My last letter to Redeemer

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

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

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...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Testing

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Hurricane Gustav # 1

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

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

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

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"