Thursday, August 30, 2007
Photos: Steps Coalition Meditations at Sunrise
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.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Second Anniversary
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....
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....
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Pentecost 2007
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+
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
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+
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
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+
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
Tuesday, March 6th, 2007
Jane is now posting photos on her Flickr account:
www.flickr.com/photos/12934147@N00
Jane is now posting photos on her Flickr account:
www.flickr.com/photos/12934147@N00
A Time to Build Up
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+
“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+
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