Loving our neighbors

An excerpt from our vicar's sermon, on Sunday August 21st (10th Sunday after Pentecost).

What does it look like for us to love our neighbors as ourselves?

These questions are difficult for any Christian community.

One of our callings at St. Joseph’s seems to be engaging the needs and lives of our homeless brothers and sisters in this neighborhood.

We share breakfast now Monday through Saturday with those who are hungry. This past week we averaged over 30 people at breakfast daily.

Two weeks ago one of our homeless neighbors who sleeps on our property because he feels safe being on the church grounds was hit in the head while he slept, and due to the care of another homeless man, he made it to the hospital in time to save his life.

How do we, as a community of faith –

a ragged bunch of rocks held together by God’s grace –

provide a welcoming place for all,

where people of all walks of life are honored as God’s children and not abused?

How do we create and promote a community in which all present our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, not marred by drugs and violence?

The answers to these questions are difficult.

Living in community is challenging as we try to honor one another.

Next Sunday, August 28^th, following fellowship time after church, whoever wishes will gather in the parish hall to have a conversation about what I have no other name for than “rules for behavior” for all who gather at St. Joseph’s in any capacity.

Your vestry has been having conversations with local social service agencies, our homeless neighbors, the Durham police department, local businesses and members of the congregation to try to come to understand ways we might be able to curb illegal and violent activities on our property. Next week we invite your insights, thoughts and conversation. Our discussions will be ongoing.

As rocks as jagged as Peter – one moment boldly proclaiming Jesus as Lord and the next denying him utterly – we will make mistakes but I hope that we will also hold each other accountable to the Kingdom, living into forgiveness and grace.

Karen+

Breakfast News

Fellowship at Saint Joseph's has always been an important part of our ministry. None more so than the Monday through Saturday breakfast fellowship following Morning Prayer.

Numbers have been steadily increasing, which in the current economic climate is not surprising. In addition, with the new academic year fast approaching, more Divinity School students are returning from internships and are joining and helping us on a daily basis. We have had to add to the size of our breakfast table. Some mornings, the chatter around the breakfast table is so intense that it's hard to focus on your personal conversation.

Gail is never happier than when she sees more joining us to share eggs 'n' cheese, cereals, toast, juice and coffee. "Miss Gail" has one rule and one rule only - no one is allowed to leave without a hug!

We certainly reap what we sow. Sowing the seed of community and friendship around a simple breakfast meal fills us all with a gift. We give and we receive - each and every one of us.

---Mick

A gloriously busy breakfast

It seems some time since we have seen such a busy breakfast. In fact we have rarely reached double figures in the past few weeks.

This morning Gail was in her element (the more guys she has "to mother", the happier she is). Helped by Mimi, who kept the toaster working overtime, a dozen hungry friends shared our meal of cereals, eggs 'n' cheese, toast and jam. It was great to hear so much chatter around the breakfast table. We actually ran out of milk and bread, but a brisk walk to the grocery store remedied that.

"Word of mouth", was the reply I received on asking how some of those present stumbled on Saint Joseph's. Word of our ministry certainly spreads and we are grateful for that. It seemed so obvious to me that we were graced by the presence of the Holy Spirit sharing our fellowship.

--Mick

Saturday fellowship

7:45 AM on Saturday saw the Rev. Joe Hensley, Associate Rector at St. Luke's, and a longtime friend of St. Joseph's, bring his youth catechesis class to Matins. Joe's idea was to give this great bunch of young people added experience of helping in the community as part of their weekend retreat.

What a success this turned out to be. After Gail explained where everything was kept, she left it to them to prepare breakfast.

After Morning Prayer it didn't take long for duties to be mutually allocated and agreed (with no adult interference). Cooking eggs, cheese and toast seemed to be enjoyed by those involved and we soon sat down to a hearty breakfast.

After breakfast, and the inevitable clearing up, we checked out the church who uses our upper room - St. Basil the Great Romanian Orthodox Church. Mick explained that was one way that St. Joseph's shared it's resources with the community at large and how a wonderful family spirit was being created between the two churches, despite the differing traditions.

Joe took some time to point out and explain those differences, especially the use of Icons. We all took time to study the many on display and to meditate on their meanings.

Joe, enjoying a well-earned mug of coffee, whilst Gail enjoys a rare "easy" morning. We thoroughly enjoyed their company.

For the love of God

With a work party scheduled for shaping our new community garden, I was praying that we would see a few extra faces at breakfast this morning. Imagine our surprise when Gail and I arrived to prepare for Morning Prayer. Five of our homeless community, three of whom were new arrivals, were already patiently waiting for breakfast.

Following our 4-week trial period the decision was made to continue with Saturday MP and breakfast even though prayer attendance averaged four, the breakfast averaged eight. This morning twelve attended morning prayer and I lost count of those attending breakfast – it seemed as if Gail would never finish cooking eggs!

With several members staying on to work on the garden project, the fellowship was, as usual, fulfilling. Indeed, the Holy Spirit was among us as our small, but hard working crew set to work with excitement and enthusiasm.

Our community, both inside and outside of our buildings, share a relationship of hard work, love and respect. It is so obvious that our combined love of God is shared every day.

Mick

Another busy breakfast

Morning Prayer reverted to the original time of 8 a.m. today. This was welcomed by most, not least by those who are not early morning people and had found the 7:30 a.m. start a tad too early.

During the experimental earlier start, numbers had dropped, but so had numbers attending breakfast, even more so, in fact.

Imagine my delight when, this morning, I found myself busy in the kitchen cooking eggs, making toast for nine, and for the first time in six or seven weeks running out of, rather than throwing out, coffee. My spirits were lifted on seeing lively discussions around and about the breakfast table on a wide range of topics. It was great to see "M" back following an absence, looking well and instructing me how to cook the eggs. "C" had a headache(?), but still managed to be his incorrigible self, "Big S" was planning to remove his weather-beaten tent and replace it with another, new model, in the same spot. “Mick,” he shouts, “I need to borrow your car. I’m moving today and have some furniture to shift”.

Following these past weeks, when on some mornings we had none of the guys in for breakfast, I was struggling with the feeling of “what are we doing wrong?” What I realize now is that in switching the Morning Prayer time and the consequential earlier start for breakfast, we did not take in the feelings of all our community.

St. Joe’s is a community for those both inside and outside the buildings. Would we have told our family at home that “breakfast is now at 8, not 7:30?” Of course not. We would have asked them what they felt about the change. Lesson learned. Thank you guys, you contribute to my life more that I sometimes admit.

Mick