Gulf Coast Partnership

My last letter to Redeemer

2009-01-04T22:08:00.005-05:00

This letter to the people of Redeemer marks the close of my ministry here. But I hope it does not mark the end of our commitment to the people of the Gulf Coast and to the continued rebuilding of lives and structures here. I will return to MA in February to serve Trinity Parish in Haverhill. I look forward to this new period of my life and ministry. God willing, we will be a window into God's Kingdom in that city. I will occasionally blog as I return home so stay tuned.. You just never know what waits around the corner..

To the Church of the Redeemer, Biloxi

As Christmas draws to a close and Epiphany waits for us around the corner, I am filled with wonder and appreciation for the journey which has wound through our lives these past two years. The comfort and intimacy of the story of the Nativity moves now to the revelation of Love in this God who is man and man who is God – Jesus Christ. During the Epiphany season we will watch Jesus as He is baptized, as He calls his disciples, as He struggles with His self-identity, and finally as He is revealed on the Mount of the Transfiguration as Son of God. Each encounter with disciples, prophets, peasant women, lepers, crowds of adoring fans – each of these encounters serves as an opportunity for Jesus to grow in understanding of His intimate relationship with the Father and to reflect the face of God more clearly to us.

Whether we were at Loaves and Fishes or IHN, during worship or in hospital rooms, at baptisms and at funerals, or enjoying the fellowship of volunteer cook-outs, I am aware that each of these encounters was an opportunity for us to grow in our understanding and love of God and in love for each other. Some encounters have been full of pain, some anger, many have been filled with joy and laughter, but all have been a gift from God to you and to me. These two years are a treasure that I will hold all of my life. I had no idea when I set out from Massachusetts in my sandals to come to Mississippi how welcomed I would be, how generous with your time and talent you would be, and how much I would learn about you, about me, about our work in God’s Kingdom, and about God. I will miss our day to day encounters, but you will never be far from my thoughts and my prayers. I will hold you in my heart.

I am truly a person of two homes. I am a Southerner through and through. I love the gentle breezes and the shade of oak trees weighted down by Spanish Moss. I love the smell of chicken frying and the sound of a lure as it hits the water in between the Cypress trees. I love the friendly embrace of a stranger who welcomes me into his/her home and offers me rich, hot coffee and salted pecans - simply because I knocked. I have learned to love hockey – Mississippi style. But I also love the beauty of the New England winter, the quiet of the snow falling, and the lights of the cities that are so bright I cannot see the stars in the sky. I love the flowers that burst out in frenzy as if winter might come before they can show all of their colors – and the fact that it might! I have even learned to enjoy – horror of horrors – a New England boiled dinner and of course I love the Sox.

When I first met with Bishop Bud and talked about the possibility of moving to Biloxi, I had in mind to build bridges. First and foremost was the work of being priest at Redeemer, helping our rector where I could, and being a lightning rod for renewed hope and joy after the losses of Katrina. But there was always the other side of my mission here – the support of volunteers and the work of assisting with the rebuilding of the community’s spirit shattered by the destruction. I wanted to introduce to Mississippi some Yankee ingenuity and the can-do approach to rebuilding. New Englanders desire and respect the responsibility of government to create institutions that provide for justice and equality and I wanted to talk about how we in the south might “do justice” (Micah 6) a little better. In like manner, I wanted to teach my friends in Massachusetts about the southern love of life, good food, good music, and fellowship, the attention to polite detail and social convention that respects the pride and integrity of all, the intimacy that develops when two strangers ask the “who are your people” question until they each finally find common ground and therefore a reason to foster a friendship. I see God at work in both of my homes and I hope that through our conversations, our shared work, our listening to each other, and our love of God that we have begun to build bridges between Massachusetts and Mississippi that will endure and will make us both better for having done the work.

January 11 will be my last Sunday at Redeemer as your Associate Rector. Faye has told me that I am to ask her before I make any plans for the day so I assume that there will be ample opportunity for us to say good bye and to shed tears together. I hope the next time I come to Redeemer it will be to share in the celebration of a new church building and to join you in praise and thanksgiving for the gifts that you will bring to that worship space. If God is willing and the planes are flying I will come for that glorious day.

You have endured my chanting, welcomed my ideas, encouraged me when I slipped, and taught me much about being a priest. I am truly grateful. I will hold you in my prayers each night as I hope you will hold me in yours.

Now may the Peace of God that passes all understanding keep your heart and your mind in the knowledge and the love of God and of God’s Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. May God’s holy, healing Spirit be your guide as your path changes and turns, and may the blessing of God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, guard and keep you and those you love now and forever. Amen
Jane+

Advent 2008

2008-12-01T22:10:00.003-05:00

The rector's sabbatical has ended and I anticipate having some time to do some things that have been on the back burner since September. Gustav seems eons ago, but the debris piles are - sadly - still on the beach. Apparently the Feds and the Staties cannot decide who should pay for the truck to haul them away and so they will sit. It has made the ants quite happy as they have ready made mounds.

The last of the FEMA parks in Harrison County shut down last week. March 1 will mark the end of federal disaster aid. No more housing, no more mental health help. And for sure part of me recognizes that much of the poverty here now is no different from the poverty in Boston or any place else. At some point each community must begin to work to better itself.

It is a strange thing though that we have not recovered in some mysterious ways. How can I describe it? Across class and race and economic status similar issues have arisen around personal recovery. Why is it taking so long? What is wrong with me? These are common questions in groups and in individual counseling. Katrina seems to have taxed us beyond what we expected it to do. The reminders just do not go away and the tears can flow easily.

This month I plan to go to NOLA and get my hands into some sheet rocking. I also hope to return to Cameron to see how that recovery is progressing. Time is a wonderful gift and I hope to use these weeks to let the sounds and images of the Gulf Coast wash over so that I will be warmed by them when I return to Massachusetts in February.

Blessed Advent,
Jane+

Beginning of the end

2008-10-01T13:28:00.001-04:00

Losses Losses Losses. This past week Redeemer suffered one more blow. Our communion vessels were stolen right under our noses. It is a difficult pill to swallow. But for me the miraculous thing is how the parish has reminded me of our vulnerability where our material possessions are concerned but of our strength in our relationships and our care and keeping of each other. Information on the loss is accessible at http://www.sunherald.com/pageone/story/845457.html .
Today I am mindful of how close it is to January and the end of my time at Redeemer and on the Gulf Coast. These two years have seemed to go by in a heartbeat. There is so much that I have done, so much that I have not done, and so much to be done. And then there is the overwhelming knowledge that it is God who has brought all of us together in this place to do this work and without whom our efforts would be fruitless.
When I arrived in Mississippi I believe that I was the only car on the road to have a snow shovel in the back. As I contemplate my return to Massachusetts, I am looking for a new one as I long ago ditched the old one. I came to Mississippi hoping to build bridges. On the one side would be the place of my birth where my heart lies with its love of the land and its open, welcoming embrace of neighbor. On the other, my new home with its proud sense of Yankee ingenuity and frugality and its sense of justice and equity for all people. I had hoped to be a vessel through which the best of both could be shared in conversation, in resources, and in coming to the Table together so that we could all benefit from each other’s graces. It is my hope that my return to Massachusetts will not mean an end to this relationship we have built together, but rather will be just the beginning of many years of partnership to come
In the coming weeks as Harold returns from sabbatical, I prepare to leave, and Redeemer prepares to enter into a new time of building and envisioning the future, I hope to have many who will share with me their insight into our two year journey. I want to sit with as many as we are able to listen, so that I might better understand my gifts and struggles as Redeemer’s priest and as your missionary and then be sent by you to pastor in a new place with energy, hope, and love. I am asking you to be my teachers, so that these bridges that we have built together will be stronger and longer lasting.
I wish that I had some news to share about our communion vessels, but I do not. One of the gifts that Redeemer has given to me is a perspective on loss. Many members came to me to assure me that Redeemer will get along without the silver because we still have our parish family. There are those bridges again.
God’s Peace be with you this week,
Jane+

Just one more...

2008-09-17T23:53:00.001-04:00

I want to add a little addendum. I wrote during the heighth of the storm that a little restaurant in The Pass was washed away. That turned out to be a terribly vicious rumor. Some in Boston who knew the place have received emails from me assuring them that when they return to the Coast they will have a place to get a cold beer and some broiled oysters. Now I can give first hand info as just yesterday I dined at Shaggy's albeit with a limited menu selection and many love bugs. Debris still covers the beaches in many places, but the Coast seems more intent on providing relief supplies to Texas than in worrying about cleaning up our own beaches. I think this is as it should be. Thanks be to God.

Gustav Last

2008-09-02T10:07:00.006-04:00

Home at last. Haven't had a shower since Sunday AM so this is going to be decidedly short! I have some roof damage and trees down - sandbags kept water out thoough. All in all no worse for the wear. Storm clouds linger, but it is quiet. No word from Christ Church BSL yet. Other churches are OK. BSL took a big hit. Waveland had 19 ft surge (Katrina was 26 there). News from NOLA is good. Although if I were the authorities I would be all over the companies that did not secure the barge and ships. That was an unnecessary risk. Thankfully no harm done. Now the talk is of a safe return to NOLA and working on how to deal with the stress and trauma of having to evacuate. There wil be some mental fatigue and depression. In fact a lot. This will be an issue for us to consider after we are all back home.

Geoffrey Lewis has put together a series of photos of Gustav. Some are his and some may be from other sources. Pretty vivid shots though. Here is the link on Youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPMzWBx51Vk

I have contacted about 1/3 of the parishionrs and all are safe and sound with damage at minimum. Will continue to hear from others as the week goes on I am sure. John Byrd caught a snake which he promptly wanted to show to me. Some things just never change. We lost some limbs at the parish house but the roof held. DeMiller Hall had some leaks, but they were monir and Holy Guardian Angels will open tomorrow. Faye, Malcolm, Julie and I did a walk through this AM. The debris line is inches short of the Camille Memorial. We have quite a mess to clean up but little other damage. With Ike headed toward the Gulf I will keep the vestments at my house.

I give thanks for all of the letters, emails, and prayers.

"...As it is there are many members, yet one body...
If one member suffers, all suffer together with it:..."

My prayer today is that we will continue to be one Body in Christ and that we will stand together what ever pain, suffering, or storm might come our way. I am consciece of the peril of Hurricanes Hannah and Ike and I pray for safety for all in the path. I tell my children in Godly Play that wherever they go God gets there first and is waiting to welcome them. Thanks be the God.

Gustav 10

2008-09-02T06:24:00.001-04:00

Just a quick note before we get busy. If you remember shaggys restaurant in pass xtian. Gone. Extènsive floodng. Môre later. We are waiting for all cleár to go home. I am praying this day "we give thanks for all the blessings of this life" I cannot thank tou enough for your love. Jane
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Gustav 9

2008-09-01T17:05:00.001-04:00

Troubling. Rumors that shelters near biloxi are closing and putting nola folks out. (not ARC). On òther side we just helped a nola family find lodging in Jackson. Tensions are rising as the time hoes by. We have much flooding. Popps ferry is flooded as is my Street. We will spend another night in the shelter. AC is not working. i need to cleán the bathrooms Pray for cool heads and warm hearts
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Gustav 8

2008-09-01T10:10:00.001-04:00

Breakfast time. Gustav is on shore and no bad reports so far. I visited with a lovely couple from nola. He had a feeding tube and needed some privacy. He was terribly uncomfortable but his face showed a joy for life. The lesson for me. - a smile makes everthing better even in a shelter. Time to make the rounds. BTW tornado by and wind strong. Still under curfew. Not out of Woods yet. Roof groaning. Awespme wonder át the beauty of creation
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Gustav 7

2008-09-01T07:02:00.001-04:00

Good Morning. The tenor of the place is decidedly better. Hope is that NOLA may be spared. Hooray. Talk is now about going home. Many tornados. Not over yet.
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Gustav 6

2008-09-01T00:27:00.001-04:00

Good news as it goes to the West. We have had squalls but not too bad. I registèred 69 in about 2 hours with òthers doing the same. We have severál families from nola. Two of my parishiòners are here and another working as a volunteer. That makes it môre like family for me. The video meet was good. Thanks helen. I am almost toò tired to think tonight. My práyer is that travel has been safe and folks have been welcomed. One family from NO got a call from her sister in Boston. I found out that sox lost. Oh well. i hear the rain beginning again. It will be a long night. God bless you all. We are resting in Gods love and your práyers. Jane
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Gustav #5

2008-08-31T16:02:00.002-04:00

I am finally ready to go. I am spending the next 36 to 72 hours volunteering at a local Red Cross shelter.

The storm continues to veer to the west. Winds are not as strong as they were predicted at this point. The further west it goes the better for us and for NOLA at this point. But they are still predicting 130+ and a 20 ft surge. The good news is that people have responded all over and have evacuated. This is the second evacuation for my son, John and the first for #2 son, Will. Having spent the last two days with John who came to help me get ready, the emotional impact of having to leave home yet again is off the stress charts for people in NOLA. The news is full of predictions for flood depth and number of homes likely to be flooded. Pumping stations are manned though and NOLA seems to have responded well. One glitch (and this could be one of those hurricane rumors) is that only a portion of the buses that FEMA had contracted to move people out actually showed up. They were several hundred buses short. FEMA called for help and LA responded by sending buses from surrounding communities. They say that they will get all people who want to get out. There are some who have not left. All are reluctant to leave, but most are resigned to the necessity of the evacuation. The resignation is apparent in the faces.

Talk at the coffee pot after church and in the lines at the gas station are vivid retellings of Katrina, George, Elena, and Ivan. From a pastoral perspective this seems good to me. It connotes community, shared experience, a remembering that seems to make the current chaos more "ordinary". Hurricanes are a part of life on the coast. There is not doubt about that. Perhaps it is the media coverage that makes these events so frightening. Today the Gospel lesson was "pick up our cross and follow" This is one mean cross. But Rev Harold Roberts (Redeemer rector) who lost everything he had in Katrina was more focused on the power of the relationships we have built with those who have come here to help since Katrina. He talked about the lack of knowledge about our plight in 2005 and how alone the coast was as Katrina approached. But this time we have gotten phone calls from all over the world. We know we are not alone. We know that each voice, each gift card, each prayer, each person who comes - is a beautiful manifestation of God's Love. It was powerful that our prayers of the people today were focused on a remembrance of Katrina. We added a few prayers of our own for those who are yet again in great turmoil.

The remainder of my blogs will be shorter and from my Blackberry. (Please excuse the typos!) I will be in a shelter in Biloxi so I will have little access to the larger picture. I will report on my work there and how the people of Biloxi are dealing with yet one more disaster. The clouds are beginning to build outside. It is hot and humid - no surprise! Thank you all for taking the time to read my missives. May God bless and keep you and us and most especially the people of New Orleans.

Gustav #4

2008-08-31T13:54:00.004-04:00

Just back with a car full of vestments and books. As I rode along Hwy 90 the stream of cars from NOLA was continous. The houses all boarded up. People are doing OK. We had about 55 today for church. There is a sense of relief that we will get minimal hurricane frce winds and only a 15 ft surge - 1/2 of Katrina. But there is great sadness for New Orleans. I cried all the way home. One of the parihsioners had come along I 10 and she said that all she could see for mile after mile were LA plates. I am reminded of Jesus weeping over Jerusalem. And now I am crying again. I have got to stop that as I need to go put baptismal records in plastic bags and feed the cats...

One really spirit lifting thing has been the number of calls we have gotten from folks who do not keep me on the phone very long, but who say we are praying for you. One call from Maryland just a few minutes ago was "We are putting together a team. We will be there" Oh my gosh what a gift.

Good Morning Gustav # 3

2008-08-31T06:45:00.003-04:00

It is about 5:45. Not a lot of sleep last night. I have just gotten John out the door headed for Jackson. He plans to return on Tuesday. The latest forecast seems to have tracked Gustav back to the west. Good for us, but NOLA is still in the NE quandrant with a devastating storm surge. The down side of the west shift is that they also have pushed the landfall time further ahead and that will mean it will hit at high tide. (Monday PM) NOLA is in full evacuation. The roads are solid. It is the first time I have heard a trooper say "If you have an accident and there are no injuries, just move on".

I wonder about the safety of Beth Dyson's daughter. She is in BSL which is much closer to NOLA and to the water. If anyone knows where she is riding the storm please let me know. 317-240-722.

It is quiet here in the early morning hours. Gov. Barbour has declared emergency of course. So has Bush. I guess that is significant, but right now it seems pretty redundant. I am losing my interest in watching the weather. "What has been done - has been done - let it be". I got an email from Rita at Loaves and Fishes - "who is leaving and who is staying?" Mississippi has launched a massive bus evacuation so those who have no transportation will be able to get out. Most are traveling just north of I10 to stay with relatives. I am going to Redeemer in about and hour and will check on folks at Main Street and on parishioners who are staying. I suspect that we will have a small crowd today.

The skies are still clear and the air is cool - but humid. August on th eGulf coast. It is hard to believe that such destruction is barreling our way.

Jane

Gustav # 2

2008-08-31T00:06:00.004-04:00

I am about to go to bed and try to get some sleep. Tomorrow my son John will leave for the MS diocesan center in Jackson to spend the night and day – waiting out the storm His home in NOLA is likely to be flooded as NOLA is looking at a probable surge of 20 ft. That will be deadly for the city. Winds in NOLA are expected in the 135 mph range. Winds in Baton Rouge expected to be 100 and winds here are expected to be about 80. The storm has picked up speed. I am told that the faster it arrives the further east it will bend. It is already the worse case scenario for NOLA except that the storm is coming in at low tide. NOLA is under mandatory evacuation as is Biloxi’s Point (where Redeemer is located). We plan to have church tomorrow. And then I will come home. Helen Gordon has arranged for a video conference at 4:30 CDT. If you would like to log in with us the instructions are below. Once that is finished I will drive to the shelter and am working there throughout the storm. Miss Kitty will stay in the house in my closet. (She prefers to be far away from the thunder and lightning.) My son Will is with my sister in Shreveport and will make his way down through MS to return to NOLA ASAP.

Right now I am just tired. It has been a long day of sandbagging the back door, taping the windows, and moving in the outside stuff. I am as prepared as I can be. I spoke with Nell Bolton of the LA Disaster Response and there was both sadness and worry in her voice. We will help them in any way that we can.

Off to bed with me. The wind is supposed to begin by morning. Landfall is about 36 hours away. We have done all the right things to get ready. The diocese of MS has been so attentive and helpful. I am really thankful for Bishop Gray’s love for us. And now it is time for prayers.

What will I pray tonight… I wonder about those who are homebound and who have no access to news. I am sure there are some even with the door to door warning. I pray that they will be safe. But you know I mostly pray that they will not be afraid. Life is hard sometimes and right now it seems especially hard. I pray that we will all feel the warmth and the strength of God’s presence and that we will act as Christ to those with whom we work and wait. I pray for patience as I help people into the shelter and I pray for the safety of those who are traveling. I give thanks that I am doing exactly what I want to be doing right now. I am serving and loving those to whom I have come as priest. I give thanks for Bishop Bud’s phone call. It lifted my spirits. I give thanks for Helen and her technology and for all those who have emailed and called and expressed concern. I know that God will watch over us in the coming hours. “Comfort every sufferer watching late in pain, those who plan some evil from their sin restrain. Through the long night watches may thine angels spread, their white wings above me watching round my bed. When the morning wakens, then may I arise Pure and fresh and sinless in thy holy eyes,”

http://gulfcoastpartnership.blogspot.com/

PS

Here is a link to an interview with one of my parihsioners. She is Lucy Denton.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/26471140#26471140

Cape Islands Deanery Test Post

2008-08-30T22:51:00.000-04:00

The Cape & Islands Deanery sends our love and support to our sisters
and brothers on the Gulf Coast.

Testing

2008-08-30T22:21:00.001-04:00

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Hurricane Gustav # 1

2008-08-30T21:29:00.002-04:00

Hi from the Gulf Coast. I am going to try to keep a blog going as Hurricane Gustav approaches and as Hannah churcn behind him. I will try to report on the conditions, my impressions, my feelings, and the impact on those who we have been serving over the past three years. It is ironic that this storm comes on the anniversary weekend of Katrina. My first thoughts from my "Wall" on Facebook.

Friday evening AM The storm seems to be going west of NOLA which will lessen the intensity here but we are expecting hurricane force winds. I have lots of batteries and water and enough non-perishable food for 3 days. After that I will go on a diet. I am washing clothes, calling parihsioners, and putting my mailbox in cement. I have a travel house for Miss Kitty and lots of cat food and litter. I even have duck tape for the windows. I have my Red Cross badge and and am ready to help open shelters.

As for feelings... I am frightened. I have been through hurricanes before, but I was younger then. I am conscience of the concern in the voices of other elderly parishioiners who are limited in the ability to endure physical stress. All of this is of course coming over Labor Day weekend and is a definite deja vu. Thanks for your prayers and calls. They mean a whole lot. Jane

Saturday morning In Biloxi we are still eyeing Gustav with caution. Predictions say we are in for 65 to 85 mph winds and lots of water. I have decided to stay, but to sandbag my lox back doors in hopes of avoiding flash flooding in the den. John is here with his two cats and Miss Kitty is acting like she never heard of hospitality. Oh well she will just have to deal with it. Today my plans are to go fill up the cars, buy one more 5 gal gas can and fill it up, mow the grass (yuck), plant my mailbox and bring all the yard stuff into the garage, and thne make phone calls to the remiaining parishioners so that on Monday I wil know where they have gone. Church will be light tomorrow. I am feeling mostly apprehension and some exctement. I am not as frightened for MS but I am VERY worried about NOLA. The Corps exect NO East, 9th Ward, and parts of Metarie to flood - and of course all of the area south of NOLA. They expect the levees in the inner part of the city to hold. We will see. Later

Looking back on a year in Mississippi

2008-01-14T23:04:00.000-05:00

15 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my lambs." 16 A second time he said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Tend my sheep." 17 He said to him the third time, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, "Do you love me?" And he said to him, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep. John 21: 15-17

On January 14, 2007, Bishop Bud reminded me of this charge that Jesus gave to Peter and asked that I hold it as my own. The following day I left Massachusetts with my sister, my cat, and a stack of gift cards to move to Biloxi in order to begin a ministry there as Priest in Residence on the Gulf Coast from Massachusetts. I was to serve part-time as an associate at Church of the Redeemer and part-time as a diocesan representative organizing relief work. Now, one year later, the time has come to look back in order to see the way forward more clearly.

I have worked primarily in Christian Education and Youth Ministry. With encouragement from the teachers we implemented Godly Play for all ages. The youth group, though small, is energetic and is planning a visit to Massachusetts this summer to work at Esperanza Academy and to dialogue with some youth from Massachusetts on issues of classism and racism. I have also kept a steady schedule of preaching, celebrating the Eucharist, and pastoral visits.

It is hard to imagine the roller coaster of a ride that moving, hitting the ground running, and dealing with the day to day struggle of seeing so much to be done and not having the time, the resources, or the know-how to make the needed changes. I marvel at the people who have lived through this nightmare and still go on with both joy and hope in their hearts. You can’t tell me that God is not at work here! I see it every day in the faces of locals and volunteers alike. Something good is going to come out of this struggle, it is just hard to see right now.

From the beginning my goal was to integrate my two roles and to immerse my diocesan work in parish life. I have hosted several groups from Massachusetts and other places ranging in number from 1 to 100. The groups work with case managers who identify families needing assistance in returning to their homes and to spend as much time as possible at the work site. In addition, I tried to provide each group with information and insight into the impact of Hurricane Katrina on the lives of the people of Mississippi and Louisiana and the environmental impact on the coast.

A large part of my role has been working with secular groups here who were also engaged in recovery. Early on I realized that there was little office or meeting space available and so I submitted a proposal to vestry to seek funding for the maintenance and upkeep of DeMIller Hall as an administrative place for groups providing disaster relief in East Biloxi. The vestry decided that such an endeavor was in keeping with Redeemer’s mission on the beach and we submitted and gained approval for a grant of $120,000 from ERD over two years to support rent-free occupancy for the administrative offices of Interfaith Disaster Task Force, the Steps Coalition and a daycare.

In support of social justice issues I coordinated the Second Annual Interfaith Service of Remembrance at Gulfside Assembly and I serve on the Board of Directors of Loaves and Fishes. I have worked with IDTF, The Steps Coalition, Coastal Women for Change, and various other local and national groups in projects to facilitate advocacy and support for low-wealth families and marginalized communities. This work has included supporting legislation and programs that have grown out of Steps Coalition work.

In November I began working closely with St Anna’s Episcopal Church in New Orleans to help them get an after-school program going focused around their already thriving music ministry and to help find ongoing money to support the medical mission. This work is ongoing.

Serving at Redeemer for the past year has been a privilege and a joy for me. I appreciate the kindness and hospitality of the parish in welcoming me in true southern fashion and for putting up with my learning curve as I worked my way through the unfamiliar territory of a traditionally Anglo-Catholic parish liturgy. I am indebted to Faye Jones for her patience and guidance this past year and for knowing everyone’s phone number. I am especially grateful to The Reverend Harold Roberts for being my mentor, for introducing me to the other clergy and professional associates, for sharing the pulpit and altar with me and for his friendship. But most of all I am appreciative of the support that I have received from the people of Massachusetts in making it possible for me to serve

Recollections from a Trip to New Orleans

2007-12-20T22:42:00.000-05:00

A group from St. Paul’s (Natick) and Parish of the Epiphany (Winchester) visited New Orleans the first week in November. Our goal was to make a small contribution to the rebuilding process in this city, still devastated by the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina two years ago. Our experiences from this week were more than carpentry and painting in the rebuilt home of a new friend. The ultimate reward was sharing this experience with dozens of volunteers from around the country and being aware of God’s spirit in the enthusiasm of all of us.

There is still frustration. Our new friend, Miss J., a retired, widowed school teacher, had waited two years for the rebuilding process to begin. She lived in a FEMA trailer in her own driveway, reminded daily of the rotted, moldy structure that she once called home. Thousands are still waiting for some types of assistance; as the various government agencies slowly make decisions and the lawsuits against insurance companies continue. The most dramatically effected are the elderly and the poor.

The effects of this catastrophe are woven into these communities in a way we can never imagine. The visible damage and the invisible emotional drain is everywhere. But the residents still love this city, and we can’t fathom explaining to them why they must relocate.

Is our work appreciated? We listened to a sermon one night which spoke to this quite eloquently and poignantly. The priest explained that our presence was living proof, that not everyone has forgotten the people of New Orleans. Later in the week, we spoke to a veteran, a man whose stories of rescues during the storm would break your heart. He turned to us at dinner and asked, “Do you think the rest of the country has forgotten us?” Let us continue to show them the answer is an emphatic NO by supporting the rebuilding efforts!

That same service was also a powerful testament to Christian community. An invitation is extended to all volunteers in the area to come to this parish each Wednesday, and the sanctuary was almost filled to capacity. As we experienced the liturgy that is so familiar to us, regardless of where “home” is, we felt a common energy and shared enthusiasm. It was truly a subtle but beautiful moment amongst strangers, united in reflection on a common mission.

There is Hope. The St. Charles Ave. streetcar, a unique symbol of home for many New Orleanians reopened the day we began our journey home. The energy, enthusiasm and sacrifice of the youth leading the Episcopalian mission is inspiring. Traveling and working with people of all ages and backgrounds reminds us of the generosity of Christian life.

And there is Gratitude. It warms our hearts to hear so much appreciation for our time and for simply being in New Orleans, a city largely dependent on tourism for its very viability. From the cab drivers to the clergy to Miss J. herself, who can finally move back HOME. A long, painful journey; only 30 feet from trailer to front door, but two years in the making.

They came, and we are humbly thankful

2007-11-21T15:57:00.000-05:00

Hello Massachusetts and Happy Thanksgiving. I have just finished my homily for tomorrow's service and stopped to check my mail before going to work in the kitchen. (My children are coming over from New Orleans and so I need to be "Mom" tonight.)

Thanksgiving is a reflective time for me as my memory of being in the "Pit" with The Rev Dn Daphne Noyes for Thanksgiving, 2001, is still very fresh - even after these six years. That year a group of National Guardsmen from Spartenburg, SC prepared and served dinner for us and the thousands of others who were working to remove the still smouldering wreckage. My gratitude to them for coming to serve is much like that expressed below. This letter to the editor of the Sun Herald came to me through email from the volunteer coordinator at Camp Victor, one of the volunteer housing sites in this area. I have pasted it here so that you who have traveled to MS and who will travel soon can get a glimpse into the depth of the gratitude that we here in MS feel toward those who have come to help.

"The following appeared in the Biloxi Sun-Herald newspaper on Tuesday, November 20, 2007. It is a letter to the editor from a grateful Gulf Coast resident. We believe it expresses the unspoken thoughts of so many people here. Happy Thanksgiving.

They came, and we are humbly thankful
When the wind died and the water receded, we were on our knees in prayer and despair — broken people with broken lives but thankful to be here still. Would we ever be able to rise again? So much work; too much work; where to begin?

Then they came out of their broken homes. Hand in hand, they came with chainsaws and trucks and chains and removed the barriers to our streets. Maybe we could, we thought, with help.

Then darkness fell again, so dark, so quiet, only questions and the sound of generators and helicopters. Sounds of life. Did anyone know of our plight? Would help come? They came.

They came by the hundreds, then the thousands. God had heard and we were thankful. They came — firefighters, military, police officers, doctors and nurses, linemen and engineers, truck drivers and preachers. They knew. They came. They all came.

The whole world came and we were thankful. They came and suffered with us. They came and lived in tents, slept on the ground, but they came and we were thankful. They clothed us and fed us. They sheltered us and tended our wounds.

They lifted our hearts and we were thankful. They came with full hearts and open hands. They sweated and cried with us, not knowing where tears ended and sweat began, and we were thankful. They lifted our spirits and helped us to our feet, and we were thankful.

They came — teachers and students and lawyers, craftsmen and laborers with strong backs and hammers and saws and brick and mortar. They came. They built our homes, our schools, our churches, our lives. Praise God, they came. They became us and we became them, as one.

With our wounds deep, our fears and memories fresh, they came. And as we heal, they come, still . . . still. With a full heart, I am thankful, we are thankful. Still. They come.

RITA DUFFUS
Gulfport"

Thanks to Massachusetts

2007-11-15T17:21:00.000-05:00

Last night in Biloxi a cold front blew through. The temperature dipped into the 50s and the wind picked up significantly. Today dawned bright and clear, temps in the 60s, and a strong gusty breeze. I tell you this not to rub it in, but because cool temps and windy days in South Mississippi can only mean one thing…. Pecans! As I sat at my desk this AM I thought I was being attacked as the trees shed their bounty on the tin roof that covers the parish house. Bam! Bam! What a racket! So this afternoon we headed out into the yard to gather them up. We filled two large wheelbarrows and decided that our backs would prefer that we stop for the day. The abundant harvest of pecans reminded me of the hospitality and affirmation that I received in Massachusetts. It was beyond my wildest imagination and I will never forget it. Thank you.

Many of you know that thanks to the indefatigable effort of Tim Green I did not have to drive a truck back to Mississippi. Instead we are eagerly anticipating the arrival of an 18 wheeler filled with collected appliances and furniture. Thank you to all the folks in Wellesley who supported the project and to Tim for having the imagination and the energy to make it happen.

On several occasions while I was in MA I had the opportunity to speak about the importance of advocacy. The Gulf Coast Housing Recovery Act is before the Senate now. I received the following from Amelie Ratliff today:

http://www.colorofchange.org/s1668/?id=1834-142331

Saving Affordable Housing in New Orleans

"New Orleans public housing residents have been fighting for over two years to return to apartments that were minimally damaged by the storm. But the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has shut them out, because it wants to demolish most of the available public housing units--and replace them with far fewer mixed-income housing.[1] The vast majority of the most affordable public housing units, pushing thousands of mostly Black low-income residents out of the city.

S.1668 honors the right to return of all New Orleans public housing residents. It requires the re-opening of at least 3,000 public housing units and ensures that there is no net loss of units available and affordable to public housing residents. It also designates $1.7 billion for rental housing assistance and earmarks millions for community development programs, which will benefit an even larger segment of the lower income population. But the bill is in danger of dying -- because some senators are opposed to preserving affordable public housing."

Please take the time to ask your senators to support it and then spread the word.

Happy Turkey Day
Jane+

Heady times...

2007-09-18T08:04:00.000-04:00

This is an exciting week at Redeemer. Today a photographer is coming to catch shots of us working with Camp Biloxi and other NGOs on the rebuilding effort and the ministry taking place here. All of this is an outgrowth of the House of Bishops meeting in NOLA and the work that the Diocese of Massachusetts and the Gulf Coast Partnership led by Bishop Cederholm is doing here. Bishop Tom Shaw is coming this weekend and we are making preparations for a Gulf Coast feast. Ron Edwards said that he would wear his best overalls. For those who do not know what overalls are – well you will just have to come and see….

I have moved a bit from my traditional reports on this blog to reflect on what the HOB meeting means for us in Biloxi. The newsletter article for our parish paper that I have pasted below is my reflection on the gathering ahead.

Rev Jane rambles on…

Have you ever considered what it is that makes us Episcopalians. I have a friend in Massachusetts who would say "the prayer book" She is fond of saying that we should not print the entire service out as it is just not an Episcopal service without using the BCP (Book of Common Prayer). Another might say it is John Hooker and the three-legged stool. For sure, at some point, we began to diverge from the path of our Roman brothers and sisters by adding reason to the foundational sources of scripture and tradition in meditating on our understanding of God. So scripture, tradition, and reason became the Anglican three-legged stool. But lately there is a sense of experience being a fourth leg. Does the inclusion of our experience of God moving in and around us make us less Episcopal? Another possible contender for differentiation might be adherence to the via media. For those who have yet to delve deeply into Anglican lore the via media is the "middle way". We are neither Roman Catholic nor fully protestant, neither liberal nor conservative, neither low church or high church. As Anglicans we strive to be open and attentive to diverse opinions, beliefs, and worship traditions. I have heard people say that Anglicans are wishy washy and will never take a stand on anything. That sense of being non-confrontational comes, I think, from our via media tradition. But I see a different way of looking at how we walk the middle road.

As Anglicans we do not have a statement of beliefs, we have a statement of faith. In that statement we affirm our faith in God who creates us, Jesus who redeems us, and the Holy Spirit who renews us. Sometimes in blessing I say "Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier" rather than "Father, Son, and Holy Spirit". The former are really functional descriptions of the Trinity whereas the latter names the three persons. OK, perhaps I am just getting "churchy", but my reasoning is that it is not OK just to name something, one needs to know how it works, too - if one is to fully understand it. Biochemists love to give alphabet soup names to chemicals (DNA, BNP etc), but it is the analytical and physical chemists who learn how to understand and to use them.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu in an address available at http://www.episcopalcafe.com/video/, says that, "Jesus says that when He is lifted up he will draw all, all, all into His incredible divine embrace so that God is all in all". I believe that the true essence of via media is being able to stand side by side with that all. All skin tones, all faiths, all denominations, all languages, gay, straight, rich or poor – we are all held in the same incredible, wide, loving embrace that exceeds our human ability to comprehend. I don't have to agree with you to stand at the Table with you. I just need to recognize God's face in yours. If I cannot, then I am the lesser for it.

Next week the House of Bishops will be meeting in New Orleans. Archbishop Rowan Williams is coming and there will be much debate about sexuality and schism and yes about the middle way. Whether or not we choose to walk together, unified in God's embrace is a question right now. But somehow I just think that God is looking at us and shaking her head and thinking: "they just need to grow up a little and learn to play together". I found a quote on the Via Media website from Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage. In C.E. 258 he wrote, "We ought to hold firmly and maintain our [Christian] unity, especially those of us who are bishops presiding in the Church, thereby revealing the episcopate to be one and undivided. The episcopate is one; it is a unity in which each bishop enjoys full possession. The Church is likewise one, even though it is spread abroad far and wide, and grows as her children increase in number. Just as the sun has many rays, but the light is one; or as a tree with many branches finds its strength in its deep root; or as various streams issue from a spring, their multiplicity fed by the abundance of the water supply, so unity is preserved in the source itself."

The sun does indeed have many rays and the church does indeed have many members, but we are all of the same body in Christ (with deference to St Paul). There is much to be done in Mississippi, Louisiana, and everywhere else that people suffer. My prayer for the House of Bishops will be for them to move away from the things that divide us and focus on the things that unite us – our love of God, our desire to serve others, our willingness to turn away from sin, our commitment to prayer, our place with others in God's loving embrace. By the time this letter goes out we will know more about the mind of the bishops. Bishop Gray tells us in the video he made recently that no matter what happens in New Orleans, when it is all over there will still be an Episcopal Church, there will still be a Diocese of Mississippi, and there will still be Redeemer. God's work goes on regardless. I hope and pray that the bishops realize that also.
God's Peace be with you,
Jane+

Two years and counting

2007-09-05T10:27:00.001-04:00

In our baptismal promises we commit to seek justice for all human beings, to love others as we love ourselves, and to proclaim the Good News. Those commitments of Justice, Compassion, and Hope were the foundation upon which the first of many somber services held across the Gulf Coast to remember the tragedy of Katrina was built. A couple of months ago I was asked to create a liturgy for an intefaith memorial service to mark the 2nd aniversry of Katrina. Many phone calls and google searches later a sunrise service was birthed. I had not seen the pictures of the service until I ran across them in the GCP blog (www.gracebook.org) . The day before we had rain - lots of it. I was afraid that Gulfside Assembly, where the service was to be held, would be a mud hole. I had images of cars stuck and tractors coming to haul them out - after all much of the town of Waveland is still a wasteland beside the now tranquil waters of the bay. But as you can see from the pictures it was beautiful. People came from Biloxi and from New Orleans to remember and to commit themselves to the task ahead, to plant the seeds of justice, compassion, and hope in the hearts of all who still suffer in the aftermath of Katrina’s wrath.

I have read a lot lately about the “competition” between Louisiana and Mississippi for federal and private sector funding. Mississippi accuses New Orleans of getting all of the attention and being more “interesting” than Mississippi’s devastation. New Orleans and Louisiana accuse Mississippi of engaging in partisan politics in the granting process. Louisiana says that Mississippi got more money per victim than Louisiana and Mississippi says that their proposal was better and too bad that Louisiana did not get their act together in time to make a valid plea for help. Back and forth – I have to say that sometimes I just want to say “Enough already – there is enough suffering for all – we need to stand together!” The complexity of these issues rivals the Gordian Knot and will probably require the same solution.

But the reality in Mississippi is that very little of the money that has been allocated has gone to assist the poorest of the poor. In New Orleans the reality is the same. Money has gone to restore infrastructure, businesses, federal projects, and middle income homes, but precious little is left over to go to the poor. The justice work that I am involved in here in MS is largely coordinated out of the Steps Coalition. I have written about this group before. On the surface it is a jumble of non-profits with very little power, but standing together we have forced the hands of the governor’s office to produce the date included at the end of this blog. Dry as it seems it is necessary to have such data in order to know for whom we must advocate and to whom we must make our case. The work is slow and frustrating, but it has its moments.

I came to Mississippi to help rebuild a parish and to be the “person on the ground” for Massachusetts, but more and more I see my work being the spark that ignites hope in those people who can do the most to rebuild, the people who live here. For sure none of the work we have done would have been possible without the help of volunteers, but in the end it is Mississippians and Louisianians who must create a future here. As for me I am working one person at a time. I am engaging the parish in the work. I have written before about some of our projects, but I think it is important to repeat that a major focus for me is to involve the people here in the work of rebuilding and then reaching out to help others. We are trying to live with a spirit of abundance in the midst of devastation because we know that it is not buildings or roads that make us rich – it is the relationships that we have gained in being served by the people of Massachusetts and elsewhere and those we have forged by reaching out ourselves. I am beginning to extend my work into New Orleans by helping St Anna’s to set up point of care testing for their free medical van. They are a wonderful group of committed Christians who do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God through the street of the Ninth Ward and Chalmette.

Homelessness, hunger, violence, all of these are increasing at alarming rates here. One of our parishioners is a case worker who points to the uncertainty that permeates our lives. She sees a lot of post traumatic stress. But she says the most common word used to describe the feeling now with hurricane season actively underway is fear. Fear makes people do strange things. It makes us distrustful, suspicious, and it turns on our self-protective mode. The fear that we on the coast have comes from not knowing when another storm will come and destroy all that we have built. It comes from not knowing if the government can be trusted - depended on to keep the infrastructure safe, support the needy, protect us from manmade or natural danger. Fear is the opposite of faith and it is a paralyzing condition. If I do nothing else while I am here except offer a source of hope and encouragement to those who are struggling each day to maintain faith and courage to go on, I will have done God’s work. In the end that work, done by the thousands of volunteers who came and continue to come is the much more important than how any nails are hammered or how many walls are painted. We must keep coming because we are the source of hope and hope is born out of our faith. As Christians we are bound by Christ in an undulating web of support. When my faith flags, your faith sustains me. Together we look forward to a time when the seeds we are planting now, will flower into tall oaks with branches to support generations to come.

Some interesting data:
The amount of money allocated by both federal and private sectors has been beyond comprehension. If that is true then why did the Holloway couple have to come to me today to ask for help to pay the electric bill for their FEMA trailer? Here are some statistics: 116 billion allocated for all of the Gulf Coast (AL, MS, LA, TX). Mississippi requested 34 billion and received grant of 23.5 billion. The GAO reports that FEMA lost 1 of every 6 dollars to waste, fraud, and abuse. Of the 23.5 billion to Mississippi: 10 billion went to the environment, 4.3 billion went to repair federal facilities, 1.04 billion was split among 14, 423 MS homeowners. The homeowners who were eligible were those making 80% to 120% of the average median income. In MS for a family of 4 that number is $58,000. Now you know why so many former homeowners have not been able to rebuild. They do not make $48,000 per year – not even close. In fact, the poverty rate in Mississippi in 2006 stands at 21%. In Harrison county the per capita income is just over $20,000. (data is taken from Sun Herald on various days. www.sunherald.com)

Photos: Steps Coalition Meditations at Sunrise

2007-08-30T20:24:00.000-04:00

Photos from the Clarion-Ledger coverage of the Steps Coalition Meditations at Sunrise, A Time for Planting service at the Gulfside United Methodist Assembly on the second anniversary of Katrina's landfall.

Second Anniversary

2007-08-29T10:53:00.000-04:00

Today is August 28, 2007. Tomorrow will mark the second anniversary of Katrina's landfall. I suspect that it will not come as news to many that recovery is a long way away for much of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. A ride through Lakeview, Gentilly, and the Ninth Ward lays bare the reality that only a small percentage of homes have been replaced or repaired in the areas that were flooded. Yet the population of New Orleans is approaching pre-Katrina levels, now over 300,000, while medical care operates at less than 50% of past capacity. On the Mississippi side of the lake the situation is not much better. In Biloxi the casinos have sped up the economic recovery for the working population, however the poor, the disabled, the homeless, the elderly are all still waiting for the promised help. In East Biloxi less that 40% of the homes have been restored. Businesses are still shut down, there is no homeless shelter, and only one place for a free meal once per day. Pass Christian, Bay St Louis, and Waveland have just now begun to replace the sewers, utilities, and streets that were destroyed. It is hard not to be despondent when the major feature of the landscape is "front steps to nowhere" .

So what are we doing? Moving forward resolutely!

Tomorrow at 6 AM I will join about 200 people at Gulfside Assembly for a Sunrise Service. Gulfside is a UMC facility and was the only retreat center in the region open to African American congregations until the civil rights era. It seemed an appropriate place to hold a service to emphasize Jesus' call to serve those who have been marginalized. Bishop Duncan Gray of Mississippi will keynote. The service in interfaith and so we will pray Muslim, Jewish, and Christian prayers and read Buddhist meditations. We will do this in English, Spanish, Arabic, Vietnamese, and Hebrew. Such is common fare for New England, but not so familiar for Mississippi. The vision for the service is justice, compassion, and hope for all people.

Last night we hosted a dinner for members of an Indian delegation who were Tsunami survivors to look at the government response there and here and share stories of survival. One woman from Pass Christian told of being in a house with her two children and her mother. She had been frightened of water as a child, but had forced herself to take swimming lessons as an adult. When the water began to rise as the hurricane moved on shore, she was the only swimmer. She remembered being petrified of the water when she looked down from the second story as the waves washed in. Then the house collapsed and she was at once in the water. She told us of how she became peaceful and relaxed, knowing that God would care for her regardless of the outcome. She struggled to save both her mother and children. Just as she thought she would lose the battle a voice called out to her, "I will help you. I will get your mother, save the children." She told of how before the storm people in her neighborhood barely spoke, but after the storm they supported each other with tears, hugs, laughter and food. She told of trading some jambalaya she had made on a grill for cat food to feed the kitty. Simply one friend helping another friend and sharing the bounty. Sounds an awful lot like the feeding of the five thousand to me.

Jericho Road and Hallelujah Housing are both actively building new houses for poor familes in NOLA and in MS. More about those projects later. A news person asked me this morning if there was anything that I wanted to say about the anniversary. I offered that our hope is that we not be forgotten as time and distraction dim the memory of our country to what happened here. This was a disaster of epic proportions. We have had a response of epic proportions also, but there is a long way to go.

May God who cares for us give us the strength to go forward.

PS I have pics of the dinner. Will post when I download my camera. Stay tuned....

Pentecost 2007

2007-08-28T12:12:00.001-04:00

Wednesday, May 30th, 2007

As I write this, I am preparing to leave - yet again - to carry the hope that we on the Coast will not be forgotten by those whose lives were not torn apart by Katrina’s wind and water. It is my honor to do so and yet I will miss my new home terribly and will be eager to return to celebrate with my parish family. This coming Sunday is Pentecost, and I want to share my Pentecost reflection with you.

I suspect that you have seen the internet jokes that propose to determine one’s geographical region of birth by the name one calls certain objects. For instance do you call that thing from which you drink water a “water fountain” a “drinking fountain” or a “bubbler”? Chances are if you called it a “bubbler you are from Massachusetts. How about those athletic shoes… “sneakers”, tennis shoes, or “running shoes”? If you are form Mississippi you probably say “tennis shoes”, but in Massachusetts they are “sneakers”. One more… “soda”, “coke”, pop”, or tonic”? This is clearly a weird one because for me even Sprite is a “coke” but in Massachusetts they are all “tonic”. Now there are lots more, but here is my point. Language separates us. It identifies us as belonging to one group or another. Sometimes that can bring comfort, but at other times it can make us feel very much alone and at odds with our neighbors.

The Pentecost lessons from the Hebrew scriptures (Tower of Babel) and from the Christian writings (anointing of the Holy Spirit on the disciples) offer an interesting and enlightening dichotomy between separation due to self-centeredness and a desire for power versus togetherness that is born out of being united in love of God and compassion for others. In the first, the writer tells us that all people were originally one in origin and one in language. This Hebrew writer understood that such unity was a gift from God. But the people who were one began to believe that their abundance was of their own doing and so they built grand structures that were intended to augment their power at the expense of their dependency on God. And so God caused them to be separated by language, scattered abroad over the face of the earth, isolated and alone.
But scripture does not leave us in this place of isolation because from the Hebrew prophets to the writers of the Gospels and the Epistles we are reminded of God’s desire to draw us all together with God. And so we hear in this wonderful story of the early church how the Holy Spirit came and lit up the followers of Jesus literally and figuratively. They went into the streets telling Jesus’ story to anyone who would listen and they were understood by all except those who chose to be separated and apart. To those who would turn their back on their brothers and sisters the voices were cacophonies of unintelligible sounds.

And so I wonder, when are our voices unintelligible? What is it that prevents us from hearing and being heard? What is it that has the power to touch our tongues so that others might hear and understand? The author of Acts tells us that it is God’s Spirit that fills us with love, compassion, and a willingness to reach out to our brothers and sisters, to listen intently to the stories of struggle, to speak truthfully and openly in telling our own stories. When we open our hearts up to God and allow the Spirit to work in and through us then we are speaking the universal language of Love and we are able to be understood and to understand. That is my prayer for the people of the Church of the Redeemer and the people of Massachusetts, that we will open our hearts and minds to listen to each other and to seek our common ground of being agents of God’s mission in the world.

There are some exciting opportunities this summer. Bishop Bud will lead a group of adults to NOLA in June to engage issues of institutional racism with the people of Trinity New Orleans. Youth groups from Florida, Massachusetts, Maryland, and New Jersey are all coming to work in Biloxi and Bay St Louis and to get to know the people of Redeemer. One Massachusetts group is going to specifically struggle with racism and classism. These young people from Marblehead and Lynn have committed to returning to Massachusetts equipped to “Build a Better America”. For a long time now I have been convinced that our young people stand head and shoulders above the crowd in the willingness to lead us to the place of Love and compassion. Lead on guys! You are filled with the Spirit and travelling God’s Highway this summer!
God’s Peace be with you,

Jane+

A Blessed Holy Week

2007-08-28T12:11:00.003-04:00

Friday, March 30th, 2007

Greetings from Mississippi,

We are on the brink of Holy Week and the activity is picking up. This is an especially heady time for us at Redeemer as Easter Sunday we will return to our property on the beach for services. Holy Saturday will be a day of beehive activity as we clean up construction debris, place audio-visual equipment, set up 200 chairs, move our “portable church” from the elementary school to a place that we can call our own, and hide Easter Eggs for a mega hunt. A 4 ft by 8ft sign stands in front of our parish house announcing our return and the local news plans to come to Redeemer on Saturday to interview parishioners. We have contracted with a marble company to repair the Camille Memorial and we plan to create a “green space” with the help of 70 or so Massachusetts kids this spring. The site of the old church, twice destroyed by hurricanes, will become our gift to the people of Biloxi as a memorial park, maintained by Redeemer, for visitors to come and sit for a while and take in the natural beauty of the place. It will also be a gift to those who mourn the loss of life and for those who hold out hope for a brighter future.

It has also occurred to me that I have written very little about my work at Redeemer. I am a bit of a workaholic, but today my boss ordered me home to rest. Miss Kitty is glad to have the company. I have focused my work on volunteer coordination in conjunction with the other non-profits in the area, work with the youth of Redeemer, Christian Education, and of course liturgy and preaching. The rector and I have enjoyed having each other as colleagues. We are both comfortable in our work and enjoy what we do. I am developing relationships with many parishioners and I like the parish a lot.   I have encouraged them to step outside of the parish and to become more actively involved in the community. That ministry will probably not surprise anyone who knows me. We are beginning to set-up Godly Play for the Church School. Our numbers are small, so we plan to mix ages in revolutionary ways. It is our feeling that the closeness brought about by this cataclysmic loss will make it possible for us to worship and learn in such a diverse mix and will be powerful for both students and teachers. A volunteer group from Maryland has offered to come and do a Bible Camp for us in June. We will offer this program to all the children in the area. For our part we will support the parents by offering a full day of activities so that parents who work will be able to send their children. Our facilities are great as we have a wonderful day care center in our newly renovated DiMiller Hall.

One of the most often asked questions is “how can we help.” One way is to spread the word that this effort down here is not going to be fixed in a year or two. We are facing a 10 year effort just to get back to where we were in August of 2005. And with hurricane season fast approaching the realization that it could happen again is foremost on the minds of residents and relief workers alike. When I come to Boston I will bring pictures and stories about day care ministries, sheet rock ministries, human rights work, housing advocacy, financial counseling for low wealth families, and much, much more. But the most important message I will bring is “Thank you”. From all of us to all of you thank you for standing strong with us through this nightmare. Thank you for praying for us, for your gifts of money and time, and thank you for letting us know that we are not alone. If I have learned nothing else in my work at both Ground Zero and in the wake of Katrina, it is that the message of the resurrection is that God desires life for us – not death. God yearns for us to be fully alive and filled with the joy of this beautiful creation we call our home. Have a blessed Holy Week and a most joyful Easter.

Jane+

Blessings and Peace

2007-08-28T12:09:00.000-04:00

Thursday, March 22nd, 2007

It has been awhile since I have written, but that should definitely not be construed as my not holding you and your snow in my heart! By the way it is hitting the 80s here now! But all this will change when it is 100 here and 80 in New England.
This week a group of students from Tufts have been working in one of the free clinics here. One of the students is a parishioner at Old North Church. We had emailed briefly prior to their arrival, but not set up any definite plans to connect. So Tuesday as I headed back from the beach (working not playing) I decided to swing by the clinic and say hello. We had a great time talking. I invited the group to join us for the midweek Eucharist with healing prayers. They expressed the same outrage at the slow pace in getting resources to the poorest of the Gulf Coast residents and the same admiration for the resilience and perseverance of the people here. I really do wish each of you could come down (even if not to work) and just see the look of despair on the faces of those who have stood in line, filled out paperwork, and who are just simply exhausted from the process of trying to state their needs. I am reminded of the Psalm… “There is no hope in me” Of course we, like the Psalmist, know that our only hope rests in God and that hope is not in vain.

In the Epistle for Wed Paul reminds us to rejoice. As we talked each person had a story of their struggle with loss but could also talk about the moments where a hand reached out or someone said just the right thing to help them see the joy, the reason to rejoice in the midst of the hardship. I think this is what Paul means when he talks about the Peace of God that passes understanding. This Peace is not freedom from trouble, it is being engaged in all of life, the painful and the joyful, and being aware of god’s presence through both. That is one of the most wonderful things about being with the volunteers. People standing with people and both being aware of God standing there too.

On the work front, I am happy to say that House Bill 1227 passed. This bill expanded the continued government assistance to Mississippi , Texas, and the rest of Louisiana. Among other things it will improve the tracking of recovery money, allow at least some of those living in FEMA trailers to get a Section 8 voucher to keep the trailer longer, clarify the use of the already allocated funds that are sitting idle, and provide for support for those who were living in public housing and low income housing. This is a good bill for all of the areas hit by Katrina and Rita.

There is a lot of energy here. We are about to complete the work on DiMiller Hall which is the old parish house on the beach. We are talking to several non-profits about using the space as Redeemer stands to take its place as a force for justice in the recovery process. There will be more to follow on this later. We are really excited as this Easter our parish will worship in Dimiller Hall. It is not the perfect palce for a worship service and we will be crowded, but we will be in our own space as a whole parish for the first time since the storm. It is a huge move and we ask that you pray for us and with us as we celebrate this occasion.

I heard today that one parish, St Mark’s, is going to designate its Easter Sunday loose plate offering to the ministry here. I spread the word quickly to others at Redeemer. We are grateful and humbled by this gift. There have been so many gifts that it seems overwhelming sometimes. In April I will return to Boston for Clergy Conference. I will be in several places over the week, preaching and offering pictures and stories from the Coast and from New Orleans. I also invite you to check out my pictures of Redeemer’s dedication of our office space and my trip to New Orleans at flickr.com.

Blessings and Peace as we move toward Holy Week and Easter. You are always in my prayers.

Jane+

Photos on Flickr

2007-08-28T12:02:00.000-04:00

Tuesday, March 6th, 2007

Jane is now posting photos on her Flickr account:

www.flickr.com/photos/12934147@N00

A Time to Build Up

2007-08-28T12:01:00.000-04:00

Wednesday, February 28th, 2007

“A time to build up” Eccl 3:3

This scripture reference is on a lot of store fronts around here. There is a lot of building going on for sure. Today, riding along Hwy 90, I was overwhelmed by the sheer volume of debris that still covers empty lots where houses once stood. All up and down the coast there are machines and people working to build up that which was torn down. There is a sense of urgency and at the same time some hesitancy. One of the Redeemer parishioners told me that she had not unpacked the last six boxes of stuff that she had saved from the water. We talked about why she was reluctant to unpack them. With a bit of an embarrassed smile she said “once they are all unpacked I will know for sure that what is not here was lost. As long as they are packed I can still imagine that I saved some particular item.” We talked for awhile about the finality of knowing and the difficulty in going on with life after such loss and grief. She wondered if the boxes were in fact allowing her to stay with the disaster and not move on with her life. A couple of weeks later in the Sunday morning Eucharist I heard this in the prayers of the people, “I offer thanksgivings for empty boxes”. I looked up and she was smiling broadly. It is indeed a time to build up.

It has been awhile since I have written. No, I have not been on vacation, although, the weather has been stellar so it has felt that way. We have been working on our new Parish House. The youth/adult group from Epiphany, Winchester finished the painting for us. They spent most of the week working in Bay St Louis. I will let those folks tell their own story, but I will say that they were phenomenal. The gnats were way more than annoying and the accommodations left a bit to be desired, but the energy and the passion of the group did not flag. They erected a Quonset (sp?) hut, perhaps 2 (I missed their last two days). For Mardi Gras we went to a parade in BSL that was pretty small, but we all had a great time. They also came over to Biloxi and shared the Ash Wednesday Eucharist with us. We all gathered after at my house for a “Lenten Meal” (gumbo, pizza, salad, and cookies). All in all a great week for both Epiphany and Redeemer.

Our PH is pictured at www.flickr.com (contact = janebbearden). There are lots of other pictures there also. Some from today are of some modular houses in Pass Christian (pronounced chris’/chee/ann). These houses come in sections and are assembled on site. That is no small feat as they are assembled 18ft in the air. The FEMA guidelines for building in that area call for 18ft. In addition, the pilings on which the structure sits are either these HUGE wooden pilings or cinder blocks, reinforced with steel and poured concrete. The foundation adds $20,000 to the cost of the home. I suspect that you can predict the next issue… how does someone in a wheelchair get in the house? Elevator of course – which adds another $8,000 to the cost.

One effort underway is finding funds to support these building projects. Low income home owners often need financial counseling in order to get and to keep their home. Frequently, they would have been able to afford a replacement mortgage, but with the new building codes there is a gap in their available funding. Enter ERD and others. Gap money comes in grants from individuals and from institutions like ERD and is used to buy down the mortgage to a reasonable level for the homeowner. Many of these loans are forgiven if the owner does not sell for ten years. All of this is income dependent. The help is going to those who need it the most. The smiles on the faces of the families who have just moved from a FEMA trailer into their new home are the greatest reward. Check out a website called STEPS. It is an interfaith coalition that is a great model for what we could do in Massachusetts. These guys are organized!

Parish life moves on too. We are in the midst of Lenten Study, youth group spring activities, choosing SS curriculum and all of the rest of the stuff that makes parish life so great. The Red Sox tied the Twins tonight. I caught the last couple of innings. That is my connection to New England when all else fails. I love my team. One of my 5th graders came into SS with a Red Sox hat. We grow ‘em up right down here!

I pray for my brothers and sisters in Massachusetts daily and hope you do the same for me.

Blessings on you Lenten journey,

Jane+

Carnival is Upon Us!

2007-08-28T11:59:00.000-04:00

Saturday, February 17th, 2007

I have a new language. I now speak FEMA. When one goes to a meeting to learn about the process for applying for a fair share of the disaster pie, one needs to be fluent in FEMA. As one might expect, FEMA is largely spoken in mnemonics. Some of them are more familiar than others and I suspect the ECM (another one) folks will be able to rattle them off easily. See how many you know. Answers will appear at the end!

CDBG, MDA, SRPAP, CDC, AMI, MR, ECD, GO-Zone, CDFI, LIHTC

Mnemonics aside the numbers are staggering and the complexity of the distribution program is mind-boggling. Much of the money sits in the hands of government agencies or credit unions waiting for qualified recipients to be identified. But that is just the tip of the iceberg. There are thousands of families in the four coastal counties of Mississippi for whom there is no money. These include condo owners, houseboat owners, trailer owners, and renters. They are not eligible for housing replacement funds because they did not own the land on which their dwelling sat. Many of those who do qualify as land-owners and who meet the income requirement find themselves still waiting because they cannot prove a clear title. Many of the records were destroyed in the same water that took the dwelling. The saying “run in circles- scream and shout” seems appropriate to this situation.

Today, I attended a meeting at the Mississippi Development Authority on the mechanism for the distribution of Phase II funds. The meeting took place at one of the centers where homeowners go to apply for building grants. The center was located in an outlet strip mall off Interstate 10. Opening the door I was greeting by 5 people in t-shirts sitting behind a long table. There room was large, but there were white cloth drapes, hanging like the curtains in a hospital room and separating the room into several smaller areas of “privacy”. I believe there were about 25 people working there. There was also a steady stream of people coming in to get help filling out the paperwork. The noise made it difficult to imagine how anyone could concentrate on their work. The MDA workers were polite and friendly though. People were patient with the process, but I suspect that this had more to do with combat fatigue from the process than from anything else. As I sat in that room with so much going on all about me, I was struck by how much the scene resembled the chaos in Baton Rouge right after the levees broke. In hundreds of over-crowded shelters people used imaginary lines to cordon off small areas for themselves. There are so many people trying to find some place - some space to call their own. Our constitution guarantees us the right to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”. Sometimes that “pursuit” is a really twisted journey.

And so we try to reach out to those we can help. The non-profits with whom I have been working are awesome folks who are committed to being hands and voice for those who would otherwise be overlooked. The Rev. Carol Stewart of the Diocese of Mississippi (a Deacon and an outreach missioner by call!) has introduced me to the players on the coast and has asked that I work with her to find ways for the Episcopal Church to enter effectively into the recovery process both with volunteers and with financial donations. That is a part of my job that I can get really excited about.

Another group that is still getting a lot of business is the Interfaith Disaster Task Force (IDTF). This group has a huge warehouse that is loaded with material shipped in from all over the country to be distributed to people who are trying to get their homes back together. They do a great job. When the volunteer groups come down, I try to get the building materials there beforehand in order to have them ready to go. The man who runs the warehouse is from Maynard. He and I chuckled about the weather reports from Massachusetts this week.

Sunday a group of young people from Epiphany in Winchester will arrive to work in Bay St Louis. I plan to join them on Tuesday for some work and for the Mardi Gras parade. On Wednesday the group will join Church of the Redeemer for the Ash Wednesday liturgy and then come to my house for gumbo. I am really looking forward to seeing some folks from home. I am also excited about next week as I have the honor of giving the invocation at the beginning of the Mardi Gras Ball here in Biloxi. Formal attire is not my favorite apparel, but this one should be fun. I will try to get some pictures of the festivities.

OK back to the quiz…

• CDBG – Community Development Block Grant
• MDA – Mississippi Development Authority
• SRPAP – Small Rental Property Assistance Program
• CDC – Community Development Corporation
• AMI – Average Median Income
• MR – Market Rate
• ECD – Enterprise Corporation of the Delta
• GO-Zone – Gulf Opportunity Zone
• CDFI – Community Development Financial Institution
• LIHTC – Low Income Housing Tax Credit

That’s it. Lassez les bon temp rouleaux!.

Deep Waters

2007-08-28T11:57:00.001-04:00

Saturday, February 10th, 2007

“Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.”
  John 5:4

Hello from Mississippi,

We have finally had a week without rain. I would tell those of you who are frozen in Massachusetts that “I feel your pain”, but alas – I do not. It has been in the 60s and 70s here and absolutely beautiful. I noticed a tan line where my watchband rides.

This week we worked on the old building that is to become our new office. It is great to have a place to go to work. It comes complete with mice, insects, bats, and cats. Sounds like a few of the churches in New England that I have seen. The group from Maryland helped us paint it on Monday and Tuesday. On Wednesday the members of Redeemer invited them to the newly painted office for a first Eucharist in our new space. The space was a bit tight, but since we had no chairs we were all able to fit. Supper to follow was Red Beans and Rice. Ya gotta love the food in the South!

On Thursday I joined our new friends at Camp Biloxi for dinner and a movie that was made by a local TV station. It tells the story of Katrina and the Mississippi Gulf Coast. It is the most powerful presentation I have seen. In particular, there are some images of driving down Highway 90. Side by side are images taken before and after the storm. What is strikingly apparent in the movie is the unbelievable power of water to overcome and overpower anything in its way. What is strikingly apparent in the faces of both Mississippians and volunteers from other places alike is the unbelievable power of God to love and to care for all, to restore to wholeness that which is broken. Jesus sent the disciples into deep water to fish. It was certainly the most difficult and dangerous place and yet it was also the place where they would find abundant reward. During our Wednesday Eucharist I asked if anyone would like to share their experience of being called by God into the deep waters of mission. Many spoke of the satisfaction of doing a job and helping others. One though spoke of having no choice. “God is persistent” he said. “God will not let me rest in the shallow places.”

One of our parishioners called today to ask about Redeemer sending some money to Florida to help those who had been devastated by the tornados there. As money came to Redeemer in grants from parishes far and wide after the storm, the vestry had voted to put aside 10% of the money to share with others. And so it goes. God calls us out of the shallow places and into the deep waters of sharing our abundance with others. If you or your parish feels the tug, please contact me. There is much to be done and much southern hospitality here to be shared.

God’s Peace,

Jane+

On The Ground

2007-08-28T11:56:00.000-04:00

Monday, February 5th, 2007

This will be my last entry for this week. As I said it has been a full week of work and fun.

I arrived back in Biloxi from Council around 3 PM and went immediately to Camp Biloxi to greet a group from Maryland. They are a great bunch of folks who have worked on painting the interior of a 100 year old house that we will use as office space for the next two years. You would not believe this place. It is a disaster from the very old wiring to the open flame gas heaters, to the snakes in the shed. Well I haven’t seen one yet, but I know they are there! I feed the cats living under the house every day in hopes that they will discourage other varmints.

Anyway Maryland is helping us today and tomorrow and then they will go to Gulfport to work on a housing project for the remainder of the week. We are planning a Eucharist on Wednesday eve with my own red beans and rice to follow. I am looking forward to Natasha Stewart and company coming down in a couple of weeks. I am trying hard to get all of my boxes unpacked before they arrive.

Only 2 weeks until pitchers and catchers report to Fort Meyers. I await the arrival of the boys anxiously and am planning to take in a game or two before they return to Boston for the summer. Let me know if you are going to any of the games and perhaps we could get together.

I hope to get over to New Orleans soon. Mardi Gras is looming however and I am hesitant to try to get a parking space in the Garden District until Lent. If anyone needs beads or masks let me know. They are really cheap here now and available in every store. The entire city has become green, gold, and purple. They even sell King Cakes at the gas stations.

I would love to have some of you post a comment on the blog. Just register and post. It will not appear right away but the blog administrator will make sure it gets on the site. I would love to hear your thoughts on our mission here on the Gulf Coast.

One note of caution. My old email address at Comcast is gone. I know some from the Merrimack Deanery had written to me on it but I cannot retrieve those mails. Please resend them to that same address but use janebbearden and then @gmail.com” instead of comcast.

May God bless you this week,

Jane

Council

2007-08-28T11:55:00.000-04:00

Monday, February 5th, 2007

After the housing conference, I headed to Vicksburg for diocesan convention (called Council here). Rumor had it that this event is a much loved family reunion and that I would have a wonderful time. Hmmmm…

After registration I went to the hotel. The convention did not actually begin until 7 PM Friday night. For this evening the attire was cassock, surplice, tippet, and hood. Incense wafted to the ceiling and our prayers rose with it. Our sermon was a 47 minute address by Bishop Gray via recording as he was away due to a death in the family. By the time it ended my Massachusetts weight cassock was soaked through with perspiration and I was not the only one. Evening prayer ended and we moved right into the opening business of Council still in our vestments. Thankfully there was a lot of iced tea once the refreshments came around.

The following day was much the same as MA. There was some heated debate around a couple of resolutions, but the sense that I got (driven largely by Bishop Gray’s address) was that they want to be a reconciling bridge, not taking sides but welcoming all to the Table. Each voice had an opportunity to speak and each received a respectful audience. In the end one contentious resolution asked for restraint from the National Church in speaking on pro-choice and another required all clergy and lay leadership to complete anti-racism training. The resolution is almost a duplicate of our requirement. One of the Redeemer parishioners made an articulate statement on why the resolution needed to use the word “required” rather than the proposed “invited”. In the end a resounding voice vote drove home the commitment of the Episcopal Church in Mississippi to the hard work of telling our stories and changing the institutions and the hearts that foster racism. Council was adjourned 30 minutes late. But it did not end.

We returned that night for Etouffee, Jambalaya, and Gumbo, lots of music, and much southern merry-making. On Sunday we gathered again for Eucharist. This time we were decked out in albs and white stoles. I could not count the deacons, there were 8 vergers, dozens of acolytes and lay ministers, and more than enough priests. Our own Shannon Johnston, bishop-elect of Virginia, preached. Incense once again filled the hall. It was a great way to end a full but fun weekend. I ran into many old friends including Andy Andrews who was at EDS with me, some old school buddies, and a couple who had been at EDS and who turned out to be related to a good friend of mine. I also ran into some who I believe would prefer that I return to Massachusetts and take the other women clergy with me. They were in the smallest minority though and all in all I felt warmly welcomed and appreciated. Harold (the rector of Redeemer) made sure that I had everything I needed and met the people I needed to meet and he misbehaved in church almost as much as Jane G. I keep getting these bosses who get me into trouble!

More to follow…

Affordable Housing Conference

2007-08-28T11:54:00.000-04:00

Monday, February 5th, 2007

Last Wednesday I left Biloxi and drove to the Gray Center north of Jackson. It was considerably colder up there. In fact the temperature dropped to 30, but I won’t rub it in…… Oh by the way did I tell you about the camellias? Azaleas are also about to bloom. I believe we will have Easter flowers on Ash Wednesday! But I digress…

As I was saying I went to the Gray Center to attend a conference on affordable housing. The second phase of monetary awards is about to begin and the group that gathered wanted to be sure that the money goes where it is most needed by those who have the least ability to recover. Our targets include those who make about 80% of the average median income or less. Under the present plan 80% of the funding will go to those who make 80%-120% of the AMI. We poured over statistics on rental units, public housing, modular home builders, and much more. I won’t try to recreate the details but the gist of the message is that nonprofit entities, including churches, must come together immediately to advocate for those who are on the margins and still living in FEMA trailers. (That number is about 30,000 as of last week) Our advocacy will be to the governor’s office and the legislature. We will address these and more:
• the 80/20 split of available money making more available to low income,
• the failure of the state to require insurers to provide wind and flood insurance as a prerequisite to doing business in the state,
• the need to include small rental properties
• the need to keep current public housing open and available (cities have given up and are closing the units and the soup kitchens)
• the reliability of the statistical data- this is to be done by asking volunteers to go door to door and survey in the areas hardest hit as to how much of the Phase 1 money was used to reestablish a permanent dwelling and how much went to daily living expenses,
• the extension of the affordable unit requirement when receiving tax credits or Katrina money from the current proposal of 2 years to 10 or more. This will delay low income folks losing their apartment to market rates.

I could go on about this but suffice to say that it was a great conference. We faced many of the same issues that we in MA addressed on Lobby Day. They do not have a Lobby Day here, but Carol and I are considering ways to address that missing cog. I will meet with the group again this week or the next. More to come on these developments.

Beginnings

2007-08-28T11:52:00.000-04:00

Saturday, January 27th, 2007

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being 4 in him was life,1 and the life was the light of all people. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. John 1:1-5
 
Nor did the water overcome it. Everywhere I go, as I begin my ministry in Mississippi, I am reminded of the power of God’s Love to overcome the darkest of human tragedy. Make no mistake, there is dire need here. Even those who have found the resources to put their physical homes back together struggle to maintain a sense of hope for the future. Those who have not found those resources, those who wait in FEMA trailers (and there are thousands of trailers), those who are disabled or sick – these folks show the strain and the sadness on their faces and in their voices as they watch for God’s Light to rekindle their hope.

Today was a beautiful day. The sky was clear and the temperature was mild. I am sitting in my home office looking out the window at a single star hanging brightly in the sky. The sun has just about gone. The days are longer here. It is already after 6PM. I have begun to get to know the people. I have been welcomed with a warm hospitality that I know is typical of the South. They are patient with me even when I remind them for the umpteenth time that I do not need nor want to be addressed as “Miss Jane”

I stopped at Walmart yesterday. The cashier was a young, attractive African-American lady who was curious about the white collar around my neck. After I had satisfied her curiosity, our conversation turned to the storm. Having recently heard that State Farm (the largest insurer in the area) had settled with some homeowners to pay 50 cents on the dollar for the damaged homes, I wondered what her reaction would be. I began with “Were you affected by the storm?” She gave me an incredulous look. An elderly Caucasian lady behind me, who turned out to be a Redeemer parishioner, said “That is like asking if we got up this morning…We were all affected by the storm.” There was an uncomfortable silence as the three if us considered my question and then the young cashier looked up and said, “I lost my home and all that was in it. But I am alive and I have a job. I am living in a trailer where my house was until April. Then I will lose my trailer. I am not sure what will happen then.” The elderly lady behind me said, “This is our new Associate Rector from Massachusetts. She is here to help.” At once I felt proud of what we are trying to do here and overcome by the enormity of the task and the difficulties we face in our effort to alleviate such pain. I expressed my concern, offered to keep them both in my prayers, and left the Walmart.

That bright star has almost moved out of sight in the now darkened sky. Clouds are moving in. There will be rain tomorrow. I know that many of my new neighbors will have water in their houses when the blue tarp covering the roof gives way. I pray for them and with them. I am going to Jackson next week to meet with several advocacy groups from the Coast to plan a coordinated approach to the housing needs here. Alone I cannot make a difference, but I with many others can. You are part of those many others. We need your prayers, your financial support, and your time. If you would like to come to work, please let me know. There is lots to be done and my new friends will welcome you with the same warmth as they welcomed me. If you cannot come down, then please consider getting involved with the Task Force work or supporting it with your dollars. Together we will be God’s torches in the darkest of places.

God’s Peace be with you,
Jane+

PS. A federal judge in Gulfport refused the State Farm settlement. I think the judge feels that they should pay more, but the general consensus is that something is better than nothing and there is a great fear that the longer the insurance companies are allowed to hold the money the less likely they will be to pay. More to follow on this…

Arrival

2007-08-28T11:51:00.000-04:00

Friday, January 19th, 2007

My sister Anne and I (and Miss Kitty who had tried unsuccessfully to escape at a Starbucks in Atlanta) arrived in Biloxi on Wednesday night. Once we had opened the house and gotten the water turned on, we climbed back in the car and drove to Shreveport, LA - Anne’s home. I returned to Biloxi today (Friday). My “stuff” is in the driveway waiting to be unloaded tomorrow. Horror of horrors - I have NO TV as yet. What’s more Annual Meeting is after church on Sunday! No one seems worried because they will be home in time for the Saints game. They just do not understand my needs! At least it is not opening day at Fenway that I will miss. If anyone is willing to textmessage the score please do so!

On Thursday AM I met some of the local clergy. It is a lively group. I am looking forward to working with them. There is an Hispanic priest (woman) who is associated with Redeemer. I have not met her, but I am excited about the possibility of nurturing a neighborhood congregation that can be more welcoming to the Spanish speaking members.

I will refrain from recounting the experience of having a roach fall out of my face towel in the motel - but it wasn’t pleasant. Where’s Otto the Orkin man when you need him?

Jane

PS Email is most appreciated…. My email account at gmail.com is janebbearden. (I’m writing my email address this way to try to avoid some of the spammers….)

On The Road

2007-08-28T11:50:00.000-04:00

Tuesday, January 16th, 2007

Hello from Anderson, South Carolina. My sister Anne, Miss Kitty (my cat), and I have been winding our way down the East Coast through some ice, lots of rain and fog, and clouds. Today we made better time. The junior warden from Redeemer called me today to let me know that ice and snow was predicted for Biloxi on Wednesday. It seems that I will be the only car on the road equipped with a snow shovel.

On Sunday afternoon Trinity Topsfield hosted the most amazing Evensong I could have imagined. Everyone who attended has said what a beautiful service it was. I cannot find enough superlatives to express my feelings. I was absolutely overwhelmed. There were people there from all over the diocese. I want to express my appreciation to Bishop Bud and the task force members who have supported me in raising money, organizing, and making the dream a reality. You have my thanks and my commitment to pour my heart and my mind into our work. Bishop Bud charged me to take to heart Jesus’ instruction to Peter to “feed my sheep”. My response is, “with the strength and the grace of God to sustain me, I will”.

We received an email from a parish in Sulfur, LA today. They were hit hard by Hurricane Rita. Both parishes have prayed for each other as both have been on the road for recovery. The youth group in Sulfur is putting together a photo album of before and after stories. Now they want to add the recovery photos. As I work with our youth group I will try to make the photos available to our blog.

I should arrive in Biloxi tomorrow.

New Blog Site

2007-08-28T11:44:00.000-04:00

This is the new site for Jane Bearden's blog about her ministry as the Priest-in-Residence in Biloxi Mississippi and the greater Gulf Coast region.

Jane's previous postings from the original gracebook.org site will be copied here shortly...