Well today is Haywood Street Congregation day and I have been there and enjoyed it as usual. The Clothes Closet was full of workers and shoppers. I met a woman, Marie, who has been working there for 4 years and is from Waynesville. She runs a tight ship when she is there and keeps things organized. Also I met another woman from Hendersonville who usually works the kitchen but had surgery last week, can't lift, and decided to serve in the Clothes Closet. She is a nurse by profession. I don't know what Marie did for a living, but I believe she is retired now. Lora was back, of course, and is such a lovely young woman. Shoppers today were looking for shorts which were in "short" supply, forgive the pun. Hopefully we'll get more in as the weather warms. T-shirts are needed also, for men and for women. I have to admit a little concern I have for the one or two shoppers who brought huge plastic bags, larger than regular garbage bags, and filled them up. It left little for other people when they came back a second time. I don't know how you limit things, but we only provide grocery size bags so they are bringing them in on their own. The many cloth bags I brought in today were gone in a hurry. They are much needed.
Lunch was curried chicken, wild rice, peas with mushrooms, mustard greens from the church garden, cornbread, and white cake with white icing and chocolate chips. It was well received. I sat with one of the young police officers who comes to the dining hall every week. He is probably 6'4" or 6'5" and looks like Denzel Washington. I wish I had Dianna here to introduce them. He is delightful and it is plain that he cares about the men and women around us in the hall. I also sat with a woman who said she had only been homeless lately. She is an architect. She was more tanned than the average person, all the homeless are. They are out in the sun as much as Ken is. Hats are hard to come by. I think I'll go through my hats. She lived in Key West until 12 years ago when she moved to Asheville. She asked me if I had ever met a homeless architect. Over the din of noise in the dining hall I told her no. I hope I see more of her there. I know there is much more to her story that I'd like to know. She is Kenn's age.
The sermon today was from Acts and was about Tabitha, also known as Dorcas or Gazelle. A well dressed man in a suit behind me was asked to read. It turns out in the last 2 weeks he's had a heart attack and is back out in the world again. I'd guess he is a lawyer or a banker by his suit, one of the unlikely members of Haywood Street. There are no likely members I guess.
Anyway Tabitha was a widow and a disciple. There is no other woman noted as a disciple in the Bible. She died and they sent two men to get Peter who was in Lydda nearby. He came quickly. The widows and saints of the church showed him tunics and other clothes that Tabitha had made and said that she could not be dead, please, no. Peter sent them out of the room and knelt by her bed, prayed, and said, "Get up." Tabitha did and many came to believe in Jesus and his teachings and his resurrection because of her healing. Brian asked about the role of women in the church. There were not many responses. He said that after a young minister is ordained and they put a stole around his neck he is told he is a United Methodist Woman. Really? Brian was now a woman. That is true. The ministers of churches belong to the UMW just as the women do. Wherever there is a church doing God's mission there are many active women. That is true too.
Now there is much more to the story of Tabitha the woman disciple. On the front of the bulletin was a woman in a big arm chair knitting. Brian told the story as if she was a knitter. He passed around a hand knit shawl through the congregation for people to touch it and bless it. Then he explained what being a widow in the days of Luke meant. A widow was not only not married, but she had no father-in-law and no brother so she was totally vulnerable. Tabitha had organized the other widows in the church in Joppa to make clothes and sell them and care for themselves. When he finished asking the congregation about what they found significant in the story he asked where the shawl was. It had made it through about 3/4 of the congregation. He took it and gave it to Shannon who asked for a member of the congregation, an older woman, to stand up and she put the shawl around her and told her how special she was. She was overwhelmed and her smile lit the whole church.
Max Lucado often says that we have a Lord, a God, who loves to surprise us and then likes to be present with us when we are so He can enjoy it. I think God was at Haywood Street every week I've been and He's gotten to enjoy a lot of people enjoying His surprises.
On another note there were many praises during prayers for many who had gotten housing. I was humbled by the number and by the mere fact that they were so ecstatic to get what I have always taken for granted.
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Balance
It is Wednesday again and I returned to Haywood Street for "Holy Chaos." I worked in the Clothes Closet during the morning for two hours. There was much more business in the first hour than we have in a day at My Sister's Attic. Of course, the price is right -- free. Everything in the Closet is free and we have everything from cat kennels to baby diapers. Mostly we have clothes of all shapes and sizes, something for everyone. Phyllis and the ladies from Mars Hill were not there, but a pretty young African American woman was. She has a four year old little girl. She was very competent in running the Closet.
In the Clothes Closet there was a young woman who had trouble standing and whose voice was a little strange. I couldn't tell if she was high or not, but I think she was. She was with a young man and they had some friends come in, another young couple, while they were there. She ended up with some clothes and the young man disappeared. She asked for some feminine hygiene products but we didn't have any. One of the staff who runs the dining room had some and brought them to her. I forget how complicated life is if you have no place to lay your head that is under a roof. Another young man came in. Someone had stolen his tent and his sleeping bag during the night. He still had a pillow and an old quilt to lay on, but he needed something more. We found a comforter for him. It stormed last night. How do you survive in inclement weather?
I went to eat with first shift, but there were no open places. One of the ladies who runs the dining room brought me a plate piled high with food, shepherd's pie, fresh boiled squash, fresh local turnip greens, homemade rolls, green salad, and egg custard. If you had an April birthday there was a huge sheet cake, yellow cake and chocolate icing. As people began to leave chairs opened up and I grabbed one. The food was delicious, as good as it had been last week. The veggies were cooked in salt water, no ham or butter, very healthy. The shepherd's pie had delicious cheese on top of the mashed potatoes and the roll was as big as half the plate. I didn't have dessert.
As I went back to the Closet until time for the service, I saw Cody, the baby from last week. I confirmed with the mom that he was 10 weeks old. No, he is a few days from being a full 4 months. She had him in a stroller today and he was clean and alert. She had brought a friend with her who had a bigger baby who was in his own stroller and was asleep. There were many more children today, mostly toddlers but two other babies. How hard to have no home and little ones!
Brian was back. He had his dog with him. His dad sat in front of me in the service and held the dog, a little wire terrier, so sweet. Brian talked about Saul and his conversion experience. He asked the congregation why they thought Paul never mentioned his conversion. One answer was that he was a new person and didn't want to look back. Yes, a good answer. Also, Brian told a story of a young evangelist who went up to a man and asked if he was saved. The man took out a pen and paper and wrote something and then handed it to the young evangelist. It was covered with names and phone numbers. "If you want to know if I am saved, then call all my family and friends and ask how I live." Brian repeated that. He said we are often told we are saved by grace, but God wants to know what we are going to do with that grace. His sermon dovetailed with my program last night at Circle. I talked about balance in service and devotion and the scriptures were the ones about "entertaining strangers who might be angels" and feeding the hungry, housing the homeless, clothing the naked, and visiting those in prison. These were more important than performing miracles or proclaiming good works in His name.
There had been two deaths this week. A man named Michael had died and a younger man, one who attended the church for a very brief time, had jumped from a bridge. Again we were reminded that Christianity began in a cemetery with death in order to move into new life.
A woman became a Stephen minister. She was deeply moved as were many in the congregation as we all got up and gathered around her putting our hands on one anothers' back as the minister placed his on her and anointed her. I am beginning to recognize the congregation. There are 7 Stephen ministers in the church. Some work in the kitchen. The songs were "Higher" by Creed and "All is Well with My Soul." Higher was performed in memory of Michael by Ticia who runs the dining room. We all sang All is Well. It was a truly rousing Methodist sing.
We had communion with many people from the congregation offering the Sacraments. Dogs go down for bread and wine, though they don't partake.
After the service I went back to the dining room and swept the big second dining room and put table clothes away and wiped the counters. Then I was put to work cleaning the stainless steel in the kitchen. I had made it around about 1/3 the room when Mary Shaw arrived and took over my work so I could leave. It was pouring rain. There was a young couple on a motorcycle who had sought shelter on a side portico as I left. The church is a Sanctuary for many -- me included.
In the Clothes Closet there was a young woman who had trouble standing and whose voice was a little strange. I couldn't tell if she was high or not, but I think she was. She was with a young man and they had some friends come in, another young couple, while they were there. She ended up with some clothes and the young man disappeared. She asked for some feminine hygiene products but we didn't have any. One of the staff who runs the dining room had some and brought them to her. I forget how complicated life is if you have no place to lay your head that is under a roof. Another young man came in. Someone had stolen his tent and his sleeping bag during the night. He still had a pillow and an old quilt to lay on, but he needed something more. We found a comforter for him. It stormed last night. How do you survive in inclement weather?
I went to eat with first shift, but there were no open places. One of the ladies who runs the dining room brought me a plate piled high with food, shepherd's pie, fresh boiled squash, fresh local turnip greens, homemade rolls, green salad, and egg custard. If you had an April birthday there was a huge sheet cake, yellow cake and chocolate icing. As people began to leave chairs opened up and I grabbed one. The food was delicious, as good as it had been last week. The veggies were cooked in salt water, no ham or butter, very healthy. The shepherd's pie had delicious cheese on top of the mashed potatoes and the roll was as big as half the plate. I didn't have dessert.
As I went back to the Closet until time for the service, I saw Cody, the baby from last week. I confirmed with the mom that he was 10 weeks old. No, he is a few days from being a full 4 months. She had him in a stroller today and he was clean and alert. She had brought a friend with her who had a bigger baby who was in his own stroller and was asleep. There were many more children today, mostly toddlers but two other babies. How hard to have no home and little ones!
Brian was back. He had his dog with him. His dad sat in front of me in the service and held the dog, a little wire terrier, so sweet. Brian talked about Saul and his conversion experience. He asked the congregation why they thought Paul never mentioned his conversion. One answer was that he was a new person and didn't want to look back. Yes, a good answer. Also, Brian told a story of a young evangelist who went up to a man and asked if he was saved. The man took out a pen and paper and wrote something and then handed it to the young evangelist. It was covered with names and phone numbers. "If you want to know if I am saved, then call all my family and friends and ask how I live." Brian repeated that. He said we are often told we are saved by grace, but God wants to know what we are going to do with that grace. His sermon dovetailed with my program last night at Circle. I talked about balance in service and devotion and the scriptures were the ones about "entertaining strangers who might be angels" and feeding the hungry, housing the homeless, clothing the naked, and visiting those in prison. These were more important than performing miracles or proclaiming good works in His name.
There had been two deaths this week. A man named Michael had died and a younger man, one who attended the church for a very brief time, had jumped from a bridge. Again we were reminded that Christianity began in a cemetery with death in order to move into new life.
A woman became a Stephen minister. She was deeply moved as were many in the congregation as we all got up and gathered around her putting our hands on one anothers' back as the minister placed his on her and anointed her. I am beginning to recognize the congregation. There are 7 Stephen ministers in the church. Some work in the kitchen. The songs were "Higher" by Creed and "All is Well with My Soul." Higher was performed in memory of Michael by Ticia who runs the dining room. We all sang All is Well. It was a truly rousing Methodist sing.
We had communion with many people from the congregation offering the Sacraments. Dogs go down for bread and wine, though they don't partake.
After the service I went back to the dining room and swept the big second dining room and put table clothes away and wiped the counters. Then I was put to work cleaning the stainless steel in the kitchen. I had made it around about 1/3 the room when Mary Shaw arrived and took over my work so I could leave. It was pouring rain. There was a young couple on a motorcycle who had sought shelter on a side portico as I left. The church is a Sanctuary for many -- me included.
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Haywood Street in Bloom
Today was my first work day at Haywood Street. The Madison County Library allowed me to come at the end of their sale last weekend and pack up four boxes of books to take to the church. At the end of sales they cull books that have not sold and select those that are not in good shape to send to Goodwill. I was able to select from those and the "keepers" as well. So today I delivered the books and some magazines donated by a friend. They were quickly and voraciously received. Before I could get them out of the boxes and onto the shelves, several people came to get one or more. The hope is that they will be read and returned, but if they are not returned, for whatever reason, it is okay. Homeless people can't get library cards because they don't have a home address. Therefore books are out of reach for most of them. Nevertheless they love to read as I have found many mountain people do so to fill a library with new books is a wonderful gift, as I discovered today.
After I shelved the books, I went to the dining hall to see what was needed from me. They said they really needed me at 12:30 for the third lunch service and clean-up and suggested I eat at the 11:30 session and visit. I did. It was comfort food day, meat loaf, mashed potatoes and gravy, tossed salad, green beans with ham, cornbread, and banana pudding. I didn't eat much, but I tasted it all. It was delicious and the portions were generous. It is served family style and except for the banana pudding there was enough for seconds or thirds.
I visited with Momma Mae and a young couple and another young man. The young couple had a little toddler and the woman was caring for a friend's baby. The baby was tiny, the size of my children when they were maybe 6 weeks old. He was asleep in the single young man's arms when I started eating. Because I didn't eat much, I finished first and offered to hold him for the others to eat. I gave him a bottle which he lustily drank. It turned out that the baby was 3 or 4 months old. Later his mother appeared and she told me he was 14 weeks old. He was bright and strong, but so very small for that age.
I went to the Clothes Closet and met Phyllis from Mars Hill UMC and several other women who were working back there today. Phyllis and her friend Linda went to eat so for the next hour I hung clothes and organized shelves. There were many people in there "shopping" today because the weather had turned hot and they needed cool clothes. There is much need for clean shorts, shirts, and athletic shoes for men and women. Many came in asking for sun screen. Life on the street makes you more vulnerable to the sun. Also, there were many requests for nice cloth bags. We had a supply, but they were quickly gone.
At 12:30 I went back to the dining hall and served and then cleaned until 2. Most of the cleaning up had been done by the time I left, but there were some people who had just arrived after the service who were doing the last of the clean-up. Mary was there helping and so were Mary's grandsons and daughter. Mary is a member of Weaverville UMC. I had never seen her grandsons, however. They ranged in age from 11 to 7, cute, helpful, well behaved little boys. Her daughter was one of the cooks today. She mops the floors at clean up time unless someone can wrestle the mop from her. She is a hard, hard worker.
While the Holy Chaos was taking place inside, upstairs they were giving acupuncture, taking blood pressure, and giving haircuts. Outside they were planting the summer food garden and building a beautiful wall at the very back of the garden. Already there were plantings in the front of the church and the tulips, all bright red, were blooming.
I missed the service, but I'll figure out a way to take turns with some of the other workers as time goes by so I won't miss it every week. At least in the Clothes Closet, which is directly beneath the Sanctuary you can hear the organist play. Oh, my, how wonderful is his music!
Brian is still in Bolivia so Shannon did the service. She came downstairs afterward and ate and visited with the companions and those few people who were still eating.
Today there were many large dogs and someone supplies dried food for them. They are allowed in the second, upper dining hall where social workers come to sign people up for food stamps and Medicaid. I didn't see anyone ask anyone to take their dog there, but apparently it is an unwritten rule that pets are kept there, not in the big dining hall. It is good. Some of the dogs are tiny, though most are not. One lady who had her long haired chihuahua in the Clothes Closet told the dog when he began to cower amongst the many people that it was okay. No one would eat him. The dog seemed to understand. He was on a leash and stayed at her heel, but no longer laid down helplessly.
There is such a sense of belonging and feeling at home inside the church. No one is turned away. Most are known by name and if they are not then someone is trying to find out who they are and what they need. Most of the time it is as simple as a glass of water. The heart fills up faster than the stomachs are filled at Haywood Street Congregation.
After I shelved the books, I went to the dining hall to see what was needed from me. They said they really needed me at 12:30 for the third lunch service and clean-up and suggested I eat at the 11:30 session and visit. I did. It was comfort food day, meat loaf, mashed potatoes and gravy, tossed salad, green beans with ham, cornbread, and banana pudding. I didn't eat much, but I tasted it all. It was delicious and the portions were generous. It is served family style and except for the banana pudding there was enough for seconds or thirds.
I visited with Momma Mae and a young couple and another young man. The young couple had a little toddler and the woman was caring for a friend's baby. The baby was tiny, the size of my children when they were maybe 6 weeks old. He was asleep in the single young man's arms when I started eating. Because I didn't eat much, I finished first and offered to hold him for the others to eat. I gave him a bottle which he lustily drank. It turned out that the baby was 3 or 4 months old. Later his mother appeared and she told me he was 14 weeks old. He was bright and strong, but so very small for that age.
I went to the Clothes Closet and met Phyllis from Mars Hill UMC and several other women who were working back there today. Phyllis and her friend Linda went to eat so for the next hour I hung clothes and organized shelves. There were many people in there "shopping" today because the weather had turned hot and they needed cool clothes. There is much need for clean shorts, shirts, and athletic shoes for men and women. Many came in asking for sun screen. Life on the street makes you more vulnerable to the sun. Also, there were many requests for nice cloth bags. We had a supply, but they were quickly gone.
At 12:30 I went back to the dining hall and served and then cleaned until 2. Most of the cleaning up had been done by the time I left, but there were some people who had just arrived after the service who were doing the last of the clean-up. Mary was there helping and so were Mary's grandsons and daughter. Mary is a member of Weaverville UMC. I had never seen her grandsons, however. They ranged in age from 11 to 7, cute, helpful, well behaved little boys. Her daughter was one of the cooks today. She mops the floors at clean up time unless someone can wrestle the mop from her. She is a hard, hard worker.
While the Holy Chaos was taking place inside, upstairs they were giving acupuncture, taking blood pressure, and giving haircuts. Outside they were planting the summer food garden and building a beautiful wall at the very back of the garden. Already there were plantings in the front of the church and the tulips, all bright red, were blooming.
I missed the service, but I'll figure out a way to take turns with some of the other workers as time goes by so I won't miss it every week. At least in the Clothes Closet, which is directly beneath the Sanctuary you can hear the organist play. Oh, my, how wonderful is his music!
Brian is still in Bolivia so Shannon did the service. She came downstairs afterward and ate and visited with the companions and those few people who were still eating.
Today there were many large dogs and someone supplies dried food for them. They are allowed in the second, upper dining hall where social workers come to sign people up for food stamps and Medicaid. I didn't see anyone ask anyone to take their dog there, but apparently it is an unwritten rule that pets are kept there, not in the big dining hall. It is good. Some of the dogs are tiny, though most are not. One lady who had her long haired chihuahua in the Clothes Closet told the dog when he began to cower amongst the many people that it was okay. No one would eat him. The dog seemed to understand. He was on a leash and stayed at her heel, but no longer laid down helplessly.
There is such a sense of belonging and feeling at home inside the church. No one is turned away. Most are known by name and if they are not then someone is trying to find out who they are and what they need. Most of the time it is as simple as a glass of water. The heart fills up faster than the stomachs are filled at Haywood Street Congregation.
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Church
It is Wednesday and I wanted to get to Haywood Street early, but I barely made the service. I did get a chance to stick my head in the library. It is in great need of books and magazines. Next week I'll bring some.
The service began with a wonderful organ solo. The organist whose name I must learn puts joy in his playing. As the service progressed more and more people clapped or rattled the bottles in appreciation for his wonderful playing. Finally, he said, "Stop!" He'll have to learn to receive, I think.
Prayers were offered for companions' families, for the sick, for servicemen in harms way, for the city council and the state legislature which is affecting so many people in negative ways with their laws and budget cuts. People volunteered to take the prayer requests home to pray about all week. A member of the congregation wanted to share that he had gotten a brand new yellow bicycle. It was beautiful. He brought it down the center aisle and parked in on the altar. Then he went to eat downstairs and came back later for communion. The offering was dropped in a basket in front and you could drop a prayer request, a service commitment, a gift, or a commitment to attend. You went forward to offer whatever you had. I had nothing this week. A woman read the Scripture about Peter and John going to the grave on Sunday morning and Mary meeting Jesus there and not recognizing him. She was very effective. I think she's heard Mary tell this story. Brian's sermon was asking questions of the congregation about how you experience the resurrection. Easter always sadly starts in a cemetery. But we experience the resurrection when we encounter the risen Lord and He calls our name. The point of the sermon was that He knows all our names and He tells us to tell the others that He lives. I was convicted because the resurrection makes me silent and I am not supposed to be. I have met Him and He has called my name. Now how am I to do that without making others feel like I'm bragging. How do I let them know He is calling their names. It is hard for us to hear Him above the clatter of life.
We had Communion served to us. Two homeless men served me. One told me I was pretty. It was sweet. He told the lady in front of me she was pretty too. A man sang lovely music about Martin Luther King during the Communion. It is the anniversary of King's assassination.
The big black man who had been sitting next to me left before the Communion. He didn't like holding hands with me or the young girl on the other side of him. It was strange. I felt like it was too much for him. He said holding hands hurt. They commissioned the mission team going to Bolivia tomorrow to serve in the orphanage. The last hymn was "I Can See Clearly Now," my kind of music. I think someone requested it. You can request Scripture and hymns during the offertory. Everyone filed out. I went to a lady who had announced a women's group to meet tomorrow to find out the Nouwen book they will read. I can't come to the group, but I like Henry Nouwen. Maybe I'll get there next week. As I left I thanked Brian. He thanked me for coming and I was able to ask if the Bolivian government would allow US adoptions. After Gale and Danny adopted Olivia I think the government closed the adoptions by Americans. Brian said he'd find out. I left full up again and overflowing on Pam and Carol when I saw them later in Weaverville.
The service began with a wonderful organ solo. The organist whose name I must learn puts joy in his playing. As the service progressed more and more people clapped or rattled the bottles in appreciation for his wonderful playing. Finally, he said, "Stop!" He'll have to learn to receive, I think.
Prayers were offered for companions' families, for the sick, for servicemen in harms way, for the city council and the state legislature which is affecting so many people in negative ways with their laws and budget cuts. People volunteered to take the prayer requests home to pray about all week. A member of the congregation wanted to share that he had gotten a brand new yellow bicycle. It was beautiful. He brought it down the center aisle and parked in on the altar. Then he went to eat downstairs and came back later for communion. The offering was dropped in a basket in front and you could drop a prayer request, a service commitment, a gift, or a commitment to attend. You went forward to offer whatever you had. I had nothing this week. A woman read the Scripture about Peter and John going to the grave on Sunday morning and Mary meeting Jesus there and not recognizing him. She was very effective. I think she's heard Mary tell this story. Brian's sermon was asking questions of the congregation about how you experience the resurrection. Easter always sadly starts in a cemetery. But we experience the resurrection when we encounter the risen Lord and He calls our name. The point of the sermon was that He knows all our names and He tells us to tell the others that He lives. I was convicted because the resurrection makes me silent and I am not supposed to be. I have met Him and He has called my name. Now how am I to do that without making others feel like I'm bragging. How do I let them know He is calling their names. It is hard for us to hear Him above the clatter of life.
We had Communion served to us. Two homeless men served me. One told me I was pretty. It was sweet. He told the lady in front of me she was pretty too. A man sang lovely music about Martin Luther King during the Communion. It is the anniversary of King's assassination.
The big black man who had been sitting next to me left before the Communion. He didn't like holding hands with me or the young girl on the other side of him. It was strange. I felt like it was too much for him. He said holding hands hurt. They commissioned the mission team going to Bolivia tomorrow to serve in the orphanage. The last hymn was "I Can See Clearly Now," my kind of music. I think someone requested it. You can request Scripture and hymns during the offertory. Everyone filed out. I went to a lady who had announced a women's group to meet tomorrow to find out the Nouwen book they will read. I can't come to the group, but I like Henry Nouwen. Maybe I'll get there next week. As I left I thanked Brian. He thanked me for coming and I was able to ask if the Bolivian government would allow US adoptions. After Gale and Danny adopted Olivia I think the government closed the adoptions by Americans. Brian said he'd find out. I left full up again and overflowing on Pam and Carol when I saw them later in Weaverville.
Becoming a Companion
I attended Orientation at Haywood Street Congregation on the Tuesday after Easter Sunday. Shannon welcomed us, Lisa, Lisa, Meghan, and me. She read from the Bible a selection about the woman who broke the costly nard over the head of Jesus in the home of Simon the Leper. Someone objected because the nard could have been sold and the money given to feed the poor. She read it twice, like we do in Lectio Divina. Then we meditated about it. After the silence we told what we heard. Everyone heard something different. I heard the fact that Jesus said wherever the Good News was proclaimed the woman would be remembered. The Good News is that God came down to remind us that he created us to be in relationship with Him and He accepted the gift the woman gave Him. He was about to give His all for her, but her gift was prized. Then Shannon asked us to tell something about ourselves. One woman whose husband is retired said she'd resisted coming to Haywood Street because her husband who had retired was already working there and she felt they needed time alone, but now she wanted to be there too. She said that being at a service was like being in Heaven because that is what Heaven would be like. I think she is right. I said I visited and they had something special I wanted to catch. The others were not as forthcoming, but still it was clear they couldn't resist the draw. Shannon told us the rules. One of them is that we are companions, not volunteers, we are equals with everyone in the community even though we belong to other churches and are there to serve. Therefore we will be served as well. We all are needy and gifted. All that rang true. Shannon offered Communion to us and we shared the bread and the grape, the body and the life. Then we had a prayer saying what we thought we were there to do. I am there to learn why I am in the mountains. Perhaps the answer is simply being there.
Memorial Service
I visited the holy chaos of mealtime at Haywood Street Congregation on Holy Week Wednesday. The dining room was bustling and I felt out of place, not because I wasn't accepted, but I felt like I should be doing something. I'd eaten a late breakfast so I didn't want to eat. I stood in a corner visiting with other visitors from south of Charlotte who were there to learn how this holy chaos was done. Our spot out of the way was in front of a fireplace where a welcome flame danced. It was too cold outside to be the Wednesday before Easter. Eventually the other visitors moved on to tour the Clothes Closet and the Library. One of the workers brought some clean stainless steel tableware. I transferred the forks and knives and spoons to their proper place in a separator on the shelf behind me. I felt better, more a part, my first lesson in why this community is special. Everyone serves and everyone is served therefore everyone is a part of this community.
The young woman minister who made announcements to the entire room came to me and welcomed me. She told me about Orientation and how glad she was I was there. She was believable. I want to learn to be believable. Then she found someone to take me upstairs to the sanctuary, but the woman got lost in her work and I decided to make my way upstairs by following the crowds who were gathering for the service.
It was a special service. Jesus' death would be celebrated this week and one of the members of the congregation had died the week before so her life was being celebrated. I can't remember the words of the minister, Brian, when he came down the aisle. It was about the cross. I thought I wouldn't, couldn't forget them, but I have. It went something like you could live without the Cross, but if you did, you wouldn't fully live. Those words don't do his justice. Anyway, the service was full of offered prayers, memories, and gifts of the Jesus and the woman who had died. The sermon was not a sermon but the reading of Bible verses about the drama in the Garden of Gethesame, Pilate's court, and on Golgotha. I don't know how they did it, but Brian handed out pieces of copy paper with the verses on it to various people who volunteered around the room to read. Without missing a beat they began to read and came in at the right time and read it flawlessly. Oh, some people had trouble saying the words but they came in on-time. Having done play readings I would have said they had practiced for weeks, but I knew they simply read what was on the paper at the time they were supposed to even though they didn't know they were going to read until Brian handed them the papers, one of the miracles of the service.
Shannon got up asked for the elements to be brought forward. A man with a broken arm, another man, and a little boy brought bread and grapejuice in a goblet forward. As Brian read the Communion service from the back of the room, Shannon offered the elements to the woman's family who became the servers. The woman and her family had only just gotten housing after being homeless for two years. She was not old and no one realized how sick she was. I'm sure being on the street for two years didn't help. A folk band played hymns I didn't recognize as the entire congregation took Communion. There were maybe 200 or 300 people there. We sang a song when everyone was served and we went home. I have been babbling about the experience of attending since then to anyone who would listen.
What was different? The ministers were real. Darkness and death were part of the celebration. Dogs were in the service. The woman next to me was homeless and she offered me a cough drop when I got too hot in the middle of the service and started coughing. None of those things are different from what I have had at other churches(except maybe the dogs being present), but I felt at home in this congregation. That was what was different.
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