This article appeared in the Chattanooga Times Free Press the first Saturday we were in town:
Saturday, January 06, 2007
A Ministry Education
Wesley Theological Seminary students learning urban ministry at St. Andrews Center
By Clint Cooper Staff Writer
Eight students from Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C., are in Chattanooga trying to soak up the how-tos of cross-cultural urban ministry.
The urban immersion is a requirement of students seeking a Master of Divinity degree at the school, but the two-week local placement is new, according to the Rev. Mike Feely, director of St. Andrews Center.
"It’s not as much learning about a place as it is about cooperative models of ministry," he said. "We’re not as big as Atlanta or D.C., but it’s a place to sink your teeth into."
St. Andrews Center, a former Highland Park United Methodist Church that is now an urban community center, hosts 16 ecumenical ministries and people who speak more than 20 language groups.
More than 700 people worship in the center and more than 1,200 come through it in a given week, Mr. Feely said.
The students in the urban immersion program range in age from 24 to 53, come from various faith traditions and have a variety of post-degree career plans. The seminarians are learning "how to have the church work outside itself," said Lory Cantin, 53, pastor of Solomons United Methodist Church in Solomons Island, Md.
"We’re being intentional about working with other ministries, about learning how to partner," said Yvette L. Twiggs, who is working with the start-up Temple of Healing Waters Church in Herndon, Va.
During their time in Chattanooga, the students are spending time with the core congregations who worship at St. Andrews Center; participating in discussions and reflections with urban ministers, planners and visionaries ; meeting neighboring black and Hispanic families; and observing and investigating social-service providers and others who provide services or make decisions in the urban area.
They are learning how to relate urban ministry to, among other things, grant writing, foundational giving, economic development, storytelling and the arts.
Mr. Feely, a graduate of Wesley Theological Seminary, said St. Andrews Center has hosted individual pastors and interns from Sewanee Theological Seminary and Tennessee Wesleyan University who wanted to learn more about urban ministry, respectively, but has never provided a program such as the immersion.
Other Wesley Seminary students may take immersions in areas such as South Africa, Korea and Arizona, or they may design their own, the seminarians said.
All of the immersions allow the students "to look at a realworld range of models" and give them "some different ideas how to reach out and work with people," Mr. Feely said.
On the last day of their stay, the Chattanooga guests will visit the Upper Sand Mountain Parish, a United Methodist cooperative rural ministry in northeast Alabama.
A rural area, with often dwindling congregations, crumbling buildings and a lack of funds, can be quite similar to an urban setting, Mr. Feely said.
"They have some real commonalities," he said.
The program participants said they value the experiences they’re getting.
Linda Morton, 44, an intern at Arlington United Methodist Church in Arlington, Va., said too often in ministry people get put in boxes.
"The focus should be on Jesus, not on denominations," she said.
Mark Erhlichmann, 49, an intern at Christ Lutheran Church of the Deaf in Silver Spring, Md., said he hoped to gain "the ability to improve understanding" in urban ministry and the importance of finding a common theme.
While pulling together the ministry immersion program was more difficult than he expected, Mr. Feely said he hoped it will continue in the coming years.
"It reflects St. Andrews’ real ecumenical spirit," he said.
E-mail Clint Cooper at ccooper@timesfreepress.com
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Still Catching Up!
It's been three days since I've posted -- I'm still recovering from the trip. Near the end of the immersion, people started to fall prey to various ailments. I was feeling fine (and feeling a bit smug about it) until Friday night. Mike Feely had gotten a stomach bug on Thursday and I came down with it on Friday. It was not fun.
Friday night was an eleven-hour endless night. I went to bed early, because I felt so miserable, but was never able to actually sleep. By the time I gave up at 6:30 Saturday morning, I think I'd managed to get about three hours of fitful sleep.
So, with just a few hours sleep -- and still feeling a bit dodgy -- I got in the car for the marathon drive home. I dropped Linda Morton off at the airport and went to Mike Feely's house to pick up my passenger, Jeanet. She hails from Mexico and does not drive, so it was all me!
We left Chattanooga at nine o'clock in the morning. I dropped Jeanet off at Wesley at eight o'clock that evening. We pretty much drove straight through, making only brief stops for necessities. I managed to stay awake and alert through the lively conversation of Bill Moyers' Genesis: A Living Conversation. I've had the ten-tape audiobook of this awesome PBS series for years and have listened to it often. It's like being a fly on the wall at the best Bible study ever. It kept us on the road all day!
So, I've had a few nights in my own bed and am feeling like myself again.
Friday night was an eleven-hour endless night. I went to bed early, because I felt so miserable, but was never able to actually sleep. By the time I gave up at 6:30 Saturday morning, I think I'd managed to get about three hours of fitful sleep.
So, with just a few hours sleep -- and still feeling a bit dodgy -- I got in the car for the marathon drive home. I dropped Linda Morton off at the airport and went to Mike Feely's house to pick up my passenger, Jeanet. She hails from Mexico and does not drive, so it was all me!
We left Chattanooga at nine o'clock in the morning. I dropped Jeanet off at Wesley at eight o'clock that evening. We pretty much drove straight through, making only brief stops for necessities. I managed to stay awake and alert through the lively conversation of Bill Moyers' Genesis: A Living Conversation. I've had the ten-tape audiobook of this awesome PBS series for years and have listened to it often. It's like being a fly on the wall at the best Bible study ever. It kept us on the road all day!
So, I've had a few nights in my own bed and am feeling like myself again.
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Urban Research
We had a great lunch meeting with David Eichenthal from the Community Research Council. They are interested in the future of the mid-sized American city. They are committed to gathering the best data they can, and putting it in the hands of conscientious, well-meaning people with a passion for change. They have been tracking population, employment, economic and social issues and trends in Chattanooga and regionally. Their news is mostly promising. Chattanooga has been able to stem several alarming trends, such as population loss and education. Looking deeper into the statistics, however, they are concerned with those who the statistics leave behind.
Overall education level, for example, is rising. This is coming, however, from an influx of college-educated young people. While this is great -- every city want to attract such people -- what does it say about the people who have been here all along. They are remaining flat or, what is worse, falling behind. Thinking deeply about the data and testing its implications can lead people to make more well-informed decisions about how to change the community for everyone's benefit.
Hearing David talk about trends in American city life, such as the Growth Imperative in American cities, I was reminded of issues in the Detroit of my youth. It's been said that Detroit is the first major American city to die. It had been a ruin for decades. Last year I read Devil's Night and Other True Tales of Detroit by Ze'ev Chafets. It's the story of Detroit's decline from American megalopolis to ghost town. It's a fabulous book.
I was also reminded of the book that I've been reading here in Chattanooga, The Lexus and the Olive Tree: Understanding Globalization by Tom Friedman. I've been able to make numerous connections between this book and the urban coalition-building ministry that Mike Feely's doing here in Chattanooga. In the fast past future (i.e. the present) we rise and fall by our ability to make connections. This is the heart of the Saint Andrew's Center. I highly recommend this book.
Overall education level, for example, is rising. This is coming, however, from an influx of college-educated young people. While this is great -- every city want to attract such people -- what does it say about the people who have been here all along. They are remaining flat or, what is worse, falling behind. Thinking deeply about the data and testing its implications can lead people to make more well-informed decisions about how to change the community for everyone's benefit.
Hearing David talk about trends in American city life, such as the Growth Imperative in American cities, I was reminded of issues in the Detroit of my youth. It's been said that Detroit is the first major American city to die. It had been a ruin for decades. Last year I read Devil's Night and Other True Tales of Detroit by Ze'ev Chafets. It's the story of Detroit's decline from American megalopolis to ghost town. It's a fabulous book.
I was also reminded of the book that I've been reading here in Chattanooga, The Lexus and the Olive Tree: Understanding Globalization by Tom Friedman. I've been able to make numerous connections between this book and the urban coalition-building ministry that Mike Feely's doing here in Chattanooga. In the fast past future (i.e. the present) we rise and fall by our ability to make connections. This is the heart of the Saint Andrew's Center. I highly recommend this book.
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Community Economic Development, Oh My!
We spent the morning with Steve Corbett of the Chalmers Center for Economic Development at Covenant College on the top of Lookout Mountain, Georgia. It was a great meeting. Steve walked us through the basics of community building. His experience is largely international, but his work at the Center applies to foreign and domestic situations. We discussed different models of poverty--different ways in which it saps the strength of individuals and communities.
"What causes poverty?" Steve asked us at the beginning. Our answer to that question will shape our response to poverty. Is it a matter of [poor] personal choices or is there a systemic component? Some of each? How we tackle the issue determines what we will do to ameliorate it. Our discussion ranged into theological waters as we discussed Christian responses to poverty. We all want to help, our Christian hearts desire to relieve suffering, but can we actually do more harm than good when we reach out to help?
Steve emphasized (repeatedly) that the way we offer help is just as important as the help that we offer. Through the way we offer assistance, we can isolate and devalue those who seek to lift up. We must take care with our process as well as our product.
Overall, a very informative session. Steve offers an online development class, which I'd love to take. The next time it's offered I'll be in licensing school, so I may have to catch a later course.
In the afternoon, we visited with Bethlehem Center, in downtown Chattanooga. We met with the Director, Lurone Jenkins, who shared his experience in this vibrant United Methodist community center. They run after school academic programs, athletic programs and leadership training for young people in the adjacent public housing. They also partner with churches to develop their own programs to lift up at-risk youth and show them the love of Christ. The work they're doing seems to be faithful and effective.
"What causes poverty?" Steve asked us at the beginning. Our answer to that question will shape our response to poverty. Is it a matter of [poor] personal choices or is there a systemic component? Some of each? How we tackle the issue determines what we will do to ameliorate it. Our discussion ranged into theological waters as we discussed Christian responses to poverty. We all want to help, our Christian hearts desire to relieve suffering, but can we actually do more harm than good when we reach out to help?
Steve emphasized (repeatedly) that the way we offer help is just as important as the help that we offer. Through the way we offer assistance, we can isolate and devalue those who seek to lift up. We must take care with our process as well as our product.
Overall, a very informative session. Steve offers an online development class, which I'd love to take. The next time it's offered I'll be in licensing school, so I may have to catch a later course.
In the afternoon, we visited with Bethlehem Center, in downtown Chattanooga. We met with the Director, Lurone Jenkins, who shared his experience in this vibrant United Methodist community center. They run after school academic programs, athletic programs and leadership training for young people in the adjacent public housing. They also partner with churches to develop their own programs to lift up at-risk youth and show them the love of Christ. The work they're doing seems to be faithful and effective.
Tuesday, January 9, 2007
WOW!
I've had quite a day so far. We went this morning to the Chattanooga Community Kitchen, which serves three meals a day to the city's homeless population. They've expanded their ministry into providing health care, life skills, a thrift store, etc... We ate lunch there, then we went to work moving a bunch of donated dry goods from a small storage room to another storage room.
After the kitchen, we went to the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga campus and met with the minister of the Wesley Foundation. We had a great discussion about the challenges facing campus ministries today.
After that, we went to The Sanctuary, an Episcopal ministry that helps women who come from addiction, homelessness, prostitution and incarceration transition to stable, permanent lives. They provide free housing, rehabilitation counseling, health care, job skill training, etc... to women for a period of at least one year and up to two years. They have room for seven women in their housing and the women begin working in the greeting card business run by the Sanctuary. They've had some successes and some women who have relapsed.
We did get to meet four of the women who have been living in the shelter and working, going to school, and getting their lives back in order. We chatted with the women for ten minutes or so, learning a piece of their stories. I must say, that of all the amazing things we've seen here, these women might be at the top of my list. As I was in the facility, I wished that my wife could have the opportunity to volunteer with these women. It seems like a place where she would have a wonderful experience.
We've got a little downtime here at the Saint Andrew's Center (where I'm writing this). I'm going to look in on the group of Guatemalan and Mexican children in a few minutes.
After the kitchen, we went to the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga campus and met with the minister of the Wesley Foundation. We had a great discussion about the challenges facing campus ministries today.
After that, we went to The Sanctuary, an Episcopal ministry that helps women who come from addiction, homelessness, prostitution and incarceration transition to stable, permanent lives. They provide free housing, rehabilitation counseling, health care, job skill training, etc... to women for a period of at least one year and up to two years. They have room for seven women in their housing and the women begin working in the greeting card business run by the Sanctuary. They've had some successes and some women who have relapsed.
We did get to meet four of the women who have been living in the shelter and working, going to school, and getting their lives back in order. We chatted with the women for ten minutes or so, learning a piece of their stories. I must say, that of all the amazing things we've seen here, these women might be at the top of my list. As I was in the facility, I wished that my wife could have the opportunity to volunteer with these women. It seems like a place where she would have a wonderful experience.
We've got a little downtime here at the Saint Andrew's Center (where I'm writing this). I'm going to look in on the group of Guatemalan and Mexican children in a few minutes.
Monday, Monday!
Today we drove up to Knoxville, to the Holston Conference Center. We met with Jim Sessions, who had been [hyper]active in social justice issues for the last thirty years. He spoke with us about grass-roots advocacy and coalition building around labor and children's issues. He currently works for the Children's Defense Fund, and told us about some exciting things they are working on. In February, a bill will be introduced in Congress to guarantee health coverage for all children in the United States--documented or not--until they are nineteen years old.
I immediately began thinking about ways I could get involved in making this happen. Two things are needed: the votes are needed in Congress and the President must not veto the bill, if it passes. I've done some personal letter writing to my representatives in Congress. I've started wondering about doing that on a larger scale. I'm going to find out what's required to get a petition going. If I want to take a page from Mike Feely's book, I'll start looking for groups with whom I can partner on this issue. Jim Sessions recommended local health concerns (doctors, nurses, etc...) as potential partners, as well as other churches. I've got good relations with our neighbor church, maybe I need to reach out when I get home.
We also spent a few hours with the Bishop of the Holston Conference, James E. Swanson, Sr. and three District Superintendents in the conference. We had a rousing conversation about preaching, life in ministry and what we might face as pastors in the twenty-first century. Bishop Swanson told us of the exciting things going on in the Holston Conference--he made it sound pretty enticing, I must admit.
Lots of time in the van today, two-and-a-half hours each way. When we finally got back to Camp Lookout, we were tired and hungry. Fortunately, an excellent dinner was waiting for us (I can't seem to get enough mashed potatoes). I'm getting ready to turn in for the night. Tomorrow, we're starting our day serving in a local soup kitchen, followed by meetings in the afternoon.
I immediately began thinking about ways I could get involved in making this happen. Two things are needed: the votes are needed in Congress and the President must not veto the bill, if it passes. I've done some personal letter writing to my representatives in Congress. I've started wondering about doing that on a larger scale. I'm going to find out what's required to get a petition going. If I want to take a page from Mike Feely's book, I'll start looking for groups with whom I can partner on this issue. Jim Sessions recommended local health concerns (doctors, nurses, etc...) as potential partners, as well as other churches. I've got good relations with our neighbor church, maybe I need to reach out when I get home.
We also spent a few hours with the Bishop of the Holston Conference, James E. Swanson, Sr. and three District Superintendents in the conference. We had a rousing conversation about preaching, life in ministry and what we might face as pastors in the twenty-first century. Bishop Swanson told us of the exciting things going on in the Holston Conference--he made it sound pretty enticing, I must admit.
Lots of time in the van today, two-and-a-half hours each way. When we finally got back to Camp Lookout, we were tired and hungry. Fortunately, an excellent dinner was waiting for us (I can't seem to get enough mashed potatoes). I'm getting ready to turn in for the night. Tomorrow, we're starting our day serving in a local soup kitchen, followed by meetings in the afternoon.
Sunday, January 7, 2007
Sightseeing and Stuff in Town
We spent Saturday wandering about Chattanooga. It's a lovely little town and we had terrific weather. We've only been here for five days, but Mike had connected us with so many movers-and-shakers in town that we ran into three of them on our walk through the downtown area. Adera Causey caught up with us on the Walnut Street bridge. She pointed us in the direction of great ice cream (Clumpeys!). Where we were talking with Adera, Chiquita Bass pulled up, with her two daughters, and greeted us. Walking back over the bridge, we ran into one of the people we'd shared dinner with on Wednesday night. He and a friend were playing (guitar & harmonica) and singing. They were pretty good. It's a small world, and we seem to be pretty well-connected Chattanoogians, even after just five days.
This morning (Sunday) I'm worshiping at First-Centenary UMC's contemporary service, The Vine. After that, I'll grab some lunch and check out the Chattanooga Valley Railroad Museum. Tonight we are relocating our living quarters from Tennessee Temple University to Camp Lookout, on nearby Lookout Mountain. This coming week, we'll be relaxing at Camp Lookout and coming back to the Saint Andrew's Center daily to continue our work.
This morning (Sunday) I'm worshiping at First-Centenary UMC's contemporary service, The Vine. After that, I'll grab some lunch and check out the Chattanooga Valley Railroad Museum. Tonight we are relocating our living quarters from Tennessee Temple University to Camp Lookout, on nearby Lookout Mountain. This coming week, we'll be relaxing at Camp Lookout and coming back to the Saint Andrew's Center daily to continue our work.
Saturday, January 6, 2007
Grants, etc...
Friday was busy and productive! We spent the morning meeting with Angie Sledge from the Center for Non-Profits. Angie gave us a general overview of writing grant proposals. There is a lot of money out there, if you know how to get it. Angie knows, and now so do we (a little bit). It was a fantastic class. I wish she could teach it at Saint James. We were asked to come up with an idea that we might use for the practical parts of the class. I used Miriam's Gift. Searching through databases of grant-funding agencies, I found lots of places that might fund Miriam's Gift. We might need to actually put Angie's class to work finding funding.
The grant class highlighted something that's run through my entire experience in Chattanooga: the need to forge links to other passionate individuals/organizations who share your vision. This builds synergy, avoids duplication of effort, cuts down competition and shows the world (i.e. funding agencies) that you are serious about your project/mission. This kind of broad coalition-building is exactly what Rev. Mike Feely had done at the Saint Andrews Center.
We spent Friday afternoon talking with a few local pastors and meeting with one of the people pushing for the creation of a new homeless center downtown. This, apparently, is an issue of some controversy -- it's come up in several of our discussions. The neighborhood is wary of the center, thinking that it will attract the homeless. What perhaps they don't realize is that the homeless are already these (I had dinner with them last Wednesday) and the center is a step in getting them on their feet and OUT of the neighborhood!
We wrapped up the day at Rev. Mike's house, enjoying some fine barbeque (watch out for the HOT sauce, Yvette!) and meeting some friends to discuss storytelling in ministry. A good time was had by all!
The grant class highlighted something that's run through my entire experience in Chattanooga: the need to forge links to other passionate individuals/organizations who share your vision. This builds synergy, avoids duplication of effort, cuts down competition and shows the world (i.e. funding agencies) that you are serious about your project/mission. This kind of broad coalition-building is exactly what Rev. Mike Feely had done at the Saint Andrews Center.
We spent Friday afternoon talking with a few local pastors and meeting with one of the people pushing for the creation of a new homeless center downtown. This, apparently, is an issue of some controversy -- it's come up in several of our discussions. The neighborhood is wary of the center, thinking that it will attract the homeless. What perhaps they don't realize is that the homeless are already these (I had dinner with them last Wednesday) and the center is a step in getting them on their feet and OUT of the neighborhood!
We wrapped up the day at Rev. Mike's house, enjoying some fine barbeque (watch out for the HOT sauce, Yvette!) and meeting some friends to discuss storytelling in ministry. A good time was had by all!
Thursday, January 4, 2007
Long Day, but Fruitful
We've had a long day today, meeting with a variety of folks from different sectors. We started with some strategic planning folks, who consult on development projects for cities. We got our first look at the political side of things. Our discussion got a little heated, but was very good.
Education was a theme for the day. We met with people passionate about early-childhood literacy issues. School-access issues dominated the afternoon and evening, with a panel discussion about special issues confronting the growing Hispanic community. Chattanooga is home to growing Mexican and Guatemalan communities, and they face issues regarding literacy and access to the education system.
Access is something we (I) tend to take for granted. For non-English-speaking communities, the ability for parents (who may not be literate, even in Spanish) to navigate "the system" is extremely limited. How are we, as the church, to respond? What can we do to change the futures of entire families? It begins, I've learned, with the children. It does not end there, however. Getting parents more education (language, job skills, etc...) can get them more involved in their children's education.
Putting together coalitions of people committed to changing their city means finding committed, passionate individuals. Meeting the people we've met so far, I'd say that's the sine qua non. If you find those people, other things fall into place. What is my passion? What is my community's? What is yours?
Education was a theme for the day. We met with people passionate about early-childhood literacy issues. School-access issues dominated the afternoon and evening, with a panel discussion about special issues confronting the growing Hispanic community. Chattanooga is home to growing Mexican and Guatemalan communities, and they face issues regarding literacy and access to the education system.
Access is something we (I) tend to take for granted. For non-English-speaking communities, the ability for parents (who may not be literate, even in Spanish) to navigate "the system" is extremely limited. How are we, as the church, to respond? What can we do to change the futures of entire families? It begins, I've learned, with the children. It does not end there, however. Getting parents more education (language, job skills, etc...) can get them more involved in their children's education.
Putting together coalitions of people committed to changing their city means finding committed, passionate individuals. Meeting the people we've met so far, I'd say that's the sine qua non. If you find those people, other things fall into place. What is my passion? What is my community's? What is yours?
Coalition-Building and the Sugar Bowl
Wednesday was a busy day. We met with a series of people involved in the revitalization of Chattanooga. We lunched with a group of pastors who work to improve their city. We also met with the presidents of two large foundations who have been steering change in Chattanooga for decades. The reason for these meetings: to learn about coalition-building. A critical part of starting and maintaining a vital social-service ministry is being part of a larger group that shares the same vision.
Here at the Saint Andrews Center, Rev. Mike Feely has done just that. He has forged partnerships with all kinds of local agencies, churches, foundations, etc... to do the work that the SAC is doing. It's pretty impressive.
We dined at a local United Methodist Church that holds a Wednesday night supper and Bible study for the area's homeless population. There were about fifty homeless folks along with the eight seminarians enjoying a wonderful chicken dinner. I passed the night with my neighbors talking about the upcoming LSU/Notre Dame match-up in the Sugar Bowl (LSU pounded the Irish, it turned out). After eating we had a quick Bible study, working through a few verses of Philippians. The whole evening was wonderful.
Here at the Saint Andrews Center, Rev. Mike Feely has done just that. He has forged partnerships with all kinds of local agencies, churches, foundations, etc... to do the work that the SAC is doing. It's pretty impressive.
We dined at a local United Methodist Church that holds a Wednesday night supper and Bible study for the area's homeless population. There were about fifty homeless folks along with the eight seminarians enjoying a wonderful chicken dinner. I passed the night with my neighbors talking about the upcoming LSU/Notre Dame match-up in the Sugar Bowl (LSU pounded the Irish, it turned out). After eating we had a quick Bible study, working through a few verses of Philippians. The whole evening was wonderful.
Wednesday, January 3, 2007
Spiritual Disciplines while on this Immersion Trip
This Immersion Trip is all about serving the needs of marginalized communities: inner-city, rural, immigrant, homeless, uneducated, etc... Every day, we are meeting people who are changing the world from the bottom up. To go along with our daily activities, I've chosen a few spiritual disciplines to do on this trip that match its goal.
I'm reading the Social Principles of the United Methodist Church. These are the official statements of the church on matters of social policy. They state the church's position on such issues at conservation, energy use, child labor, human sexuality, gambling, and the Internet, just to name a few.
At the same time that I'm reading the Social Principles, I'm also reading the Book of Isaiah. I hope that these two readings will fit will the the things I'll be doing each day.
I'm reading the Social Principles of the United Methodist Church. These are the official statements of the church on matters of social policy. They state the church's position on such issues at conservation, energy use, child labor, human sexuality, gambling, and the Internet, just to name a few.
At the same time that I'm reading the Social Principles, I'm also reading the Book of Isaiah. I hope that these two readings will fit will the the things I'll be doing each day.
Arrived! Safe and Sound
It was an exciting day in the car yesterday. I left the house before 9:00am and arrived in Chattanooga around 8:00pm. I ran into two separate rush hours (Washington and Knoxville). I listened to a lot of music on my MP3 player (the radio on my car is starting to go). After Knoxville, the batteries died on the MP3 player and it was me singing to myself to stay awake. Lots of bad road food. Ug.
When I got to the Saint Andrew's Center, there was a presentation already underway. Andy Mendonsa, the founder of Widow's Harvest Ministries, was telling of his experiences. Twenty years ago, Andy found that God was calling him to serve the widows of his community. In turn, he discovered their deep, dependent faith in God and their power as partners in prayer.
Andy has gone back to the Bible and found that the "office" of widow in Scripture is one of prayer. Rather than being overlooked and forgotten, they must be cared for (or course) and honored as valuable members of the faith community. It was a great presentation. We'll be seeing Andy again today.
When I got to the Saint Andrew's Center, there was a presentation already underway. Andy Mendonsa, the founder of Widow's Harvest Ministries, was telling of his experiences. Twenty years ago, Andy found that God was calling him to serve the widows of his community. In turn, he discovered their deep, dependent faith in God and their power as partners in prayer.
Andy has gone back to the Bible and found that the "office" of widow in Scripture is one of prayer. Rather than being overlooked and forgotten, they must be cared for (or course) and honored as valuable members of the faith community. It was a great presentation. We'll be seeing Andy again today.
Monday, January 1, 2007
Hello 2007
It's officially the New Year. I hope this one brings more peace and less suffering to all the people in the world. "War is over, if you want it."
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