Communique Magazine Archives - Page 15 of 21 - National Episcopal Church Women

Riverside Food Pantry: Province 2

A little village called Cape Vincent, New York, with a population of just under 1,800 residents, is located along the banks of the St. Lawrence River, where it meets the shores of Lake Ontario. Situated within its borders is a small, one-story red building that houses the Cape Vincent Community Food Pantry, a site that was purchased, refurbished, and generously donated to the pantry and which opened its doors in December 2018. Originally established and organized during the Ice Storm of 1998 to feed those without power or means of getting supplies themselves, the food pantry has also had homes in both the Methodist and Roman Catholic churches in the village. St. John’s Episcopal Church has always been and continues to be deeply supportive of the pantry in monetary donations, goods, and manpower.

The food pantry owns the building, and its only expenses are for operating costs. Inside there are shelves of groceries in a large storage area in the back, which also sports a raised loading dock—a wonderful plus for deliveries. Supplied for the most part by the Food Bank of Central New York, the pantry also receives weekly frozen donations from nearby supermarkets of items that have “dated out” for fresh sale and have been frozen—meat, poultry, fish, fruits, and vegetables. There are coolers for produce, dairy, and bread products. A separate small cooler holds fresh eggs. Bins hold donations of socks and sometimes seasonal items, such as decorations for give-away.

During the summer and fall, fresh produce is supplied by local farmers. A grant from the United Way helps to purchase personal hygiene items and cleaning supplies. A recent supply of cookie mixes will go to the nearby elementary school, which is still in session. Occasional requests are sent to the area churches when specific items are low, and they are always ready to receive empty egg cartons! And of course monetary donations are always needed and appreciated.

Anyone on any kind of government assistance is eligible to visit the food pantry, and distribution is decided by family size and income. A first-time visitor is never turned away, regardless of where they live or their financial situation. Seekers come from several villages around the area. The pantry staff is not allowed to ask for proof of anything.

During this pandemic, donations have diminished some—mostly out of fear of spreading COVID germs around. What is most surprising to Rebecca Dowling, who manages the pantry, is that, rather than larger numbers of families seeking help, it has been the single elderly residents of the area who have needed the assistance. Government food allotments generally have continued to those already on some kind of federal assistance, while single older adults have had trouble making ends meet and probably have had difficulty getting where they need to go for food and other supplies.

Cape Vincent is a small but mighty village with a large and giving heart. In 2020 the Cape Vincent Community Food Pantry supplied over 11,000 meals to those in need—quite an accomplishment for that little red house. May God continue to bless all who give and all who receive with abundant life and love.

Episcopal Church Women2021-03-25T15:44:32+00:00March 25th, 2021|

Heaven’s a bit closer in Big Bear

Province VIII

by Deacon Jane Jones

Big Bear Deacon Jane Jones St. Columba’s Episcopal Church in Big Bear City, California, looks unassuming right now. It is quietly nestled into the mountainside, just off the road on the far side of Big Bear Lake. The parking lot behind and uphill from the church often sees critters skitter across…but, at an altitude of 6,500 feet, Heaven is just a bit closer than to the metropolis down the mountain.

The few major roads serve the seasonal visitors who come to ski, hike, bike, boat, and fish—hence the many rental opportunities, eateries, and shops. There is a seasonal ebb and flow to this idyllic place. But that ebb can also apply to the job market, and that can create hard times for some citizens.

Locals abide in surrounding areas, hobbits that are mostly quiet and woodsy. There are few traffic signals, and a single bridge dissects the lake. But at its core, Big Bear has a typical “small town heart” centered on its children, schools, churches, and neighbors. “Good neighbors and great heart” is the perfect formula for knowing the needs of fellow residents—especially concerning food, and especially at Thanksgiving and Christmas!

A Christian conscience cannot help but “share our bread with the hungry,” so years ago the local Society of Mary formed the Bear Valley Holiday Giving Collaborative, which was soon joined by other local churches, businesses, and organizations to create a single, incredibly efficient holiday service network.

St. Columba’s, now in the final stages of a major building program as well as COVID-19 restrictions that severely limited worship and attendance this past year, held nothing back in program participation. Linda Gilliam coordinated operations from the shell of a church office. Meanwhile, local businessman Jaymes Nordine did major shopping and legwork. Many others gladly assisted as needed.

This is how the local program works

Early autumn: Start thinking about what needs to be done.
The Collaborative sends notices of the coming holiday food program to the community via flyers, newspapers, shopping news, online, radio, fraternal organizations, and churches.
Sign-up begins in early November at the Elks Lodge. Potential “clients” for Thanksgiving and/or Christmas must show proof of residency (a license or housing receipt). When accepted they are assigned a specific pickup locale (such as St. Columba’s), which allows each locale to know exactly who and how much to collect for and hand out. It is a more personal and orderly atmosphere than nameless walk-ins and prevents duplications. (Note: Homeless are eligible for other local assistance.)

Big Bear Prov 7 Last year (2020) 190 family units were served in Big Bear Valley, 40 of them at St. Columba’s.

Collection: During the sign-up period, the collection of foodstuffs, gift certificates, and gifts begins at the church. Boxes, cans, and other things are neatly stacked wherever there is a place in all the construction.

The local Electric Company donated gift cards for meat, the Collaborative gave money to put in the food boxes, the Rotary gave gifts, and other locals contributed where needed. With all that was going on in the world, this was a warm, busy, heartwarming project to have. Special needs were handled in the community: The Jah Healing Church took care of its own, the American Legion cared for veterans, the Soroptimists took care of single mothers and children, and St. Joseph’s Catholic, the Lions Club, and Lutheran Social Services pitched in according to need. There was a determination that no one be overlooked.

It is a busy, happy time—church members coming and going, packing boxes, counting out supplies, wrapping gifts, laughing. Doing God’s work together. One of the rewards of participating is the recipients. They arrive with shy greetings and hesitant observations.

After checking in, each receives a food box: vegetables, gravy, yams, candy, potatoes, stuffing, various canned vegetables, pies, bread and rolls, butter…and a turkey. This food for some is more than a luxury.

Christmas sees the same people, now familiar, receive a bag of food and gifts. It is a cheery place with decorations and music. Maybe some will even return one day to worship with us.

St. Columba’s is part of a finely tuned community—business, church, neighbor—doing what needs to be done, year after year. St. Columba’s exemplifies the kind of giving that altitude, construction, pandemic, and blizzard will never impede…when you see a mother cry after receiving food for her family…or a small child’s delight at receiving a gift.

Episcopal Church Women2021-03-25T15:31:42+00:00March 25th, 2021|

Order of the Daughters for the King

By Krisita A. Jackson

The Order of the Daughters of the King® began the year 2020 jubilantly planning for the celebration of our 135^th anniversary. Our Order was founded on Easter Eve in 1885 at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher (now Church of the Resurrection) in New York City. Margaret Franklin gathered a group of women to “arouse their interest and urge their cooperation as a class of definite workers for Christ and His church”.

By March of 2020, our plans were confirmed for a Eucharistic and a celebratory reception on April 4^th. They ended abruptly as the pandemic unfolded. Reluctantly we all agreed it would not be safe or even possible to travel to New York City at that time.

Daughters were not undaunted and set about celebrating somehow. A committee came together to plan and present a virtual celebration. Nearly two hundred Daughters joined came together in community to remember our history, commemorate our founders, and celebrate 135 years of prayer, service, and evangelism.

Thus, began Conversations With Daughters. Our vision was to continue to gather as a virtual community to remain connected and be in community even during the pandemic. We have shared many stories and prayed together.

On May 2, 2020 we renewed our longstanding relationship of ministering with the Brotherhood of St. Andrew. We gathered to pray and prepare for the National Day of Prayer which was celebrated on May 7^th.

Our conversations continued as the pandemic grew. Led by our International Committee we met virtually with members of The Order throughout the world. This Conversation informed us of the hardships Daughters in International countries were suffering. Daughters in Cuba, Haiti, Spain, Germany, Israel, Honduras, Mexico, and other countries shared how they were coping during the pandemic. We learned they were more fearful of starvation than dying of disease.

Following this call the Executive Board agreed that grants from our Self Denial Fund could be extended to assist in providing food and other immediate needs to allow the Daughters to continue to serve their communities. Grants totaling over $10,000 have been made to Panama, Honduras, Malawi, Uganda, Mexico, Columbia, Dominican Republic, and Spain. The Daughters in the Diocese of Central Florida additionally, at the request of our National Chaplain, Bishop Gregory Brewer, contributed $5,000 to the Daughters in the Diocese of Cuba. They have used the funds to plant crops and buy livestock to provide eggs and milk for the children. Daughters in Province III gathered contributions for the Diocese of Honduras.

We were all delighted to see and hear from our Junior Daughters on our 4^th Conversation With Daughters. We learned of a variety of service projects undertaken by Junior Daughters. They are sending cards, participating in drive by hellos, and doing sidewalk drawings, The Junior Daughters of St. Barnabas in Deland, Florida, serenaded us with a song arranged by their church’s music minister.

Spirituality and the Practices that open us to transformation were the focus of our next Conversation. We learned of a variety of methods of prayer, including Centering Prayer.

As May ended with the death of George Floyd, the committee’s focus turned to tackle the sin of racism. President Jackson published a Statement of Racism anchored by the words by our National Chaplain.

“It is urgent for Christian leaders to speak into this racially charged moment of our nation’s history. Silence in this matter can be interpreted as complicity with a demonically empowered status quo that prefers one kind of human over another. Please do not opt out. Call us all not only to repentance and faith, but also service. Challenge us to ask the Holy Spirit to empower us for mission. May God help our churches become beacons of healing, serving our deeply divided communities in the Name of Jesus Christ”

The next four Conversations With Daughters focused on this topic. Our goal was to first define and educate Daughters about systemic racism as it exists in America. We explored the realities of life faced by parents of children of color and parents of white children and how they differently educate their children to successfully function in society. Our Conversations continued with a discussion of the Beloved Community and, in breakout rooms, we shared our stories. In a future call, we will come together to discuss our growth and experiences in facing and efforts to dismantle racism in our lives.

Our Tenth Conversation With Daughters introduced our Nehemiah Prayer Vigil, Past President Sharon Lundgren shared her vision that we could encircle in PRAYER our families, churches, cities and our nation from Sept 1 – Oct 22, a total of 52 days, so that the Holy Spirit can come into our country and bring about Peace and Healing. This is much like Nehemiah did in 52 days to bring Peace and Healing to the Jews in Jerusalem 450 years before Christ. We will come together in October to share our stories about how we have seen the Lord work as we prayed.

In 2018 at its Triennial Convention, we were introduced to our 2018-2024 Strategic Plan. The Plan was the culmination of nearly six years of focus groups, surveys, and committee work to develop six goals. The overall goal of the plan was to provide a unified vision of our Order and identify a path for sustainability. Our Conversations With Daughters- Part 11- 14 will focus on the spiritual aspects of our Strategic Plan using our Companion Booklet. There are Scripture and reflection questions, as well as action acts for each goal.

The Order has continued to thrive in many ways during the pandemic. We, of course, have met virtually. Daughters in chapters have trained and admitted members via Zoom and in social distanced settings. Regular chapter meetings have become virtual. Provinces have reluctantly cancelled in person annual retreats and assemblies and innovatively replaced them with virtual meetings. Our Executive Board and National Council meet regularly.

Daughters are finding new ways to serve. Our members are serving in food pantries, participating as clergy, choir, lectors, altar guild for online services, sending cards, driving the elderly to doctors, assisting with errands, and working in soup kitchens, and telephoning church members to keep in touch.

Daughters thrive in community. It is a part of who we are – to be physically together in worship, prayer, and fellowship. We have evolved in this time of need and continue to sow the work of The Order of the Daughters of the King®. Everyday we aspire to live the vision of our founders: prayer, service, and evangelism.

Episcopal Church Women2020-11-20T18:29:38+00:00November 20th, 2020|

A time to remember: Navajoland 60 years ago

Navajo Children By Esther H. Moon

Navajoland! I was going to vacation on an Indian Reservation! At 21, I was going to visit my friend Ruth who just landed a job as a housemother for Good Shepherd Mission at Fort Defiance, Ariz. I took my first train ride to Gallup, N.M. The ticket was less than $40 round trip. It took me two days just to go one way. I arrived at Gallup at 7:15 a.m. on Sunday, August 15, 1959. From Gallup, it was a 32-mile drive to Fort Defiance.

When I arrived at the mission, I was blown away by the budding structures of the Episcopal church and their service to the Navajo children. Also visiting and learning about the work of the church amongst the Navajos were about a half a dozen college students from all around our nation. They were Episcopal Young Women on a summer church experience. They were not far off in age from becoming Episcopal Church Women. They assisted the Navajo children who were students at the mission. The primary goal of the mission in regard to the children was education, along with feeding them decent meals and assimilating the youngsters into western ways and thinking. I remember eating lunch; the cook fixed chopped bologna and pickle relish sandwiches. The children were overjoyed with the lunch.

The chapel service at the Good Shepherd Mission was at 10 a.m. This was my first experience of a dual-language Episcopal service. English and Navajo were spoken in the service of Morning Prayer from the 1928 Prayer Book. Twenty years later the Book of Common Prayer was revised to have more inclusive language. Canticles were intoned in an almost chantlike song. The sermon was spoken twice, once in English and then in Navajo.

The next day my eyes were opened to a new environment and culture. In 1959, 85,000 Navajos were governed by a tribal council. There were 76 districts of Navajo on the reservation, and each district had a representative. The council meetings were in English and translated into Navajo. The Episcopal Church was involved by sitting in on the tribal council. The Navajo Council Center was located at Window Rock, Ariz. The Director of Indian Affairs was not sympathetic to the needs and plights of the Navajos. At that time, I did not know of any other religious organization being around and as supportive as the Episcopal Church. To better understand the life on the reservation, I was driven about 10 miles to an outlying area. There, out in the middle of a hot and sandy land, were numerous Hogans–the homes of the Navajo. They were gathered into groups or neighborhoods. We took for granted all the comforts of home, like running water, electricity and central heat, which the Navajo did not have. They were a poor but proud group of people.

During the time I was there, they were celebrating an Indian ceremonial at the fairgrounds in Gallup. There were numerous exhibits of Indian arts and crafts. To my delight, there was a parade through town with Indians dressed in their native garb, dancing down the street. I was most fascinated with their sand paintings on the ground, how each color and grain of sand was made into a unique drawing. The jewelry was handcrafted and intricate in design. The artistry and skills are passed down from one generation to the next. At the fairgrounds, even in 1959, there was a lecture presented about the Navajos and the strides they were making in their education.

Now 60 years later, the Episcopal Church is still an important part of life in Navajoland. Let us pray that Covid-19 is eradicated soon. We, as women of the Church, know that our prayerful and monetary support makes a difference. Let us give the Navajo more washing stations, update their medical care, and improve their standard of living. And above all, let us remind them that God is the Great Physician.

As the Episcopal Church Women grows in Fort Defiance at the Good Shepherd Mission, let us be the plow which pushes the workers forward in caring for families of Navajoland.

Dear Father in heaven, You are the Great Healer of all mankind. Please touch the little ones and the big ones, too. They struggle to rise above the ills which have come like a mighty sword to their land. Put Your strong arm in the way of any further ills. Speak to those who have the ability to shore up their fight against any and all disease. Let them see Your light as the beacon of hope and wellness. We pray, O Lord, in Thy precious and holy name. May You be the glory over their entire nation. Amen

Esther H. Moon – Retired, Communication chairperson of the Episcopal Church Women,
Diocese of Los Angeles, CA- Province VIII

Contact: Good Shepherd Mission

1 Kit Carson Dr., Fort Defiance, AZ, 86504

www.ecofnavajoland.org

Episcopal Church Women2020-11-20T18:29:10+00:00November 20th, 2020|

Parliamentary Procedure Per Pandemics

The national emergency brought on by the pandemic that has swept our planet has required thinking well beyond the proverbial box in almost every institution and process. Certainly, the ramifications of social distancing, the now-clear evidence for the need to wear masks and the like, have wreaked havoc on our ability to meet together in groups and has required parliamentarians to reassess new ways of processing the dynamics of group interaction—oft now referred to as “virtual meetings.” Questions arise as to whether bylaws or other rules (namely “Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised,” abbreviated RONR) allow for these meetings, what the rules to follow might be, what to do if annual meetings (or biennial or triennial for that matter) must be postponed or cancelled and more.

It is this parliamentarian’s view that the paramount concern for any society is the safety of its members. Certainly, there can be nothing more important than that. Secondarily is the survival of the Society itself so that whether the bylaws state that electronic (or virtual meetings) are allowed is moot. In the face of this emergency, a society must do what it needs to do to progress, to fulfill its obligation to its members and to the community at large, and to strengthen its foundation to meet future challenges.

The most current edition (12^th) of RONR has just now hit the bookshelves (i.e., Sept. 1). RONR is the parliamentary authority for all branches of the Episcopal Church as well as most other societies, and this newest edition automatically supersedes all previous versions without any further action by the society that had already adopted it. An entire section (in the Appendix) has been added to this edition on sample rules for electronic meetings. If your group finds the need to use such, I highly recommend your purchasing a copy (available on Amazon for approximately $20). This 600-plus page manual is a must for serious students of parliamentary procedure and for all others who suffer from insomnia. RONR states that meeting by electronic means of any sort must be authorized by the bylaws if any business is to be conducted. An example for such an authorizing bylaws section is included in the text (Section 56). Whether the group is holding a simple teleconference meeting without any Internet support or a full-featured Internet-supported meeting—or any combination thereof—it is important to develop special rules of order for their conduct. The following are just some examples of the kinds of provisions that may be necessary, depending on the needs of the group:

Information on how to log into the meeting; the date/time, perhaps, and the specific time zone.
The process for signing in and out of the meeting.
How the quorum is to be established and maintained.
Whether the chair may, on their own initiative, cause a member to be disconnected if their connection is causing “undue” interference or if the member is causing a disruption (subject to appeal).
How the floor is to be assigned when members seek recognition to debate, make motions, ask questions and the like. Note that RONR suggests that after a member is recognized and has finished speaking the chair calls on the next person to seek recognition. This instead of establishing a queue for members upon initially seeking recognition. It is this parliamentarian’s belief that a fairer way is to have such a queue and with a little support from staff or another member perhaps this can easily be accomplished.
Means by which a member may make an interrupting motion such as a Point of Order or a Question of Privilege must be noted.
The process of how voting is to be accomplished using the show of hands feature of whichever Internet meeting service the group has selected or roll call by the secretary if necessary. It is highly recommended, however, that the chair in most instances try to have most questions decided using unanimous consent (i.e. “if there is no objection”). A huge amount of time can be saved by doing so, but this would entail members not objecting to an action simply for the sake of objecting—especially when it is clear from debate what the outcome is going to be.

These are just a sample of the kinds of rules which need to be considered in order for an electronic meeting to be successful and efficient. It is strongly suggested that members who have experience using the various on-line formats or professionals be consulted so that all can be in place prior to the beginning of the process for holding such a meeting. Once the meeting has been called to order, special rules (such as those noted in outline format above) should be adopted early on.

As noted in the second paragraph, should the bylaws of a society not state that business meetings of its board or members be allowed to meet electronically, in light of the current national emergency either the board or the membership may need to meet virtually (i.e., by teleconference, online, etc.) in order to consider and adopt a bylaws amendment that would allow for such (as noted above). It should also be noted that if a society is unable to meet to elect new officers that unless there is a process in place in the bylaws to do otherwise—elected officers remain in place and continue to function and serve until circumstances allow for a proper meeting can be held to do so. It is also this parliamentarian’s view that this does not hold true for election of government officials at any level. In the event that a business meeting that has been previously called or one that is required by the bylaws (such as an annual meeting or convention) has had to be canceled for any reason, a future meeting may be set by use of the privileged motion to “fix the time to adjourn” (see RONR Sec. 22 for how to use this motion).

No matter what decisions a society makes during the uncertain and certainly unusual days ahead, it is my belief that it is on firm ground if it follows the concepts of courtesy toward all members, logic and common sense, equality and fairness, majority rule while protecting the inherent rights of the minority of its membership and again the overriding factor of the safety for all of its members.

Your national president has allowed that if your particular group has specific questions that need addressing or if we can be of any assistance to you, feel free to send an email to the address below. We will be happy to help as possible. Finally, I would remind readers of the words of the great and oft-quoted Greek philosopher, Anonymous, who reasoned that “there is no dishonor in the wearing of masks to protect one’s brothers.”

Dennis Clark, PRP
dclarkrp@gmail.com

Episcopal Church Women2020-11-20T18:28:45+00:00November 20th, 2020|

You, Too, Can Make Disciples!

By Lisa Bortner

“So you must go and make disciples of all nations.” Matthew 28:19. We, in the Episcopal Church, often feel that we lack the skills to evangelize, but clearly this is what the Lord commands us to do. How can we respond to this marching order gracefully and with a servant’s heart? Clearly, we can identify in the first-century church, as recorded in the New Testament, that the early church was a multigenerational one. Paul instructs young and older women, young and older men. He takes young Timothy under his wing and sends him out to make new disciples. It is our call to continue making disciples, and the first place we can start is in our own homes. Consider what Dee Ann Thomasson has done in her household: She has fostered the love of God, not only to her daughters, but to her much-loved grandchildren. Here’s her story.

Helen Dee Ann Lundgren was born weighing four pounds in 1942 in Brady, Texas. For two months she lived in a wooden apple box in the sterilization room at the local hospital. The Lord must have blessed her from birth because she has surely prospered since. She grew up in the Methodist Church and met her husband, Mike, at a small Methodist college in Abilene, Texas. They joined the Episcopal Church in 1966 in Temple, Texas, where they were both teaching at Temple Junior College. They moved to Austin when Mike decided to attend seminary. This helped change and clarify their focus with work in the church. Although Mike chose to leave seminary, they remained in Austin and soon joined St. Mark’s, where they raised their two daughters, Sarah and Anne, in the church. Dee Ann was drawn to the liturgy of the church and the people who joined together to do God’s work. Both daughters now have children of their own who also attend St. Mark’s. Dee Ann relates that she wanted her daughters to grow up in a home where the church was the center of family life, where they could learn to treat others as they would like to be treated. She also wanted them to know and believe God was always present and they need not be afraid or anxious of anything. This is also her hope for her five grandchildren that range in age from 5 to 13. It is very important for Dee Ann that her grandchildren remain active in the church. On any given Sunday you can easily see which child spent the night with Grandma because they are at her side in the pew.

In addition to bringing her grandchildren to church, Dee Ann modeled service at St. Mark’s to her daughters. She served as parish administrator for many years before deciding to provide childcare in her home, first with the local school principal’s baby girl, followed by two of her grandchildren and then the school principal’s baby boy. She loved and cared for all of these little ones until they became school-age. When asked what she is passionate about, she includes cooking, gardening, required walking for health reasons and spending time with her grandchildren.

Dee Ann first took on the role as the ECW President of St. Mark’s in 1983. Since that time the organization has grown and changed, but Dee Ann always remained a faithful member. Eventually the name of the organization changed to the Women of St. Mark’s. Dee Ann has continued to play significant roles in the ministry, serving as president seven times as well as serving at various times as secretary and treasurer. She states that with the organization representing every woman in every pew, it just seemed like the activity she should be involved in at the church. Many years ago, she started the tradition of handing down her ECW butterfly pin from one ECW president to the next. In 2012 Dee Ann was chosen as St. Mark’s Honored Woman for her dedication and service to the church.

Father Zac Koons characterizes Dee Ann as a vigilant servant leader in the St. Mark’s community. Father Zac comments, “Anywhere she is, she quietly identifies what needs doing, and she gets on doing it without drawing attention to herself. Before you know it, the hedge has been pruned, the flowers are in full bloom, the kettle is boiling, and beautiful fellowship is bubbling at St. Mark’s, and not many people know it, but it was Dee Ann who made that all possible. She is like a priest in that way–she facilitates the interaction between God and God’s people through humble service.”

If you look up the word “service,” you may find Dee Ann’s name there. She has filled her life with ways to serve. She has served on the vestry of St. Mark’s once and served on two search committees. She also served on the clown ministry, was a member of the Back Door Players (a church theater group), has been a member of the altar guild for many years, was chair of the St. Mark’s community-wide chicken barbeque for several years and also assisted with organizing fall bazaars and Maggie’s Café, which raised funds for the ECW. In addition, she is a member of St. Mark’s shower ministry, which provides hot showers to homeless women once a week at the Trinity Center in Austin. She has also taught Vacation Bible School and included art projects and kitchen activities in the curriculum. Of course, both of her girls attended Vacation Bible School and later, her grandchildren attended. She also volunteers in the church office, is a member of the garden guild, and is one of the “Marthas” who set up and provide refreshments for events.

We give thanks to the Lord for all the other mothers who nurture multigenerational God-loving children and grandchildren. During this time of sheltering at home, how can we continue to instill hope and love of Jesus Christ into our sons and daughters and grandchildren? It is our duty to continue to make disciples. Let us start with our own households. Invite your children and grandchildren to online worship. Buy the little ones their first Bible and then read it to them. Zoom or FaceTime with your family weekly as you spread the love of our Savior. Set an example in being a good neighbor. Your small acts will not go unnoticed. You, too, can make disciples!

Episcopal Church Women2020-11-20T18:28:20+00:00November 20th, 2020|

Brotherhood of St. Andrew Enters Uncharted Territory

Prior to 2015 the men’s ministry program through the Brotherhood of St. Andrew was the best kept secret in the church. The Great Recession, doctrinal disagreements, the social media explosion and an aging membership population provided an impetus for a do-or-die scenario. Change is difficult enough in the business world. In the nonprofit it is worse because most dedicated souls are volunteers. The men’s ministry program has been around since 1883. We represented the laity in the early years with our evangelism centered around prayer and Bible study. We were passing out Bibles in hotel rooms way before the Gideons even thought of it. We were responsible for today’s Lay Reader program. Moreover, we even put the resolution for the Daughters of the King establishment before the General Convention in 1886.

We were also responsible for missionaries in the 1890s that accelerated our growth into the Philippines, China, Japan and South Africa. From 1890 to 1900 chapters had been chartered in Canada, Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand, Panama, Scotland and Alaska. In the Nov. 30, 1900, annual report, the National Council announced that the Brotherhood had reached the 1,000 chapter milestone with 17,000 men in the ranks. We were incorporated by an act of the U.S. Congress, signed by (Brother) President Theodore Roosevelt, on May 30, 1908.

We were quite active in World War I, serving military bases and posts on the East Coast. We also welcomed the men home, taking care of them as they transitioned back into everyday life. We repeated these actions in some respects during WWII. After the war, the Men’s Ministry was responsible for creating the Kiyosato Educational Experiment Project (KEEP) in Japan; Faith Alive; Prayer, Evangelism, Worship and Service (PEWS) Action/Reconcilers for Christ; and the Forward Movement. In the period 1980 to 2010, men were active in extending their discipleship into the African continent.

A flurry of tornadoes, explosions, hurricanes and tsunamis meant ministry funds had to be diverted to emergency operations in the U.S. and Japan. But a larger concern became self-evident: The Brotherhood membership was getting older and, like the membership in the Episcopal Church, smaller. A long period of discernment was begun. The National Body organization was a clumsy top-down organization using 1950-’60s governing constitution for guidance. Several ideas were bantered back and forth but nothing seemed to be sticking.

Finally, Vice President for Field Operations Jeff Butcher convinced the Executive Board to undertake creating a statistical Benchmark Data matrix to see where we stood at that point in time. It was concluded: How can you develop a future plan if you don’t know from whence you are starting? This information was most revealing. It also paved the way for the first ever public opinion poll from the membership on how they felt about their men’s ministry program. Over 500 men responded to a Survey Monkey 24-question survey.

We discovered several distinct areas for improvement. Our programs should be useful at the local level and we need to focus on recruiting younger people. Our ministry thrives by seeking out bishop endorsement and realizing that one vote for every chapter allows for better budgeting and forward planning.

These findings were really taken to heart. Change was evident. We were like a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier that travels six miles in the Pacific Ocean before it can come to a complete stop. This was not going to happen overnight either.

Nowhere in the survey or in the responses was there a concern over International Chapter Building. Neither was there any reference to the orphanage in Uganda. This was a continuing problem throughout Br. Dennis’s term in office as the 28th national president. In the end, the cost/benefit ratio between staff and the orphans served had been tipped to an unacceptable level compared to industry standards. The senior leadership determined we needed to find a new partner who had local boots on the ground. The Chain Foundation, Texas, came forward and offered to let us merge with them, thus relieving the BStA of the financial burden that had become too much to bear. It was closed in 2015.

Dennis and Butcher together concluded that the benchmarking and Survey Monkey would serve as a guide for the Brotherhood’s 2015 Triennial Convention in Philadelphia. This National Council Meeting was built around a Ministry Fair concept. It comprised outside vendors, organizations (except Boy Scouts) and alliances nurtured during the last three years. It gave attendees a taste of what was relevant today in men’s ministry.

Based on the Survey Monkey findings, internal changes had to be made first. Vice presidents should have a presidential appointment over an election. Financial control and stability were next. The constitutional change for Phase I was passed. The incoming president could now appoint men for specific missions based on need in the local parish. The Foundation Trustee relationship was bylaw driven. That would take one more year to modify.

New leaders plus veterans comprised the Senior Leadership Team. Several key vice president position appointments took hold immediately. The elected leaders were Jeffrey K. Butcher, president; Jack Hanstein, senior VP for administration; Dr. Richard “Hoop” Hooper, National Council chairman; Robert Dennis, treasurer; and Charles Craven, secretary.

We began 2020 in the black financially with nearly 5,400 members in 462 chapters nationwide. Numerous plans were underway for further growth in 32 dioceses where there was not a men’s ministry currently.

One primary strategic plan element was the expansion for social media growth using Facebook, Zoom meeting formats, webinars, podcasts, Twitter and Instagram. All of these activities were in various stages of solidifying and implementing on March 1, 2020.

Province VII and Province III were holding monthly Zoom meetings with senior leadership team members in their respective areas of responsibility. Province II was hosting quarterly free conference calling sessions for their leaders. The goal was to have every province conducting such gatherings before year’s end, 2021.

By April 1 it became evident that the quarantines were going to be around for quite some time into the summer. The early adopters of new ideas and meeting formats immediately went about setting up weekly Zoom meetings, which the parish, chapter or an individual offered to cover the costs.

The 25-member Executive Board, who had been holding Zoom meetings monthly, took an inventory to discover the board had six subscriptions for hosts. An ad hoc committee was formed to develop immediate plans to assist parishes who were wanting to maintain communications. Suddenly the national president, senior VP for administration and executive director could all be present at a local chapter virtually –another significant milestone for the men’s ministry history.

Meanwhile, the national president sent out a constant contact email to all chapter officers. “Brothers and Sisters: This is a most challenging period we are all facing together. We must realize in our community we are never alone. One way for us to reinforce this fact is to create a Brotherhood Phone Tree for your chapter. Moreover, you might even include non-BStA members, too. Can you imagine the sense of unity this might create in the men’s ministry community at your parish?”

In this same message, a midweek prayer time on Wednesdays at 11:45 a.m. was put forward for the Brothers Andrew network. Men were asked to pause individually to offer silent prayers and intercessions for clergy, health care providers, first responders, sick and quarantined, and the grieving. Concurrently, a separate national line was added. Moreover, members were encouraged to email info@brothersandrew.net as another way to provide information on those who have been infected and/or who have died due to this terrible invisible enemy.

Community service work continued throughout this period with appropriate physical distancing and masks. Five parishes in the Phoenix area partnered with the U.S. Vets on a rotational basis every Friday to feed 100 vets. Other locations are in Arizona (one); California (four); Houston and Hawaii (two each); Las Vegas; Washington, D.C., and Guam.

Atlanta Brotherhood members at St. Peter and St. Paul have three different feeding programs for homeless, families and addicts in recovery. These include “Must Ministries,” “Extension,” and “Hope for the Hungry,” according to Tom Martin, team member.

Rocklin, Calif. continues doing online fundraising for feeding ministries. Dick Griffith, Villages, Fla., commented that St. George Parish had to stop serving food in their parish hall due to the COVID-19 virus. However, they continued to keep the kitchen open and packaged the dinners to go. A week later the supply of food dried up. Dick reported, “We had to temporarily close the ministry. In early May, our regular food sources and some new sources started providing food. It is harvest time and they had no market. They have provided tons of fresh produce.”

Every Saturday morning, we make up family boxes of food and hand them out as the needy drive through our parking lot. The number of families has been increasing each week. Last Saturday (May 30, 2020) they provided food to over 340 families.

Visiting prisons this time around has been nonexistent, according to the Dr. Ed Davis, national VP for Restorative Justice [Prison Ministry] in Texas.

The men’s ministry community is supporting local efforts to find those who need help all over the country despite some of the complications they have been facing. These simple acts of kindness are typical in each of the seven primary missions the Brotherhood is using today to all those who need a helping hand of hope, love and nurturing in every way possible.

by Jeffrey K. Butcher—National President, and Thomas A. Welch, executive director

Episcopal Church Women2020-11-20T18:27:40+00:00November 20th, 2020|

Latinas Episcopales Laicas Sirviendo A Sus Comunidades Como Organizadoras Comunitarias

¡Juntas en nuestra diversidad hacemos la diferencia!

By The Rev. Ema Rosero-Nordalm

La historia de Eva María Torres Herrera

Nací en la ciudad de México. Soy la segunda de tres hijos. Estoy casada. Tengo un solo hijo y soy abuela. Soy Licenciada en Administración de Empresas. Durante cinco años trabajé en mi profesión. Cuando nació mi hijo empecé a trabajar como maestra. Descubrí que educar es mi vocación y una de mis pasiones. Trabajé como maestra en la escuela secundaria, en la preparatoria y en la universidad. Tuve la oportunidad de trabajar en uno de los colegios más vanguardistas de mi país en cuanto a la educación. El Centro Universitario Doctor Emilio Cárdenas, me abrió un abanico de conocimientos, herramientas y posibilidades.

En el año 2005, mi esposo Octavio fue contratado por una firma de arquitectos del norte de Virginia. En julio de 2006 emigré a los Estados Unidos con mi hijo de doce años y dos maletas. En una iban mis libros y en la otra alguna ropa. Iba emocionada recordando que igual que yo, mi abuela paterna con sus tres hijos había emigrado a los Estados Unidos en 1913. Llegué a este país como dice la canción: “Con una maleta llena de sueños” y con las palabras de mi madre que me han acompañado siempre: “No olvides tus raíces ni tu origen”. En 2008 perdimos nuestro estatus migratorio tomando la decisión más fuerte de nuestras vidas y asumiendo lo que eso implicaba. Ahora puedo ver después de 12 años que Dios siempre tiene un plan para nosotros, que ese plan siempre es perfecto y que a través de ese plan Él nos va mostrando el camino que nos tiene destinado.

En el 2010 mi hijo vio esfumadas sus esperanzas del Dream Act que le permitiría estudiar en la universidad. El dolor, la incertidumbre de mi hijo me hizo empezar a involucrarme y a seguir a los “Dreamers”. Siempre he pensado que la educación nos abre las puertas en todos los niveles y nos permite mejores oportunidades económicas. Manteniendo la esperanza y la fe como toda madre lo hace, y transmitiendo esa confianza a nuestro hijo para lograr su sueño, él consiguió realizarlo. Actualmente es arquitecto egresado de la universidad Católica de América.

En 2013 empecé a participar a nivel nacional con el grupo de madres llamado DREAMers’MOMS. Formé el grupo de Virginia, Maryland y DC donde conocí a un grupo de mujeres y madres que admiro y respeto. Me identificaba con cada una de sus historias; con el dolor y el miedo que sentían de ser deportadas y separadas de sus familias. Al mismo tiempo me animaba su fuerza espiritual de luchar por una Reforma Migratoria acompañada de gran fe y confianza en Dios. Hoy cada uno de sus hijos e hijas pudieron estudiar y actualmente son egresados con carreras universitarias, maestrías y algunos iniciando el doctorado.

El mismo año conocí al Padre Daniel Vélez-Rivera de la Iglesia Episcopal San Gabriel en Leesburg, Virginia. Lo conocí en una Vigilia que se organizó afuera de las oficinas de uno de los Representantes del congreso, pidiéndole que apoyara la Reforma Migratoria. El Padre Daniel ha sido una de las personas más importantes en la historia de DREAMers’MOMS en Virginia y en mi historia personal. Su invitación a ofrecer talleres informativos a sus comunidades es como me acerqué nuevamente a mi fe y sobre todo a la Iglesia con la confianza de que era bienvenida.

Cuando no se tienen documentos, la persona no siente esa seguridad de pertenencia. Siempre hay un miedo inconsciente y una inseguridad y más, cuando “no has salido de las sombras” como decimos cuando se vive sin documentos, no se habla de la situación migratoria. Aunque sepas que tienes derechos siempre hay temor y más en estos momentos de odio, exclusión y racismo.

En 2015 ya participando activamente en la Iglesia San Gabriel, el Padre Daniel se enteró de que era maestra y que mi amiga inseparable Araceli Martínez también nos comentaba que en Leesburg había un número importante de latinos que no sabían leer ni escribir en español. Es en ese momento cuando esa maleta cargada de sueños que viajaron conmigo empezó a darle forma a “Educando con Amor”. Todo lo que había aprendido y las herramientas que había adquirido en México y con DREAMers’MOMS se podían utilizar para darle a nuestra comunidad las herramientas necesarias para desarrollar su liderazgo y las destrezas necesarias para desempeñarse en esta sociedad.

Se organizaron diferentes programas para el ministerio latino de la iglesia y para la comunidad latina del Condado de Loudoun. En este momento estamos en Denver Colorado y en Utah donde están participando mamás y niños. Nos guía el mensaje de la comunidad Episcopal: “Todos son bienvenidos”.

Las clases que ofrecemos para niños y niñas son clases donde enseñamos a leer y escribir en español y también destrezas de vida. Complementamos su educación abriendo el abanico de posibilidades a través de clases de Inteligencia Emocional, Gimnasia Cerebral, Ciencias Matemáticas, Arte y Liderazgo entre otros. De esta manera, les brindamos oportunidades que muchas veces no tienen debido a diversas situaciones. Y a los padres les ofrecemos clases de Inglés, clases de Computación. Durante estos meses de pandemia hemos iniciado talleres virtuales ofrecidos por una de nuestras maestras de ciencias: Cómo cuidarse durante esta Pandemia, Clases de Nutrición, Charlas comunitarias de regreso a clase y la Escuela para Padres.

Agradezco a cada una de las maestras voluntarias que se han unido a “Educando con Amor”. Aunque no todas asisten a nuestra congregación, ellas se sienten identificadas con el trabajo comunitario que ofrecemos. Durante esta pandemia ellas han sugerido muchas maneras de mantener el contacto con los niños y las familias de manera virtual. Estas familias también están recibiendo una despensa semanal proveniente del ministerio de Comida y Justicia Social de San Gabriel. A cada familia le llevamos esperanza y compartimos el pan.

Yo creo que un pueblo que adora ora, aprende, comparte el pan, comparte la vida, atiende a sus prójimos, es portador de buenas nuevas, busca justicia y descansa y crece en el espíritu dondequiera y de cualquier manera que se reúna. Que el Espíritu nos reúna para unirnos en la oración comunitaria y nos envíe a una misión común para el Pueblo de Dios.

La historia de Isamar Ortega

Llegar a USA desde Honduras hace 5 años, tal vez ha sido el reto más grande de mi vida. Yo me había prometido que, si me dejaban entrar para sentirme a salvo y con mi hija menor, sería una mujer independiente que ayudaría a la comunidad con todos mis valores morales, espirituales y las habilidades y destrezas que traía conmigo.

El día que fui puesta en libertad me dije: bueno aquí estoy y dispuesta a comenzar de cero. Llevaré a mi hija a la escuela, buscaré un trabajo, una iglesia, y voy a insertarme a este nuevo mundo con lo mejor de mí.

Uno de mis primeros fracasos fue cuando me dijeron que no podía manejar sin una licencia hasta que mi situación fuera diferente. Pasé más de un año a veces deprimida, ya que no podía hacer nada de lo que había imaginado. No tener una licencia de conducir me hacía dependiente de otras personas, me sentía inútil, me sentía que me habían cortado los pies, las alas. Con el paso del tiempo pude obtener una licencia de conducir y eso fue como si me hubieran devuelto mis alas, mis piernas para caminar.

Desde ese momento mi vida cambió. Comencé a realizar cada cosa que me propuse: encontré un trabajo, busqué una iglesia donde serví como catequista 2 años. Pero seguí buscando porque no todavía no me sentía realizada. Observaba todo y escuchaba a muchas personas decir: “Para que tú puedas adaptarte a este país tendrás que pasar 10 años viviendo aquí”. Me asustaba al escuchar eso y me decía: ¿por qué debo esperar 10 años, por qué no comenzar ahora?

En mi búsqueda pude ver un anuncio invitándonos a una reunión para luchar por las licencias de conducir para toda la comunidad inmigrante de Virginia. No podía creer lo que leía, pero mi alma me decía que debía ir. Sabía lo que era no tener una licencia de conducir y si podía luchar para que todos la tuviéramos ¡eso sería realmente asombroso! No pensaba en nada más que buscar esta oportunidad para todos.

Llegué a la reunión y me di cuenta de que era mi oportunidad de conocer a la Nueva Mayoría de Virginia. Me enteré de que es una organización que lucha por las comunidades inmigrantes, de color y LGTB, para que tengan mayores espacios de equidad, igualdad y justicia.

Me hice voluntaria al comienzo y gracias a mi pasión y perseverancia de luchar para cada persona en nuestras comunidades, me ofrecieron un trabajo como Organizadora Comunitaria. ¡No podía creer que me pagaran por hacer lo que más me gusta, que me pagaran por ayudar a la comunidad!

Me prometí empoderar a mi comunidad latina. Les ayudaría a encontrar las herramientas que necesitaran para vivir mejor. Que supieran que nadie está solo, que hay organizaciones que luchan día a día por nuestras necesidades y nuestros derechos. En mi trabajo escucho con atención y consigo lo que las personas necesiten, así sea una cita médica si están enfermas, o un abogado si tienen una cita en la corte de inmigración. El trabajo dedicado y constante para las tarjetas de privilegio de conducir y las licencias de conducir ha dado resultado. Se aprobó una ley que va a permitir a toda la comunidad inmigrante de Virginia obtener una licencia de conducir a partir de enero 2021.

En estos momentos de pandemia producida por el COVID-19, nos hemos reinventado. Sabemos que nuestra comunidad está sin trabajo y temen que los desalojen de sus casas, de sus apartamentos. Estamos luchando para que los programas de renta sean más accesibles para las personas y familias más vulnerables mientras dure la emergencia.

Conocí al Padre Daniel Vélez-Rivera en una reunión en la cual dábamos a conocer el trabajo que estamos haciendo con la comunidad inmigrante en el área. Allí escuché hablar sobre el trabajo de la Iglesia Episcopal con la comunidad y lo que él estaba haciendo. Entonces me dije: yo tengo que ir a esa iglesia que trabaja para la comunidad. Doy gracias al Padre y a la Iglesia San Gabriel por haberme abierto sus puertas y su corazón. La iglesia San Gabriel hace el trabajo que Dios quiere que hagamos: trabajar con la comunidad, con el más desposeído, con el más vulnerable de sus hijos.

Como madre y esposa y con mi esposo tenemos muchos quehaceres en el hogar, nos ayudamos en lo más posible para sentirnos bien. Mi hija Samara ha visto el trabajo en comunidad desde muy pequeña y ahora a sus 18 años está estudiando en la universidad y hace su voluntariado en la Loudoun Free Clinic. Su sueño es llegar a ser enfermera profesional y seguir ayudando a la comunidad.

Durante esta pandemia, mi esposo y yo tratamos de dedicar mucho de nuestro tiempo libre para servir a la comunidad. Junto con nuestra diácona Holly y otras compañeras episcopales, hemos organizado llevar ayuda de víveres y otros artículos a las personas que lo necesitan. Toda la ayuda nos llega de feligreses de nuestra comunidad de fe y de otras congregaciones. ¡Recibimos abundancia y damos de nuestra abundancia!

Cuando pienso en el trabajo que Jesucristo Nuestro Señor hizo con las comunidades que encontraba en su camino, creo que Él fue el mejor organizador comunitario y nuestra inspiración para vernos y conocemos más de cerca nosotros mismos y a nuestro prójimo.

Seguiré luchando para que existan más espacios alternativos para la educación. Creo que una comunidad educada es una comunidad pensante y con más oportunidades para servir al mundo. Ojalá llegue el día donde podamos tener espacios de igualdad, equidad y justicia. En el Padre Nuestro escucho lo que Dios quiere que siempre hagamos todos los días para que el amor habite siempre en nosotros.

La historia de Paula Callaghan

Soy Paula Callaghan (Paula Patricia Morato Parada). Soy boliviana. Nací en la ciudad de Oruro, el hermoso altiplano y crecí en el trópico de mi país, la ciudad de Santa Cruz de la Sierra. Asistí al Colegio católico Cardenal Cushing como parte de mi formación escolar. Durante la secundaria participé activamente de un programa social liderado por las religiosas de mi escuela que consistía en capacitar en oficios útiles para la gente de escasos recursos. Educamos, ofrecimos clases de alfabetización y enseñamos habilidades básicas que ayudaran a salir adelante a personas que tuvieran limitaciones por no poder asistir a escuelas elementales y/o llevar a cabo estudios universitarios.

Participé activamente en el mundo de Rotaract Grigota y Santa Cruz de la Sierra Distrito 4690. Estos son clubes de servicio a la comunidad donde semanalmente teníamos que desarrollar y ejecutar proyectos de vivienda, comida y otros de acuerdo con la necesidad de cada villa. Fui escogida como líder representante de esta institución donde se aprende mucho del liderazgo del servicio y la ayuda social.

En cuanto a mis estudios universitarios en el año 1995 ingresé a la Universidad Nur en la ciudad de Santa Cruz de la Sierra y me gradué como Licenciada con especialización en Relaciones Públicas.

En el transcurso de mis estudios universitarios pude aprender profundamente el trabajo en el área del capital social y humano que es tan importante para poder crear, desarrollar e implementar sistemas de envíos que sean válidos para las sociedades.

El año 2004 llegué a Estados Unidos. Soy mamá de dos varones. Tuve el privilegio de ser ama de casa por doce años mientras el papá de mis hijos salía a trabajar. Pasado ese tiempo quise volver a las etapas de la universidad y de las tesis que había desarrollado para obtener mi licenciatura y salí a explorar el mercado. Encontré una mamá líder en Leesburg, Virginia, la ciudad y el estado donde vivo. Con ella, con la Sra. Fuentes pude llegar a conocer las necesidades de la comunidad, cómo viven, qué desafíos tienen como padres viviendo en una cultura diferente a la nuestra, cómo crían a sus hijos y a sus hijas, qué les falta en cuanto a su educación. De esta manera me involucré y siempre quise establecer una escuela de padres.

Con la llegada del COVID19 y siendo trabajadora esencial de primera línea para el Sistema de Salud Pública me he dado cuenta de cuánta falta de atención médica necesitaban nuestra comunidad latina. Actualmente trabajo para la Clínica gratuita del Condado de Loudoun, uno de los condados más ricos de esta nación. Yo estoy a cargo de la elegibilidad y del programa de alcance en una de nuestras campañas de reclutamiento de nuevos pacientes. En el año 2019, en el segundo semestre logramos alcanzar alrededor de 150 en una población de 400 habitantes de los cuales 20% somos latinos.

Al iniciar esta etapa de COVID19 que la marcamos a partir del 11 de marzo debido a que el sistema de escuelas del condado decidió no continuar con clases presenciales debido a esta pandemia, nos vimos obligados a hacer una proyección aproximada de unos 150 nuevos pacientes que nos necesitarían hasta la semana de agosto del 2021. Llegamos a los 323 nuevos pacientes con un total de pacientes activos de 971. El año pasado en el mes de julio teníamos un total de 604 pacientes activos. ¡La necesidad es grande!

Como católica romana que nací y crecí, asistía a misa, pero para mí no era suficiente el solo asistir. Fui juzgada por no haberme casado dentro de la religión Católica Romana. Fui prácticamente expulsada porque se consideraba que estaba viviendo en adulterio.

Yo siempre buscaba una comunidad inclusiva y que nos acogiera y nos hiciera sentir bien los unos con los otros sin tener que juzgarnos. Es así como una amiga mía, S.L.B. me presentó en el año 2017 al Padre Daniel Vélez-Rivera de la Iglesia Episcopal San Gabriel en Leesburg, Virginia. Desde ese día me considero Episcopal y mis hijos también. Asistimos a misa todos los domingos (ahora virtual por las circunstancias) y dejé de asistir a la iglesia a la que iba anteriormente. Y esto ¿por qué? ¡Porque los hermanos Episcopales en la diversidad todos hacemos la diferencia!

Esta pandemia nos ha traído muchas lecciones para aprender y nos ha unido aún más. Mi fe ha crecido mucho porque puedo continuar haciendo el trabajo con las personas más necesitadas y también darles un espacio para poder crecer con las diferentes opciones de justicia social e igualdad que tenemos o que para las cuales somos instrumentos de guía en dichos espacios.

Episcopal Church Women2020-11-20T18:26:58+00:00November 20th, 2020|

Lay Episcopal Latinas serving their communities as community organizers

Together in our diversity we make a difference!

By The Rev. Ema Rosero-Nordalm

The story of Eva María Torres Herrera

I was born in Mexico City, the second of three children. I am married. I have only one child, and I am a grandmother. I have a degree in business administration. For five years I worked in my profession. When my son was born, I started working as a teacher. I discovered that education is my vocation–one of my passions. I have worked as a teacher in middle school, high school, and college. I had the opportunity to work in one of the most avant-garde schools in my country. The Doctor Emilio Cárdenas University Center opened a range of knowledge, tools and possibilities for me.

In 2005, my husband, Octavio, was hired by an architectural firm in Northern Virginia. In July 2006, I immigrated to the United States with my 12-year-old son and two suitcases: in one were my books; in the other, some clothes. I was excited, remembering that like me, my paternal grandmother with her three children had emigrated to the United States in 1913. I arrived in this country as the song says: “With a suitcase full of dreams” and with the words of my mother: “Don’t forget your roots or your origin.” In 2008 we lost our immigration status by making the strongest decision of our lives and assuming what that entailed. Now I can see after 12 years that God always has a plan for us, that that plan is always perfect and that through that plan He is showing us the path that He has destined for us.

In 2010 my son’s hopes that the DREAM Act would allow him to study at university were dashed. The pain and the uncertainty of my son made me get involved and start following the DREAMers. I have always believed that education opens doors for us at all levels and allows us better economic opportunities. Maintaining hope and faith as every mother does and transmitting that confidence to our son helped him manage to achieve his dream. He is currently an architect after graduating from the Catholic University of America.

In 2013 I began to participate at the national level with the group of mothers called DREAMers’ MOMS. I started the chapter from Virginia, Maryland and DC, where I met a group of women and mothers that I admire and respect. I identified with each of their stories–with the pain and fear they felt of being deported and separated from their families. At the same time, I was encouraged by great faith and trust in God to fight for immigration reform.

That same year I met Father Daniel Vélez-Rivera of San Gabriel Episcopal Church in Leesburg, Virginia. I met him at a vigil that took place outside the offices of one of the congressional representatives, as an effort to win his support for immigration reform. Father Daniel has been one of the most important people in the history of DREAMers’ MOMS in Virginia and in my personal history as well. His initiative to offer informative workshops to his community is how I returned to my faith and the Church in particular with the confidence that I was welcome.

When there are no documents, a person does not feel the security of belonging. There is always an unconscious fear. When “you have not come out of the shadows,” as we say when you live without documents, you do not talk about immigration. Even if you know that you have rights, there is always fear in these moments of hatred, exclusion, and racism.

In 2015, when I was already actively participating in the San Gabriel Church, Father Daniel learned that I was a teacher. At the same time my inseparable friend Araceli Martínez learned that in Leesburg, VA there were a significant number of Latinos who could not read or write in Spanish. At that moment that suitcase full of dreams that traveled with me began to shape Educating with Love. Everything I had learned and the tools I had acquired in Mexico and with DREAMers’ MOMS could be used to help our community develop its leadership and the skills necessary to function in this society.

Different programs were organized for the church’s Latino ministry and for the Loudoun County Latino community. Right now, we are in Utah and Denver, Colo., where moms and kids are participating. We are guided by the message of the Episcopal community: “Everyone is welcome.”

The classes that we offer for boys and girls are classes where we teach life skills and reading and writing in Spanish. We complement their education by opening the range of possibilities through classes in emotional intelligence, brain gymnastics, math, art, and leadership, among others. In this way, we offer the children opportunities that many times they do not have due to various situations. And for parents we offer English and computer classes. During these pandemic months we have started virtual workshops offered by one of our science teachers: How to Take Care of Yourself During this Pandemic, School for Parents, nutrition classes, and community back-to-school talks.

I thank each of the volunteer teachers who have joined Educating with Love. Although not all attend our congregation, they feel a part of the community work that we offer. During this pandemic they have suggested many ways to keep in touch with children and families virtually. These families are also receiving a weekly pantry from the San Gabriel Ministry of Food and Social Justice. We share bread and bring hope to each family.

I believe that a people that prays, learns, shares bread and shares life is the bearer of good news, seeks justice and rests and grows in the spirit wherever and in whatever way they meet. May the Spirit bring us together to unite in community prayer and send us on a common mission for the People of God.

The story of Isamar Ortega

Coming to the U.S. from Honduras five years ago has perhaps been the biggest challenge of my life. I had promised myself that, if they let me in, to feel safe with my youngest daughter I would be an independent woman who would help the community with all values and skills that I brought with me.

The day I arrived I said to myself: Well, here I am and I’m ready to start from scratch. I will take my daughter to school, look for a job and a church, and I will insert my best self into this new world.

One of my first failures was when I was told that I couldn’t obtain a driver’s license until my status changed. I spent more than a year often depressed, since I could not do anything that I had imagined. Not having a driver’s license made me dependent on other people. I felt useless. I felt that my wings had been cut off. After a period of time, I was able to get a driver’s license and it was like my wings had been given back.

From that moment my life changed. I began to do everything that I set out to do. I found a job. I found a church, where I served as a catechist for 2 years. I was still searching, though, because I still didn’t feel fulfilled. I watched everything and heard many people say: “For you to adapt to this country you will have to spend 10 years living here.” It scared me when I heard that. I said to myself: Why should I wait 10 years? Why not start now?

I came across an advertisement inviting the public to a meeting to fight for driver’s licenses for the entire Virginia immigrant community. I couldn’t believe what I was reading, but my soul told me that I should go. I knew what it was like to be without a driver’s license. If I could fight for all of us to have them, that would be really amazing! I was thinking of nothing more than to work for this opportunity for everyone.

I came to the meeting and realized that it was my chance to meet the members of the New Virginia Majority. I learned that it is an organization that fights for immigrants, people of color and the LGBTQ community to have equality, equity, and justice.

I started as a volunteer and–thanks to my passion and perseverance to fight for every person in our communities–I was offered a job as a community organizer. I couldn’t believe that they paid me to do what I love the most: help the community!

I vowed to empower my Latino community. I would help them find the tools they needed to live better. I would let them know that no one is alone: There are organizations that fight every day for our needs and our rights. In my job, I listen carefully and get what people need, whether it be a medical appointment if they are sick or a lawyer if they have an appointment in immigration court. Steady and dedicated work for driver’s privilege cards and driver’s licenses has paid off. A law was passed that will allow the entire Virginia immigrant community to obtain driver’s licenses as of January 2021.

In these moments of pandemic produced by Covid-19, we have reinvented ourselves. We know that many in our community are out of work, and they fear that they will be evicted from their homes. We are fighting to make rental programs more accessible to the most vulnerable individuals and families while the emergency lasts.

I met Father Daniel Vélez-Rivera at a meeting in which we shared the work we are doing with the immigrant community in the area. There I heard about the Episcopal Church’s work with the community and what he was doing. So I said to myself: I have to go to that church that works for the community. I thank Father and the San Gabriel Church for opening their doors and their hearts to me. San Gabriel Church does the work that God wants us to do: work with the community, with the most deprived, with the most vulnerable of His children.

As a mother and wife with my husband, we have many chores at home. We help each other as much as possible to feel good. My daughter Samara has seen community work from a very young age. Now at 18 she is studying at university and volunteering at the Loudoun Free Clinic. Her dream is to become a professional nurse and continue helping the community.

During this pandemic, my husband and I try to spend a lot of our free time serving the community. Together with Deacon Holly and other fellow Episcopalians, we have arranged to bring food aid and other items to those in need. All help comes to us from parishioners in our faith community and from other congregations. We receive abundance and we give from our abundance!

When I think of the work that Jesus Christ Our Lord did with the communities He encountered, I believe that He was the best community organizer and our inspiration to see and get to know ourselves and our neighbors more closely.

I will continue to fight for there to be more alternative spaces for education. I believe that an educated community is a thinking community with more opportunities to serve the world. Hopefully the day will come when we can achieve equality, equity and justice. In the Lord’s Prayer I hear what God wants us to do every day so that love always dwells in us.

The story of Paula Callaghan

I am Paula Callaghan (Paula Patricia Morato Parada). I am Bolivian. I was born in the city of Oruro, in the beautiful highlands, and I grew up in the tropics of my country, the city of Santa Cruz de la Sierra. I attended Cardinal Cushing Catholic College as part of my school training. During high school, I actively participated in a social program led by the nuns of my school that consisted of training in useful trades for people with limited resources. We educate, offer literacy classes and teach basic skills that will help people who have limitations due to not being able to attend elementary schools and/or carry out university studies.

I actively participated in the world of Rotaract Grigota and Santa Cruz de la Sierra District 4690. These are community service clubs where weekly we had to develop and execute housing, food and other projects according to the needs of each village. I was chosen as the representative leader of this institution, where a lot is learned from service leadership and social help.

As for my university studies, in 1995 I entered Nur University in the city of Santa Cruz de la Sierra and graduated with a specialization in public relations.

In the course of my university studies, I was able to deeply learn the work involved in the area of social and human capital that is so important to be able to create, develop and implement shipping systems that are beneficial for societies.

In 2004 I came to the United States. I am a mother of two boys. I had the privilege of being a homemaker for 12 years while my children’s father went out to work. After that time I wanted to go back to the realm of the university and the theses that I had developed to obtain my degree. I went out to explore the market. I found Ms. Fuentes, a lead mom in Leesburg, Virginia, the city and state where I live. Through Ms. Fuentes, I was able to get to know the needs of the community–how they live, what challenges they have as parents living in a culture different from those of their homelands, how they raise their sons and daughters, what they lack in terms of education. In this way I got involved and worked to establish a school for parents.

With the arrival of Covid-19 and being an essential front-line worker for the public health system, I have realized how our Latino community lacks medical attention. I currently work for the free clinic in Loudon County, one of the wealthiest counties in this nation. I am in charge of the eligibility and outreach program in one of our new patient recruitment drives. In the second semester of 2019, we managed to reach around 150 in a population of 400 qualified inhabitants, of which 20% are Latino.

At the beginning of this stage of Covid-19 that we marked as March 11 because the county school system decided not to continue with face-to-face classes on that date due to this pandemic, we were forced to make an approximate projection of some 150 new patients who would be in need until the week of August 2021. We reached 323 new patients with a total of 971 active patients. The prior year in July we had a total of 604 active patients. The need is great!

As a born-and-raised Roman Catholic, I attended mass, but just attending was not enough for me. I was judged for not having married within the Roman Catholic religion. I was practically expelled because I was considered to be living in adultery.

I was always looking for an inclusive community that would welcome us and make us feel good about each other without having to judge each other. In 2017 S.L.B., a friend of mine, introduced me to Father Daniel Vélez-Rivera of San Gabriel Episcopal Church in Leesburg, Virginia. Since that day I consider myself and my children Episcopalians. We go to mass every Sunday (now virtual due to the circumstances), and I stopped going to my former church. Why? Because we Episcopalians in our diversity all make a difference!

This pandemic has taught us many lessons and has brought us even closer. My faith has grown a lot because I can continue to work with the most needy people. I can give them a space to grow with different options for social justice and equality, and I can be an instrument of guidance in those spaces.

Episcopal Church Women2020-11-20T18:26:22+00:00November 20th, 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|

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