sewers who heard the same cry and together we donated so far over 72,000 masks to needs on Long Island and in the five boroughs. Requests to us were coming in at a rapid pace. Some requests totaled thousands a day. The need was very desperate in March and April. Our selfless, giving group consists of people who sew, people who donate fabric and supplies, people who make the deliveries all across the area. Trucks came to Huntington from Manhattan to pickup masks for the homeless, for hospitals and nursing homes. Now thank God, the requests aren’t over yet,, but they are slowing down. And that is a wonderful sign that we are getting better!

Lynn Fitzgibbon reports from St. Martha’s in Papillion, NE

In our parishes we are helping where needed – making masks, serving meals to those who need them, operating food pantries and working with food distribution centers. We watch worship services either from our own parishes or take the opportunity to watch services from other churches within or outside our diocese. We take part in Zoom gatherings to celebrate Morning Prayer, virtual coffee hour, Centering Prayer, and study time together. Our prayers are for those affected by the virus, directly or indirectly, and for our nation.

Episcopal Church Women2020-08-17T19:33:54+00:00July 21st, 2020|

Visita a la misión del “Buen Pastor” en Puerto Defiance, Arizona

Navajoland Cross “Nos damos al Espíritu Santo a través
De nuestra cultura que alberga los mandatos
Del Evangelio para que así, como iglesia que somos,
nos sintamos llenos de fuerzas para responder a las necesidades de nuestra comunidad”

En el mes de febrero de 2020, tuve la oportunidad de viajar y visitar la misión del Buen Pastor en Fort Defiance, con Canon Martha K. Estes, el vicepresidente/NECW representante para la provincia VIII. La invitación y el propósito de la visita fue para ayudar a Madeline Sampson, otrora presidente diocesana en la tierra Navajo del grupo de Mujeres de la Iglesia Episcopal a revitalizar el capítulo del Grupo de Mujeres de la Iglesia Episcopal e instalar a los recién electos oficiales del grupo de mujeres de la iglesia episcopal para la misión del “Buen Pastor.” Como miembro del Grupo de mujeres de la Iglesia Episcopal en la iglesia de la Transfiguración en Arcadia, California, donde Martha y yo crecimos, yo estuve más que dispuesta de acompañarla! Nunca había estado en la tierra Navajo, pero estaba emocionada por ver la belleza y conocer a las amigas de Martha.

A lo largo del camino a la tierra navajo que comenzó el viernes, 29 de febrero, Martha y yo discutimos el anuncio del virus COVID-19 y como estaba siendo reportado como una pandemia. Como todavía el virus no era lo suficientemente conocido, nos encontramos con tiendas y restaurantes cerrados, la necesidad de mantenerse a seis pies de distancia, y el hecho de que hay que ponerse un barbijo. Martha estuvo leyendo los lineamientos en la página web del Centro para las enfermedades (CDC) para tener mayor claridad, y nos dimos cuenta de que las preparaciones se estaban materializando en nuestras comunidades. Lavarse las manos era lo más importantes, lo cual Martha en su rol de enfermera promocionaba constantemente! Pero poco sabíamos que el pánico y el miedo ya estaba empezando a machacar al mundo, lo cual resultaría en el acaparamiento de artículos tales como papel higiénico y alcohol en gel.

Salimos el sábado en la mañana desde Flagstaff, Arizona hasta la parte este de la autopista 40 que desemboca hasta el Puerto Defiance, disfrutando del paisaje. El contacto con Javier, el jardinero de la misión fue constante y frecuente mientras esperaba nuestra llegada. Toda vez que llegamos a Puerto Defiance y conducimos varias veces hasta llegar a ninguna parte. En ese momento, decidimos estacionar en una oficina del correo postal para llamar a Javier y avisarle que estábamos perdidos. Sin embargo, durante nuestra conversación Telefónica miramos a nuestra derecha y allí estaba la valla que indicaba el camino hacia la misión del Buen Pastor, a diez pies de distancia. Nos reímos debido a que estábamos donde teníamos que estar a pesar de nuestra desorientación. Javier nos dio la cálida bienvenida a la misión y nos mostro la casa de retiro Hozho, donde nos hospedaríamos por dos días. Hozho significa unidad, balance, harmonía en la vida. La casa de retiro puede albergar de 12 a 15 personas. No obstante, nosotros éramos los únicos visitantes ese fin de semana. Los días de semana la casa de retiro sirve para que los estudiantes de enfermería de la Universidad del Norte de Arizona realicen sus actividades académicas dentro los predios de la misión.

(L-R) Elsie Slim, Paula Elmore, Canon Martha Estes, Genevieve White, Madeline Sampson, Winnie Follett

El domingo por la mañana nos reunimos en la capilla del “Buen Pastor” para asistir a la eucaristía. Fuimos recibidos por varias personas incluyendo Winnie Follett, la antigua presidente de la Provincia VIII del Grupo de Mujeres de la Iglesia Episcopal, y su compañera Connie, quien vino desde Sedona para la instalación del servicio del Grupo de Mujeres de la Iglesia Episcopal. La capilla fue diseñada por el arquitecto de Santa Fe, John Gaw Meem, y fue decorada con arte Navajo – la cruz colgante detrás del altar siendo la pieza de arte mas prominente, la cual esta adornada con plata y turquesa. Esta majestuosamente desplegada como pueden divisar en la foto abajo mostrada.

Antes de que el servicio empezara, el reverendo Leon Sampson, anuncio la manera correcta de saludarnos los unos a los otros durante la “Paz”. El demostró el “saludo con el codo” y dijo que nos abstuviéramos de saludar con las manos o abrazarnos Adicionalmente, el reverendo agrego que la “comunión” seria ofrecida de manera instintiva – no bebiendo de la copa. Esta fue nuestra primera experiencia con el “distanciamiento social” y un abreboca de lo que estaba por venir.

El primer domingo de servicio pascual fue conducido por el vicario Reverendo Cathlena Plummer y el Reverendo león Sampson. La iglesia estaba repleta de los feligreces del “Buen Pastor.” Ellos estaban ansiosos de compartir sus culturas y costumbres, y yo en lo particular disfrute inmensamente de la experiencia de oración y los himnos en la lengua Navajo.

La instalación de los nuevos oficiales del Grupo de Mujeres de la Iglesia Episcopal fue hermosa, plagada de Himnos y sellos alusivos al Grupo de Mujeres de la Iglesia Episcopal presentados por Genevieve White, jefa del Grupo de Mujeres de la Iglesia Episcopal; Elsie Slim, Co-jefa del Grupo de Mujeres de la Iglesia Episcopal; y Paula Elmore, Tesorera y secretaria del Grupo de mujeres de la Iglesia Episcopal. Después del servicio, todo el mundo se reunió en el salón parroquial para tener tertulias y degustar de comidas y postres deliciosos. Canon Martha le hablo a las mujeres (Y hombres presentes) que estaban interesados en el ministerio y la construcción de su propio anexo del Grupo de Mujeres de la Iglesia Episcopal. Martha explico el propósito del Grupo de Mujeres de la Iglesia Episcopal con puntos de conversación y describió los deberes de las varias posiciones oficiales. Discusiones pertinentes se llevaron a cabo con variopintos comentarios e inquietudes, culminando con entusiasmo y bendiciones del Grupo de Mujeres de la Iglesia Episcopal perteneciente al “Buen Pastor.” La fuerza de esta iglesia y el ministerio del Grupo de Mujeres de la Iglesia Episcopal seria necesitado solo en pocas semanas, durante la temporada pascual, mientras el coronavirus se extendía.

Más tarde ese día, el reverendo Leon Sampson y su esposa, Madeline, nos ensenaron la misión y otros edificios construidos ya hace 100 anos. La misión tiene planes de renovación para estos edificios con el propósito de usarlos para retiros y expandir los servicios comunitarios. También hicimos un tour de la fábrica de jabón ubicada en los predios de la misión. Paula Elmore, la gerente general de la fábrica, explico cómo los jabones y otros productos son hechos de ingredientes naturales cultivados por la comunidad. El aroma del romero y otras flores y hierbas cultivadas en la casa de campo son usadas en la producción. El maíz azul es cosechado para hacer el jabón, y productos de piel. Paula también gerencia las colmenas de abejas de donde se saca la miel, la cual está disponible para la venta. La tienda también es el centro de distribución para el frente Unido. De mas esta decir, Martha y yo compramos productos de la tierra navajo.

El reverendo Sampson y su esposa Madeline también nos llevaron a conocer la “Ventana de lo roca”, lo cual está a unas millas de distancia de la misión. La “Ventana de la Roca” o “Window Rock” en inglés es un arca de tipo natural. Debajo de la “Ventana de la roca” está el parque de la tribu navajo y su oficina al igual que un memorial para los militares caídos. La estatua de un navajo me llamo la atención. Yo aprendí que, durante la segunda guerra mundial, muchos mensajes enviados entre las fuerzas aliadas fueron interceptados y decodificados por el ejército japonés. Veintinueve oficiales de Marines Navajo fueron reclutados para idear un código usando su lenguaje autóctono. Ya la final de la guerra, más de 400 marines Navajo fungieron como descifradores de códigos. El uso de este código innovador fue tan exitoso que los descifradores de códigos salvaron innumerables vidas de marines y allanaron el camino para la victoria en el pacifico sur.

El día 13 de marzo de 2020, el parque cerro hasta próximo aviso debido a la pandemia de COVID-19.

Como pueden notar, nuestro pequeña y significativa visita estuvo llena de entusiasmo y maravillas. Nos dio mucha tristeza el tener que marcharnos y hablamos con el reverendo Leon y su esposa Madeline de posibles visitas de retorno. El amor y la hospitalidad provista por toda la comunidad del “Buen Pastor” y el Grupo de Mujeres de Iglesia Episcopal estará por siempre en nuestros corazones. Después de partir del Puerto Defiance el lunes 2 e marzo, nos dirigimos hacia el parque nacional Canyon de Chelly, el monumento las cuatro esquinas, La misión episcopal de San Cristobal en las afueras de Bluff, Utah, y luego nos fuimos al monumento del valle. Visitar todos estos parques fue algo espectacular.

Al momento de regresar a nuestros hogares, el número de personas diagnosticadas con el virus COVID-19 a nivel mundial había incrementado dramáticamente, y los requerimientos de la distancia social ya estaban en efecto. Había órdenes para quedarnos en casa y evitar el contagio. Si tenías que salir, debías usar un mascara. Centros comerciales, restaurantes, tiendas e iglesias estaban cerradas. No se permitían reuniones con más de 8 o 10 personas. Bodas, funerales, y reuniones familiares no existían. Artículos que obteníamos con suma facilidad eran posibles de procurar.

La misión de residente y las comunidades circunvecinas a lo largo de la tierra Navajo no se les permitía hacer sus compras rutinarias, y la falta de insumos, de agua, y de comida se ha convertido en un dilema peligroso. Contactar a las Iglesias episcopales y los Grupos de Mujeres de la Iglesia Episcopal ha sido de vital importancia para la diócesis de la tierra navajo. Ha habido grandes respuestas según canon Martha. El Grupo de mujeres de la iglesia Episcopal de la Iglesia San Mary de Valley, Ramona, California, fabrico cientos de barbijos, y el grupo de mujeres de la iglesia episcopal de la diócesis de Los Ángeles y el Grupo de mujeres de la Iglesia episcopal en Maui, Hawaii ayudaron económicamente con donaciones. Las personas del “Buen Pastor” han sido empoderadas para proveer comida a lo largo y ancho de su comunidad.

The Vicar The Rev. Cathlena Plummer and The Rev. Leon Sampson

Como respuesta a nuestra petición en cómo ayudar, la misión nos ha pedido los siguientes artículos: Donaciones monetarias, papel higiénico, papel desinfectante, cloro, agua, y barbijos del tipo N95.

Good Shepherd Mission
1 Kit Carson Drive
Ft. Defiance, AZ 86504

www.goodshephmission.org

Episcopal Church of Navajoland: www.ecofnavajoland.org

Oremos. Señor Jesus, porfavor protege a nuestros hermanos y hermanas en la tierra Navajo. Guárdalos, de manera saludable y aliméntalos. De la mano de tu glorioso amor, apacigua sus miedos and provéelos para lo que necesitan para la continuación de su trabajo. En tu nombre. Amen.

Episcopal Church Women2022-09-28T17:12:46+00:00July 21st, 2020|

Visit to Good Shepherd Mission, Fort Defiance, Arizona

“We open ourselves to the Holy Spirit through
our culture that embraces the teachings
of the Gospel so that, as a church, we are
empowered to respond to the needs of
our community”

In the month of February 2020, I was given the opportunity to travel and visit Good Shepherd Mission in Fort Defiance, Arizona with Canon Martha K. Estes, the VP/NECW representative for Province VIII. The invitation and purpose of the visit was for Martha to help Madeline Sampson, past Navajoland ECW Diocesan president, restart the ECW Chapter and install the newly elected ECW officers for Good Shepherd Mission. As a member of ECW at my Church of the Transfiguration in Arcadia, Calif., where Martha and I had grown up together, I was more than delighted to tag along! I had never been to Navajoland but was excited to see the beauty and meet Martha’s friends there.

As the drive to Navajoland began Friday, February 29, Martha and I discussed the announcement of the COVID-19 virus and how it was being reported as a pandemic. As much was still not known about the virus, we did not encounter stores or restaurants being closed or the need to stay six feet apart, let alone the need to wear a mask as we traveled. Martha was reading the CDC website for clarity, and we became aware that preparations were starting in communities for this coronavirus. Hand washing was most important, which Nurse Martha encouraged often! Little did we know that panic and fear was beginning to grip the world, which would result in the hoarding of everyday items such as toilet paper and hand sanitizer.

At the wheel, we headed out on Saturday morning from Flagstaff, Ariz., down Highway 40 eastbound toward Fort Defiance, “getting our kicks” on Route 66 and enjoying the scenery. Contact with the groundskeeper of the Mission property, Javier, was frequent as he was expecting our arrival. Once we arrived in Fort Defiance and drove up and down the street a few times, we pulled into the Post Office parking lot and called Javier to say we were lost. However, during the phone call, we looked to our right and there was the sign for Good Shepherd Mission – 10 feet away. We chuckled out loud as we were right where we were supposed to be! Javier welcomed us to the Mission and showed us to the Hozho’ Retreat House, where we would be staying for a couple of days. Hozho’ means unity, balance, harmony in life. The Retreat House can house about 12-15 people; however, we were the only guests for that weekend. During the weekdays the Retreat House is home to student nurses attending the Northern Arizona University RN program located on the Mission property.

On Sunday morning we gathered at the Good Shepherd Chapel to attend Eucharist. We were greeted by many including Winnie Follett, Past Province VIII ECW president, and her partner, Connie, who came in from Sedona for the ECW installation service. The chapel was designed by Santa Fe architect John Gaw Meem and is decorated with Navajo art – the most prominent being the large cross hanging above the altar, which is adorned with silver and turquoise. It is awesomely displayed as you can see from the photograph above.

Before the service started, The Rev. Leon Sampson, Curate priest, announced the recommended way to greet one another during the Peace. He demonstrated the “elbow bump” and stated we should refrain from shaking hands or hugging. Additionally, he added that communion would be offered by intinction only — no drinking from the cup. This was our first experience with “social distancing” and a hint of what was to come.

The 1st Sunday of Lent service was conducted by the Vicar The Rev. Cathlena Plummer and The Rev. Leon Sampson. The church was full of the Good Shepherd parishioners, including St. Mark’s Chapel, Coalmine, N.M. They were eager to share their culture and customs, and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience of prayers and hymns presented in Navajo language.

The ECW installation of new officers was beautiful with singing and blessed ECW pins presented to Genevieve White, ECW chair; Elsie Slim, ECW vice chair; and Paula Elmore, ECW secretary/treasurer. After the service everyone joined together in the Parish Hall for lively conversations and ate delicious food and desserts. Canon Martha spoke to the women (and men present) who were interested in the ministry and building their ECW chapter. Martha explained the purpose of ECW with talking points and described the duties of the various official positions. Discussions were pertinent with many comments and questions, ending the time feeling enthusiasm with blessings from the ECW Good Shepherd. The strength of this church and ECW ministry would be much needed in just a few weeks, during Lenten Season, as the coronavirus would spread.

(L-R) Elsie Slim, Paula Elmore, Canon Martha Estes, Genevieve White, Madeline Sampson, Winnie Follett

Later that day, The Rev. Leon Sampson and his wife, Madeline, showed us around the Mission grounds and several stone buildings built over 100 years ago. The Mission has plans to renovate these buildings for retreat purposes and to use the property to expand services to the community. We also toured the SHIMA Soap Factory located on Mission property. Paula Elmore, the general manager of the factory, explained how the soaps and other products are made with natural ingredients cultivated by the community. The scent of rosemary and other flowers and herbs grown in their greenhouse and used in production filled the air. Blue Corn is grown and harvested to make soap, cornmeal and skin products. Paula also manages the on-sight beehives producing honey, which is available for purchase too. There are many people involved in the SHIMA production, from growing the ingredients to helping at the store. The store is also the Distribution Center for United Thank Offering (UTO). Needless to say, Martha and I purchased several SHIMA products – shimaofnavajoland.com

The Rev. Sampson and his wife Madeline then treated us to a visit to Window Rock, which is just a few miles away from the Mission. Window Rock is a pothole-type natural arch caused by many years of weather erosion. Just below Window Rock is the Navajo Tribal Park and Veteran’s Memorial and the Navajo Nation Office. The statue of a Navajo Code Talker caught my eye. I learned that during World War II, many of the messages sent between the allied forces were intercepted and decoded by the Japanese. Twenty-nine Navajo marines were recruited to devise a secret code using their native language. By the end of the war, over 400 Navajo marines were serving as Code Talkers. The use of this innovative code was so successful that the Code Talkers were credited with saving the lives of countless marines and also for paving the way to an early victory in the South Pacific.

On March 13, 2020, the park closed until further notice due to COVID-19.

As you can tell, our short, meaningful visit was full of warmth and wonder. We were sad to leave The Rev. Leon and Madeline and talked of return visits. The love and hospitality provided to us by the Good Shepherd Mission, ECW and community will be forever in my heart. After leaving Fort Defiance on Monday, March 2, we headed out to see Canyon de Chelly National Park, Four Corners Monument, St. Christopher’s Episcopal Mission outside of Bluff, Utah, and then continued on to Monument Valley. Visiting these spectacular parks was amazing.

By the time we returned home, the number of people diagnosed with the COVID-19 virus worldwide had dramatically increased and new social distancing requirements were in place. There were orders to stay home or, if you had to go out, to wear a mask. Malls, parks, restaurants and churches were all closing. No gatherings larger than eight or 10 people were allowed. Weddings, funerals and family get-togethers became nonexistent. Items we were used to obtaining easily were no longer available and sometimes impossible to procure.

The Vicar The Rev. Cathlena Plummer and The Rev. Leon Sampson

The Mission residents and the surrounding communities throughout Navajoland are not able to travel to their usual shopping areas, and the lack of supplies, water and food has become a dangerous dilemma. Reaching out throughout the Episcopal churches and ECW has been vitally important for the Diocese of Navajoland. There have been great responses according to Canon Martha. The ECW from St. Mary’s in the Valley, Ramona, Calif., made hundreds of masks and sent fabric, and the ECW in the Diocese of Los Angeles and ECW Diocese of Hawaii and ECW Good Shepherd Maui helped out with financial donations. The Good Shepherd people have been empowered to provide food and mask distributions for weeks throughout their community.

In response to our request on how to help, the Mission has asked for the following items: monetary donations, toilet paper, paper towels, disinfectant wipes, bleach, water, spray bottles, cloth masks, and N95 masks.

Good Shepherd Mission
1 Kit Carson Drive
Ft. Defiance, AZ 86504

www.goodshephmission.org

Episcopal Church of Navajoland: www.ecofnavajoland.org

Let us pray. Dear Lord, please watch over our brothers and sisters in Navajoland. Keep them safe, healthy and fed. Along with your glorious love, ease their fears and provide what they need to continue your work. In your name we pray. Amen.

Yours in Christ—Linda E. Hughes
Vestry Member / ECW Treasurer
Church of the Transfiguration, Arcadia, CA

Episcopal Church Women2020-10-23T21:08:22+00:00July 21st, 2020|

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