By The Rev. Diane Riley
One of the benefits of my new job at the Community FoodBank of New Jersey is the opportunity to see so many people come and go in their pursuit of gathering food for the hungry. Unfailingly on any given day upon entering the building, I am greeted by someone new. "Hello, how are you," I say. And the response is always the same. "I'm blessed. How are you?" Every time this happens it makes me stop and smile. It is my opportunity to start the day right -- so much better than a bowl of Kellogg’s which is necessary to feed my body but does not do much for my soul. Every time I answer, "I'm blessed too," I affirm out loud my particular situation -- I am blessed and I am nourished by this realization.
The Alleluia Fund was started last year to allow a very tangible opportunity and affirmation to acknowledge the same thing. That we are blessed and that we share our blessings. It allows individuals and families across the diocese the opportunity to give into a large pool of funds -- and therefore make a significant and collective impact and witness in areas of human need. Over this last year our committee has been blessed to hear and share the stories of how the real manifestation of that blessing was expressed through your generosity. Each year we will do the same.
The very good news is that this year more individuals had the opportunity to give. People from over 200 households have given to the fund so far, and total donations and pledges come to $42,000. However, that will not nearly meet the support that has been requested from us -- $132,088 -- for which we had hoped to raise $110,000.
Can you help?
There is still time and we hope you will consider donating to the Alleluia Fund. You can contribute online by going to www.dioceseofnewark.org/Alleluia and clicking the yellow "Donate" button on the right, or by mailing a check payable to the Diocese of Newark with "Alleluia Fund" in the memo line to: The Alleluia Fund, c/o Diocese of Newark, 31 Mulberry Street, Newark, NJ 07102.
We are all blessed by God’s gracious love. Through Alleluia we can see and hear how the abundance of God’s gracious love is shared.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Monday, June 20, 2011
The Alleluia Fund Reaches The Montclair State University Campus
A first person account by Diana Wilcox, Chaplain
After a long year filled with poignant, challenging, and even funny moments, one discovery at the end of the semester underscored the need for chaplains on college campuses. Fr. Jim Chern, the Newman Center chaplain, and I were walking along the hallway with Esmilda Abreu after one of last Interfaith Conversations meeting, when we came across The Wall of Secrets. It was a project started by a student who got it from a website. Students could write a secret on a sticky note, drop it in a box, and it would be posted by the volunteers on this hallway wall for all to see.
Nestled in the eclectic bedroom community of Montclair, New Jersey is one of the country's fastest growing college campuses. Spreading over 246 acres, Montclair State University has a diverse population of 18,000 students (3,700 of them resident on campus) and 4,500 faculty and staff. Every fall there are new students launching an entirely different experience of their life journey. Others are returning, perhaps to their final year of college. But, they share a common bond of life, love, fear, joy, pain, expectation... of being a community held together by the connectedness of human beings. And it is here that the presence of a campus chaplain, and participation in a faith community, can have a profound effect on a young person's life.
Understanding this, a group of Protestant clergy in the Montclair area from the Episcopal Church, the United Church of Christ, and several other denominations joined together to raise funds in support of a campus chaplain. They formed the Montclair Protestant Chaplaincy, funded entirely by donations from local churches and individuals. The first chaplain, the Rev. Ann Rolosky of the UCC, resigned in 2009 after taking on a full-time position in a parish. I assumed the role for the 2010-2011 academic year, and have been blessed by this ministry in so many ways. And thankfully, a donation from the Alleluia Fund helped to keep this vital ministry alive in the midst of economic struggles.
As a result of the Alleluia Fund, and the generosity of several Episcopal churches in the diocese, including Grace Madison, St. Peter's Essex Fells, St. John's Montclair, St. Luke's Montclair, and Grace Church in Nutley, this ministry continued this year to serve the spiritual needs of the students staff and faculty. One administrator said: "The Protestant Chaplaincy… has proven to be an integral part of the development of our students, especially those students who may have been marginalized or excluded from religious institutions in the past."
In this first year as the chaplain, I was privileged to provide pastoral care to students, participated in interfaith dialogs and activities, offered a Taizé mediation experience each week, created a Bible study series, lectured in classes, and much more. I also started a worship service on Sunday nights, reaching out especially to marginalized groups on campus. The small, but dedicated group of students who attend these services have formed a faith community for themselves, and are now enthusiastically making plans for next year. They have created a name for our new congregation, The Web of Life Christian Community: Where All Are Welcome And Equal Before God, and we are planning to apply for official recognition on campus. One student parishioner said in an email, "Thank you so much! I am glad God brought you into my life, because being gay and Christian was a strain for me -- thinking God was not hearing my prayers because I was gay. But seeing you, a woman of God, I know now that God loves us. God loves us for being Gay -- YAY!!"
I work closely with other chaplains, the Director of Equity and Diversity, Esmilda Abreu, and the Dean of Students, Rose Mary Howell, in all of the outreach on campus. This past year, we opened the Center for Faith & Spirituality (CFS), a sacred space on campus for prayer, meditation, small group discussions, and an office for chaplains to work and hold pastoral meetings. This is quite a statement for a State University, and this commitment by the University and its chaplains resulted in Montclair State University receiving the 2011 Youth Leadership Award from the American Conference on Diversity. The grand opening of the CFS was standing room only, and a video of it can be seen here:
Our weekly Interfaith Conversation is a highlight, with the students coming from a variety of faith experiences, including Catholic, mainstream Protestant, Evangelical Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist, Wiccan, and seekers.
One of the more challenging, but highly rewarding, experiences came when I offered a four-part Bible series titled "Take the Bible Back: A Scriptural Self-Defense Class for the LGBT Community and Their Allies." The series covered the "Clobber Texts" using historical and literary criticism as a way of understanding these passages. The purpose was to engage this community with the Bible, encouraging them to embrace it through understanding, rather than rejecting it as archaic and toxic, and to defend themselves against those who would use it as a weapon against them. This was met with emails from those who asked "How can you offer self defense against sin!" or "How did you ever become a chaplain?" However, the series itself was well received by the LGBT community and most of the campus, with one student asking "How come no one ever told us this stuff before?" and another wanting to go buy a Bible.
After a long year filled with poignant, challenging, and even funny moments, one discovery at the end of the semester underscored the need for chaplains on college campuses. Fr. Jim Chern, the Newman Center chaplain, and I were walking along the hallway with Esmilda Abreu after one of last Interfaith Conversations meeting, when we came across The Wall of Secrets. It was a project started by a student who got it from a website. Students could write a secret on a sticky note, drop it in a box, and it would be posted by the volunteers on this hallway wall for all to see.Some of these were funny, some were thoughtful. But this one moved me to tears: "I almost committed suicide last week. I wish I had." And, as I took out my pen and wrote "You are a beloved child of God, and very much loved. Please call." and my number, I realized that there is so much work left to be done. Thanks to the Alleluia Fund, and the generosity of so many, the chaplain program can continue to make a difference on this campus.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Katowa Center And The Kakaasi Christian Sewing Project
By the Rev. Diane Riley
“‘Shall I who bring on labor not bring about birth?’ says the Lord.
‘Shall I who cause birth shut the womb?’ says your God.”
— Isaiah 66:9*
*TANAKH, The Jewish Bible translation
In their impressive book Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide, Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl Wudunn tell story after story of women in the developing world in order to create a call to arms against what they call “our era’s most pervasive human rights violation: the oppression of women and girls in the developing world.”
The call to arms is important, not just because it is the right thing to do, but because it’s the best strategy for fighting poverty. When one woman is helped, her children, her family, and the whole village benefits exponentially. Far from being depressing, the book is filled with hope and pragmatic opportunities, showing how just a little support can transform the lives of women and girls and help unleash their potential.
The Katowa Center is an Institution of the Anglican Diocese of Lusaka in Zambia. It operates as a conference center for education, with special emphasis on the training of women. In particular, it functions as a boarding facility for adult open learning students and for St. Mark’s Secondary School for young girls. When girls can be provided a safe place to live and study, it provides the greatest opportunity for success. If a girl can board at school, it also relieves economic strain on the family, and therefore engenders support and encouragement. Once one member of the family or village is educated, others can follow and success can build upon success.
The Katowa Center
Many studies have shown quantifiably how investing in girls’ education, especially at the high school level – a crucial moment of intervention – leverages the investment, ensuring that the achievement is probable and not merely possible. Many of the girls go on to further education, obtain jobs, or start businesses and transform their lives and the lives of all those around them.
Over a thousand miles away in Uganda in East Africa, the Kakaasi Christian Sewing Project has a similar mission, but takes a different approach. The purpose of the project is to assist women and young adults in achieving hands-on skills that will enable them to stand on their own.
The Rev. George Kaswarra, the project originator, explained that he sat with many women and heard their sad stories full of fears and frustration because the future of their children and others in their custody was unknown and very dim. That was when he came up with the idea of sewing classes. In rural Kakaasi, most people buy locally tailored clothes, including school uniforms, because they cannot afford ready-made imports. This project equips women and young people with the tools to create their own employment and gives them a chance to earn a living in a country where unemployment is 17%.
The award of Alleluia funds has helped the Kakaasi Christian Sewing Project purchase sewing machines and support two instructors, which in itself has employed two people. It has also helped the Maurice Katowa Center improve their infrastructure so the boarding school can continue to safely house girls to continue their secondary education.
Put very simply, without the Alleluia grant, “the work would not get done and we shall have to go on our knees and pray that God will lead us to more funds,” said Kaswarra. This year, that has not been necessary. God has allowed us in the Diocese of Newark to be the midwife of two new births.
“‘Shall I who bring on labor not bring about birth?’ says the Lord.
‘Shall I who cause birth shut the womb?’ says your God.”
— Isaiah 66:9*
*TANAKH, The Jewish Bible translation
In their impressive book Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide, Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl Wudunn tell story after story of women in the developing world in order to create a call to arms against what they call “our era’s most pervasive human rights violation: the oppression of women and girls in the developing world.”
The call to arms is important, not just because it is the right thing to do, but because it’s the best strategy for fighting poverty. When one woman is helped, her children, her family, and the whole village benefits exponentially. Far from being depressing, the book is filled with hope and pragmatic opportunities, showing how just a little support can transform the lives of women and girls and help unleash their potential.
The Katowa Center is an Institution of the Anglican Diocese of Lusaka in Zambia. It operates as a conference center for education, with special emphasis on the training of women. In particular, it functions as a boarding facility for adult open learning students and for St. Mark’s Secondary School for young girls. When girls can be provided a safe place to live and study, it provides the greatest opportunity for success. If a girl can board at school, it also relieves economic strain on the family, and therefore engenders support and encouragement. Once one member of the family or village is educated, others can follow and success can build upon success.
The Katowa CenterMany studies have shown quantifiably how investing in girls’ education, especially at the high school level – a crucial moment of intervention – leverages the investment, ensuring that the achievement is probable and not merely possible. Many of the girls go on to further education, obtain jobs, or start businesses and transform their lives and the lives of all those around them.
Over a thousand miles away in Uganda in East Africa, the Kakaasi Christian Sewing Project has a similar mission, but takes a different approach. The purpose of the project is to assist women and young adults in achieving hands-on skills that will enable them to stand on their own.
The Rev. George Kaswarra, the project originator, explained that he sat with many women and heard their sad stories full of fears and frustration because the future of their children and others in their custody was unknown and very dim. That was when he came up with the idea of sewing classes. In rural Kakaasi, most people buy locally tailored clothes, including school uniforms, because they cannot afford ready-made imports. This project equips women and young people with the tools to create their own employment and gives them a chance to earn a living in a country where unemployment is 17%.
The award of Alleluia funds has helped the Kakaasi Christian Sewing Project purchase sewing machines and support two instructors, which in itself has employed two people. It has also helped the Maurice Katowa Center improve their infrastructure so the boarding school can continue to safely house girls to continue their secondary education.
Put very simply, without the Alleluia grant, “the work would not get done and we shall have to go on our knees and pray that God will lead us to more funds,” said Kaswarra. This year, that has not been necessary. God has allowed us in the Diocese of Newark to be the midwife of two new births.
Arts And Artists Unbound
By the Rev. Diane Riley
“Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” - Matthew: 5:16
Inspiration is one of those things that can’t be described very easily. What is the source of an idea that floats from our unconscious mind into our awareness? Those of us who believe in God will give credit where credit is due, at the hands of our Creator. But whether we believe or not, inspiration leads to actions and concrete creations from that one moment of illumination. And all who are involved – in very immediate ways or as witness to the creation – are touched. Through the generous contributions of so many faithful people last year, the Alleluia Fund was able to be part of some very exciting creative stories.
Catherine Lazen, founder of Arts Unbound, explains her epiphany this way. After working many years in counseling and education with children on the fringe, she began to raise her family and pursue her vocation as a fiber artist creating memory quilts for children and widows of 9/11. Shortly thereafter she went to an art show featuring disabled artists and was mesmerized by one in particular. Judith Scott, an artist with Down Syndrome, created something so unique – beautiful cocoon like fiber sculptures. “Artists like Judith changed my perception of people with disabilities, helping me to realize and appreciate their creative vision, powerful spirit and irrepressible need to create.”
Lazen soon discovered that New Jersey had plenty of practical vocational programs to teach the disabled job skills and also some that offered art classes, but there were none that offered access to the needed materials or provided opportunities to exhibit, the tangible things that would support their careers as artists. Arts Unbound was born with this vision: to invest in human creative potential, legitimize the artistic ability, and expand the vocational opportunities of the disabled.
Today Arts Unbound works with 30 gallery artists. By taking professional classes and using the opportunities to create in the studio, they continue to develop. Their work is shown throughout New Jersey in churches, galleries, and art exhibitions. Arts Unbound Director Gail Levinson explains just how far their light shines. Certainly the artists are enriched in their spirit but also enriched and rewarded monetarily. All those who work with the artists know they are part of something really special. But also, the public being privy to the artist’s journey can “see” it communicated on canvas. They understand in a new way something profoundly different about disabilities and how something previously thought of as only limiting can also be the very thing that informs the creation of unlimited imaginative possibilities.
Michael’s Story
Michael is a fifteen year old boy with autism. He is also an artist. He recently had a picture selected for a greeting card as part of the Arts Unbound greeting card business. Habitat for Humanity saw it, loved it, and used it for a poster for their year end event. A housing development organization saw it and commissioned it to be used as a template for their awards to community leaders.
The picture above is of Michael signing his artwork used for awards at an annual event. He signed limited editions which were framed and matted under glass with plaques for each of six award winners. Michael was applauded at that conference by the over 400 conference attendees and watched as his artwork was handed out to the various award winners. He received a percentage of the sales proceeds that Arts Unbound was paid for the award plaques. This is but one example of how youth and adult artists are promoted by the organization so that they can continue to create, become known by a growing audience, and earn a supplemental income.
The award of Alleluia funds allowed matching dollars to be provided by the NJ Council on Disabilities for a greeting card business and promotion of artwork by artists living with disabilities. It allows artists like Michael the time and opportunity for his light to shine.
To learn more about Arts Unbound Inc. and meet more artists like Michael, visit www.artsunbound.org or contact Ms. Gail Levinson, glevinson@artsunbound.org or 973-675-2787.
“Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” - Matthew: 5:16
Inspiration is one of those things that can’t be described very easily. What is the source of an idea that floats from our unconscious mind into our awareness? Those of us who believe in God will give credit where credit is due, at the hands of our Creator. But whether we believe or not, inspiration leads to actions and concrete creations from that one moment of illumination. And all who are involved – in very immediate ways or as witness to the creation – are touched. Through the generous contributions of so many faithful people last year, the Alleluia Fund was able to be part of some very exciting creative stories.
Catherine Lazen, founder of Arts Unbound, explains her epiphany this way. After working many years in counseling and education with children on the fringe, she began to raise her family and pursue her vocation as a fiber artist creating memory quilts for children and widows of 9/11. Shortly thereafter she went to an art show featuring disabled artists and was mesmerized by one in particular. Judith Scott, an artist with Down Syndrome, created something so unique – beautiful cocoon like fiber sculptures. “Artists like Judith changed my perception of people with disabilities, helping me to realize and appreciate their creative vision, powerful spirit and irrepressible need to create.”
Lazen soon discovered that New Jersey had plenty of practical vocational programs to teach the disabled job skills and also some that offered art classes, but there were none that offered access to the needed materials or provided opportunities to exhibit, the tangible things that would support their careers as artists. Arts Unbound was born with this vision: to invest in human creative potential, legitimize the artistic ability, and expand the vocational opportunities of the disabled.
Today Arts Unbound works with 30 gallery artists. By taking professional classes and using the opportunities to create in the studio, they continue to develop. Their work is shown throughout New Jersey in churches, galleries, and art exhibitions. Arts Unbound Director Gail Levinson explains just how far their light shines. Certainly the artists are enriched in their spirit but also enriched and rewarded monetarily. All those who work with the artists know they are part of something really special. But also, the public being privy to the artist’s journey can “see” it communicated on canvas. They understand in a new way something profoundly different about disabilities and how something previously thought of as only limiting can also be the very thing that informs the creation of unlimited imaginative possibilities.
Michael’s Story
Michael is a fifteen year old boy with autism. He is also an artist. He recently had a picture selected for a greeting card as part of the Arts Unbound greeting card business. Habitat for Humanity saw it, loved it, and used it for a poster for their year end event. A housing development organization saw it and commissioned it to be used as a template for their awards to community leaders.
The picture above is of Michael signing his artwork used for awards at an annual event. He signed limited editions which were framed and matted under glass with plaques for each of six award winners. Michael was applauded at that conference by the over 400 conference attendees and watched as his artwork was handed out to the various award winners. He received a percentage of the sales proceeds that Arts Unbound was paid for the award plaques. This is but one example of how youth and adult artists are promoted by the organization so that they can continue to create, become known by a growing audience, and earn a supplemental income.
The award of Alleluia funds allowed matching dollars to be provided by the NJ Council on Disabilities for a greeting card business and promotion of artwork by artists living with disabilities. It allows artists like Michael the time and opportunity for his light to shine.
To learn more about Arts Unbound Inc. and meet more artists like Michael, visit www.artsunbound.org or contact Ms. Gail Levinson, glevinson@artsunbound.org or 973-675-2787.
More Than A Patch
By the Rev. Diane Riley
“Bless the Lord, O my soul… who satisfies you with good as long as you live so that your youth is renewed like the eagles.” - Psalm 103 1a,5
Although our society promises the magic of anti-aging elixirs, the psalmist affirms it is only in God that we can find true renewal. Not just as we get older, but at all times in our lives, God’s love and care strengthen us enough to give us wings. It is hard to imagine that children need that kind of renewal; it is usually the adults who can’t keep up. But some children have experiences that limit their abilities or weigh them down. As God’s agents, we are continually invited to explore ways we can provide children with new and different experiences that won’t keep them tethered to the ground.
The Prison Ministry of the Diocese of Newark works with many affiliates to incarnate Christ’s command to extend hospitality and healing to prisoners. Parents And Their Children (PATCH), a program affiliated with Offenders Aid and Restoration of Essex County, goes one step further and focuses on the real victims: their children. PATCH facilitates parent/child visitation, arranges special field trips, and sends the children to summer camp. These activities help children keep connected to their parents while being able to explore age-appropriate experiences they would miss out on because of their parent’s absence.
“At first, we naively thought it would be enough to provide these experiences for the children. But then we found that our kids were failing summer camp” says the Rev. Pam Bakal. “Their social experience was so different they could not make the jump when asked to interact with children who had vastly different experiences. They simply did not know how to behave appropriately. That’s when we knew that we needed an ongoing program that would help them develop the interpersonal skills they needed.”
The goal of the “Learning by Experience” program is to encourage and fortify the self-esteem of children and help them develop a more positive interest in their future. Being with the kids regularly — the program meets every other week — is the key to success. It is the consistent attention that keeps them engaged, teaches them problem-solving, gives them exposure to interesting projects, and models the way to be together.
As it turns out, the goal of successfully completing camp was way too modest. Children keep coming back. The program boasts a very low drop out rate, and the correlation between program participation and a successful transition through the teenage years is very high. The children who stay with the program typically do not get involved with gangs or drugs.
Explains Bakal, “We have had some children from a young age that continue on until they age out of the program at 17. It really is a type of family. We do backpacks in September and gifts at Christmas. And I never get tired of seeing the surprised look on one of the children’s faces when they are given something that they did not expect. Undeserved Grace is transforming.”
Kids Take Flight
Not surprisingly, one of the best ways to show children how to express their feelings, deal with frustration, and manage anger in a healthy way is to work on a group project. Larry Ostuni, a Learning by Experience teacher and PATCH volunteer, has continually provided interesting opportunities to learn using his years of experience with the Creative Education Foundation. One of those projects was building a Hovercraft — a very unique vehicle that uses air pressure to lift off the ground. Even though it travels close to the ground, it does fly. Explains Larry, “You don’t need many parts, a plywood board, a plastic sheet, and a leaf blower. The internet has kits. We put helmets on some of the younger children and up and away they went.”
The award of Alleluia funds pays for a small stipend for a Program Coordinator so that the integrity of the Learning by Experience program can be consistently maintained. Without the financial support of the Alleluia Fund, the program would reduce the number of meetings and the success of keeping the children engaged would be at risk.
To learn more about Prison Ministry PATCH opportunities, contact the Rev. Pam Bakal at 973-235-1177, or download the Prison Ministry Brochure (PDF). To find out more about the NJ OAR programs, visit www.oarnewjersey.org.
“Bless the Lord, O my soul… who satisfies you with good as long as you live so that your youth is renewed like the eagles.” - Psalm 103 1a,5
Although our society promises the magic of anti-aging elixirs, the psalmist affirms it is only in God that we can find true renewal. Not just as we get older, but at all times in our lives, God’s love and care strengthen us enough to give us wings. It is hard to imagine that children need that kind of renewal; it is usually the adults who can’t keep up. But some children have experiences that limit their abilities or weigh them down. As God’s agents, we are continually invited to explore ways we can provide children with new and different experiences that won’t keep them tethered to the ground.
The Prison Ministry of the Diocese of Newark works with many affiliates to incarnate Christ’s command to extend hospitality and healing to prisoners. Parents And Their Children (PATCH), a program affiliated with Offenders Aid and Restoration of Essex County, goes one step further and focuses on the real victims: their children. PATCH facilitates parent/child visitation, arranges special field trips, and sends the children to summer camp. These activities help children keep connected to their parents while being able to explore age-appropriate experiences they would miss out on because of their parent’s absence.
“At first, we naively thought it would be enough to provide these experiences for the children. But then we found that our kids were failing summer camp” says the Rev. Pam Bakal. “Their social experience was so different they could not make the jump when asked to interact with children who had vastly different experiences. They simply did not know how to behave appropriately. That’s when we knew that we needed an ongoing program that would help them develop the interpersonal skills they needed.”
The goal of the “Learning by Experience” program is to encourage and fortify the self-esteem of children and help them develop a more positive interest in their future. Being with the kids regularly — the program meets every other week — is the key to success. It is the consistent attention that keeps them engaged, teaches them problem-solving, gives them exposure to interesting projects, and models the way to be together.
As it turns out, the goal of successfully completing camp was way too modest. Children keep coming back. The program boasts a very low drop out rate, and the correlation between program participation and a successful transition through the teenage years is very high. The children who stay with the program typically do not get involved with gangs or drugs.
Explains Bakal, “We have had some children from a young age that continue on until they age out of the program at 17. It really is a type of family. We do backpacks in September and gifts at Christmas. And I never get tired of seeing the surprised look on one of the children’s faces when they are given something that they did not expect. Undeserved Grace is transforming.”
Kids Take Flight
Not surprisingly, one of the best ways to show children how to express their feelings, deal with frustration, and manage anger in a healthy way is to work on a group project. Larry Ostuni, a Learning by Experience teacher and PATCH volunteer, has continually provided interesting opportunities to learn using his years of experience with the Creative Education Foundation. One of those projects was building a Hovercraft — a very unique vehicle that uses air pressure to lift off the ground. Even though it travels close to the ground, it does fly. Explains Larry, “You don’t need many parts, a plywood board, a plastic sheet, and a leaf blower. The internet has kits. We put helmets on some of the younger children and up and away they went.”
The award of Alleluia funds pays for a small stipend for a Program Coordinator so that the integrity of the Learning by Experience program can be consistently maintained. Without the financial support of the Alleluia Fund, the program would reduce the number of meetings and the success of keeping the children engaged would be at risk.
To learn more about Prison Ministry PATCH opportunities, contact the Rev. Pam Bakal at 973-235-1177, or download the Prison Ministry Brochure (PDF). To find out more about the NJ OAR programs, visit www.oarnewjersey.org.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Shepherd’s Haven
By the Rev. Diane Riley
“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not be in want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul.” - Psalm 23 1-3a
“Haven” has a different meaning from “home” or “house.” Broader than the simple sense of place, it includes the connotation of protection. A haven, like the word “sanctuary,” means a place of safety. Even more than safety, according to Webster, a haven can also be a place offering favorable opportunities.
Four years ago, the congregation of Christ Church in Pompton Lakes began examining their surrounding community to see what the needs were, and to ponder how God might be calling them to meet those needs. One need that had become apparent was how difficult it was becoming for some members of the congregation to care for both their own children and for aging parents. The term “sandwich generation” was becoming a label that fit them all too well. The phenomenon was not unique to Christ Church or even Pompton Lakes, and because of the increasing longevity of older people, it was also not likely to go away. When the house next door to the parish came up for sale, the idea for Shepherd’s Haven began to take shape.
What families needed was a place their parents or elderly relatives could go where they could be safe, where they could meet other people and could enjoy activities together. There was child day care but nowhere an adult could go that provided the same attention and the opportunity for socialization and companionship. Caregivers were forced to stay home, sometimes forgoing employment or important activities that required their attention, or leave their parents home alone. Neither option was a good alternative.
Today, Shepherd’s Haven invites seniors or disabled adults to spend a day or two or three a week in the company of other adults in stimulating activities. Their main mission is not to provide nursing care, but to help encourage and remind older people of the resources they possess – to promote the psychosocial health and spiritual well-being of senior citizens in a way that respects and appreciates the wisdom that comes with age. Through interaction, movement, and cognitive stimulation, clients maintain their sense of identity and dignity. The atmosphere is warm and inviting, meals are shared and the company is lively. Clients leave with a sense of a really good visit with their community away from home and they take their stories from the day to share with their family.
“When I hear the clients having a really good laugh, when I hear from family members just how important the respite care we provide means to their own well-being, I know that we are providing something vital and important and it makes it all worthwhile” says Leigh Abbott Leaman, President of the Management Group at Christ Church which oversees the ministry.
For the parish, which provides meals, visiting time and other support services, there is nourishment as well. “There is an incredible sense of being proud of the good work begun by our worshiping community” Abbott explains. Over sixty percent of the volunteers at Shepherd’s Haven are members of the parish, but the other volunteers come from the community at large. The ministry has not only helped the congregation find their mission identity in the very hands-on service they provide the community, but also invites others to walk with them as partners in ministry.
The award of Alleluia funds has allowed Shepherd’s Haven to provide fee support to families who would not be able to afford care. Without the financial support of the Alleluia Fund, those faced with the greatest financial strains would have no respite from the emotional strains and difficulty of providing daily caretaker care for their loved ones. To learn more about Shepherd’s Haven contact Leigh Brower, the center manager, at 973-835-4747 or visit www.shepherdshavennj.org.
“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not be in want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul.” - Psalm 23 1-3a
“Haven” has a different meaning from “home” or “house.” Broader than the simple sense of place, it includes the connotation of protection. A haven, like the word “sanctuary,” means a place of safety. Even more than safety, according to Webster, a haven can also be a place offering favorable opportunities.
Four years ago, the congregation of Christ Church in Pompton Lakes began examining their surrounding community to see what the needs were, and to ponder how God might be calling them to meet those needs. One need that had become apparent was how difficult it was becoming for some members of the congregation to care for both their own children and for aging parents. The term “sandwich generation” was becoming a label that fit them all too well. The phenomenon was not unique to Christ Church or even Pompton Lakes, and because of the increasing longevity of older people, it was also not likely to go away. When the house next door to the parish came up for sale, the idea for Shepherd’s Haven began to take shape.
What families needed was a place their parents or elderly relatives could go where they could be safe, where they could meet other people and could enjoy activities together. There was child day care but nowhere an adult could go that provided the same attention and the opportunity for socialization and companionship. Caregivers were forced to stay home, sometimes forgoing employment or important activities that required their attention, or leave their parents home alone. Neither option was a good alternative.
Today, Shepherd’s Haven invites seniors or disabled adults to spend a day or two or three a week in the company of other adults in stimulating activities. Their main mission is not to provide nursing care, but to help encourage and remind older people of the resources they possess – to promote the psychosocial health and spiritual well-being of senior citizens in a way that respects and appreciates the wisdom that comes with age. Through interaction, movement, and cognitive stimulation, clients maintain their sense of identity and dignity. The atmosphere is warm and inviting, meals are shared and the company is lively. Clients leave with a sense of a really good visit with their community away from home and they take their stories from the day to share with their family.
“When I hear the clients having a really good laugh, when I hear from family members just how important the respite care we provide means to their own well-being, I know that we are providing something vital and important and it makes it all worthwhile” says Leigh Abbott Leaman, President of the Management Group at Christ Church which oversees the ministry.
For the parish, which provides meals, visiting time and other support services, there is nourishment as well. “There is an incredible sense of being proud of the good work begun by our worshiping community” Abbott explains. Over sixty percent of the volunteers at Shepherd’s Haven are members of the parish, but the other volunteers come from the community at large. The ministry has not only helped the congregation find their mission identity in the very hands-on service they provide the community, but also invites others to walk with them as partners in ministry.
The award of Alleluia funds has allowed Shepherd’s Haven to provide fee support to families who would not be able to afford care. Without the financial support of the Alleluia Fund, those faced with the greatest financial strains would have no respite from the emotional strains and difficulty of providing daily caretaker care for their loved ones. To learn more about Shepherd’s Haven contact Leigh Brower, the center manager, at 973-835-4747 or visit www.shepherdshavennj.org.
Church Of The Epiphany Food Pantry
By the Rev. Diane Riley
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself. And he said to him,... ‘And who is my neighbor?’” - Luke 10:22-28a, 29b
Over the last two decades, the local community food pantry has become as ubiquitous as a Dunkin Donuts or a Starbucks. The Community Food Bank counts over 1500 of these pantries among its partners in the state of New Jersey. That means 1500 individual small community food pantries deliver an astounding 37 million pounds of food yearly. Sadly, there is that much need. But that also means there are over 1500 places and infinitely more opportunities to bring about healing and connection.
Epiphany Food Pantry in Orange is one such pantry. In operation in various incarnations for decades, Epiphany has recently been reactivated by a group of young men largely because of the growing need of the hungry in their community, but also because of the need for the worshiping community to continue to connect their faith with action. Like 68% of the food pantries in New Jersey, Epiphany is run entirely by volunteers and continues to serve almost 300 families in need monthly.
While the last few years have seen a growing number of new and diverse clients visiting food pantries, many of the food pantry clients are regular monthly customers. The term “emergency” does not seem to apply any more. Unfortunately, what was once emergency need has become a much needed way of life.
For Joseph Grant, one of the food pantry volunteers, the growing awareness of this fact and his regular service has brought about a different kind of Epiphany. “When I first started working in the food pantry and realized that the people were coming again and again, I assumed that they had gotten themselves into a habit. That they were comfortable getting food for free and that they were unwilling to work. This was so wrong. Many of our clients are seniors who have worked hard all their lives and who now only come here because they are spending so much of their fixed income on their growing medical costs. They must choose between taking needed medication or eating. That was an eye opener.”
What Joseph discovered was what many of the people who work in food pantries already know: 1 in 3 of the 900,000 yearly food bank clients need to make such choices. Joseph also discovered something else — that the people serving food were really very similar to the people receiving food.
A Christmas party for clients hosted by Epiphany Food Pantry.
Today many of the serving volunteers at the Epiphany pantry are also food pantry clients and are eager to help in a way that they can, by giving service hours to the pantry. The collaboration between those who come to serve and those who are served has blurred the line between who gives and who receives.
The local community food pantry may be like Dunkin Donuts in that it is a common community place where people gather, but unlike a coffee house a faith-based pantry is a place where a diverse group of people do more than brush up against each other. It is a place that confronts us and dares us to live our faith. A place that challenges our assumptions and gives us an opportunity to see Christ in our neighbor as well as ourselves.
The award of Alleluia funds has helped Epiphany Food Pantry pay for the cost of transporting and collecting food on a monthly basis. Without the financial support of the Alleluia Fund, the program would incur costs that could otherwise be spent on food to serve clients, and decrease the capacity of the pantry. To learn more about the Epiphany Food Pantry, contact Joseph Grant or the Rev. Miguelina Howell at 973-676-8886.
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself. And he said to him,... ‘And who is my neighbor?’” - Luke 10:22-28a, 29b
Over the last two decades, the local community food pantry has become as ubiquitous as a Dunkin Donuts or a Starbucks. The Community Food Bank counts over 1500 of these pantries among its partners in the state of New Jersey. That means 1500 individual small community food pantries deliver an astounding 37 million pounds of food yearly. Sadly, there is that much need. But that also means there are over 1500 places and infinitely more opportunities to bring about healing and connection.
Epiphany Food Pantry in Orange is one such pantry. In operation in various incarnations for decades, Epiphany has recently been reactivated by a group of young men largely because of the growing need of the hungry in their community, but also because of the need for the worshiping community to continue to connect their faith with action. Like 68% of the food pantries in New Jersey, Epiphany is run entirely by volunteers and continues to serve almost 300 families in need monthly.
While the last few years have seen a growing number of new and diverse clients visiting food pantries, many of the food pantry clients are regular monthly customers. The term “emergency” does not seem to apply any more. Unfortunately, what was once emergency need has become a much needed way of life.
For Joseph Grant, one of the food pantry volunteers, the growing awareness of this fact and his regular service has brought about a different kind of Epiphany. “When I first started working in the food pantry and realized that the people were coming again and again, I assumed that they had gotten themselves into a habit. That they were comfortable getting food for free and that they were unwilling to work. This was so wrong. Many of our clients are seniors who have worked hard all their lives and who now only come here because they are spending so much of their fixed income on their growing medical costs. They must choose between taking needed medication or eating. That was an eye opener.”
What Joseph discovered was what many of the people who work in food pantries already know: 1 in 3 of the 900,000 yearly food bank clients need to make such choices. Joseph also discovered something else — that the people serving food were really very similar to the people receiving food.
A Christmas party for clients hosted by Epiphany Food Pantry.Today many of the serving volunteers at the Epiphany pantry are also food pantry clients and are eager to help in a way that they can, by giving service hours to the pantry. The collaboration between those who come to serve and those who are served has blurred the line between who gives and who receives.
The local community food pantry may be like Dunkin Donuts in that it is a common community place where people gather, but unlike a coffee house a faith-based pantry is a place where a diverse group of people do more than brush up against each other. It is a place that confronts us and dares us to live our faith. A place that challenges our assumptions and gives us an opportunity to see Christ in our neighbor as well as ourselves.
The award of Alleluia funds has helped Epiphany Food Pantry pay for the cost of transporting and collecting food on a monthly basis. Without the financial support of the Alleluia Fund, the program would incur costs that could otherwise be spent on food to serve clients, and decrease the capacity of the pantry. To learn more about the Epiphany Food Pantry, contact Joseph Grant or the Rev. Miguelina Howell at 973-676-8886.
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