Beans and Rice Ministries Flourish - THE EPISCOPAL DIOCESE OF ALABAMA - dioala.org

Page created by Michelle Fowler
 
CONTINUE READING
Beans and Rice Ministries Flourish - THE EPISCOPAL DIOCESE OF ALABAMA - dioala.org
THE EPISCOPAL DIOCESE OF ALABAMA
                      April/May/June 2021 • Vol. 106, No. 2

Beans and Rice
Ministries Flourish
See page 16                                              dioala.org
Beans and Rice Ministries Flourish - THE EPISCOPAL DIOCESE OF ALABAMA - dioala.org
THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH
In the Diocese of Alabama
A community of about 32,000 baptized members in 87 parishes and worshiping
communities and 8 college campus ministries. Established in 1830.
Bishop
The Rt. Rev. Glenda S. Curry
Carpenter House
521 North 20th Street
Birmingham, AL 35203
205/715-2060
In the United States
A community of about 1.9 million members in 109 dioceses in 16 nations.
Established in 1789.
Presiding Bishop
The Most Rev. Michael Curry
Episcopal Church Center
815 Second Avenue
New York, NY 10017
212/867-8400
The Anglican Communion
A community of 80 million members in 44 regional and national member
churches in more than 160 countries.
Archbishop of Canterbury
The Most Rev. Justin Welby
Lambeth Palace, London
England SE17JU
The Alabama Episcopalian
Kelley Hudlow, Editor
Miles G. Parsons, Art Director
Georganne Perrine, Circulation Secretary
Volume 106, Number 2
April/May/June 2021
USPS 070-910
ISSN 1041-3316
Periodical postage paid

The Alabama Episcopalian is published four times a year (March 1, May
1, August 1, and November 1). For the most current news about recent and
upcoming events, please visit our diocesan Web site, www.dioala.org.
Please send stories and photographs (full color, at highest resolution possible)
to Editor Kelley Hudlow at khudlow@dioala.org or 521 North 20th Street,
Birmingham, AL 35203-2682; the submission deadline for each issue is February
1, April 1, July 1, October 1. Postmaster, parishes, and individuals, please send
all address changes or additions to Circulation Secretary Georganne Perrine at
gperrine@dioala.org or Carpenter House, 521 North 20th Street, Birmingham, AL
35203–2682.
Keep up with the latest news from around our diocese between issues of The
Alabama Episcopalian on our diocesan Web site, www.dioala.org. If you are
not already receiving our “DioAla News Update,” you can sign up to receive
a weekly e-mail containing headlines with links to the latest news, photos, and
videos about and from around our diocese. Simply send an e-mail with your name
and e-mail address to khudlow@dioala.org and put “Headlines” on the subject
line. You can “opt out” anytime.
                                                                                                dioala.org
All address corrections or additions should be sent to Georganne Perrine at
gperrine@dioala.org or Carpenter House, 521 North 20th Street, Birmingham, AL
35203-2682.                                                                         Shawn, a guest at St. Catherine’s in
POSTMASTER: Please send address corrections to Georganne Perrine,
                                                                                    Chelsea’s April 17 Beans and Rice
Circulation Secretary, The Alabama Episcopalian, 521 North 20th Street,             ministry, picks up canned goods.
Birmingham, AL 35203-2682.                                                          Photo by Bill Wheeler.

2 | The Alabama Episcopalian
Beans and Rice Ministries Flourish - THE EPISCOPAL DIOCESE OF ALABAMA - dioala.org
The Alabama Episcopalian
          THE MAGAZINE OF THE EPISCOPAL DIOCESE OF ALABAMA

                      IN THIS ISSUE
                      5    “I hope I see you at church.”

                      NEWS FROM OUR SHARED MINISTRIES
                      6    The Department of Mission and Outreach
                      7    Southern District Outreach Meeting
                      7    Four Graduate the Alabama Integrative Ministry School
                      8    New Life at Camp McDowell
                      9    Cursillo and The Great Pause

             10
                      10   Robert Whelan to Become Diocesan Disaster Relief Coordinator
                      11   Let’s Talk: Family Conversation Starters on Gifts and Psalms
                      12   Dreams + Faith = Hope
                      13   EYC Convention
Robert Whelan to      13   Young People Paint Birmingham is on for this summer!
Become Diocesan       14   Website Offers Resources for Liturgical and Prayer Book revision
Disaster Relief       14   Be a Part of Sawyerville This Summer
Coordinator           15   Special Session: Outreach and In-reach

                      NEWS FROM OUR PARISHES
                      16   Beans and Rice Ministries Flourish
                      18   Yes to GraceWorks and Growth
                      20   St. Mary’s in Jasper Food Bank
                      22   Grace Place: An Idea Whose Time Has Come
                      23   Marion Medical Mission
                      24   God’s Little Pantry
                      25   Christ Church Collectibles
                      26   Soup to Go at St. James Alexander City
                      27   The Lazarus Ministry at Christ Church Tuscaloosa

             23
                      28   Outreach in the Time of Pandemic

                      29 CLERGY NEWS

Marion Medical        BOOK REVIEW
Mission               30   Insistent Advocate for the Gospel

                      31 UPCOMING EVENTS

                                                                                   dioala.org | 3
Beans and Rice Ministries Flourish - THE EPISCOPAL DIOCESE OF ALABAMA - dioala.org
4 | The Alabama Episcopalian
Beans and Rice Ministries Flourish - THE EPISCOPAL DIOCESE OF ALABAMA - dioala.org
“I hope I see you
                      at church.”
                                           The Rt. Rev. Glenda S. Curry

Dear Friends:                                                      prayers offered to our Lord Jesus, we would remind each
                                                                   other that God was with him and us, in that and in all our

I
    n my first newsletter article to the parish of All Saints in   awful times. At his bedside, we were the very best parts of
    Homewood, I closed with the phrase, “I hope I see you          what it means to be “the church.”
    at church.” I’m not sure why or where it originated. At             The Gospels are the story of people who came face to
the time, I wrote it as a spontaneous expression of hope to        face with the living God in Jesus Christ in their moments
my new flock. I wanted to know them, worship with them,            of greatest despair and trouble. I have a friend who calls
and love them. The most efficient way to nourish our new           that moment, when all our powers are exhausted, “coming
relationship was to see them consistently each Sunday at           to the end of myself.” I believe that’s what we offer each
church. Looking back, the blessings of seeing them every           other when we remain with others in trouble or when others
week at church surpassed all my expectations.                      remain with us.
     Like a motto, the phrase became a consistent signature             This issue is dedicated to “Mission and Outreach.”
on each newsletter I authored. When parishioners began to          Traditionally, that has been imagined as a deliberate focus
repeat the sentence back to me, I realized it was alive with       on organizing and working to take the love of Christ out
meaning far beyond my intention. To them it meant rela-            of our church walls and into the world. Sometimes doing
tionship and promise, community and love.                          mission and outreach can seem like an opportunity for the
     Since March 2020, this motto has evolved in ways              people of God to do something to fix some problem. But
I never imagined. Our church has taken on previously               that idea of “outreach” has changed so much these past
unimagined new forms, formats, and expressions. Using              months that I think it’s more helpful to think about mission
Zoom, Facebook, YouTube, and FaceTime, we gathered for             and outreach as all the ways we try to love each other and
worship. We gathered outside our church walls in yards and         be “with” folks in difficult or challenging circumstances.
parking lots, in our cars, or under tents and canopies. Wher-           Author Sam Wells likes to say that being “with” people
ever two or three could gather, we became “the church.”            is the foundation of a loving community and where we are
Seeing each other at church, whether online or in person           likely to see the living Jesus. In the past year, we have en-
wearing masks and six feet apart, continues to be a vital part     countered many opportunities to be “with” people in loving
of our life together. Through it all, “the church” in these        service, and there will be more to come. As we return to our
many forms has helped us be faithful to love each other and        church buildings, I hope the stories in this issue will inspire
serve the Lord.                                                    you to imagine how we continue to find new ways to be
     A few weeks ago, I received an unexpected call from           the church in the world. At our convention in February, we
an old friend who had traveled to UAB from a small town            called this “new ways to love.” I am excited, encouraged
in Alabama for a special procedure. The procedure did not          and blessed to see all the creative ways the Holy Spirit is
go well, and he and his family were suddenly facing the end        making us new.
of his life. I am so grateful he called me to come and pray.            The best is yet to come. We are moving through the
At his bedside, it was clear, he had already made the hardest      hardest times and resurrection is happening. Now is the
decisions, so what remained was the holy work of waiting,          time to say, “I hope I see you at church!”
praying, and being together in that tender time of transition.
     In those final moments with him, I was painfully              Blessings,
aware, very sadly, that I could not fix his problems, meet all
his need, or extend his life on earth. I did not have magic
answers, other than maybe the most powerful one. In our

                                                                                                                   dioala.org | 5
Beans and Rice Ministries Flourish - THE EPISCOPAL DIOCESE OF ALABAMA - dioala.org
News from Our Shared Ministries
                 The Department of Mission and Outreach
                                                      Fiona Watts

I
    have the great honor of chairing the Department of Mission and Outreach, a group of people from around the dio-
    cese, appointed by the Bishop for 3-year terms. We oversee a budget that provides financial support for a variety of
    ministries in Alabama and in the world. Among the ministries are day camps, race relations, the elderly and aging,
healthcare ministry, feeding programs and disaster relief.
     One of the most exciting things that the Department does is to offer grants to parishes to help them start new out-
reach programs. Over 100 of these grants have been awarded throughout the diocese and a recent survey found that a
very high percentage of these programs are still flourishing. Grants have been awarded for programs such as Beans and
Rice ministries, community gardens, dementia respite care, music programs, tutoring programs, and backpack programs.
The criteria and application forms can be found on the diocesan website.
     The Department also offers education opportunities with workshops both at convention and also at parishes. More
recently we have been getting groups of people together in the convocations to talk about what is going on in the parish-
es and to see how we can be of help to them. These discussion groups have been very beneficial as it is always good to
interact with our fellow Episcopalians.
     We are very grateful to The Alabama Episcopalian for giving us this opportunity to highlight some of the ministries
that we support. Throughout this issue of the magazine you will find stories mission and outreach of our shared and
parish ministries.

   MATCHING GRANTS! The Department of Mission and Outreach has been granted funds to support
   parishes interested in starting a new ministry that addresses the issues of poverty and hunger along
   with healthcare access. The department will match up to $5,000.00

   The criteria for each area of ministry are as follows:
   Access to Healthcare – Parishes independently or in partnership with a medical facility provide
   a means for underserved areas to access healthcare. Examples might be taking children to get
   vaccinated or covering the cost for healthcare check-ups.

   Eradicating Poverty and Hunger – Parishes creatively imagine how to reach underserved people with
   food insecurity issues. Funds would also go towards items needed to provide for the underserved.
   Examples include starting a community garden or Rice and Beans ministry.

   These requirements, we ask to be addressed in the proposal:
   1. Who is matching the grant?
   2. How do you envision funding going forward?

    After a year of ministry, grant recipients will submit a report to the Department of Mission and Outreach describing
who was served by the ministry and how the money was spent.
    Deadline is SEPTEMBER 30. Please contact Sarah Sartain (ssartain@dioala.org) for questions or further infor-
mation.

6 | The Alabama Episcopalian
Beans and Rice Ministries Flourish - THE EPISCOPAL DIOCESE OF ALABAMA - dioala.org
News from Our Shared Ministries
                        Southern District Outreach Meeting
                                                        Nelson Smith

O
         n Saturday, March 13, 2021, the diocesan Department of Mission and Outreach hosted an outreach meeting for the
         clergy and outreach enthusiasts of Southern District parishes. Because of COVID restrictions, the meeting was con-
         ducted on Zoom, and followed earlier outreach gatherings of the Northern and Middle Districts. The purpose of the
meeting was to inform participants about diocesan outreach work, hear Bishop Glenda Curry’s outreach vision and focus, and
allow participants to share information about outreach activities in their own parishes.
     The meeting led off with Bishop Curry sharing her vision for outreach. She expressed her firm belief in and commitment
to outreach in the work of the diocese. To that end, she wants outreach funding to better align with our outreach objectives,
and closer alignment of diocesan goals with convocational/parish outreach goals. To ensure the best stewardship of outreach
funding, goals need to be measurable to know what works and what does not. Bishop Curry also informed the gathering that
an additional $5,000 was allocated to the department to address poverty and hunger in the diocese, and a matching grant pro-
gram was initiated to encourage parish start-up ministries for addressing issues of poverty, hunger, and healthcare access.
     Department Chair Fiona Watts followed Bishop Curry by briefing attendees on the activities overseen by the department,
including the outreach budget, diocesan-wide outreach education, and administration of parish grants. She noted that 80% of
parish grant projects are continuing today, a noteworthy achievement. Deacon Gerri Aston, diocesan coordinator for Episco-
pal Relief & Development, provided an update on work in disaster preparedness and world-wide partnering on poverty and
women’s and children’s health. Tommy Kitsmiller outlined goals for using social media to make the work of the department
more effective.
     In the informational exchange session, parish participants shared a host of outreach ministries, including drive-thru soup
kitchens, beans & rice/pandemic food assistance, Kairos prison ministry involvement, Blessing Boxes, support to elder care
caregivers, Loaves and Fishes meals on wheels, and clothes closet ministries. One parish cited participation with an AME
church in food assistance efforts. One rector suggested that greater collaboration among churches would be desirable.

Four Graduate the Alabama
Integrative Ministry School
      The Rev. Kelley Hudlow, AIMS Coordinator

O
          n March 20, 2021, four students graduated from
          the Alabama Integrative Ministry School (AIMS).
          In a service held at St. Mary’s on the Highlands,
the graduating students Jose Fernandez, Sally Herring, Lee
Wilkins, and Kay Williams received their diplomas and
AIMS crosses. The Rt. Rev. Glenda S. Curry offered the
homily. This spring, Fernandez and Herring will be ordained
to the transitional diaconate, and Wilkins and Williams will
be ordained to the vocational diaconate.
     In January 2021 AIMS began a partnership with the
Alternative Clergy Training in Sewanee (ACTS). Students
enrolled in AIMS will complete academic formation through
the ACTS program, while completing locally administered field placements, mentoring, and formation. The Rev. Kelley
Hudlow, who has served in various roles with AIMS, now serves as the program coordinator. In this role she will serve as a
mentor to the students, oversee field placements and local formation. To learn more about AIMS and ACTS, please contact
the Rev. Kelley Hudlow, khudlow@dioala.org, or visit www.dioala.org/aims.

                                                                                                                 dioala.org | 7
Beans and Rice Ministries Flourish - THE EPISCOPAL DIOCESE OF ALABAMA - dioala.org
News from Our Shared Ministries
                               New Life at Camp McDowell
                            The Rev. Corey Jones, Executive Director of Camp McDowell

N
          ew life has sprung up everywhere around Camp McDowell. Our education programs have been teaching in
          schools, baby goats have arrived on the farm, summer camp is going to happen, our conference center guests are
          eagerly awaiting their time to come and stay, and our pools are ready to welcome all. We’ve been talking, practic-
ing, and planning for a long time about how to welcome everyone back safely.
     We are so excited to welcome campers back to Summer Camp. Missing our time together last year was heartbreak-
ing. We are also ready and waiting for our conference center guests to return to Camp. Even though we are still limited
by current restrictions, we are doing a lot for everyone to come to Camp safely. Most of our lodging and meeting spaces
now have ionizers built into the air units. Our cabins down the hill all have split units for heating and air with ionizers
built into them as well. By adding all of this equipment we are making our spaces safer by increasing air flow as well as
killing viruses, allergens, and fighting bad smells. Eppes Hall and the chapel in lower camp have added new fans. Not only
will they produce better air circulation and cool those spaces more efficiently, but they also have UV-C light built into the
fans themselves. By incorporating CDC endorsed UV-C technology the fans will move pathogens through an upper-room
disinfection zone, continuously and safely providing clean air for our staff and campers. Our staff have worked diligently
to keep Camp McDowell a place of welcome, even in these difficult times. We have worked to weather the COVID storm,
and we are hopeful about our new ideas and our beloved traditions.

8 | The Alabama Episcopalian
Beans and Rice Ministries Flourish - THE EPISCOPAL DIOCESE OF ALABAMA - dioala.org
News from Our Shared Ministries
                               Cursillo and The Great Pause
                                                       Jamie Parris

C
         ursillo #221 concluded at Camp
         McDowell on February 23, 2020.
         Within a month, COVID-19 altered
every aspect of our lives. Cursillo would
eventually cancel the four remaining
weekends in 2020 and all five weekends
scheduled for 2021.
     Cursillo exists to develop servant-
hearted leaders for our parishes and the
Episcopal church. The weekend retreats
are a critical part of this process because
they are the first step in a journey of
spiritual growth and connection. When
new Episcopalians aren’t joining us on the
Cursillo journey, our movement risks becoming inward-looking and stale. As a lay-led organization, we take a bottom-up
approach to remaining vibrant and connected through reunion and service.
     Connect with us at Instagram.com/alabamacursillo or visit alabamacursillo.org/pause to read stories about how we’ve
maintained connections during The Great Pause.

Reunion Groups Maintain Connection
“The Fourth Day” is a term we use to describe every day following your Cursillo weekend. Cursillistas meet regularly in
Reunion Groups to encourage each other in acts of piety, study, and experiencing God’s love. These face-to-face meetings
help us grow in faith and service.
    During the pandemic, many reunion groups adapted to Zoom meetings. Some groups started meeting in outdoor spaces
where they can space appropriately. These meetings have proven to be a vital point of connection as many of us struggle
with isolation. These service opportunities have been a tremendous encouragement over the last year.

Serving Our Parishes and Communities
Serving our parishes and communities helps us maintain perspective during The Great Pause, and there have been
numerous opportunities. Some reunion groups have served meals through Community Kitchens and the Community
Soup Bowl. Others have visited elderly parishioners for outdoor conversations or to drop off a meal and worked with
Sawyerville to support their revised activities. At least one Reunion Group volunteered to help clean up after the recent
tornados. Individuals have volunteered to set up for outdoor services. Groups from past Cursillo weekends joined the effort
to raise funds to sustain Camp McDowell.

How Cursillo Plans to Emerge from The Great Pause
The next Cursillo weekend is scheduled for April 2022. We believe this gives the staff and pilgrims that will participate in
that weekend the best opportunity to safely enjoy all of the positive aspects of a Cursillo weekend.
     Are you interested in finding out more or attending a Cursillo weekend? Visit alabamacursillo.org/weekend to find
out more.

                                                                                                               dioala.org | 9
Beans and Rice Ministries Flourish - THE EPISCOPAL DIOCESE OF ALABAMA - dioala.org
News from Our Shared Ministries
                       Robert Whelan to Become Diocesan
                          Disaster Relief Coordinator

B
         ishop Glenda Curry has appointed Robert (Bob) Whelan to serve as the dioce-
         san Disaster Relief Coordinator. In this position, Whelan will assess and report
         local impact from storms and other disasters, serve as the primary contact for
relief and response efforts, and coordinate with parishes and ministries to implement
diocesan relief and recovery efforts.
     Whelan brings a wealth of experience to the role. He is a professional engineer
and has worked as a forensic engineer for the past 15 years investigating storm and
other damage to structures. He is a rescue diver and dive master and worked with the
Office of Emergency Management in Nashville, TN. He is a member of All Saints in
Homewood and served two terms on the vestry. He is married to Dr. Kimberly Whelan,
who is the Clinical Director and Fellowship Director of the Pediatric Hematology and
Oncology Department at Children’s Hospital of Alabama. They have two daughters
who attend Advent School.
     Whelan is preceded in this role by the Rev. David Whetstone, Deacon. Following
the April 2011 tornados across Alabama, Whetstone served as part of the Diocesan
Tornado Response Team coordinating volunteer teams, and later transitioned into the
role of Disaster Relief Coordinator. In his 10 years of service, our diocese responded
to hurricanes, tornados, and flooding. Whetstone coordinated our diocesan disaster
response and deployment of resources in Alabama, New Jersey, Louisiana, Oklahoma,
Colorado, New York, and North Carolina. He was in the third class of deacons ordained
in the diocese and serves as the deacon at Grace Church in Anniston.
     Whelan has begun his work assessing and coordinating the diocesan response to
the recent tornados in our area. He can be reached by email: rwhelan@donan.com.

    On March 23, 2021, the community of Sawyerville
    was impacted by a tornado. In the days following
    our parishes worked to gather supplies to meet
    the immediate needs of that community. Bob
    Whelan supported the work of community
    members in Sawyerville, St. Paul’s Episcopal
    Church in Greensboro, and the staff of Sawyerville
    to meet immediate food needs through the
    establishment of a food bank. Episcopal Relief
    & Development provided a $15,000 grant to be
    used to support the food bank and tree removal
    and property cleanup. Whelan will continue to
    support the work in Sawyerville and to coordinate
    ongoing recovery work by Episcopal volunteers
    in the area. To support the work of responding
    to natural disasters, you may make a gift to the               Claire Cotton, the Rev. Mary Bea Sullivan, Keehn Berry,
                                                                   Bo Berry, and Bob Whelan take supplies to Sawyerville.
    Diocese of Alabama marked “Disaster Relief.”

10 | The Alabama Episcopalian
News from Our Shared Ministries
                 Let’s Talk: Family Conversation Starters on
                               Gifts and Psalms
          The Rev. Gerri Aston, Deacon and Diocesan Coordinator for Episcopal Relief & Development

                                                      “Let’s Talk.”

W
              ouldn’t it be great if those words were an invitation to a fun time of family conversation rather than a dreaded
              harangue about some problem or issue?
                   That is in fact the goal of Episcopal Relief & Development’s Let’s Talk conversation-starter activity for fam-
ilies. It’s a way for families to deepen their bond as they discover how to better listen, what benefits patience brings and what
kind of music, food and experiences each family member really likes. Each card offers a Psalm that relates to the theme of the
questions and serves as a prayer.
      The inspiration for this family activity is “Gifts That Nuture Children” from the One Thousand Days of Love campaign.
These Gifts, based on Early Childhood Development research best practices, empower families to help children thrive. These
Gifts are woven into the work supported by this campaign in places like Kenya, Zambia, Ghana, Malawi and Mozambique.
It is a community-led program partnering with local leaders and faith leaders and includes improving food and nutrition, pre-
venting diseases, providing access to clean water, improving hygiene and sanitation and creating economic stability. All these
things are necessary for children to reach their full potential.
      But children, especially those under three years old, also need Gifts of love and nurture to foster their cognitive, social
and emotional development. Volunteer Early Childhood Development Promoters teach families and communities how to give
these Gifts to children. To better understand how these Promoters interact with and empower families and add another family
activity to use at home download Color Our World, an Episcopal Relief & Development coloring book. The pages of this
coloring book are the very tools used to promote Early Childhood Development best practices to families in the communities
enrolled in the program. It is also, in a condensed form, the basis for the Let’s Talk activity for families in our own churches.
      It is my hope that many families throughout our Diocese will make use of these family focused activities and find in them
a way to strengthen your bond with each other and with God. I also hope that you will better understand the work being done
by Episcopal Relief & Development through the One Thousand Days of Love campaign to improve the lives of children, their
families and the communities in which they live.
      To download Let’s Talk and Color Our World go to episcopalrelief.org/1000daysoflove/share/. Please reach out if your
parish or group would like a presentation about any of the work of Episcopal Relief & Development or the One Thousand
Days of Love Campaign at gerri.aston@gmail.com.

                                                                                                                 dioala.org | 11
News from Our Shared Ministries
                                    Dreams + Faith = Hope
                                            The Rev. CJ Van Slyke, Deacon

I
     n Presiding Bishop Curry’s
     book, Love is the Way, he
     reminds us that dreams are
love’s visions, the boundless faith
that the world can be remade to
look more like what God hoped
for his creation.
      In 2007, our then Bishop,
Henry Parsley, met with Pere
Valdema and his wife Carmel in
Croix des Bouquet, Haiti, at St.
Simeon parish. That collision of
dreams, faith, and hope led our
diocese to plant seeds that sur-
vived hurricanes, drought, floods,
earthquakes, and cholera through
our seven year companion rela-
tionship with the Diocese of Haiti.
Hundreds of people from our dio-
cese and others over the years put
in the sweat equity to help sow the
seeds that created wells, rebuilt
schools, churches, and established a permanent medical clinic called Lepswa Timoun (Hope for the Children).
      Working alongside our Haitian brothers and sisters, we fueled each other with the presence of God in our lives to
create new seeds of hope. These seeds grew into feeding programs for the school children in the mountains, providing nu-
trition and medical clinics to remote villages, and prenatal clinics and midwife training to the indigenous midwives living
in remote mountain villages at St. Alban’s church in Bouzie’, Crochu. Then in December 2015 our diocesan companion-
ship ended, but our relationships did not. Bound by a sense of the Holy Spirit saying, “our work is not finished.” Together
with other partner dioceses, the ministries that had begun now became a non-profit, known as “Light from Light.” Lipswa
Timoun now serves over 1,600 people a month, many coming after hours of walking to reach the clinic. New remote vil-
lages have been added such as Bucon Boye and Marin for the mobile clinics to serve. Like most of Haiti, access to health
care, high prenatal and infant deaths, and malnutrition plague these particular areas. In Crochu, the midwife and nutrition
programs have drastically reduced death rates.
      Over the past two years with civil unrest and then COVID, there have been fewer medical teams able to share the load
of doing mobile clinics. Dr. Lolo, clinical director and Dr. Tram Jones, resident missionary, along with our Haitian staff,
have maintained the monthly prenatal visits and report the Crochu midwives are delivering 50-80 babies a month, and have
had no deaths this year. Their hope is to expand these services to others, to build a separate small building on the Lepswa
Timoun Grounds to attend to increasing needs of the nutrition program, including education, treatment for malnutrition
in children, and follow up. Haitian lives are forever changed, strangers you will never see, yet our brothers and sisters in
Christ. By your support, you continue to sow seeds where dreams continue, faith never ceases, and hope is ever present. To
learn more about these ministries contact: info@lightfromlight.me.

12 | The Alabama Episcopalian
News from Our Shared Ministries
                                             EYC Convention
                           Kathleen Franklin, Youth and Young Adult Ministry Coordinator

T
      he EYC Convention was held
      virtually on March 27. Congrat-
      ulations to our newly elected
Youth Department for 2021-2022:

District Representatives:
Southern: Richie Bailey and Parker
Roth
Central: John Wilson Dorlon and
Lauren Jones
Northern: Caitlin Martin and Sarah
Coleman Hornsby
At-Large Members: Annagrace
Parmer, Noah David, Lydia Raulerson,
Bayley Welborn, and Olivia O’Halloran

We know this new group of youth
will serve the God and God’s Church
through a new year and new normal
and we can’t wait to see what they bring for the Diocesan Youth Community. Thank you to all parishes who sent delegates
for Convention. We are proud of all of the youth!

 Young People Paint Birmingham
     is on for this summer!

Y
           PPB is a work-week event where youth from Birmingham
           will serve their community by scraping, priming, and painting
           the exterior of homes in lower-income communities around
Birmingham. Due to the pandemic, YPPB will be a series of day
events where we meet onsite, serve our community, and head home at
the end of the day. YPPB is for rising 7-9 graders and will be held
June 12-16 every day from 8:30am – 3:45pm. Because this year will
be different than years past, youth will meet and be picked up at the
worksite each day. Registration will open April 19 cost of the event
will be $150. Youth in grades 11-12 are invited to serve as Youth Staff
and will follow the same registration as participants. Adult Staff appli-
cations are open for adults and college students who have completed
their first year. There is no fee to serve on adult staff! For questions
or to apply, please contact Kathleen Franklin, Youth and Young Adult
Ministry Coordinator, kfranklin@dioala.org or 205.358.9232.

                                                                                                         dioala.org | 13
News from Our Shared Ministries
                    Website Offers Resources for Liturgical
                          and Prayer Book revision

I
     n preparation for the 80th General
     Convention, members of the
     Diocese of Alabama Deputation
attended a webinar hosted by the
Task Force for Liturgical and Prayer
Book Revision. The Task Force
elaborated on their work directed
by Resolution 2018-A068 and
directed deputies to the website
launched in December 2019 to host
all authorized liturgical resources of
The Episcopal Church. All parishes
and individuals are invited to browse
the resources and draft documents,
and the Task Force invites feedback
and encourages submissions. The
website also offers a FAQ section
that provides an explanation of the
authorized liturgies and worship resources. This site is available at www.episcopalcommonprayer.org.
      If you have questions for our diocesan deputation to the 80th General Convention, please contact the Rev. Candice
Frazer at candice@coascension.org.

                      Be a Part of Sawyerville This Summer

Provide a Meal
We rely on generous parishes and groups to prepare and serve meals to the hardworking staff of Summer Camp and
Summer Learning. Dinners are needed for groups ranging in size from 24 to 80 people.

Collect Supplies
There are certain items we need to make Summer Camp and Summer Learning run smoothly like swimsuits, snacks, and
cleaning supplies. All supplies must be collected by May 26th.

Pray With Us
Loving God, we see and feel your love and grace at Sawyerville. Thank you for this ministry and for the work you do
through its programs. We ask for a safe and happy summer, for academic growth and spiritual formation, and for fun and
fellowship. May everyone who participates as a camper, student, volunteer, or supporter be brought closer to you. This we
ask in the name of Jesus who loves us. Amen.

To provide a meal, collect supplies, or teach at Summer Learning, please contact Claire Cotten at claire@sawyerville.org.

14 | The Alabama Episcopalian
News from Our Shared Ministries
                     Special Session: Outreach and In-reach
                                        Lindsey Mullen, Director of Special Session

I
    t’s hard to get away from classifications about when we’re “doing church” and when we’re “doing outreach.” When are we
    serving others and when we are serving us? I recently heard someone describe something as an “in-reach ministry” as op-
    posed to an “outreach ministry.” I turned this phrase over in my mind in relationship to the ministry of Special Session. I like
“in-reach” because we are a faith formation ministry. We are there to serve each other—to give everyone at camp the experience
of living with others in a community of dignity, care, and love.
      We’ve seen the fruit of this aspect of camp over the years as so many volunteers have gone on to work in careers that
are shaped by their experience. I asked a few of these folks to share about their journey to the work they do now. Bartlee
Linton and Adelaide Cochran are occupational therapists, Hannah Kendrick Oakes is a music therapist, and Graham Mul-
len works in a life-sharing community for people with disabilities.
         Tell us about your current work. How was special session a part of your journey to this work?
Bartlee: I work as an occupational ther-                            ing, art, baking, and cooking for one
apist at the Center for Psychiatric Med-                            another. I just passed my eight-year
icine at UAB Hospital. I help people                                mark here.
regain their independence when a disease,                                Working at Innisfree is almost a
illness, or disability has caused them to                           direct extension of working at Special
have to rethink things--my favorite way                             Session. Both involve a community
to describe what I do is to say I ‘help peo-                        aspect of being with, learning about,
ple find new ways to do old things.’ I love                         and helping each other.
my job, and I would never have gone
down this path without my experiences at Special Session. I         Hannah: I currently work as a
love getting to experience life with people and helping to create   board-certified music therapist at UAB
new opportunities and ways to experience life--that was a love      Hospital. As a music therapist I use
I discovered because of Special Session.                            live, patient-preferred music to help
                                                                    people reach non-music goals. Every
Adelaide: I am about to start working for                           day looks different for me depending
a hospital in Broomfield, CO. I will be                             on what each patient needs that day.
working with people who are in the hos-                             Some days I address goals focused on
pital recovering from things like a hip re-                         anxiety, depression, pain, and emo-
placement, a stroke, or even COVID-19.                              tional well-being while other days I
My job will be to walk alongside people                             help people with rehabilitation of communicative, cognitive,
as they get stronger and get familiar with                          & motor function. I love so many things about my job, but my
how their body and brain is functioning.                            favorite is using music to help people through difficult times in
I love OT because I get to meet so many                             their lives.
different kinds of funny and interesting people. I get to help            Special Session played a huge part in my decision to
them figure out how they will be safe and be able to maintain       become a music therapist. It instilled within me a deep love
the roles that are important to them even though they may have      of getting to know people in all walks of life, and it taught me
new health barriers to work through.                                how to listen and care for others that might be different than
     I had never even heard of OT before I started doing Spe-       me. I loved being able to serve as a volunteer and knew that
cial Session. My first year, I met a few people on support staff    I wanted to have a career where I helped people every day. I
who were OTs and I quickly looked up to them. As I learned          began playing guitar & singing in middle school but it wasn’t
more, I felt a pull until I finally just went for it.               until my 2nd year of Special Session that I heard the term “mu-
                                                                    sic therapy” from an older staff member. I did some research
Graham: I currently live and work at Innisfree Village, a           when I got home & knew I found the perfect career for me.
life-sharing community with adults with mental and physical
disabilities. Thirty-eight residents and more than twenty-five      Special Session needs counselors (ages 16-24) and volunteers
staff live and work on site together doing various kinds of         for the week of July 24-31. Go to specialsessionalabama.org
work, including gardening, farming, weaving, woodwork-              to learn more and to register.

                                                                                                                    dioala.org | 15
News from our Parishes
                         Beans and Rice Ministries Flourish
                                    Bill Wheeler and the Rev. Gerri Aston, Deacon

T
        he first of the series of remote meetings led by the    story. “It was in 1980 that I noticed a brief article in the Pres-
        Department of Mission and Outreach focused on out-      byterian Pastors magazine. It happened to mention a small
        reach ministries was held March 15. Thirteen parishes   Presbyterian Church in southern Arkansas had placed an ad
attended and shared how they serve their neighbors during       in the local newspaper. The article read, ‘Free Beans and Rice
these exceptionally difficult times of COVID-19. Attendees      -- Saturday at the Presbyterian Church.’ And then I found out
included: Canterbury, Tuscaloosa; Epiphany, Guntersville;       that free Beans and Rice were being shared once a month.
Epiphany, Leeds; Good Shepherd, Decatur; Resurrection,          No questions asked and everybody got two pounds of beans
Gadsden; St. Catherine’s, Chelsea; St. Francis of Assisi,       and three pounds of rice. It was then that this session of his
Indian Springs; St. John’s, Decatur; St. Mary’s, Jasper; St.    church, the First Presbyterian Church of Prairie Grove, Ar-
Matthew’s, Madison; St. Michael’s, Fayette; St. Simon Peter,    kansas added Beans and Rice sharing to their mission work.
Pell City; and Trinity, Clanton.                                Over the years, that little church gave away over 100 tons of
     The opening prayer was led by the Rev. Bill King. Father   beans and rice plus other food items. What is the moral to this
Bill then shared his story beginning 2005, when he pastored     story? Small town churches can discover that they (we) can
the 25 member Trinity Episcopal Church in Clanton. Search-      do significant work in the call to ‘Feed the Hungry!’”
ing for a ministry, he called his brother, the Rev. John King        Father Bill continued Alabama’s story following his
in Fayetteville, Arkansas, with the question: “What outreach    brother’s advice “with a 50 lb. bag of rice and a 50 lb. bag
ministry do you think we should start up here in Clanton?”      of beans plus some jars of peanut butter, Trinity, Clanton
Without any hesitation Father John replied, “You should start   became the first Beans and Rice Church outside of the state
a Beans and Rice ministry.”                                     of Arkansas. That first Saturday that we advertised free
     The Department of Mission and Outreach welcomed            beans and rice about 6 or 7 people stopped by. Most of them
Rev. John King as a special guest and Father John shared his    thought that we were cooking the beans and rice for them.

16 | The Alabama Episcopalian
News from our Parishes

                                                                                                Bean Pie
                                                                                     Submitted by the Rev. John Stewart,
                                                                                     Deacon at St. Matthias in Tuscaloosa

                                                                                  Yield
                                                                                  Makes one 9-inch pie

                                                                                  Ingredients
                                                                                  • Pastry for a 9-inch single-crust pie,
                                                                                     such as Barry Maiden’s Butter/
                                                                                     Shortening Piecrust
                                                                                  • 1 cup sugar
                                                                                  • 1 tablespoon flour
                                                                                  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
                                                                                  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Mark Lindsay is a volunteer at St. Catherine’s Chelsea. He greets their guests’   • 1/2 cup evaporated milk or half-and-
preferred language. He has taught ESL at St. Catherine’s and other parishes.
                                                                                     half
Month by month, the numbers grew of families stopping for free food               • 1/4 cup butter, melted
and families coming back month by month. The number of families                   • 2 eggs
has grown at lot over the past 16 years. The late mayor of Clanton                • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
always spoke of Trinity Episcopal Church as the ‘Beans and Rice                   • 1 cup mashed, cooked navy beans
Church’. In fact, food sharing has defined Trinity Episcopal Church
of Clanton. Now there are 17 Episcopal parishes in north and central              Preparation
Alabama and in no less than 15 other states, that are also beans and              1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a
rice churches.”                                                                      9-inch pie pan with crust, then crimp
     The survey of Beans and Rice parishes completed late last year                  the edges decoratively.
indicated our Diocese is currently sharing 56,000 lbs. of rice and beans
                                                                                  2. In a medium bowl, combine the sugar,
annually.
                                                                                     flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg, and stir
     Parish leaders reported currently serving their neighbors safely
                                                                                     with a fork to mix well. Add the milk,
outdoors. Some parishes share Beans and Rice monthly on Saturday
                                                                                     butter, eggs, and vanilla, and stir to mix
mornings. Others have discerned the need for weekly distributions.
                                                                                     everything well. Add the mashed beans
Sally Marsh reported St. John’s Decatur supplies 1 bag for every 4
                                                                                     and use an electric mixer or a whisk to
people in each family. The Rev. Robin Hinkle, Rector of St. Mary’s
                                                                                     beat all the ingredients together well,
Jasper shared that St. Mary’s is more like a “Food Bank” than a Beans
                                                                                     making a thick, smooth filling.
and Rice parish. Last year St. Mary’s fed 54,000 people. One of the
messages we all heard was that “we can do this. Help is available.                3. Pour the filling into the piecrust. Place
All we have to do is ask”. Significant financial assistance is available             the pie on the bottom shelf of the oven.
for outreach from organizations including Community Foundation of                    Bake until the edges puff up and the
Greater Birmingham, United Thank Offering, United Way of Central                     center is fairly firm, wiggling only a
Alabama, and the State of Alabama through the Cares Act.                             little when you gently nudge the pan,
     The discussion touched on sources of supplies like Sam’s Club                   40 to 50 minutes.
and certain restaurants. Foodbanks were recommended. The food-                    4. Place the pie on a cooling rack or a
bank price of $.16 a pound is excellent. Demographic information is                  folded kitchen towel and let cool for 20
required to purchase for USDA food. “Salvage” food can avoid the                     to 30 minutes. Serve warm or at room
demographic information requirement. Publix is a wonderful example
                                                                                     temperature.
                                                     Continued on page 18

                                                                                                                  dioala.org | 17
News from our Parishes
Continued from page 17
of a chain with bakeries that pass along their “day old” bread
and sweets to 401-C3 organizations for free.
     Mission and Outreach Grants of $2,500 are offered this
year to parishes wishing to begin Beans and Rice as well as
other outreach ministries new to their parish. The forms to
submit are available by going to www. Dioala.org and click-
ing on what we do, clicking ministries, then Mission and
Outreach, finally application for parish-based grant 2021.The
deadline is for applications is May 31.
     Another announcement was that St. Francis of Assisi
will be hosting Rise Against Hunger (Formerly Stop Hunger
Now) and putting at least 10,000 meals together in the near
future in a safe setting. Volunteers from other parishes are
invited. For information, please contact Ellen Hamilton,
Church@saintfrancisindiansprings.org.
     The next Mission and Outreach virtual meeting will
be advertised to all parishes. Suggestions for outreach            Department of Mission and Outreach by emailing Sarah
topics important to your parish may be submitted to the            Sartain, ssartain@dioala.org.

                              Yes to GraceWorks and Growth
                                The Rev. Kay Williams, Deacon and GraceWorks Director

A
          big part of ministry is being ready and willing to say        The program’s activities are structured to nurture the
          “yes” to the call of the Holy Spirit. In Graceworks      whole child through positive character development, spiritual
          we witness God taking the willingness to say “yes”       growth, artistic creativity, encouragement of career interests,
and blessing the offering of our labor. In early 2013, Grace       and cultivation of a good work ethic. Four days a week the
Church, Woodlawn received a phone call from a concerned            participants engage in prayer, art, personal growth, work-
grandparent who was in need of a safe place for her preteen        shops, and attend a service of Holy Eucharist designed for
grandchildren, during the summer, while she was at work.           their age level. The majority of the activities revolve around
After some discussion and prayer, we came to see this need         guided participation in community projects. Over the years
as an opportunity for Grace Church to share Christ’s love          GraceWorks has grown and provides each participant with the
with others in our neighborhood to whom we had not directly        basic skills needed for competitive employment, cooperative
reached out to before.                                             team work, with hands-on opportunities for discovering per-
      Beginning with a $2,000 grant from the Department of         sonal interests, spiritual awareness, and practical abilities that
Mission and Outreach, GraceWorks ministry was created to           improve educational and vocational potential.
serve children ages 10-14 years of age. The summer program              Through a simple “yes” God has blessed GraceWorks
ran 5 days a week for 7 weeks, and was intended to provide         growth. Our staff now includes GraceWorks graduates, Amer-
inner city youth with opportunities to participate in service      iCorps Vista workers, along with many volunteers from differ-
projects, educational enrichment activities, and spiritual         ent churches and the community. GraceWorks has doubled its
exploration. The program opened without cost to anyone of          outdoor space, which has provided the campers the opportu-
the appropriate age who completed an application and had           nity to amend soil, build an 11-barrel rain catchment system,
transportation to the church. God’s abundant blessings was         and maintain a rod iron fence erected across the back and
shared with all campers, volunteers, and the staff beginning       sides of the lot. The campers have found success in the com-
with daily hot breakfasts, nutritious lunches, drinks, snacks,     pletion of small projects that build on large long-term goals
all the tools needed for projects, and the costs covered for all   that eventually improve the larger community. Their activities
activities and the Friday adventure trips.                         speak to the teamwork and construction lessons learned as

18 | The Alabama Episcopalian
News from our Parishes

participants work to help Woodlawn neighbors address issues         the 1920’s neo-Gothic architecture. It will be used as a chapel
of food insecurity and contribute to a more productive future.      by the GraceWorks staff and youth and will also be made
     As GraceWorks presence has expanded in the neigh-              available to area faith communities in need of physical space
borhood the elderly and disabled neighbors have requested           to meet and worship.
assistance with yard upkeep and small home repairs. The                   Like so many churches and nonprofits last year we were
campers are mentored in how to share Christ’s love through          unable to have our usual summer activities due to the pandem-
community activities such as repairing porches, refurbishing        ic. Our main fundraiser was cancelled. Although our campers
furniture to the building of outdoor structures and painting
                                                                    could not participate last summer, we were able to accept two
outdoor community murals. As the participants have enhanced
                                                                    Vista workers and a GraceWorks graduate as staff members.
neighborhoods their positive impact on the daily lives of the
                                                                    While working outside and helping Community Kitchens, the
economically challenged residents has been noticed, respected
and appreciated.                                                    GraceWorks staff saw the effects the pandemic had on people
     Several years ago, when GraceWorks responded with              experiencing homelessness. With all local businesses and
yet another “yes,” God literally opened the doors to provide        churches closed, guests at Community Kitchens had no access
some much-needed indoor physical space for the growing              restrooms. After a little research, GraceWorks built a portable
ministry. The “yes” resulted in GraceWorks accepting the            handwashing station from a recycled food pantry cart that is
donation of a church building that is directly adjacent to the      accessible daily from 9 am until 2:30 to anyone walking by
green space used by GraceWorks attendees each summer.               Community Kitchens.
Now unofficially known as “Grace Place,” the building is                  GraceWorks has decided to say “yes” and have campers
well into renovations through the efforts of parishioners of        return this summer. We will limit our number of campers to
Grace Episcopal Church, St. Stephen’s, St, Luke’s, St. Mary’s       15 and will follow CDC guidelines for gathering. We realize
on the Highlands, All Saints, and a number of other churches        sharing Christ with the children and community again will
and volunteers. Progress so far includes the framing for St.        only happen through the prayers, support and generosity of
Stephen’s Love Laundry room, a kitchen, several classrooms,         our loyal partners such as the Episcopal Diocese of Alabama,
bathrooms and a vocational shop. The acceptance of the build-
                                                                    many of the Episcopal Churches in Alabama, other faith-
ing has broadened GraceWorks vision from a summer youth
                                                                    based organizations, community groups, local businesses and
center into a multipurpose building which will host and house
                                                                    individuals. We invite you to say “yes” to GraceWorks. It is
a wide range of service efforts and programs for the Wood-
lawn neighborhood. Our hope is to eventually offer ministries       as easy as adding GraceWorks to your prayer list, gathering
such as free laundry service, after school tutoring, a warm-        supplies, sponsoring a meal, being a volunteer, being a driver,
ing station, and retraining the unemployed in construction          donating old tools, or giving individually wrapped snacks or
skills when the summer youth program is not in session. Our         drinks. Volunteers, building supplies, and financial support are
plans also include a place of worship for the community. The        always welcomed at “Grace Place.”
sanctuary area will be entirely refurbished in a style consistent         To learn more about GraceWorks and Grace Place, please
with the Episcopal tradition while maintaining the aesthetic of     visit graceworksbham.org.

                                                                                                                   dioala.org | 19
News from our Parishes
                              St. Mary’s in Jasper Food Bank
                                                  The Rev. Robin H. Hinkle

T
        he Food Bank ministry of St. Mary’s in Jasper has a             Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit. On Tuesday, March
        motto on our t-shirts, “Serving God and our neigh-         17, 2020, we had a “normal” food bank session, distributing
        bors.” In 2020 we were blessed abundantly in this          approximately 250 bags. That day I attended a meeting of
ministry as we were especially called to serve our neighbors       community leaders and churches, where our food bank was
in need.                                                           asked to be a part of the emergency food response in Walker
     St. Mary`s began a food bank 15 years ago, operating          County. We accepted the mission because we realized we
from a closet in the Parish Hall. In 2013, the first year for      had the logistical experience, the necessary space for food
which we have statistical data, we distributed over 600 bags of    packing and storage, and the seed funding needed to get this
groceries, serving 1,200 individuals. In 2017, we moved from       exceptional program running. Our church, like others, was
a monthly to a weekly distribution. Our bags include a huge        closed due to the pandemic, so we turned our Parish Hall into
portion of staples, produce, frozen protein and snacks. We         a food warehouse and placed the packed bags in our church
also distribute diapers, wipes and formula. In 2017, we also       pews and down the aisles. Within two days, St. Mary’s began
began serving breakfast to our clients. As they wait to register   sending out hundreds of bags to 10 distribution sites across
each week, I meet with individual families for prayer, pastoral    the county. We utilized 100’s of volunteers working in small
counseling and referrals to other resources. In 2019, we dis-      teams due to COVID, whom we coordinated through a sign-
tributed over 9,000 bags of groceries to about 4,900 families,     up app. The teams packed 700 to 1200 bags of groceries per
serving over 16,600 individuals.                                   day, which we then delivered to the sites. We also operated a

20 | The Alabama Episcopalian
News from our Parishes
daily drive-through distribution site at St. Mary’s. During the    term needs and help them define their goals. We have helped
3-week emergency response, St. Mary’s Food Bank gave out           multiple people move into affordable housing from home-
over 9,900 bags of groceries, including protein and produce.       lessness or substandard housing. We have referred hundreds
In total for 2020, we gave out over 29,000 bags or boxes of        of families, particularly during the COVID pandemic, to
food. We spent $197,000 on food, which had a retail value          resources to help with utilities, rent and mortgages. We also
of over $900,000. We also distributed over 130,000 diapers,        assist families in getting long-term treatment and support for
along with wipes and formula.                                      addiction and mental health issues. In 2020, this work grew

                                               Mike McClendon, Food Bank Director
     Our food bank director, Mike McClendon is extraor-            exponentially, and St. Mary’s has become a go-to resource for
dinary. He carefully plans what we order through the Com-          families in need in Walker County. We have come to realize
munity Food Bank of Birmingham, so that we can keep our            the need for an outreach coordinator to help our clients and
costs low, while providing a variety of staples, protein and       are therefore pursuing grant opportunities for seed funding for
dairy. For every $6 we spend, we provide a bag of food worth       this new phase of our ministry.
at least $30. Mike has an IT background and has written a                We are excited to share our experience with our fellow
program that we use to register our clients and track every        churches across the diocese, in that we believe we are all
distribution we make each week.                                    uniquely situated in our respective communities to find and
     We are a small congregation of about 170 members. We          fulfill a particular ministry. Through the prophet Jeremiah,
therefore could not hope to fund this mission through our          God tells us to “seek the welfare of the city where I have
regular church budget. We depend upon our annual ECW               sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in
fundraiser, grant funding and outside donations to support         its welfare you will find your welfare.” (Jeremiah 29:7) That
this ministry. We realize the importance of diversifying our       scripture defines our attitude toward outreach ministry in our
funding base for such a large outreach ministry, so we apply       community. We believe that each of our churches can fulfill a
for multiple grants each year. This past year we were blessed      calling to serve, using its unique gifts according to God’s pur-
to receive over $200,000 in grants, and we were able to raise      pose. Is God calling you to start a food ministry or a tutoring
over $50,000 to fund the building of an addition to our food       program or a dementia support ministry? The possibilities are
bank building, adding a walk-in cooler and freezer.                exciting! St. Francis of Assisi once said “Always preach the
     We are always looking for better ways to serve our            gospel. When necessary, use words.” This applies to churches
clients. Since 2017, we have intentionally been increasing         as well as individuals, and we have found that outreach is a
our efforts to refer our people to resources that can help their   beautiful way we are able to shine God’s light in our commu-
individual situations. We discuss their immediate and long-        nity, in hope that we draw others to him.

                                                                                                                  dioala.org | 21
News from our Parishes
              Grace Place: An Idea Whose Time Has Come
                                               The Rev. Jerry Jacob, Deacon

T
         here is a quote                                                                           done in an atmosphere of
         attributed to the 19th                                                                    acceptance, encouragement,
         century French writer                                                                     praise, fun, and most impor-
Victor Hugo, “Nothing is                                                                           tantly, LOVE.
more powerful than an idea                                                                               Prior to the devotion,
whose time has come.” That                                                                         everyone enjoys beverages
is the story behind Grace                                                                          and healthy snacks during a
Place, a grace-filled respite                                                                      time of socialization. There is
ministry for people with mild                                                                      also a lunch provided by the
to moderate memory-loss and                                                                        program or a local restaurant
their caregivers.                                                                                  or other church.
     It took a member of                                                                                 Caregivers, whether
Grace Episcopal Church,                                                                            spouse, family member, or
Cullman, a home care consul-                                                                       friend, have an opportunity
tant for a senior care com-                                                                        to gather together once a
pany in Birmingham, about                                                                          month in fellowship and to
a year to finally convince a                                                                       share parts of their caregiv-
few reluctant parishioners to                                                                      ing journeys with each other.
visit a program at Canterbury                                                                      They have access to literature
United Methodist Church in                                                                         for family caregivers from a
Mountain Brook. He had seen                                                                        lending library, plus publica-
their respite program, Encore,                                                                     tions from national or state-
in action. He was certain that                                                                     wide organizations involved
concept could work at his                                                                          in care for those with demen-
home church.                                                      tia. Guest speakers are occasionally invited to offer valuable
     Seven months following that group’s visit to Encore          information on other local resources.
and with the blessing of the rector and vestry, Grace Place            Often, caregivers are not able to access assistance with
opened its doors with five participants (people with memo-        their caregiving duties. Their “jobs” can become a 24/7
ry-loss) and seven volunteers.                                    seemingly endless task. It is vital for them to understand
     A respite program has two equally important functions:       that they are not alone and there is help in many ways to
provide creative engagement activities for participants and a     relieve some of the burdens they endure.
proactive caregiver support group.                                     A spouse responded to a staff member’s comment
     Grace Place operates four hours (10 am to 2 pm) every        that we were glad to offer her a break from her caregiving
Tuesday and Thursday in a portion of the church’s parish          duties, that “this isn’t a break, it’s a vacation.”
hall. This time is filled with activities designed to stimulate        The national organization, Alzheimer’s Association,
the participants in body, mind, and spirit. The critical key      estimates that currently there are 6.2 million people in the
to the program is the socialization the participants enjoy by     U.S. with some form of dementia. In Alabama, the num-
having a volunteer spend the entire time with them as a one-      ber is around 96,000. By 2025, the number in Alabama is
on-one companion.                                                 expected to be 110,000. For parishes interested in starting
     Activities include, among others: a devotion and             their own respite program, the book Walking with Grace
prayer, followed by chair exercises, table-top activities such    Revised by Robin Dill is an excellent resource.
as word games, jigsaw puzzles, art and/or craft projects,              Respite care for dementia sufferers and their caregivers
also visits by musicians, dancers, or therapy animals, all        is an idea whose time has come.

22 | The Alabama Episcopalian
You can also read