ABUNDANT Times -- Summer/Fall 2019

A Publication of the Episcopal Diocese of Western Massachusetts

Summer/Fall 2019

Table of Contents 3

From the Bishop

4

What is Human to Human?

6

Walking Together

8

Building Bridges

10

Laundry Love

12

The Veterans Lunch Program of Greater Holyoke

14

Marie's Mission

15

Big Blue

16

Prison Chaplaincy

18

Reconciliation House

19

Christ Trinity Church runs on the sun

20

Around the Diocese

22

Reflections on Loving the Questions

23

From the Archives

On the Cover: (left to right) Steve Abdow, Human to Human; Gina Nelson, CRNS; Rev. Meredyth Wessman Ward, Walking Together; Chad Wright, Building Bridges.

Photo: Episcopal WMA

Abundant Times is the official news publication of the Episcopal Diocese of Western Massachusetts.

The diocesan offices are located at: 37 Chestnut Street Springfield, MA, 01103-1787 Call us: (413) 737-4786 Visit us: www.diocesewma.org Follow us: @EpiscopalWMA

Abundant times

The Rt. Rev. Douglas J. Fisher IX Bishop of Western Massachusetts, Publisher The Rev. Vicki Ix Managing Editor Alison Gamache Layout and Copy Editor

At Diocesan House

The Rev. Pamela J. Mott Canon to the Ordinary The Rev. Dr. Richard M. Simpson Canon to the Ordinary Steven P. Abdow Canon for Mission Resources

Missioners

The Rt. Rev. Mark Beckwith Missioner for Spirituality and Leadership The Rev. Dr. Margaret Bullitt-Jonas Missioner for Creation Care The Rev. Christopher Carlisle Director, Building Bridges Veterans Initiative The Rev. John Edgar Freeman Missioner to the African Community of Worcester The Rev. Jennifer Gregg Missioner for Servant Leadership The Rev. JosĂŠ Reyes Missioner for Hispanic/Latino Ministries The Rev. Meredyth Wessman Ward Urban Missioner for Worcester

FSC FPO

Photo: Episcopal WMA

From the Bishop The Rt. Rev. Douglas J. Fisher IX Bishop of Western Massachusetts

M

y coach begins each of our sessions by asking me, “Where is the energy in your life right now?”

It's a great question. It gets the mind focused and it helps me recognize the workings of the Holy Spirit.

track records. The Holy Spirit is clearly at work in these ministries.

Where is the energy in our diocese right now? I could answer that question in many ways, but for now I want to point to the energy around some of the new ministries that have begun in the last few years.

But we can’t keep them going into the future without financial resources. To that end, we are announcing our new charitable organization, Human to Human. Its mission is clear—to provide financial resources for the ministries listed above and for the development of others as the Spirit reveals them to us.

• Walking Together in Worcester • Building Bridges - the Veterans Ministry • Chaplaincy at the Women’s Correctional Facility in Chicopee • Marie’s Mission • Reconciliation sober House in Webster • Laundry Love

I so often refer to joining Jesus in his mission of mercy, compassion, and hope—what Jesus referred to as the Kingdom of God. That mission is present among us in many ways and certainly in these new ministries. Read their stories in this edition of Abundant Times. Tell others this good news. And consider giving to Human to Human so their energy might continue and be amplified. ♦

These ministries are transforming lives. They have proven

+Doug

ABU ND ANT TI M E S

|

3

Human to Human Steven P. Abdow Canon for Mission Resources

I

am grateful for this opportunity to introduce you to Human to Human.

This project started three years ago when we were blessed to have two new outreach programs take root in the diocese and realized we needed to come up with a plan to fund them after the initial grant money was depleted. Moreover, how should we fund the other new and ambitious programs and ministries emerging across the diocese? Human to Human is our answer to that question.

Human to Human is an innovative funding and programmatic initiative of the Diocese of Western Massachusetts that recognizes poverty as both a material and a spiritual condition.

By bringing together a diversity of human resources on a single platform, Human to Human engages God’s mission by creating communities where benefactors and recipients, rich and poor, young and old, “religious” and not, share equally as participants.

4

|

A BUNDANT TIMES

Inspired by the teachings of the Gospel, Human to Human’s programs provide compassionate care for people living in vulnerable circumstances in Western and Central Massachusetts communities. We value welcoming the stranger, embracing difference, accepting failure, celebrating success, and being open to our common futures.

Human to Human’s programs and ministries are committed to meeting people facing economic, social support, and service challenges where they are in their personal journey of health, recovery, and discovery.

These are ministries without a worship component or participation requirement. Human to Human will be responsible for fundraising and oversight to make the ministries sustainable. It will provide grants for congregations in the diocese that run programs doing similar work.

Human to Human will also provide an opportunity to do religious giving beyond your congregation. The Spiritu-

ality of Fundraising, a book by Henri J. M. Nouwen, defines religious fundraising as a form of ministry, a way of announcing our vision and inviting other people to join in our mission. The work of religious giving is to view financial resources as energy to be directed, as an expression of our values, and as a tool to make a positive impact in the world. It is a mutually beneficial process and more than a transaction.

There is an opportunity for us all to explore our relationship with money through this work.

We have two main programs that will be funded under Human to Human: Building Bridges and Walking Together. Building Bridges is a veteran’s ministry which serves weekly lunches for veterans in six communities. Walking Together is a thriving storefront that provides a “ministry of presence” in the struggling Main South section of Worcester, MA. Both of these ministries began four years ago and have blossomed into vitality.

We have raised $60,000 over the past two years along with approximately

$50,000 worth of in-kind contributions.

The ministries have also received lots of positive press coverage.

Human to Human’s expenses will be the costs associated with running its programs and ministries, currently budgeted at $290,000. The goal is that 80% of the budget will be supported by contributions from individual donors throughout the region, and the remaining 20% from grants and foundations. We have secured additional funding to be used as needed from the reserved assets of congregations that have completed their missions over the past ten years.

There are also ministries that are run out of congregations in the diocese in their local communities, which are connecting with and serving vulnerable populations. A grant line of $25,000 is included in the Human to Human budget to support those congregations with their work.

In the following pages you will be introduced to the programs mentioned above, as well as a few others. I hope that you will be inspired to participate in the programs in some way—with financial gifts, through volunteering, by sharing the good news about this effort, and by praying for God’s will to be manifested in our communities through the work. ♦

Photo: Episcopal WMA

Our Programs Walking Together

Serving the low-income population in Worcester

Building Bridges Veterans Initiatve

Meals and services for veterans (multiple locations)

Laundry Love

A free laundry service (multiple locations)

The Veteran's Lunch Program of Greater Holyoke

Meals for veterans

Marie's Mission

A diaper bank and support system for young families in Worcester

Big Blue

Serving the low-income population in downtown Springfield

Prison Chaplaincy

At the Western Massachusetts Regional Women's Correctional Center

Reconciliation House

A sober house in Webster

humantohuman.org ABU ND ANT TI M E S

|

5

Human to Human

Walking Together

The Rev. Meredyth Wessman Ward Urban Missioner for Worcester

W

alking Together is a ministry of presence in Worcester.

We serve coffee and snacks, we offer a chance to charge a cell phone and sit down for a rest. We are a spot to get in out of the rain, warm up or cool off, and sometimes just talk.

This summer I had the joy of bringing people struggling with their addictions to detox. We do it all the time, but there was one week where we had three people make the decision to change their lives. The ride to detox only takes about ten minutes, but the path to get there takes six or eight months.

When someone comes in for the first time, it is usually the coffee that draws them. We make it strong, and we let people add as much sugar or creamer as they want.

People put their heads in the door, ask if they can get coffee, and leave soon after. It can take a few weeks before they are willing to share their names.

After a few weeks, people will start stopping by for more than coffee. We have wonderful friends of the program who make lunch once or twice a month. They come in with sandwiches and chips, hard boiled eggs and cookies. Our visitors know the pattern, and come by for lunch when we can offer it.

6

|

A BUNDANT TIMES

Sitting over lunch, we begin to talk about our lives. Many of our volunteers and staff are people in recovery. The stories of our visitors are not unlike our own. When we tell about how we made the journey toward sobriety, folks listen. We’re not strangers or do-gooders, but people who know the shame and fear and hope of early sobriety.

Gaining trust takes time, which is why a ten minute drive can take months to accomplish.

Once that trust is gained, though, miracles can happen. The summer of 2018 we spent a lot of time helping a woman named “Ellie”. Ellie had open ulcers and abscess on her arms and legs because she had been shooting drugs with dirty needles. We’d help her clean and bandage herself, but it was a losing battle because she was homeless. It was almost impossible for her to keep things clean and dry.

Last fall we didn’t see her for a long time. We feared the worst—overdoses are frighteningly common,

and she was frail after years of use.

Then a woman walked in who looked vaguely familiar—it was Ellie. She had finally gone to then hospital to deal with her infections and had gone from there to treatment. She had gained weight, her hair was glossy and nicely styled, her eyes were bright, and she was 6 months clean and sober. She came by to thank us—to let us know that she was safe and beginning a new life.

Sharing our lives also means sharing joy. Many of the folks who visit know how to play chess, and we have a couple of chess sets available all the time. We also have coloring books and crayons, for both kids and adults. Since we have WiFi, we sometimes have impromptu concerts as we share our favorite music videos.

My granddaughter, who is 3 years old, is often with us during the week.

She assumes that everyone is willing to play with her, and will bring blocks or animal figures to the table. She is a gift to people who may not get to see their own kids very often, or who have lost custody of them altogether.

We hear about kids her age, or beloved nieces and nephews. Of course, my granddaughter is also not at all shy about telling folks that they are sitting in her seat—church behavior happens even in very nontraditional settings!

We have celebrations at Walking

"We are a spot to get in out of the rain, warm up or cool off, and sometimes just talk."

Neighbors gather around the table at Walking Together.

Photo: Episcopal WMA

Together, too. When someone gets a token for one year of continuous sobriety, we celebrate with brownies, flowers, and gratitude. Sometimes we celebrate other things—like my birthday. This year, my sons showed up with a sheet cake and flowers, and served cake to everyone who came in. The best gift wasn’t from them, however. It was a gift from one of our regular visitors. In honor of my birthday, “Miguel” wrapped a fruit cup from the snack bowl and two pieces of candy in a napkin, and presented them with a flourish. When we share love and treat others with the dignity

they deserve, we get it back seven fold.

It is an honor to work as your Urban Missioner. The people I serve are courageous and resilient, managing with humor and grace to deal with obstacles that would seem insurmountable to most of us. They work together, sharing information and resources. They know that they cannot survive on their own, but need the support of their friends and the grace of God. It is humbling to accompany them on your behalf. Your gracious giving to Human to Human allows me

to continue supporting this community. Thank you. ♦

Photo: Episcopal WMA

ABU ND ANT TI M E S

|

7

Human to Human Weekly veterans' lunch in Northampton.

Photo: Episcopal WMA

Building Bridges The Rev. Christopher Carlisle Director, Building Bridges Veterans Initiative

W

hen Bishop Fisher was consecrated in 2012, he identified American veterans as a critically underserved and tragically marginalized population that the church was being called to embrace.

Recognizing the rampant problem of veteran homelessness, drug and alcohol addiction, and the epidemic isolation veterans so often suffer when they return to the country they risked their lives to protect, Bishop Fisher pledged his commitment and significant resources to launch what would become the Building Bridges Veterans Initiative.

What began in Northampton five years ago as a local weekly luncheon for about twenty veterans, has

8

|

A BUNDANT TIMES

become a vibrant network of eight Building Bridges sites throughout Western Massachusetts—from Pittsfield to Leominster—which to-date has served more than 40,000 meals.

In three of the locations, the community has grown to between 80 and 100 veterans, with the other five rapidly expanding. Building Bridges partners with a host of veteran service providers, agencies, and independent nonprofits to collaboratively address the significant challenges facing US veterans. The Initiative offers a hot, nutritious weekly meal, camaraderie, and relevant programming on such issues as PTSD and its treatment, the acquisition of service dogs, and available Veterans Administration benefits. Indeed, Veteran Service Of-

ficers repeatedly remark that Building Bridges provides supportive venues to make accessible critical veterans services that they find difficult to deliver from their offices.

Beyond providing a weekly meal to physically hungry veterans, through the communities it creates Building Bridges has successfully enabled an invaluable spirit to men and women who have sacrificed their lives for us all. One Korean War veteran recently observed that if Building Bridges disappeared, he and many of his fellow veterans would be “devastated.” A Viet Nam Navy veteran who was standing in line for a hot lunch in Greenfield, joyfully remarked: “I don’t know why I’m so hungry! I

v ate yesterday!” And a World War II Army veteran who died in September, 2018, told his priest on his death bed that what he lamented was he was going to miss the Building Bridges Christmas meal.

In a time of American political conflict and social division, Building Bridges offers a unique opportunity to bring all sorts and conditions of people to work together. By gathering veterans around the dinner table, just as Jesus did, supportive communities develop that would otherwise never happen, and the debilitating isolation which so often plagues them can be redeemed.

Building Bridges is currently serving 13,960 veteran meals per year and providing 2,500 meals to outdoor communities and shelters.

Bishop Fisher attends a veterans' lunch in West Springfield.

Photo: Episcopal WMA

Be a part of Building Bridges by giving to Human to Human. Your contributions help us better serve the veterans who have served us all. ♦

Photo: Episcopal WMA

Volunteers prep for a veterans' lunch in West Springfield.

Photo: Episcopal WMA Photo: buildingbridgeswma.com

ABU ND ANT TI M E S

|

9

Human to Human Photo: Episcopal WMA

Laundry Love The Rev. Vicki Ix Managing Editor, Abundant Times

T

he story of Laundry Love began in 2014 in the Diocese of Los Angeles as a ministry of one congregation. They were motivated by the realization that some members of their community had to choose between groceries and clean clothes. After forging a relationship with a local laundromat, Laundry Love was born.

Here’s how it works. People come to the laundromat on a regular day each month, and members of the congregation greet them and provide quarters for their machines. The parishioners bring detergent and refreshments, and it becomes a place of encounter and hospitality. As The Episcopal Church spread news of this new initiative, Laundry Love became a movement.

10

|

A BUNDANT TIMES

In our diocese, it began in Pittsfield in 2015. Soon, another site began in Worcester and another in Milford.

The Rev. Meredyth Ward, founding director of Walking Together, works with the Worcester congregations to support a monthly gathering at Suds Up Laundromat. “We talk about respecting the dignity of everyone in our baptismal covenant. What is more part of respecting people’s dignity than allowing them to be clean?

There are people in this neighborhood who would run out of quarters long before they ran out of laundry.”

Laundry Love engages the whole community. Local vendors supply pizza and soft drinks. Local sports teams send their mascots to entertain the children. A local DJ occasionally

adds music to the monthly event. This initiative is also about connecting and meeting people where they are.

“One of the things that I discovered was that the kind of white noise that washers and dryers make means that you can have a relatively private conversation, that people were talking to me about things at the laundromat that they wouldn’t necessarily talk about at McDonald’s,” Ward reflects. “That became an unexpected bonus in the midst of it.” Human to Human is supporting Laundry Love in all three locations. ♦

"We talk about respecting the dignity of everyone in our baptismal covenant.

What is more part of respecting people’s dignity than allowing them to be clean?"

Photo: Episcopal WMA

ABU ND ANT TI M E S

|

11

Human to Human

The Veterans Lunch Program of Greater Holyoke Gina Nelson Director, Community Roots Neighborhood Services

I

n a “if you build it, they will come” moment, Community Roots Neighborhood Services (CRNS) was established in 2011 as a secular outreach into the community surrounding St. Paul’s Church in Holyoke. We had no plan for what CRNS would become, but we did have dreams of families living in safety and parents realizing bright futures for their children.

Our core mission, to share our many blessings and respond to the needs of our community through compassion, service, hope, and love, is what brought Phil to us. For reasons he could not explain, Phil upended his life in New York, packed up his family and belongings, headed to Holyoke, and immediately began searching for an Episcopal church from which he could do some good. Led into our futures by the Holy Spirit, leaping into

which we could respond to a question set forth by Bishop Fisher: “How can we help our veterans?” As a result, the Veterans Lunch Program of Greater Holyoke became the landmark program under CRNS. CRNS partnered with St. Paul’s Episcopal and St. Peter’s Lutheran Churches, to establish a free weekly meal program for veterans, their immediate adult family members, and caregivers. Lunches began on Thursday, September 22, 2016 in the auditorium at St. Paul’s Church, Holyoke, and continue to run every Thursday, 52 weeks a year, holidays included. We serve about 75 veterans and their guests, a large number of whom are homeless, unemployed, underemployed, or living at or below the poverty line.

The lunch program was born from what we could do well, what we could do quickly, and what matched with Each week, we see the lives of veterans the immediate needs interconnect over a meal. Centered of a large portion of the around a communal table, the meal veterans’ community in the greater Holyoke area. is the jump off point into conversation, Each week, we see the camaraderie, and healing. lives of veterans interconnect over a meal. Centhe unknown, and guided by faith tered around a communal table, alone, the link between CRNS and the meal is the jump off point into Phil’s journey can be summed up in conversation, camaraderie, and an intercession he offered during a healing. Phil’s way of helping is quiet morning prayer service: “Lord, you and unassuming. He is the ear on have placed us in an area of great the other side of the confessional, need. Please give us the tools to the silent friend who listens without help.” judgement. His gift is simply to let his comrades know they are not alone.

CRNS was our vehicle in another leap of faith, an established entity through The veterans who join us for lunch 12

|

A BUNDANT TIMES

share the oppressive weight of war, but some of them have very different post-service lives. At our weekly lunches, people who otherwise might not have met come together to share a meal and heal each other through conversation. If a shared experience can create solidarity among the vets, we hope that freedom from their ghosts can create a new ending to their stories.

“Daniel” is an intermittent guest, insists on helping in exchange for food and clothing, and leaves two invaluable pennies in a goodwill jar as thanks. He served three tours in Afghanistan with the Army and is living with PTSI (posttraumatic stress injury). Unable to find the help he needed when he first returned, Daniel became homeless through a series of events and is now another face along the side of the road. He lives in a camp under the Muller Bridge with other vulnerable souls who have formed themselves into a family.

It took a while for Daniel to feel comfortable with us beyond being a source of food and clothing, and in a leap of faith, he sat down with Chris DiLuzio of Vets. Inc., who regularly attends our lunches. The confidence gained from a firm foundation of financial and medical security has altered Daniel’s life. Still a sporadic guest, Daniel no longer panhandles and when he comes to a lunch, there’s a spark self-love that had long been absent.

Then there’s “William”, an Army

Veterans enjoying lunch together at St. Paul's Holyoke.

Photo: Episcopal WMA

reservist called to active duty during Desert Storm. He kept journals of his experiences during the war and used them as a way of communicating his feelings with his family.

Upon his return, William stepped back into a waiting job, back to a family who understood a bit about what he went through, and back to a welcoming community of friends.

William stepped right back into his old life, and therein lie his feelings of guilt.

William came as a volunteer to our first Thanksgiving Day Lunch. You didn’t need to see him in uniform to know he was military through and through. He is the sentinel, scanning the room for any of his brethren in need, always addressing his fellow vets as Sir or Ma’am, or by rank. William encourages the vets to reach out, be vocal about their needs, write down their thoughts, and take advantage of the GI Bill for education. He may have started out volunteering to assuage his own guilt, but along the way he learned that being “sound” was a gift that he could share.

Both Daniel and William shared mutual experiences of war, and while the effects of which were handled in very different ways, each has found a comfortable place at our weekly lunch program. There’s something

very healing about the communal aspect of sharing a meal among people who understand, in a safe and judgment free space. That’s the primary goal of the Veterans Lunch Program and whatever else we’re able to do, in whatever other areas we are able to help, it all begins with a meal.

There are two memories from my childhood that guide my hopes for the Veterans Lunch Program. As a child in the late ’60s, my anxiety and fear increased as my father, a B-52 pilot, was gone for long periods of time and the Vietnam War invaded our home each night with the evening news, adding pictures and sound to my fears. My mother soothed my brothers and I by creating intentionally calm situations centered around the evening meal, giving us peace at the end of each day and the gift of a restful night’s sleep.

Second, around 1973 when the war was winding down, my father headed a group whose purpose was to help released POWs and their families reunite at Westover AFB in Chicopee. When children were involved in these reunions, my dad included my brothers and I as distractions for the kids. Meals together were tense and emotionally charged. Although hesitant, conversation would begin and

we hoped that this first step was the beginning of healing.

I bring both of these sensibilities to the Veterans Lunch Program: creating intentional situations centered around the table, among a group of people who share traumatic experiences and the hope that sharing a meal and conversation will be a springboard toward healing.

There are many ways to feel nourished. A meal may seem like a simple gesture, but when you are hungry and you also hunger for the fellowship of other veterans, the meal becomes that much more important. Getting to know the veterans and their journeys, and allowing the program to evolve into whatever they need it to be, has been a wonderful process and fuels us to continue. ♦

Photo: Episcopal WMA

ABU ND ANT TI M E S

|

13

Human to Human

Marie's Mission Sarah Galvin Executive Director, Marie's Mission

I

n 2014, St. Michael’s, Worcester, was a church that was trying to find its way and to find a ministry that it could not only identify with, but embrace. It is a church that built a mission that has only grown and thrived because of the dedication of its amazing volunteers and the support of a dedicated parish.

Marie’s Mission provides diapers and resources that support healthy early childhood development to the children of our community.

Marie’s Mission is named in loving memory of Marie Louise Galvin, who was stillborn in August 2014. As a result of this tragic loss, the congregation felt moved to not only honor Marie, but also to help other babies and young children in her name.

Diapers are not covered by federal and state assistance programs such as WIC or food stamps, so Marie’s Mission is a way for struggling families to get this needed resource. Marie’s Missions helps to prevent both health and psychosocial consequences that can result from children not having sufficient diapers. The mission serves an average of 65 families per month and has consistently given out over 100 packages of diapers at each distribution this year. Additionally, we have developed a literacy program as part of our distribution that allows children to get a new book each month to support their early education.

We have also partnered with various health groups in the city, such as the Forsyth School of Dental Hygiene at Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences and UMass Medical School so that our guests can access other needed services.

We are partnering with other community service agencies to provide diapers to a greater number of people than those that can make it to our monthly distribution. We are looking to become the local diaper bank as part of our membership in the National Diaper Bank.

However, Marie’s Mission is more than just diapers. In the words of many of our guests, what is given out at Marie’s Mission goes far beyond the diapers and other physical items. Many of our guests have been moved to give back to the Mission, whether it be through volunteering, donations, or simply assisting another guest. One of the families we serve has talked about how Marie has been their guardian angel, not only leading them to the Mission, but to the church which has become not just a support system but family. It is through the good work of Marie’s Mission that this family and many others have received the helping hand that they need for their children to thrive in the community.

We have a grandfather who has custody of his three grandchildren. When he first started coming to Marie’s Mission, he was still feeling lost on his new path, but has since found not only assistance but several people who have provided support and understanding of the loving but difficult task he has taken on. He now does what he can to give back through donations and spreading the word of Marie’s Mission wherever he can to find people and organizations that can assist the Mission in its growth. As a result of the commitment that many of our guests have shown Marie’s Mission, it was only fitting that we invited one of the guests who has been with us since the first year of the Mission to join our newly-formed board of directors.

What started as a way to help the young children of our community has turned into so much than could have been imagined during our first distribution in March of 2015 when we gave out a single package of diapers. With God’s guidance and love, we have developed a mission that gives not only to our guests, but gives as much if not more to those who are called to serve as part of the ministry team. Ultimately, the love, faith, fellowship, and sense of community that stems from Marie’s Mission is immeasurable, and much greater than the number of diapers given out each month.

Your contributions, given through Human to Human, enable us to continue supporting the children and families that we serve in Marie’s memory. ♦

We have a group of young women who reside in a teen mother’s program who have become some of our most dependable volunteers each packing day. They have developed a connection to Marie’s Mission that goes far beyond simply picking up diapers once a month. They have connected to the staff at the Mission in a way that provides additional support while learning about giving back to a community that supports them.

Photos: Episcopal WMA

14

|

A BUNDANT TIMES

Big Blue The Rev. Eric Elley The Rev. Linda Taupier Christ Church Cathedral, Springfield

B

ig Blue is a ministry of presence to the homeless on the streets and near the river’s edge in Springfield. This has been an active ministry for three years and will continue this winter.

Along with volunteers from the Cathedral and St. Mark’s East Longmeadow, we pack the cathedral’s big blue van with warm items such as blankets, socks, hats, scarves, and coats, as well as tents and sleeping bags as they become available, and then we drive around Springfield distributing them to those in need. We also take food when that is given to us.

Big Blue in the Cathedral's parking lot.

Photo: Christ Church Cathedral

We ask local congregations for donations. It’s wonderful how many extra coats and blankets people have that they can donate. This year we will go out on the first and third Tuesday each month, November through March. ♦

Photo: Episcopal WMA

Big Blue in downtown Springfield.

Photo: Episcopal WMA

ABU ND ANT TI M E S

|

15

Human to Human

Prison Chaplaincy

The Rev. Mary D'Alessandro Episcopal Chaplain for the Western Massachusetts Regional Women’s Correctional Center

A

s Episcopal Chaplain at the Western Massachusetts Regional Women’s Correctional Center (WCC) in Chicopee, I visit many women each week. I offer spiritual counseling and comfort. I’d like to share with you a little bit about WCC. It is a regional facility, housing an average of 300 women from Hamden, Worcester, Berkshire, and Hampshire counties. The majority are between the ages of 20-30.

90% have a substance use disorder.

60% have a mental health disorder.

Most women are incarcerated for drug related crimes, like possession, distribution, or prostitution to support a habit. Most of the women have experienced major trauma in their

people for the choices they make when you don’t know the options they had to choose from.”

The jail has seen an increase in violent crimes committed by women like armed robbery and human trafficking. Human trafficking has increased 50% in recent years. These women are often coerced into relationships.

Some of the women feel as though they don’t have any other options— and some really don’t. So they engage in dangerous behavior either to support a habit or they are coerced into behaviors.

The issues incarcerated women face are different than those for incarcerated men. Society likes to lump

"Often I’m asking these women questions that they have never considered before. More often than not, when asked to list three strengths, they can’t. They can whip up a list of weaknesses in no time, though.

Why? Because they have been told over and over again what those weaknesses are." life, often childhood abuse and neglect. Over 50% are victims of some type of sexual exploitation. They are hurt women. They are hurt women who sometimes hurt others. They are human beings who, in some cases, didn’t have a lot of options in life. I’m reminded of the saying, “Don’t judge 16

|

A BUNDANT TIMES

“addict” into one category, but for women, there are layers upon layers to their addiction. 80% of the women at WCC are mothers. There is so much shame and guilt about losing children. The trauma they have often suffered in childhood and youth often leads to self-medication, which

leads to dependency, which leads to desperate actions and choices. And women tend to internalize what society says about them. They are the first to say things like “I really messed up this time.” “I deserve to be here.” “Jail is not where I am, it’s who I am.”

Incarcerated men get many more services and resources than women.

There are more sober houses for men than women. There is only one sober house for women in all of Berkshire County. Often women are the ones who catch an extra, more serious charge of child endangerment. Here’s a common scenario. A woman is living with her boyfriend or husband and there are drugs in the apartment, or possibly a firearm. The police raid the apartment and the boyfriend runs. The woman is not going to run because her kids are there, so she’s the one that picks up the extra charge of child endangerment.

He doesn’t.

But this is my observation about them.

There is no other group of human beings, in my experience, who dig deeper, try harder, feel more shame, and bear more burden than these women. They really want to change, most of them. Often, it’s for their children that they want to change, which, as a mother, I can relate to. If I don’t want to do something that’s good just for me, I’ll do it because it’s good for my kids. They are no differ-

Photo: Episcopal WMA

ent.

I’d like to share just a couple of stories that, I think, speak volumes.

I teach a class called Self Discovery. We discuss things like our values, strength and weaknesses, and relationships. Often I’m asking these women questions that they have never considered before. Those kinds of questions that anyone who has gone through the process of discernment or skills assessment are very familiar with. But not these women. More often than not, when asked to list three strengths, they can’t. They can whip up a list of weaknesses in no time, though. Why? Because they have been told over and over again what those weaknesses are. I have had to change the schedule of classes so the strengths/weaknesses class comes late in the rotation of classes.

That gives me a little bit of time to get to know them so I, at least, can come up with a few strengths.

And then there is a class on relationships that I teach in a Mental Health class. We discuss healthy versus un-

healthy relationships and we got sidetracked about abusive relationships. I was talking about how no one should ever feel threatened or be physically hurt in a relationship, ever. One woman spoke from the bottom of her heart when she said, “Well, how do I know he loves me if he doesn’t beat me?” And then other women chimed in and said, “Yeah, he says that if he didn’t love me so much, he wouldn’t have to hit me. It’s a sign of how much he really cares.” I’m often left speechless.

A few years ago I was facilitating a writing workshop through the organization Voices From Inside. The prompt I brought in was to describe a sacred space. Some of the women didn’t know what sacred meant so I tried to broaden it by saying, a special place, a calming place. Still many didn’t resonate with any of those words.

I finally said, a safe space a place where you can go and be safe, and still, the majority of the women could not think of one. Their dumbfounded faces are seared in my memory. I ended up saying, is there something or someone that is always there for

you? A number of them lowered their heads, picked up their pencils, and began to write. And do you know what they wrote about? Drugs. For many, the only relationship that they had in their lives that was reliable and trustworthy and always gave them what they wanted was with drugs.

So these are my stories that hopefully give you a taste of the sacred experience that I have there at WCC. Your kindness through Human to Human will help me serve these women. ♦

Photo: Episcopal WMA

ABU ND ANT TI M E S

|

17

Human to Human

Reconciliation House The Rev. Janice Ford Church of the Reconciliation, Webster Director, Reconciliation House, Inc.

I

t is common knowledge that substance abuse (drugs and alcohol) is epidemic in the United States, and Massachusetts is no exception. It is estimated that up to 80% of individuals incarcerated in county, state, and federal correctional facilities are addicts and/or alcoholics, and that, more often than not, their addiction is what led to their criminal activity.

Adding to this dilemma is that even when individuals leave incarceration with the sincere intention of staying clean and sober, a lack of suitable housing is often what leads them back to an addicted lifestyle. Many become homeless, and others return to the community that fostered their addiction.

18

|

A BUNDANT TIMES

On September 16, 2016, our parish opened Reconciliation House, a sober house for men who have been released from the Worcester County House of Correction (WCHC). Reconciliation House houses up to six men (plus a live-in house manager with long term recovery). I select men from the Substance Treatment Options Program (STOP) at the WCHC, a program I have been working with for over seven years. Our residents are primarily on parole, but we have had men with us on house arrest and those who have completed their sentences as well.

Reconciliation House consists of a semi-structured program for the six residents. Each is required to pay rent. House rules require that they attend 12 step meetings, submit to random drug testing, hold down a job, participate in weekly “house� meetings, take part in volunteer work in the larger community, participate in counseling, etc. Residents of the house must stay for a minimum of three months, but are encouraged to remain for six to nine months. Though

there is no formal written agreement between the WCHC and Reconciliation House, we enjoy a wonderful working relationship attempting to help these men learn to live a clean and sober life and reintegrate into society from incarceration. To date, over 40 men have lived at Reconciliation House. We continue to keep in touch with them after they leave our program, and several have elected to live and work in Webster.

Reconciliation House is certified by the Massachusetts Alliance for Sober Housing (one of the first in the Commonwealth). It is quickly becoming a template for other church-sponsored sober homes. It is incorporated as a 501c-3, but remains a ministry of the Church of the Reconciliation. Help us support these men on their journeys to recovery by giving to Human to Human. ♌

Photo: Episcopal WMA

Around the Diocese

Christ Trinity Church runs on the sun The Rev. Erik Karas Christ Trinity Church, Sheffield

I

t was only after we turned on the system on August 1, 2019 that I learned we were the first church in the diocese to “Go Solar!” The story of how we got to that first day is an interesting one.

chose the “dream” project and put their memorial funds toward the solar project and suddenly we had about a quarter of the cost of the system covered. When I told that to the four families, one of those families offered to give half of the remaining cost I typically send a letter to families who and the vestry decided to borrow the have had a funeral at the church remaining funds needed. about three to six months later. This is both to check in with the family and As with most projects, we had unexalso to let them know how much me- pected surprises along the way. The morial money has been given in their first was the need to replace the loved one’s name. In the letter, I tell roof under the section where the them that they are free to direct that solar panels were to be installed money toward anything they like for increasing the project cost by about the church and offer a few sugges$12,000. The other unexpected surtions. Typically I mention a few ideas prise however, was good news. While of things the church needs which as a non-profit we don’t get any of their fund can cover completely, the tax incentives, we do qualify for but I also suggest that they could the state’s SMART program. With this designate that money to go to larger program we will receive $1400 per “dream” project. year for the next 10 years for our solar installation. We have also applied for As it happened, four families all a grant offered to Lutheran churches

for “green” projects and we’re hopeful that will come through. One advantage of our “Lutherpalian” status!

The cost of our system, which will supply all of the electricity needs for the church and parish hall, is around $50,000, including the new roof. We used Sunbug Solar for the installation and they were fantastic. We also contacted the folks at Interfaith Power and Light who reviewed the Sunbug proposal and advised us we were getting a good deal.

On Sunday, August 18th, we held a dedication of the system in memory of those four wonderful people whose families chose to honor them with this gift to the church. A gift which captured “light perpetual” seemed perfect. ♦

Rev. Erik Karas blesses the new solar panels.

Photo: Jean Chapin

ABU ND ANT TI M E S

|

19

Around the Diocese

Ordination to the Priesthood: Ann Scannell

A

nn Scannell was ordained to the priesthood on June 19, 2019, at Church of the Good Shepherd, Clinton. Ann discerned her call to priesthood with the people of St. Francis’ Episcopal Church, Holden.

She was awarded the Master of Divinity degree at Yale Divinity School/ Berkeley Divinity School in early June.

She now serves as priest-in-charge of Good Shepherd, Clinton. ♦ Photos: Episcopal WMA

WMA Pilgrims Visit Episcopal Center for Disabled Children in East Jerusalem

B

ishop Fisher, Canon Rich Simpson, and the Rev. Jim Munroe lead a pilgrimage to the Holy Land in April 2019. In addition to the sacred sites of Christianity, Judaism and Islam, participants had the opportunity to visit the Jerusalem Princess Basma Center – “a charitable, non-governmental, non-profit institution entrusted under the Anglican Episcopal church (basma-centre.org).” The center provides services for children with disabilities in Palestine and advocates for their rights, their integration, and their empowerment in society. Our pilgrims had the opportunity to make a gift in support of this ministry. Bishop Fisher sent $500 from The Bishop’s Discretionary Fund. We received this thank you message (next page) inviting our diocese to make these children part of our lives. ♦

WMA Pilgrims gathered near the Dome of the Rock.

Photo: R. Simpson

20

|

A BUNDANT TIMES

The Jerusalem Princess Basma Center

Thank you for coming to Jerusalem on the Diocese of Western Massachusetts Pilgrimage

The Diocese of Western Massachusetts pilgrims meeting with Archbishop Suheil Dawani in the Archbishop’s residence at St. George’s Cathedral and Bishop Doug and the Rev. Betsy Fisher renewing baptismal vows at the Jordan River.

Here is how to stay involved: Make your tax deductible donation through the Anglican Communion Compass Rose Society Check or Online Donation

by PayPal or credit card at http://www.compassrosesociety.org/donation.aspx Online Gift Option or by Mail (select The Princess Basma Center for Disabled Children from the gift options), or mail check to: The Compass Rose Society, 1225 Texas Avenue, Houston TX 77002 ABU ND ANT TI M E S

|

21

"Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves. . .

Live the questions now.

Perhaps you will then gradually, without noticing it, live along some distant day into the answer."

Rainer Maria Rilke

Loving the Questions Jacqueline Galvinhill

W

hat is God’s calling for me?

Where is the intersection of my gifts and the needs of the world? Who will be my companions on this journey of discernment? These are among the many questions that I explored with my community in Loving the Questions.

This program helped me to grow in my capacity for enjoying the process of asking questions and not just enjoying the satisfaction of discovering the “correct” answer. I was given the opportunity to share my faith journey with others and to have them ask me questions and give me their thoughts and insights. It was a joy to hear about one woman’s story and to be able to tell her which moments made her face light up as she spoke about her connection to God. My favorite part of the Loving the

22

|

A BUNDANT TIMES

Questions program was our end of the year retreat. After a year of meeting with the other participants in the program, we had become a community and the retreat gave us the time together to truly enjoy each other’s company. I sat knitting on the sofa with members of my new community as we talked about one woman’s experience of producing music with her husband. I shared a piece of incredible chocolate cake with one man who was telling me about his three teenage sons. I excitedly discovered the balcony in the room that I was sharing with my friend and we stood on the balcony in the cold air as we looked out into the forest.

Loving the Questions brought me together with people who have genuinely become my companions on this discernment journey. We shared our

thoughts, questions, and life stories in our little community, and it bonded us all. In my experience, it is a rare gift to be able to share your story of trying to discern God’s call in your life with people who can not only understand you, but can walk with you on your journey. ♦

Jacqueline speaks at Revival in Worcester, October 21, 2018.

Photo: Episcopal WMA

From the Archives Karen Warren Diocesan Archivist

T

he stories in this issue of Abundant Times show many of the great things currently happening in our diocese. Ever wonder what was happening 10 years ago at this time? Peeking back at the October 2009 issue of our previous diocesan publication, Pastoral Staff, here are some of the highlights from that time:

Gideon’s Garden, a now well-established ministry of Grace Church in the Southern Berkshires, was just beginning to cultivate and harvest vegetables for sharing with the People’s Pantry and other organizations, helping to provide local meals in the southern Berkshires in collaboration with Taft Farms and youth and clergy from our parishes in Great Barrington (then St. James’), Stockbridge (St. Paul’s), and Sheffield (Christ/Trinity).

Diocesan Senior Staff announced that the 108th Convention, held at the Sheraton, would be “leaner and greener” with reports and documents available on our website and on a “presentation screen.”

We were introduced to two new clergy, the Rev. Nancy Webb Stroud, rector of the Church of the Atonement, Westfield; and the Rev. Peter Swarr, rector of St. Mark’s Church in East Longmeadow.

(Happy anniversary to you both!)

Church Without Walls, in downtown Springfield, was celebrating the second anniversary of their first Holy Eucharist. CWW met at Stearns Square at that time, with a weekly community of 25-35 members.

The Rev. Chris Carlisle, now director of the Building Bridges Veterans Initiative, was just responding to a new call to lead ministry in higher education. With an office at St. John’s Church, Northampton, Chris reached out to Smith College students and led student ministry at Grace Church, Amherst.

Bishop Gordon P. Scruton reported on commitments made at the 76th General Convention in Anaheim, CA, that included: planting new churches; creating a plan for reaching out to Hispanic/Latino populations; working for justice and peace; loving our neighbors; and bringing “health to our threatened ecology.”

St. Stephen’s Church in Westborough partnered with Interfaith Hospitality Network of Greater Worcester to host families and individuals who were experiencing homelessness. Parishioners provided temporary shelter by offering rooms in the parish building, meals, companionship, and support.

Lastly, the Cathedral’s own Eleanor “Andy” Parke was recognized as the Episcopal Church Women’s (ECW) Woman of Honor at the 46th Triennial Meeting of the ECW in Anaheim, California. Andy was honored for her work of over 65 years of serving her church, her community, and the diocese, which included leading youth events, serving as secretary of the National Youth Convention of the Episcopal Church, serving on the Cathedral’s Altar Guild, the Diocesan Scholarship Committee, and the Daughters of the King. ♦

Karen has served as diocesan archivist since 2010.

ABU ND ANT TI M E S

|

23

The Episcopal Diocese of Western Massachusetts

NONPROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE PAID TIGERPRESS

37 Chestnut St. Springfield, MA 01103-1787

love is our only agenda humantohuman.org ABUNDANT Times is a ministry of our diocese and is delivered to each household at no cost.

Donations to defray the cost, however, are gratefully accepted. The cost per household per year is $10.

Gifts can be mailed to Diocesan House at 37 Chestnut St., Springfield, MA 01103-1787.

Address corrections or deletions may be sent to the same address attention: A. Gamache.