1. religion and spirituality
2. christianity
3. catholicism

Church of the Good Shepherd
164 Newtown Rd., Acton, MA 01720
www.goodshepherdacton.org
978-263-5782
Non Profit Org.
U.S. Postage
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Acton, MA
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Time Value Material - Sept 29, 2014
Church of the
Good Shepherd
Our Story Inside These Pages
Oct. 4, at 7-9 PM Octoberfest Beer tasting
Oct 5. at10 AM and post service El Salvador Sunday
Oct. 12 at 8 & 10 AM - Blessing of the Animals
Oct. 19 at 6:30 PM - Episcopal Church 101 Dinner Presentation
Oct.19 at 10 AM - New Eu(charist)
Oct. 24 at7 PM Blues & Brews Concert Series
Oct. 25 at 8:30 AM-3:30 PM Safe Church Training
Oct. 26 at 8 & 10 AM - Rev Tom Barrington talks about
the Lowell Transitional Shelter
The Shepherd’s Staff
Our story inside these pages
Fall 2014
A Word from the Fold
Do Everything with an
Open Hand
When receiving the Eucharist, we do so
with hands held open. This spiritual practice speaks to an inner desire
to connect with God and with those gathered with us through a simple
gesture of openness. Open-handedness has spiritual and emotional implications; for that matter, so does a closed hand or fist. If open-handedness is foundational to our spiritual-emotional well-being, then it follows that being a disciple of Christ or a follower of Jesus requires us to
turn towards open-handedness, open-heartedness, and open-mindedness for the well-being of others. Being Christian is a process, a constant
re-orientation, to a distinctive way of life that turns us from fear toward
love, from scarcity toward a sense of abundance, from entitlement to
gratitude, and from clenched to open-handedness.
Personally, I am seeking to become a more spiritually and emotionally open person. Often, I catch myself being reflexively anxious
when I am faced with the financial cost of day-to-day living or am asked
to give of myself when I am already feeling over-stretched. I am also conscious of being held by the Good Shepherd community where receiving
Eucharist is a heartfelt practice. I am grateful for the opportunity to reorient myself towards love and gratitude and to be reminded that I am
sharing in a deeper, God-given purpose. My own purpose is to become
more helpful, more healing, and more fun-loving (as opposed to being
heavy-hearted, stressed, anxious, or defensive). I believe that this Godgiven purpose for my life rests continually in God’s loving memory of
who I am. When I get all bent out of shape, God graciously invites me to
recall who I am and why I am here. Being part of a Christian community
is integral to hearing God and also to becoming who God knows all of us
to be.
As we begin stewardship season of reflection and prayer, may
we be shaped by our experience of giving and receiving with hands held
open. Let us stay connected to God and one another so that when we
break bread together, gather pledges for the coming year, exercise ministry, and engage in mission we may do so as mindful participants in one
another’s spiritual and emotional well-being. In the midst of talk about
budgets and resources, let us recall that we are disciples of Christ and
followers of Jesus with a God-given purpose to re-shape the world.
Gareth 1
Contents
Warden’s Message
Worship
Christian Formation
Mission Outreach
Events
Committee News
View From the Rectory
Thank You Page
Administration
Passages
Auction Item Form
If you need to contact
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2-3
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10-11
11 - 13
14 - 15
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The Church of the
Good Shepherd
164 Newtown Road
Acton, MA 01720
(978) 263-5782
Website:
www.goodshepherdacton.
org
FB: Church of the Good
Shepherd, Acton
A member of the
Episcopal Diocese
of Massachussets
Wardens’ Message
bittersweet; and the consecration itself was inspiring. But what impressed me most was seeing a large
space filled with people of faith brought together in
worship and fellowship and sharing that faith and
the love of Christ with each other. Every Sunday at
Good Shepherd mirrors that gathering of the faithful. We are much more as a community than we
are as separate entities. To thrive as a community,
though, requires that the individual members support each other and the whole. I encourage each of
you to involve yourself in the life of our parish—join
a ministry, participate in coffee hour, adult learning,
children’s formation, and social events including the
Auction this year. And of course as the season of
Stewardship approaches, give prayerful thought to
how you can support the parish financially in grateful appreciation of how the parish supports you living in the life of Christ.
There is nothing that compares to the intense
clear blue of an October sky; to me it is a gift that rejuvenates me during the hustle and bustle of daily
life. I encourage you also to pause and rejoice in the
beautiful fall days we enjoy here in New England and
to celebrate and rejoice in the love and fellowship
we enjoy as we worship faithfully together at Good
Shepherd.
Ronnie Diesl
Welcome back to all
as we gather together after
(hopefully) restful summer
vacations. There is such a
lazy feeling to the days of
July and August, but as the
cooler weather approaches,
we pick up the pace. School
with all the after-school activities begins, work deadlines approach, and all our commitments seem to increase. And here at Good Shepherd we are also in
active mode. We are back to our regular schedule of
services, the children and youth ministries are in full
swing, adult learning is making plans to further our
growth in faith and understanding, the choirs have
reconvened, and all the other varied ministries have
ramped up. I hope you all had a chance to visit with
the representatives at the Ministry Fair and learned
about the many available opportunities to serve.
I had the opportunity to attend the consecration of our new bishop Alan Gates in September. It
was an occasion of joyful pageantry and celebration.
Although the service was long and the arena cold,
the day was memorable. The music was magnificent (and included Jane Lothian and Karen Omahen
representing Good Shepherd’s vocal gifts); Bishop
Hollingsworth’s sermon was thought-provoking;
tributes paid to Bishop Shaw were moving if a little
Worship
Worship Environvment
The “environment” committee was busy in early
June, transitioning the sanctuary from Easter/
Pentecost to what we call “Ordinary time.” For this
season we wanted to make a connection with the
church’s delegation that was going to El Ocotillo in
July. The sanctuary looked really beautiful with the
pillars draped in green fabric, and we hung a variety
of crosses made by the artisans in El Salvador on
them. We appreciate all those who help decorate the
sanctuary for each changing season of the church
year.
Ellen Harland
Calling for New Acolytes
Ages 10 and Older
We are looking for some new acolytes to
enhance our current group. If you are 10 years old
or older and in the 5th
grade or up, we would
love to have you join
us. This is a very
important ministry
as you are a group of
young people leading
everyone to worship.
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If you have any questions at all, don’t hesitate to
seek out one of our current acolytes, give me a call,
or catch me after church.
Marilyn Fedele
Service Schedule
Sunday: 8:00 AM Holy Eucharist
10:00 AM Holy Eucharist
w/Church School
Wednesday:
7:30 AM Holy Eucharist
w/potluck breakfast
4th Sunday of the month:
7:00 PM Find a Spiritual
Oasis
New Eu(charists) & Voices
Rising!
On the third Sunday of each month at 10 AM,
Good Shepherd celebrates a contemporary Eucharist
designed for all ages that we call the New Eu. And
add hoc group called Voices
Rising will sing for these
services without robes and
with a mic, in place of the
anthem choir, without robes
and with a mic. For example,
two of our teen singers sang
“Ordinary Love” by U2 in
September. I will work with
you as a soloist or as a group.
There are places for the offertory anthem, but also
prelude and postlude (which are more suitable for
soloists).
The services all have themes this year. Please
see below for dates and themes. Let me know which
services you would like to participate in, and if you
have any ideas for appropriate music as well.
October 19 - Stewardship; YAC leads
November 16 - Interdependenca; WGP
December 21-Visions; Church Club
January 18 - Courage; YAC leads
February 15 - Transformation; Families lead
March 15 - Light in Darkness; Godly Play
April 19 - Forgiveness; Families lead
May 17 - Transitions; Rite 13 Ceremony, Church club lead
June 21 - Stillness; J2A leads
Thank you! Dr. Tish Kilgore
• Healing Prayers and Laying on
of hands the first Sunday of the
Month.
• Food Ingathering the second
Sunday of the month.
• NewEu(charist) Contemporary
Service the third Sunday of the
month at the 10:00 AM
thrilled to see as many of you as possible at our first
rehearsal on Saturday, November 1 at the church.
Teens and adults are welcome! We will sing many
of the anthems we sang last year, as well as a few
new ones. As last year, I am inviting singers from the
larger community. Please tell your friends.
Rehearsals: please try to attend all.
Thursdays, 7:15- 8:45: 11/20, 12/4, 12/11
Saturdays, 10:00-12:00: 11/1, 11/15, and 12/13
from 9:30-12:30
Warm-up: Sunday, 12/14, 2:30
Lessons and Carols Service: Sunday, 12/14, 4:00
Dr. Tish Kilgore
Blessing of the Animals
October 12, at both the 8 &10 AM
Services
Lessons and Carols Choirs
It’s Christmas time again! Church of the
Good Shepherd in Acton will once again offer the
opportunity for singers in the larger community
to sing with our choir in a Service of Lessons and
Carols this Advent. This beautiful traditional service
will be on Sunday, December 14th at 4:00. I would be
Please bring your
pets or photos of
your beloved pets.
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Christian Formation
Not Too Serious Book Group
Spirit. Tish will join us at the piano to celebrate the
season.
Aileen DiBennedetto
Our group will be reading and discussing A Thread of Grace
by Mary Doria Russell on October
16 at 7 PM. This is set in Italy near
the end of WW2 and deals with the
plight of Jewish refugees and the
compassion shown them by the
Italian people. Following this we
will read The Long Way Home for the
month of November. Written by
Louise Penny, this is the latest in the Inspector Gamache series that we have enjoyed immensely! For
the month of December we are hoping to read Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand. This is another story
from WW2 —by the author of Seabiscuit —that has
been reviewed as beautifully inspirational. All are
welcome to join us for an evening of good adult discussion of books and the ideas they inspire in us. Additional meetings will be reported in the blue sheets
and in email broadcasts!
Episcopal Church 101
Dinner Presentation
On Friday evening October 17th at 6:30 PM
at the church, you are invited to
share an Italian dinner and participate in a program called The
Episcopal Church 101. It covers
a broad range of topics about
the Episcopal church: it includes
Church history, what Episcopalians believe, the worship service, the structure
of the church, the Book of Common Prayer, and laity’s role in the church (that means you, btw). It is a
one-evening romp through all things Episcopal with
Margaret Geanisis presenting the information.
Because the Episcopal church draws so many
of its members from other denominations, this is a
great and entertaining way to fill in any blanks of information you may be curious about or didn’t know.
It is also great for those of us who don’t remember
much from our confirmation classes or have been
away from church for a while. We will begin with
dinner and conversation, followed by the first part of
the presentation. We will break for dessert and then
finish up the presentation, probably around 8:30 but
certainly by 9 PM.
Dinner is free (though you may make
a donation to cover the cost) and will include Caesar salad, stuffed shells with meatballs on the side,
crusty bread, and tiramisu for dessert. (We have a
gluten-free version of the same meal available on
request). We are working some details about the
possiblity of providing childcare at the church and a
children’s meal, or facilitating babysitting for those
who want to attend with children. There is a sign up
sheet in the Parish Hall or you can call the church office. Hope to see you there—this has always been a
fun and worthwhile evening.
Margaret Geanisis
Bread and Banter
Our new
monthly lunch
group for those
who are well
into retirement,
t ra n s i t i on i n g
into retirement,
and those still
working while retired, began on September 3. What
a great day we had, with over 30 participants. Much
gratitude to the volunteers who helped provide
lunch. This next month, we will be looking for volunteers to help with clean up after the event. If you
wish to come and haven’t yet replied, or if you are in
need of a ride, please let Aileen know. Our schedule
of events follows, we meet at noon:
Wed., October 1 - Finding Your Funny Bone: A
good laugh shared with friends
Wed., November 5 - Taking a trip down memory
lane: Sharing memories through favorite photos
Wed., December 3 - Entering into the Christmas
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Church School
Dear church
family,
This was an active
summer. This summer’s
Children’s Chapel mirrors our liturgy, using
prayers that were used
in Eucharist and exploring the Lessons the “adults” heard each Sunday. We
joined with St. Matthew’s Church to offer a Vacation
Bible School, called “Workshop of Wonders: Imagine
and Build with God.” And now, we get to start a new
program year—always an exciting time!
Last summer I joined the staff of CGS as a
priest-in-formation. As I had completed a seminary
education some years ago, the Diocesan Commission
on Ministry decided that instead of further study, I
should explore new ministries. While here I have
been involved with youth and children’s ministry, as
well as liturgy, preaching, adult education and other
opportunities as they have arisen. It was a great joy
last spring, when the Diocesan Commission on Ministry, decided that my time here and the mentorship
of Gareth Evans has been a beneficial formation experience. they have allowed me to continue my ministry at Good Shepherd.
During my time here, I have moved from being a “Postulant” to a “Candidate” for Holy Orders.
This means that after completing the General Ordination Exams in January of 2015, I am scheduled to
be ordained to the Transitional Diaconate in June of
2015 and the Priesthood in January of 2016. I move
forward on this path, trusting as always in the guidance of God.
To add to my excitement of moving forward
toward ordination, my husband and I are expecting
our first child. Our little boy is expected in early November. Although the first few months were a little
rocky, I have been feeling well lately and our baby
has been healthy throughout this pregnancy. I plan
to work until his birth, taking 2 months maternity
leave. This should have me back in the office early in
January, just after the General Ordination Exams. I
recognize of course that babies have a way of follow-
ing their own plan, and I will keep you all updated on
the course of my new son.
I have been working with our parish administrator to improve Church School and Youth communications. Each week, families can expect an e-newsletter that includes upcoming events as well as an
explanation of the classes being offered that week.
These newsletters will continue during my maternity
leave. This information can also be found on the CGS
Church School and CGS Youth Google Calendars. By
the start of October, Church School teachers will be
scheduled through the start of January. Youth plans
have been made in conjunction with our J2A and
YAC leaders, and they will be able to share with parents directly if any changes to the youth schedules
arise. Alison Rutyna has offered to direct the Christmas Pageant. As always, parental assistance will be
requested for the pageant and I will be in touch on
that subject throughout the month of October.
I thank you in advance for all of your support
during this time.
Peace,
Aileen E. DiBenedetto
Church School and Youth
Programs for 2014–2015
Nursery: Infant-Pre-K
Our youngest parishioners are invited to learn
about God’s love in our Nursery program. During
the Church service, children from birth to pre-school
may play in our nursery. Nursery parents volunteer
as necessary to assist our Nursery Workers.
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Godly Play (GP): K–2nd grades
This Montessori-inspired program is for students in kindergarten through second grade. Biblical and liturgical stories are shared using “manipulatives” —special toys designed for telling our sacred
stories. Following storytelling, children are encouraged to think theologically through the use of “wondering” questions. The students are then empowered
to find work that helps them remember and process
the story they have just heard. Some classes include
a “feast” when classmates learn about Eucharist by
Church School and Youth
Parents
sharing a simple meal of bread and water.
Weaving God’s Promises (WGP): 3rd–5th
grades
This class uses an Episcopal-based curriculum
to explore how God’s promises for salvation are woven into the fabric of our everyday lives. This program is designed to help children grow spiritually in
Christ’s love and mercy, learning about forgiveness
and reconciliation, and being able to become Christbearers to the World. This year’s focus is “Weaving
Together the Family of God.” Classes will examine
major figures from the Hebrew Scriptures, the Gospel of John and the Communion of Saints.
Parents of students in Godly Play (GP), Weaving God’s Promises (WGP), and Church Club (CC)
are expected to take turns teaching. This would put
you on the schedule once every month or two. If you
would like to be considered a primary teacher for
WGP or CC (meaning willing to take a lead role and
be in class with greater regularity) please let Aileen
know. You will be scheduled to join a group without
your child unless you request otherwise. Teaching
schedules will begin in October. Aileen will arrange
training sessions.
Parents of J2A and YAC youth are expected
to take turns serving as chaperones and drivers. You
are also welcome to serve as occasional or lead teachers in the Church School. Please let Aileen know if
you are interested in this ministry.
All parents who will be ministering as teacher,
chaperone and/or driver will need to complete Safe
Church Training and a CORI form (if you have not
already done so in this parish). Safe Church Training
will be offered at Good Shepherd on October 25 at a
discounted cost of $20 for parishioners. Please register at the Diocesan website for Safe Church Training.
See Gareth if you would like to be reimbursed for the
cost of this training.
Church Club (CC): 6th–8th grades
This class helps middle school youth make
the transition from Church School to the Youth programs. Youth in this program will benefit from the
use of three youth programs: Weaving God’s Promises for Youth, Rite-13, and Re:Form. The combination
of these three curricula will help create a program
that allows middle school youth to grow in faith and
prepare to become Christian adults. These youth are
invited to participate in Diocesan Youth Events. As
the year progresses, this group may begin planning
social events of their own.
Journey to Adulthood (J2A): 8th–10th grades
This is the second stage of the three-stage
Journey to Adulthood Program. As these youth
grow into adult Christians, they explore ways their
faith impacts the world. This year, the group is preparing for a Pilgrimage to Maine, where they hope to
grow in their faith in God. Extra-curricular activities
will include fundraisers as well as social events. This
group is invited to all Diocesan Youth Events.
New Eucharists
On the third
Sunday of each
month our parish celebrates a
contemporar y
Eucharist designed for all
ages that we call the New Eu. Groups from within
the Church School and Youth programs serve as worship leaders each month. Groups will have the opportunity to sign up for specific roles in a class prior
to their assigned New Eu. All children are invited to
participate in the procession as a cross bearer for
each New Eu. These Eucharistic Celebrations are an
integral part of our Christian Formation program
for Children and Youth.
On the next page is our New Eu calendar for
Young Adults at Church (YAC): 11th–12th
grades
This final stage of the Journey to Adulthood
Program is designed to help youth become full adult
members of the parish community. This group will
enrich their knowledge of faith and learn how to live
as Christians within the wider world. Members of
YAC will increase their involvement in parish life,
taking turns serving in the various ministries of the
church. This group is also invited to all Diocesan
Youth Events.
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the year:
Sunday October 19: Interdependence
YAC serves as Worship Leaders, meet at 9:30 AM
Sunday November 16: Stewardship
WGP serves as Worship Leaders, meet at 9:30 AM
Sunday December 21: Visions
Christmas Pageant is presented at this service, CC
serves as Worship Leaders, meet at 9:30 AM
Sunday January 18: Courage
YAC serves as Worship Leaders, meet at 9:30 AM
Sunday February 15: Transformation
Families serve together as Worship Leaders, meet
at 9:30 AM
Sunday March 15: Light in Darkness
GP serves as Worship Leaders, meet at 9:30 AM
Sunday April 19: Forgiveness
Families serve together as Worship Leaders, meet
at 9:30 AM
Sunday May 17: Transitions
Rite-13 Ritual will be celebrated, CC serves as Worship Leaders, meet at 9:30 AM
Sunday June 21: Stillness
J2A serves as Worship Leaders, meet at 9:30 AM
Family Potluck Dinners
An opportunity for families to come together
to enjoy good food and great community. Activities and movies for children and youth are provided.
Families are invited to bring a dish to share. Families may sign up through SignUpGenius or in the
Church School. All meals are from 5 to 7 PM. For
our first gathering, there will be a special craft activity on Gratitude. The Family Potluck Dinners will
take place on the following Sundays this year: Nov.
2, Jan. 25, March 29, and June 14.
Vacation Bible School
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Youth Activities
Confirmation
Fall Clean-Up Day at the Rectory
Two of our youth will be confirmed on October
4 at a service held at St. Cyprian’s in Roxbury. These
youth completed the confirmation class last spring
with fellow members of YAC. All parishioners are invited to the service, which begins at 10:30 AM. The
youth being confirmed must arrive at St. Cyprian’s
by 9:30 AM.
This is a great opportunity to have some fun
and serve our community.
Join us 1 PM to 4 PM at the
Rectory on November 1. All
youth and their parents are
invited. Bring along your
rakes, tarps, and leaf blowers. And don’t forget your work gloves! You can sign
up via SignUpGenius.
J2A Fund Raisers
J2A is preparing for a pilgrimage trip to
Maine in July of 2015. Throughout this year, they
will keep you updated on their progress. They will
also be engaged in fundraisers. Their hope is that
there fundraisers can also be of assistance to the
parish... You will hear from them about services they
will offer and food for sale. You can look forward to
ordering Thanksgiving pies through the group this
year.
Middle School Retreat
The Diocesan Youth Council hosts this twonight event at the Barbara C. Harris Camp in Greenfield, NH. This is a great opportunity for members of
the Church Club to have a special weekend away, and
connect with youth from throughout the Diocese.
We need to provide chaperones for our youth who
attend. If you would like to participate in this event,
please contact Aileen. The retreat is held Friday, November 21 through Sunday, November 23.
One-Room Schoolhouses
On long weekends, we hold special One-room
Schoolhouses. Youth are invited to assist as teachers
on these days. For October 12, the theme is Gratitude. For November 30, the theme is Advent.
Rite13
CROP Walk
Alison Rutyna, supported by her parents
and fellow Riter 13’ers
at the June
Rite 13 Ceremony
All youth are
invited to join the
parish group at the
Concord area CROP
Walk. It is held on
October 19 starting
at 2:15 PM at First
Parish in Concord.
Our youth had a great banner they made last year…
can we do even better this year?
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Church School & Youth Programs Dates
Regular Church School classes and Nursery run each Sunday unless
otherwise noted below:
Saturday, October 4: Confirmation at St. Cyprian’s 10:30 AM (confirmands arrive
by 9:30 AM)
Sunday, October 12: One-Room Schoolhouse and Blessing of the Animals
Sunday, October 19: New Eu(charist): Stewardship; Church School Attends Service
YAC Meets at 9:30 AM
Saturday, October 25: 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM: Diocesan-Run Safe Church Training
for all Lay Ministry and Mission Leaders
Saturday, November 1: 1 PM to 4 PM: Fall Clean-Up Day @ The Rectory, Youth are
invited to this fun day at the Rectory, 146 Newtown Rd. Snacks will be provided.
Sunday, November 2: 5 PM to 7 PM: Family Potluck Dinner; Church School and
Youth families are invited to join this meal. An activity and movie will be provided for
children and youth.
Sunday, November 16: New Eu: Interdependence; Church School Attends Service
Weaving God’s Promises meets at 9:30 AM
Friday–Sunday, November 21–23: Middle School Retreat; members of Church
Club are invited to attend
Parents are needed to chaperone the weekend
Sunday, November 30: One-Room Schoolhouse
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Mission Outreach
Undies Sundays
ministry. It happened when I really wasn’t expecting
it. Perhaps that allowed me to think less and listen
more and then to hear God more clearly.
On our second full day there, we returned to a
site I had been to with almost every prior delegation.
Our guide, Cristina Starr, led us through a prayerful meditation at
the chapel where
Msr. Romero was
martyred. After
powerfully conveying the story
of his life and his
spiritual awakening,
which
ultimately cost
him that life, she asked each of us to choose a single
word that we felt best described this man. The word
that came to me was “sacrifice.” Once we had verbalized the word that had come into our minds, she had
us approach the altar where he died. I could see the
very spot where his blood was spilled. We held hands
and prayed silently. Cristina broke the silence by explaining that we were each charged with living out
our chosen word and that we should carry it forth in
our hearts as we tried to discern the path that God
has laid out for us. We all remained at or near the
altar praying for a while longer. It was clear that we
each now had a holy assignment.
I thought a lot about what this might mean
for me. I certainly couldn’t equate any sacrifice in
my life with that of Romero. Eventually, I came to
understand that sacrifice could be as much a gift as
a burden. I could see the modest “sacrifices” I have
made in organizing and leading these trips as an opportunity to show God how grateful I am for a life
filled with blessings.
Over the next few days, I tried to give as
much of myself as possible to ensure a successful
trip for our extra-large delegation. There were “sacrifices” along the way: lots of logistics, crowded seats
and accommodations, and especially having to accept the greater risk that something could go wrong
with such a large group. Many others helped me,
but I couldn’t escape feeling ultimately responsible
for all 23 participants. That weight was made easy to
October is
Undies Sundays
month. According to our records, this is the
20th year that
we have held a
fall ingathering
of underthings for the residents of the Lowell Transitional Living Center. Each year since then we have
delivered an average of 300 items - new socks, underwear, sweat pants, and even pillows to the shelter. This program was begun by Carol Davis who also
initiated our contact with El Ocotillo. Thank you,
thank you Carol!
During October, you may leave your donations
in a plastic bin provided in the parish hall. Needed
this year are 75 twin size washable blankets, 20 or
so pillows, adult undies and tees, white socks, termal underwear - Med thru XL gloves, scarves - also
shampoo, soap, toothpaste, and toothbrushes. These
items should be new, not used.
Rev. Tom Barrington, a staff member at
LTLC, will join Gareth on
October 26th at both services to present a dialogue
about the work and needs
in Lowell. Last year, as you
recall, he presented us with
the challenge of providing
100 new pillows - which we
did in ONE WEEK! Undies
Sundays is a program of
Mission Outreach with Ellie George, Charlie George
and Peter Rudenko heading up the drive. Remember
to bring your donations to church in October!
Salvador and Ocotillo
An Easy Sacrifice
Each visit to El Salvador has brought me
special blessings. This time the gift was clarity and
affirmation for my long-term commitment to our
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who have dedicated their lives
to causes of social justice in El
Salvador. We received all these
gifts even before arriving in El
Ocotillo, where once again we
were embraced as family.
It was wonderful to witness how the community continues to make improvements
in so many ways. And it was
humbling to hear how grateful
they are to their Good Shepherd brothers and sisters.
The “sacrifice” of time
and effort in order to have experiences like these is
hardly a difficult call to follow. I hope I can continue
to be more spiritually open so as to understand better where God is leading me. I also look forward to
seeing how all the others will live into the words they
chose that day in Romero’s chapel.
Rafael Pupo
bear because of my companions and the very special
people who were put in our path.
It was wonderful to see the Spirit working
among us in different ways. There were many moments of grace, reflection, and insight; new friendships; and deepening commitment as well. We
listened to a moving
testimonial from our
host at the guesthouse
in San Salvador about
his journey from civil
war guerilla to elected
representative in the
Salvadoran Congress.
We heard from inspiring young men who
were born in refugee
camps during the war
and are now devoted to promoting a hopeful vision
for their country. They said, “If there is an American
dream why can’t there be a Salvadoran dream?” We
also met with remarkable fellow Americans, Jeanne
Rikkers, Sister Peggy O’Neill, and Ron Brenneman,
Events
Fall Auction and Social Event
November 8 at 6:30 PM
Join us for fun and fellowship!
Purchase a Ticket and be entered to WIN the Door Prize. Tickets $20/person
Newcomers and Guest are half price! Sign up in the Parish Hall.
Eat, drink, and bid on great Live and Silent Auction items.
Appetizers, dessert, beer, wine, and soft drinks will be served.
Volunteer to help with the event. Contact Lynn Nixon for more information.
Donate a service or item.
Donation forms are at the back of the Shepherd’s Staff
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Committee News
Stewardship Prayer Shawl Ministry
Attention all knitters & crocheters!
On Sunday, October 5 we will kick off our annual giving campaign: “Walking the Way.” Over the
following six weeks we will explore how the practice
of intentional giving deepens our walk with Christ,
supports ministries that are integral to our spiritual and emotional wellness, and touches the lives of
people well beyond our immediate community. Here is the “road map” for our Walking the Way campaign:
• Beginning October 5, and continuing through
Sunday, November 9, you will find each Sunday
in church reflections by Episcopal stewardship
leaders across the country based on the Gospel
readings.
• We will hear from fellow parishioners about their
journeys with Good Shepherd.
• On Sunday, October 5, you will receive your
pledge packet. Pray over what your pledge will
be. Bring your pledge card to worship on Sunday,
November 9.
• On November 9 we will celebrate Commitment
Sunday, the culmination of our journey, when
pledges will be completed and offered as an act
of worship.
The rector, vestry, and worship committee
have set a goal of receiving 100% of pledge commitments from our worshipping community. We will
pray that your giving will come from a deep abiding
sense of gratitude for the gift of our Good Shepherd
community and the gift we have in Jesus who does
not leave our side in our walk of faith.
We are grateful to our diocese for supplying
our Stewardship team with training, materials and
support for this year’s stewardship campaign.
Thank you for Walking the Way in hope and faith.
Blessings in your journey.
Lynn Nixon, Stewardship Chair
Ronnie Diesel, Andy Platt, Carolyn Platt,
Bill Canning , Sheila Lloyd
Please consider
joining the Good Shepherd
Prayer Shawl Ministry,
which meets on the third
Tuesday of each month at
7:30 PM in the library/music room. We have patterns, needles, hooks, and yarn
as well as folks who can teach you to either crochet
or knit. Some members who can’t come on Tuesdays
keep in touch and are busily making shawls at home.
When the shawls are finished, they are
blessed by the Shawl Ministry members and are taken to the monthly Taize’ service to be blessed again.
Then Gareth, members of the Pastoral Care Committee, or other parishioners who know someone who
is in need of prayers for strength, courage, healing,
etc., choose a shawl to bring to the person on behalf
of the parish.
Please don’t hesitate to call me if you’d like
more information.
Nancy C. Brown
Pastoral Care Committee
The Pastoral Care committee had a fairly busy
spring and summer, starting with the arranging of a
reception to follow the funeral of Bob Huettner. A
happier event was the delivery of dinners to Fran
and Gareth after the arrival in mid-April of baby
Charlie. Not only committee members but also many
other parishioners participated in making and delivering dinners. In June one of our GS parishioners,
Stephen Korbet, died, and Gareth took charge of arranging to help Stephen’s daughter enable her come
from from England so she could see her father one
last time. Pastoral Care committee members helped
by driving her to places she needed to go, sharing
some meals with her, and generally helping her
where we could. Also in June a parishioner fell and
broke her hip, and a number of people visited her in
the hospital and in rehab, wrote cards, and offered to
make dinners. In July the McKeemans welcomed a
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green grant,
which gave
us the ability to add
more radiator surface
in the parish hall, and
we
found
that at some
point
in
time someone disconnected a second thermostat
that controlled the playground side of the hall. We
also added radiators to the library. This will help get
the areas heated faster and reduce the furnace’ts
output, which will reduce fuel consumption.
The YAC’s have volunteered to help out the
building committee and will be having one member
go to our meetings from now on. Our first job will
be the fall cleanup at the rectory on Nov 1, and of
course, you are all invited to help out, too. Other
projects will be replacing the light switches in the
bathrooms and the classroom stairway with motion
sensor switches.
Anthony Geanisis, Building Committee
new baby to their family, and offers to provide meals
were extended to them. Over the summer there
were several requests for drivers to take people to
various appointments.
The Pastoral Care committee does a number of things to help when there is a need for help,
such as meal deliveries, cards and visits to the sick or
shut-ins, driving to doctors’ appointments, delivering the altar flowers, and other things as they occur.
If you or anyone you know would like or need our assistance, please call or send an e-mail to the Pastoral
Care committee or Laura Brock and let us know how
we can help. Fortunately many people, not just from this
committee, help in various ways, and a big “thank
you” is extended to all of them.
Katherine Haney, Chairman
Building Committee
The building committee has been enjoying
the summer and it’s time to get back to work. Our
first meeting was September 15. We went over what
had been done this summer and what needs to be
done. Over the summer, two new dehumidifiers
were replaced in the classrooms and all the carpeting
cleaned. The Sustainable Use Committee received a
View from the Rectory
On the first day of the new school year, Cassie and little Charlie dutifully
posed for a photograph. As you can see, he was plonked in his bumbo seat
wearing just a diaper. In contrast Cassie was dressed up fancy and ready to go
off with leg warmers on her arms and legs. She
wore a smile fit for Us magazine, and Charlie
has a look on his face that says, “I’m naked and
cold.” I love this photo taken by Fran. It comically captures the twin realities and personalities of our children. As with all photographs,
the present moment is instantly consigned to
the past. Perhaps one day Charlie’s grandchildren will look at this photo and ask him about
the olden days.
In contrast Fran took a photograph of my
sister, Samantha, and me in the kitchen. It is
a very ordinary photo that will likely be lost over time. I am very pleased with
it though. It captures the natural flow of Sammy’s recent visit and it is the only
sibling photo I have from our time together: an ordinary, everyday domestic
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scene belying the extraordinarily precious time it was for us. Also, I look a bit
awkward and Sammy looks quite glamorous. I like that. Not many people can
look casually glamorous while standing at the sink.
Fran also took a series of humorous selfies with a zonked-out Charlie on
her shoulder. I picked one to share with you; here is Fran looking lovely with a
bit of a twinkle in her eye. You wouldn’t know how exhausted she really is given
that Charlie wakes up, on average, twice a night. This precious phase will probably be over by the time you read this. Yes, time is marching on, measured in our
household by the patter of tiny feet and the click, click, click of a smartphone
camera.
Gareth
Thank You Very Much
• To Liam Favereau, Julia Nixon, Eleanor Church, Lynn
Nixon, and Melissa Buono
for volunteering at Vacation
Bible School this summer.
• To Binki & Dick Wright,
Jorge Gutierrez and Gareth
Evans for providing lunch for
September’s Bread & Banter;
to Ronnie Diesel and Sonia
Stevenson for setting up; and to Patti Austin,
Marilyn Fedele, and Dick Fedele for cleaning
up after the event.
• To the all of the people who dedicate
their time to sharing God’s message
through their participation in the
COGS Lector Ministry.
• To our summer soloists: Ray Lyons,
saxophone, and vocal soloists, David Hazen, Wendy Fedderson and
Joanne Stephane!!!
• To all who helped transform our sanctuary by putting up the El Salvador
themed decor in June: Ellen Harland, Jessie
Panek, Jon Panek, Gail Lyons, Ray Lyons,
Tom Hoch, Kathleen Zawicki, Wendy Feddersen, Lynn Nixon, and Vern Nixon.
• To Dick Fedele for cleaning the upholstered
chairs around the table in the parish hall, and
painting the Rectory stoop.
• To Marilyn Fedele for laundering and organizing all the Junior Choir and Acolyte vestments
over the summer.
• To Jessie Panek for coordinating the improvements to the radiators in the parish hall and library.
• To Dick Fedele and Tony Geanisis for mowing
at the church this summer.
• To Rafael Pupo for his dedicated leadership of
the delegation to El Salvador this summer, and
all who made the trip such a rich experience
through their participation and support.
•
•
•
•
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•To the people of Ocotillo who welcomed us into
their homes, fed us, prayed for us, and who were
so gracious during our visit.
To the Building Committee for arranging carpet cleaning of the Church School
To Carol Brady, Nora Mendoza, Emmanuel
Aronie, Alix Pupo, and Nnamdi Udokowko
for teaching at the Summer Children’s Chapel.
To Gary David and Mark Mendoza for planning and executing the Octoberfest beer tasting
To the Georges for their years of dedicated service to our ministry at the Lowel Shelter; and to
Carol Davis who first began that minisrty; and
Gareth Evans who continues to build the misnitry.
• To Lydia Tolley, Peter Rudenko and Tom
Hoch for organizing coffee hour volunteers and
providing Fair Trade Coffee; and to those who
brought coffee home from Perquin near El
Ocotillo; to and those hard working people
who grow the coffee and have been hard hit by
a plant fungus destroying the coffeet plants.
• To Bern Kosicki for his hard work all summer
to complete the regrading of the land in the back
of the church to improve drainage and prevent
flooding when it rains.
• To Colin Browning for his work on getting the
weekly Constant Contact up and running.
• To Bill Canning, Wendy Feddersen, Jessie
Panek and Patricia Favreau for working on
the church audit.
Administration
Treasurer’s Report
Vestry Vignettes, June 2014
Our financial position at the end of August
was $4,098 over our 2014 budget, which is terrific. While our income was $1,843 lower than budgeted,
our expenses came in $5,941 below budget.
When we look at the details on the income shortfall, our Current Year Pledges are slightly ahead of
budget, mostly due to a few parishioners pre-paying
through the end of year. Our Plate Identified Regular and our Facilities Income continue to exceed our
original budget estimates. Where we are coming up
short is on Fundraising. While not a tremendous
concern right now, this does put emphasis on our
Auction and other Fund Raisers through the end of
the year.
Our expenses still are running under budget
across all areas. While we expect some closing into
our original budgeted spending as the year progresses, these expenses are being managed very well.
Finally, this past August an audit of the CGS
financial statements for 2013 was performed. Tricia
Favreau, Wendy Feddersen and Jessie Panek conducted the audit using the Committee Audit procedures outlined in the Episcopal Church Manual of
Business Methods in Church Affairs. Harry Johnson assisted during the audit, answering questions
and making the process go smoothly. The final Audit
Report was submitted to our diocese in late August
and accepted by our vestry during their September
meeting. I would like to recognize and thank Tricia,
Wendy, Jessie, and Harry for all their hard work in
getting this important activity completed for CGS.
Bill Canning
Treasurer’s Report
Our Income is not up to what was budgeted, but Expenses are better than budgeted, so overall we are
tracking to budget. The Vestry was reminded of the
$22,000 shortfall we need to make up from our cash
reserves, and the need for fund raising. There will be
the Fall Auction and a renewed pick-a-Bill poster for
congregational use. He suggested reminding everyone to use the Amazon.com link and Colin suggested
congregation members bookmark the site.
Newcomers Committee
Stephanie Ingram came to present to the Vestry. She
and Gareth discussed newcomer assimilate and how
we incorporate new members into the congregation,
for example, statistics show they need to make 6-7
new friends in the first six months. Actions to help
facilitate this include looking for people left out during the passing of the peace, sitting next to newcomers, and remembering to wear our name tags.
Rector’s Report
Gareth discussed his concern that seniors find a
place of welcome at Good Shepherd. This includes
individuals in retirement, working in retirement,
or transitioning into retirement. He would like to
hold a social event once a month, a “Bread & Banter”
lunch, on the first Wednesday of the month. Eileen
will be co-hosting.
El Salvador
Raphael Pupo had approached Gareth with a fundraising request for $1,700 in funds to build a water
tank for the village of El Ocotillo. Gareth reported
that the funds have been collected in one week and
earmarked for the project.
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Warden’s Report
$2500 in Green Grants have been received ytd. The
Lazaro Paving quote for the Rectory driveway was
motioned for approval by Andy Platt, and seconded
by Gareth. Andy and Peter are getting snow plowing bids.
Property / Snow Plowing: (Peter, Andy) Peter
and Andy submitted a report of investigation and
options regarding the cost of snow plowing. Peter
talked to local places of worship regarding who they
use and their experience. The idea is to explore various bids and see how our current cost compares.
Fall Auction: A brainstorming session was held
about the Auction, which will be on November 8th
or the 15th. There was a lot of discussion at that
session, with a fundraising goal set for $10,000$15,000.
Fall Fair: The consensus seemed to be that this
would be better to have every other year. If Treasures and Trinkets is not done, some other fundraising event would need to replace it.
New Business
Beer Tasting Event: Gary David gave a report of
his conversation with the Craft Beer Cellar in Westford, who are excited at the prospect of working with
us on this. The event would have to be “invitation
only”, it cannot be a public event due to liquor laws,
but we can invite as many people as we’d like. Possible dates were discussed in early October.
Vestry Vignettes, July 2014
Rector’s Report
Future of the Taize Service: The first topic that
Gareth discussed is the Future of the Taize service.
Gareth believes that the current format has run its
course as it stands. Gareth will look into what other
churches and cathedrals are doing on a Sunday night,
and what is successful. Meeting for the Taize leadership has been called after next Sunday’s service to
discuss plans for the future.
The Weekly Service Leaflet: Gareth would like
to experiment with the service leaflet/bulletin that
is provided during the 10:00am service. Originally
the concept of the leaflet was to make it simpler for
newcomers to follow along. However, it uses a lot of
paper and its production ties up a lot of office time.
Gareth is going to experiment with putting together
a seasonal booklet.
Treasurer’s Report
Our income is $5776 less than what we had budgeted. However, our expenses are $6097 which is less
than projected, which is leaving us $321 to the good.
We primarily are down on the fundraising goal that
we set for the year as we reach the halfway point of
the year, especially the auction income. Bill will be
working to get the audit going over the summer.
YTD we have $952 from Amazon.com.
Coffee Hour Committee: (Lydia, Peter, Tom) Peter Rudenko updated the Vestry on the process of
getting fairly traded coffee for coffee hour, and the
response thus far. There is a program to recruit people for serving coffee at the late service. This will be
starting in August and trying to fill the next three
months. The El Salvador delegation will be talking
with suppliers in El Ocotillo to see if we can bring
some coffee back directly. Other discussion was had
around the reimbursement for coffee hour expenses,
approx $30 per week. Currently this is not in the
church budget. The Vestry voted to allocate up to the
amount of $30 per week from August through December.
Vestry Vignettes, Sept. 2014
Treasurer’s Report
Bill reported that Income is down $1,843 , but Expenses are lower by $5,941 which leaves us a Operating gain of $4,098. We have raised about $1,000 in
Pick a Bill/Pay a Bill. There has been an audit conducted for the fiscal year 2013 and submitted to the
Diocese.
Rector’s Report
There were roughly 100 attendees at church on Sunday. Gareth is hopeful that attendance will increase
by the end of September. Thirty two seniors attended the kickoff of the luncheon series Bread and
Banter. There was a great atmosphere and Veronica
received a lot of thanks from parishioners for this
event. Gareth would like to start a parent and baby/
toddler service. He is thinking it will be held between services on a Sunday starting in the New Year.
Aileen DiBenedetto’s will lead this service following
her two month maternity leave, which is scheduled
to start 11/01/14. She is on track for ordination to
the diaconate in June. Future staffing needs were
discussed.
Building Concerns/Repairs: There is a need to ad-
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dress the cost to repair the roof and broken window
in the library. After recent rain, water was found in
the nursery. This is a chronic problem. Gareth would
like a structural engineer to come in and find a solution to this problem at some point within the next
two years. This is a major concern. He also expressed
his hope that we would update the classrooms with
new materials, furniture and fixtures at some future
point. Our diocesan debt will be paid off in a year’s
time, so any plans are on hold for now.
Coffee Hour Committee
Tom and Peter reported they have been successful
getting people to agree to host. The committee has
people signed up through October.
Other Business
Constant Contact/Website: Colin reported weekly newsletter is going out via constant contact. Initial reports from Constant Contact show 74% of the
emails are being opened.
Property/Snow Plowing: Andy and Peter reported that we will be staying with our current company
who also have the contract for trash removal. They
will move the dumpsters so there will be more room
to put snow.
Ministries Fair will be on September 28th. We are
looking for volunteers to help set up the day before.
Veronica would like to do a raffle-type draw at the
fair based on collecting signatures at every ministry
table. Vestry will host coffee hour that Sunday.
Congregational/leadership development: Safe
Church Training is October 25th 8:30 – 3:30 and
will be an all day event. Lunch will be served with
the Deanery covering the cost of the food. Vestry,
church school teachers, youth advisors and anyone
who has dealings with members of the parish are expected to attend.
Auction November 8th: We need to raise a total of
$15,000 to cover what was budgeted in fundraising
for this fiscal year. Vestry is expected to participate
in planning.
Diocese News
Massachusetts celebrates consecration of a
new bishop for God’s people
With screens and banners hung, an altar built,
carpets, candles and chairs placed, and hundreds of
flowers arranged by dozens of hands in the days leading up to the occasion, it was liturgy—the work of
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God’s people
for the glory
of God—that
transfor med
Boston University’s Agganis Arena from
sporting to sacred space for
the Sept. 13
consecration
of the Rt. Rev. Alan M. Gates as the 16th bishop of
the Diocese of Massachusetts.
The service was both celebratory and solemn,
with colorful opening processions and the diversity
of the Episcopal Church in eastern Massachusetts
evident through the many voices, languages, and
musicians featured over the course of the two-anda-half-hour service.
Bishop Gayle E. Harris makes history as first
female bishop to preside and preach in a Welsh
cathedral
As the Church in
Wales prepares to enable women to become
bishops, Bishop Suffragan Gayle Harris of
the Episcopal Diocese
of Massachusetts became the first female
Anglican bishop to preside and preach in a Welsh cathedral.
“The church is not just enriched by women’s
ordination, it’s more enabled and empowered by
women’s presence,” she told Episcopal News Service
during a telephone interview from the U.K. as she
prepared for her historic participation in the 11 AM
Eucharist service on Aug. 31 at St. Asaph Cathedral
in Denbighshire, North Wales. “I see women bringing to the fore the desire that all people sit at the table of leadership, that all share in the benefits of the
life of God. Nobody should be ignored or left out.”
Harris’s visit came at the invitation of Diocese
of St. Asaph Bishop Gregory Cameron, who said he’s
been surprised at how long it has taken the Church
in Wales to take the step to ordain women as bishops.
Get ready for Diocesan Convention at forums
in October
Diocesan Convention is on Saturday, Nov. 8 at
St. Stephen’s Memorial Church in Lynn. Four preDiocesan Convention meetings in October offer an
important opportunity for learning and discussion
about the issues and business to come before the
convention, including resolutions and the proposed
budget.
Forums are scheduled to take place from 7 to 9 PM
on:
Tuesday, Oct. 14 at All Saints’ Episcopal Church of
the North Shore (46 Cherry Street) in Danvers;
Wednesday, Oct. 15 at St. Andrew’s Church (3 Maple
Street) in Framingham;
Wednesday, Oct. 22 at the Church of the Good Shepherd (74 High Street) in Wareham; and
Thursday, Oct. 23 at Emmanuel Church (15 New-
bury Street) in Boston.
Questions may be directed to Laura Simons at [email protected] or 617-482-4826, ext. 406.
Civil Discourse in America
Political, interfaith and education leaders
will offer their insights and views during “Civil Discourse in America: Finding Common Ground for the
Greater Good,” a 90-minute live Webcast on Oct. 22,
produced by the Episcopal Church. The forum will
be moderated by Paul Brandeis Raushenbush, Executive Religion Editor for the Huffington Post. Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori will present
the keynote address.
For more information about any of these topics, please go to: [email protected]
Passages
Baptisms
June 14 - Addison Marie Daly, daughter of Benjamin and Suzanne Daly
August 17 – Samuel Thomas Kuenzler, son of
Glenn Howard Kuenzler and Rebecca Marie McCarrier and grandson of Howard and Carole Kuenzler
July 27 – Charles Holbrook Evans, son of The Rev,
Gareth Clive Evans and Frances Elizabeth Bean
September 28 – Piper Rose McKeeman, daughter
of Daniel and Elisabeth McKeeman (picture to follow in
next edition)
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Marriages
On September 3 Matthew Fisher-Post married
Isaura Zelaya Favila at St. Paul’s within the Walls
in Rome, Italy. Matthew grew up as a member of the
Church of the Good Shepherd, and Isaura has visited
and appreciated the choir’s efforts to sing hymns in
Spanish. The service was conducted in both English
and Spanish for the benefit of the bride’s parents.
Below is some more information about this special American Episcopal church in Rome. The mosaics in the apse and the choir are by
Sir Edward Burne-Jones and are of such recognized artistic value
that the Church has been designated a National Monument by the
Italian Government.
St. Paul’s within the Walls in Rome, Italy
St. Paul’s has an international congregation. The morning Eucharist on Sundays is in English; the afternoon Eucharist
is in Spanish. St. Paul’s WTW is the only American Episcopal
church in Rome. The “walls” are the Aurelian walls built during
the Roman Empire.
Built in the 1870s, the church is decorated with PreRaphaelite mosaics, tiles, and stained glass. Among the historic
personages who appear as biblical characters in the stained glass
windows are Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses Grant, and robber baron
J. P. Morgan (a generous donor).
St. Paul’s has a thriving mission within the building: The
Joel Nafumo Refugee Center (JNRC), a day center that opened
in the crypt in 1984. Weekdays, about 150 political refugees from Africa,
South America, and the Middle East come to the center for advice and assistance and to learn English, Italian, and basic computer skills. The JNRC
visitors receive breakfast, basic toiletries and clothing, and pro-bono legal
assistance. They are tutored by interfaith volunteers of diverse ages and nationalities. During breaks they play
foozball and ping pong and watch
televised world news. The church is
near Termini, the main train station
in Rome where many refugees arrive. Most find out about the center
by word of mouth. Refugees often
call it the “underground church.”
One guest from Afghanistan commented, “I am Shia Muslim, and
many of these men are Sunni. Shia
and Sunnis are at war around the
world. In my country, there has been constant war of one kind or another for 34 years, but those who gather here are tired of fighting and
respect this Center as a place for peace.”
Merry Post
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