Need and generosity

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Foodlink of Tulare County, generosity, holiday meals, needy students, Oval Park - Visalia, Pinkham Elementary School - Visalia, St. Paul's Episcopal Church -- Visalia, Visalia Emergency Aid

Last Friday morning several of us from St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Visalia visited Pinkham Elementary School, continuing a tradition that began seven years ago when we began partnering with them.  Each Thanksgiving, as well as each Christmas, St. Paul’s provides several student families with not only enough food for a holiday feast, but staples and ingredients for several additional days’ meals.  It is a treat for us to shop intentionally for these families and then to deliver the food to school for them.

The custodian who was helping us unload the groceries was new to us, and unfamiliar with our routine.  As we were making the last trip from our cars to the teachers’ workroom, he made a comment that really made me think.  “It is too bad there aren’t as many generous people as there are poor people,” he said.

I really think there are.  The difficulty lies in pairing up the generous people with those who need help.  When I am downtown and see a homeless person stretched out in Oval Park, using his or her belongings as a pillow, I can safely assume that person needs help.  But driving past Pinkham School, located in a middle class neighborhood and looking quite prosperous, how would I know that there were hungry children trying to learn in those classrooms?  And yet nearly every teacher knows of at least one family that is hanging on by its fingernails, trying to make ends meet.

It is incumbent upon us to search out people who need our help — not just at the holidays, but all year long.  We don’t individually need to re-invent the wheel; there are agencies who can readily identify those in need, and have systems in place to help people without destroying their privacy.  But we, as individuals and congregations, need to do our parts.

Write out a generous check to FoodLink of Tulare County to help feed the hungry.  Better yet, call them and ask how you can volunteer to sort food or fund raise.  Donate food to Visalia Emergency Aid.  Offer to work in their warehouse during distribution times.  Take part in the Crop Walk Against Hunger in the spring, or the Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning.  Encourage your house of worship to be involved with the poor in our community, not just in overseas missions.

The need is there.  The generous people are there, too.  We simply need to act.

 

Dame Dragonfly

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dragonflies, memories, neighbors, St. Paul's Episcopal Church -- Visalia

A sweet lady from our church family died last month — a true prayer warrior who lived her faith every moment of her life.  Her daughter lives out-of-state, so now that her executor has distributed her most important possessions, a group of us are preparing what is left for a yard sale this weekend.

Her things are such a reflection of the life she lived.  Although in her eighties, she was adept with the computer and used hers daily, for years printing out our weekly church newsletters and snail-mailing them to congregants without computer access.  At the same time, she believed in old methods (Bon Ami scrubbing powder, anyone?) and being prepared (does anyone really need 4 gallons of Clorox?).

And sprinkled throughout everything are the dragonflies.  Dragonflies made into bibelot boxes, strands of lights, magnets, tucked into corners, resting on mirrors.

Her apartment was the drop-off spot for the veggies from our church garden.  Her neighbors would stop by, visit a bit, and go home with whatever had been picked that day.  Before we learned to plant a bit less, the neighbors shared zucchini recipes for the seemingly endless squash harvest.

I doubt that her apartment will stay vacant for long, as it is in the center of a thriving senior community.  I hope the “new” neighbor will be welcomed into her space, and blessed by the spirit of Dame Dragonfly.

We will miss you, Johnnie Mae.

Ouch!

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Kaweah Delta District Hospital, Quality Meats -- Visalia, red light runners, St. Paul's Episcopal Church -- Visalia, traffic accident

Today started off so beautifully!  I went to church with the girls (I was lucky enough to teach children’s chapel this week), then took them home and got ready for a vestry meeting and work.  But they say life happens while you are making other plans, and my plans were interrupted quite thoroughly.

On the way back to church I was hit by a woman who ran the stop light.  Fortunately for me I was just pulling into the intersection for a left-hand turn when I realized she was not stopping and hit my brakes…so she didn’t completely broadside me with her big truck.  But she caught me right at my driver’s door hinge and busted my wheel (and also probably my brand-new front axle shaft and tires), shoved me into the opposite direction on the road, and left me sitting quite still.

And all I could think of as I sat there shaking was that I needed to call my priest and let her know I wouldn’t be at the meeting!  Kind employees at Quality Meats came out and called 911, then came back with ice to put on my head…my purse had dumped upside down and I couldn’t reach my own phone.

I can now strike “take an ambulance ride” off my bucket list (if it were ever there), along with “have a CT scan” (and yes, there is a brain in there).  I don’t have a fractured skull or broken neck, just soft tissue bruising and a nasty headache.  I expect to be totally stiff and sore tomorrow, though.  And after nearly four hours in the Emergency Room at Kaweah Delta District Hospital, I went home to the excellent care of my family.  The staff was caring and efficient, and the doctor turned out to be the father of one of Georgia’s elementary/junior high school classmates.  It was fun hearing an update on his family, too.

Tonight I am filled with gratitude for so many things, the first being that Lily and Olivia were not in the car with me.  I appreciate the messages of love and prayers for my healing I have been receiving all day.  And I am grateful for excellent car insurance that should get my vehicle issues sorted out quickly.

Please, everyone, be careful at traffic lights.  Hesitate a few seconds before pulling out after the light turns green, and don’t fudge on the yellow lights.  The life you save may be your own.

Our own prayer breakfast

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Family Research Council, Gay Porterville, Gay Visalia, LGBT, St. Paul's Episcopal Church -- Visalia, Tony Perkins, Tulare County Prayer Breakfast

The Tulare County Prayer Breakfast was held this morning in downtown Visalia, and was billed as an opportunity to come together and pray for the well-being of our city. And I was there — but I chose not to go inside. The heralded guest speaker for this event was Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, a man who purports to “speak for Christians” as he bashes the LGBT community. I am saddened and embarrassed — but not surprised — that he was welcomed into Tulare County.

Rather than attend the breakfast, a group of us from the “rest” of the community (including folks from Gay Visalia, Gay Porterville, and Get Equal) walked outside the Visalia Convention Center in protest of his inclusion into the event. As those who had paid $25 to attend the official gathering were praying inside, those of us outside were being led by Rev. Suzy Ward of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in a Litany for Peace and Love, including (in part)

“Leader: In God’s family we recognize persons of all sexual orientations, gender identities and family units into the full life of the greater Christian community.
All: God calls us all, so we will send no one away…
Leader: May the Spirit of the living God so move every human heart, that barriers which divide us may crumble,
All: May suspicions disappear and hatreds cease, so that our divisions may be healed.”

I was glad to stand with with Suzy and proclaim, “Visalia is no place for hate.” I hope someday those words won’t be necessary.

I proudly stand with Suzy to proclaim: “Visalia is no place for HATE”.

Invite them to church

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church budgets, invitations, outreach, St. Paul's Episcopal Church -- Visalia

We had our annual parish meeting after church this morning, a time to gather as a community and review the year’s highlights, as well as to chart the path for the coming year. There were delicious soups and sandwiches and desserts all around, with enough for everyone to take home leftovers afterwards. It was an opportunity to appreciate how much our congregation has grown, and to thank those who contributed to the success of our many projects, both internal and external.

It was also an opportunity to talk about things that might be better done differently, both within our congregation and for the greater world outside our walls. There were discussions of potential new activities and the committees that would be needed to develop those activities. There was talk of budgets and budget shortfalls, and how to meet those challenges.

And, in the midst of all these “committee” and “action” discussions, one voice stood out to me with one very simple suggestion. If we want to grow our church — invite one person to come to church. If we have budget shortfalls, don’t wait until the plate offerings and pledges increase and we can afford more outreach — invite one person to come to church. If we want to glorify God — invite one person to come to church.

The more we invite — one-on-one and sincerely — the more our congregation will grow, the more our outreach will increase, and the more our budget will expand as our worshiping base increases. It seems kind of basic, doesn’t it? Just think: if we each invited one other person to come to church with us and hear the word of God, and even one fourth of those take us up on the invitation, our group will grow in love and enthusiasm.

Olivia reading the “Forward Day By Day” magazine to Pluto during today’s annual meeting.

Today our Sunday School kids made nets and fishing poles and talked about Jesus and the disciples, then made fishing poles and nets to illustrate Jesus’ call to make them “fishers of people”. It fit right into the context and meaning of our meeting.

Who will you invite to church today? Who invited you, and why? Let me know in the comments. 🙂

Remember who you are

Tags

authenticity, Bishop David Rice, Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin, faith, St. Paul's Episcopal Church -- Visalia

This morning after a wonderful service of confirmation and reception, Bishop David Rice was visiting with our congregation and answering questions about the state of our diocese. Along the way, he told a story about the African-American woman who raised him from birth to adulthood. He shared that every time he or his siblings left the house, she admonished them to “remember who you are” and not try to be something they were not.

Bishop David Rice and those being confirmed and received

I have been thinking about this all day, and wondering how my granddaughters would answer this question if asked. And I have been wondering about myself, and thinking that I cannot separate who I am from what I believe. And to carry this further, I cannot separate who I am and what I believe from what I do and how I act. To partition these things would be inauthentic and artificial, and would detract from what I am called to do as a child of God.

I don’t think my denomination matters any more than my marital status or my household income. None of those things are who I am. My humanity, my love for my family, my compassion for others, and my faith…those things make up who I am.

Tomorrow I am going to ask Lily, and remind her to “remember who you are”. Thank you, Bishop Rice.

Lessons and Carols

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granddaughters, grandmothers, Lessons and Carols, sisters, St. Paul's Episcopal Church -- Visalia

On Christmas Eve I was blessed by attending church with my youngest granddaughter, Olivia, because her big sister was sick. We usually go as a trio, so it definitely felt like someone was missing, but we soon settled in comfortably, and it was Olivia’s night to shine.

This morning Miss Olivia absolutely didn’t want to leave her cozy blankets, so Lily and I left her sleeping and went to church, just the two of us. It was a very traditional Christmastide service of Lessons and Carols, one that Lily had never before experienced. When her mama was a baby, this service was always Christmas Eve, and it was my favorite of the entire year.

Other than the silliness of leaving my reading glasses at home, it was a lovely morning. (Fortunately, whomever prepared the script for the day also has senior eyes, so the print was large enough for me to read my section of the lessons with my “bare eyes”, and the hymns were ones I had been singing since childhood.)

If you are unfamiliar with this service, it has been held for over 100 years, with pivotal Biblical lessons from the Fall of Adam and Eve up to and through the birth of Christ, each lesson followed by an appropriate hymn. For me personally it is a reminder of how my own personal Christian faith is not a random act, but has its beginnings in a carefully prepared and foretold series of “God events” that occurred over thousands of years.

Being there with only Lily gave me the opportunity to focus on her understanding and appreciation of the day without needing to keep Olivia occupied. And in the absence of our Crucifer, Lily stepped up and carried the cross in the recessional, which made both of us very proud.

I am so lucky to have these experiences with my girls. My own grandmothers lived in another state as I was growing up, so our visits were brief and generally once a year. To be able to be with them every day and watch them grow right before my eyes is a gift I will always cherish.

Celtic evening prayer

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Celtic Evening Prayer, St. Patrick, St. Paul's Episcopal Church -- Visalia

The Invocation from tonight’s Celtic evening prayer gathering at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Visalia was written by St. Patrick:

Lord, be with us this night,
Within us to purify us;
Above us to draw us up;
Beneath us to sustain us;
Before us to lead us;
Behind us to restrain us;
Around us to protect us. Amen.

May God protect us all this night, and always.

Rain and a picnic

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barbecue, Blain Park - Visalia, bounce houses, church picnic, rain, relationships, St. Paul's Episcopal Church -- Visalia

The strange sound I heard early this morning…that quiet hissing and gurgling…was (imagine drum roll, please) RAIN! Beautiful, nourishing rain! And to show God truly has a sense of humor, that rain came down on the morning of the church picnic! (Ironically, my daughter, who uses a rain machine to help her sleep, was awakened by the sounds of “the real thing”!)

Our stalwart group decided that a little rain was not going to deter us from our picnic, and we gathered at Blain Park at noon, as planned. The weather was an absolutely perfect seventy-five degrees, the food was delicious, and the conversation even better!

Lily has never met a stranger, and quickly joined forces with a girl her age who was visiting the park with her grandfather. She and Olivia had a great time playing with their new-found friends, while I supervised with one eye while getting in some high-quality visiting time with old and new members of our congregation.

A bounce-house confab with a new friend

Walt, our trusty barbecue chef, brought his tools and grilled up tasty hamburgers and hot dogs. As well as cooking for the multitudes, he also gathered in a few strangers who had children playing with ours. A bounce house and a barbecue are amazing ice-breakers!

The Pro from Dover with his engraved case full of barbecue tools!

At the end of the day, our picnic in the park had fed our tummies and our souls. I’m ready to do it again!

This new season

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bounce house, Fall, picnic, St. Paul's Episcopal Church -- Visalia, thunderheads

I know I’ve said it before, but it bears repeating. I LOVE FALL! (Yes, I’m shouting.) After a very hot and dry summer, we had a delightful high temperature of 75 degrees today. It was a pleasure to be outside and the air conditioner at home never clicked on.

As I was heading home from work this afternoon, I was struck by the beauty of the thunderheads piled up against the mountains in the East. And no, I didn’t take this picture while driving. I was sitting at a very lengthy stop light, and snapped it just before the white truck crossed my path.

Thunderheads in the East, Visalia, California

Tomorrow is our annual St. Paul’s Episcopal Church picnic (complete with bounce house this year), and we are expecting a perfect 81 degree afternoon, filled with laughter, games, and delicious food. In fact, it is time for me to go bake brownies.