I came to St. Paul's through the
Covenant Soup Kitchen about 3 years ago now. I came because I was so
impressed with Rev. Jaci's ministry to us each Wednesday when she
visited our meal and asked us individually for our prayer requests.
It wasn't a whole long time before I found myself wanting
to go to church again to experience her celebration of the Eucharist. I was still a rather broken person at that time.
to go to church again to experience her celebration of the Eucharist. I was still a rather broken person at that time.
As the Catholic Franciscan, Richard
Rohr has written, “Human love is largely determined by the
attractiveness of the object. When someone is nice, good, not “high
maintenance,” attractive physically, important, or has a nice
personality, we find it much easier to give ourselves to them or to
“like” them. That’s just the way we humans operate.”
Those of us in the
soup kitchen are a long way from most aspects of attractiveness, yet
Rev. Jaci supersedes human love in the way she brings God's love to
us in the soup kitchen community – and others from the fringes of
our society who knock on her office door.
Rev. Jaci's sermons proved to be among
the best I have ever heard – full, as she is, of down to earthness
but clearly delivering the Gospel message. It made me want to begin
going – ever so cautiously at first – to the mid day Wednesday
prayer service. This, too, was unlike anything I had ever experienced
in a local parish. But it is her once a month healing services which
show that transcendent love I mentioned above. Take a look for
yourself as she happens to be praying with, and for, some members of
the soup kitchen:
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Rev.
Jaci looks us in the eyes (here as part of the monthly healing service) just as our youngest parishioners do...
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...and
prays deeply with us all.
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For me, the Episcopal Church was not,
however, an unknown as it has been for many in the soup kitchen
family. Indeed, I once was the Communications Officer of the Diocese
of Connecticut. In fact, my very first out of the office local visit
was AT this same soup kitchen when it was in its infancy of mission
and ministry.
Life happened, though. I have spent the
last 20 years on Social Security Disability for mental health issues.
Shortly before I began to attend St.
Paul's I was in the process of ever so slowly recovering my passion
for photography, but I pursued it as a hobby only because I didn't
believe any more than that was possible. Ever so gingerly, I shared a
few poorly printed photos with those who attended the Wednesday
service. Rev. Jaci was among those who strongly encouraged me to
pursue this God given talent, a talent I didn't even know I had. Up
until then, only close family and friends, plus a small gathering of
folks from the soup kitchen, had seen my work. It really surprised me
that even those few folks from the kitchen – or the cafe, as some
of us call it – said that they would consider paying $10 for one of
my photos. But the Wednesday prayer warriors liked the photos, too!!!
I didn't understand why, though. Under Rev. Jaci's spiritual
leadership, this group encouraged me not only to put my photos on the
church website, but also to begin using my long dormant professional
skills for the good of the parish. Everyone persisted despite my
kicking and screaming.
Because of this, my life has changed
immensely and I finally have a faith community in which I feel
comfortable enough to just be the person God made me. I have even
been granted what I came to call soul esteem. I told Rev. Jaci that I
thought that was what each one of the folks in the soup kitchen is in
need of. She immediately connected to this turn of phrase and has
more than made it her own – through her service in worship and
beyond.
Rev. Jaci uses everyone's talents in the service of the Word to reach as many senses as possible. These present both a dramatic performance and paintings all in the same service:
Rev. Jaci uses everyone's talents in the service of the Word to reach as many senses as possible. These present both a dramatic performance and paintings all in the same service:
Today, while I don't always go to
church on Sundays, I do stay involved in the ministry of the church
from behind the scenes. I still eat at the soup kitchen, only not
quite so much as I used to. We are a community and I see no need to
sever my ties with it. I frequently feel like a fish out of water in
both the soup kitchen and the parish. But that is one of the things
that makes St. Paul's what it is – a family of individuals – all
children in Christ – bound together in Christ despite all our
idiosyncrasies.
I would now like to appeal to you to
help us in our efforts to secure the funding necessary to extend Rev.
Jaci's ministry week on behalf of the parish and its Ministry in
Motion – taking the love of Christ to all who feel unwelcomed and
unloved by most of the other areas of our society so that they may
know the love of God in their lives and come to share in the soul
esteem that makes it possible to praise God through the gifts He has
given to each of us.
Thank you.
God's peace,
Jean Ann Henderson
If YOU would like to contribute to help add a third day to the part time ministry of Rev. Jaci, you may do so by sending your contribution to St. Paul's Epsicopal Church, 220 Valley St., Willimantic, CT 06226. It is, of course, tax deductible.
PS: St. Paul's no longer even owns the beautiful stone structure that is home to our services -- we rent it now -- so you can be certain that all of your donation will go where it is intended and will even be matched by other sources.
A wonderful look inside your life, who you have become and the lives of those who've touched, and been touched by you. May the blessings continue to multiply in all of your lives !
ReplyDeleteThank you, Renee!
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