“I was in prison and you visited me.” – Matthew 25:36

Posted on February 7, 2018 by Saint John's Episcopal Church

From Maureen Lavely:
Last Spring I saw an announcement from the Massachusetts Council of Churches to join them and Refugee Immigration Ministries (RIM) for training to visit those being detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). I applied and was accepted to attend RIM’s training. The instructors did a great job preparing us to visit detainees

Since I live in Boston, I asked to be placed in a facility close to my home. My CORI passed and my request for permission to visit detainees at Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department (jail) on Bradston Street in Boston was approved.

Just getting there can be difficult but very rewarding. My only language is English but I’m happy we visit as a team; I “go in” with two or three others and usually with someone that is fluent in Spanish. Besides Spanish, we’ve encountered men who only speak French, Italian, or Chinese. We introduce ourselves as being representatives of many people who care about them and their situation. Our sole function is to be there because we care about them and are willing to listen to what is on their hearts.

Last Saturday I attended a Spiritual Care Giver’s retreat. It was an opportunity to meet other folks doing this ministry, to share our experiences and ask questions. Please note some additional information I brought back to share.

Blessings and peace,

Maureen Lavely

If you feel a call to this kind of ministry, please speak to Maureen. Here is the additional information she brought back to share with us:

A Symposium on Traumatic Issues Faced By Asylum Seekers
sponsored by Refugee Immigration Ministry
February 19th, 6:30 pm
At St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 26 Washington St., Malden
Suggested Donation: $20

Spiritual Care Givers Training
sponsored by Refugee Immigration Ministry
This series of training events is for those who are interested in participating in the ministry described above by Maureen. As she wrote, caregivers go in teams to visit persons held in local county jails.
Dates for the training are: February 19, March 1, 8 and 15th.
There is an information sheet at church, and you can find out more by clicking here.

Act In Love: I Was Hungry and You Gave Me Food

Posted on January 11, 2018 by Saint John's Episcopal Church

Rise Against Hunger: Packaging Meals for Those in Need – Saturday February 10

Several of us participated last year in a Boston Harbor Deanery mission event: packaging meals for Rise Against Hunger, an organization that provides food for emergency relief in times of natural disaster and places where there are severe food shortages. The mission of Rise Against Hunger is to end hunger in our lifetime by providing food and life-changing aid to the world’s most vulnerable people and creating a global commitment to mobilize the necessary resources.

Boston Harbor Deanery churches are invited to send volunteers to Church of the Advent, Beacon Hill, on Saturday, February 10, from 10am to noon. Children are welcome and encouraged to be volunteers!

Packages of dry food, enough for one meal, are assembled by the volunteers. Forty volunteers are needed to help package 10,000 meals. Monetary donations will also be welcome. Last year, Bev Anderson, Maureen Lavely, Bridget Nyhan and children, and Whitney Hayden and children were among our volunteers. Speak to them and find out how enjoyable their morning of mission was.

Please let Bridget Nyhan know if you want to register as a volunteer:

bgnyhan@yahoo.com

Monetary donations can be made by making a check out to Church of the Advent, and placing it in the offering plate or sending it to the church office.

Thank you!

Renewing Our Commitment to Harvest On Vine

Harvest on Vine is Charlestown’s Emergency Food Pantry, offering distributions of food twice a month, and on special occasions such as Thanksgiving, to Charlestown families in need. Adrienne Sweetser will be making regular deliveries from St. John’s to the Food Pantry, and we want to encourage everyone in the parish to consider bringing some food items on a weekly basis.

Currently, the needs are:

White Rice

Cans of soup

Cans of ravioli

Cans of beef stew

All items can be placed in the Harvest on Vine Basket – on the left as you enter the church. Let’s see if we will need to get a larger basket!

Be a Blessing with B-SAFE

Posted on June 23, 2016 by Saint John's Episcopal Church

Summertime is B-SAFE time and we need your help!!

For the past three years, St. John’s has teamed up with our friends at Old North to spend a wonderful, fun-filled week assisting with B-SAFE … the Bishop’s Summer Academic and Fun Enrichment program. This fabulous Diocesan program provides a safe, fun, academically enriching environment for more than 600 elementary and middle school students at six Episcopal church and school sites in Boston and Chelsea. B-SAFE also offers meaningful work experience for teens and young adults hired as counselors-in-training and staff. We will be assisting at the St. Luke’s, Chelsea site from Monday, July 25 through Friday, July 29. Your financial support, your time and your talents are needed.

Donations are being accepted now: Checks made out to St. John’s with “B-SAFE” in the memo will go to purchase the food we will be serving at lunch on Wednesday and Thursday, July 27 and 28, and for lunch and other costs associated with the field trip we are sponsoring on Friday, July 29.

Please check your calendar and sign up now to assist! We need your help here in our kitchen Wednesday evening, July 27 to prep the meal we will serve on Thursday, and again Friday morning to prepare bag lunches for the field trip. Your help is also needed from 10:30am until 2pm, Monday through Thursday at the St. Luke’s Chelsea site where our friends from Old North will be joining us to prepare lunch, serve lunch and join the children to eat lunch each day. Middle and high school age children are welcome to assist as well — both in the St. John’s “prep” kitchen and at St. Lukes!

Please click here to go to the electronic sign-up sheet and let us know when you will join us to help. You can also call the office, or speak to Steve Spinetto to volunteer. Ask anyone who has helped in the past … this is a wonderful, fun and grace filled thing to do!

Ziti was a popular choice for lunch last summer!

An Invitation to Ministry With the Homeless Community

Posted on June 23, 2016 by Saint John's Episcopal Church

AN INVITATION FROM MAUREEN LAVELY

MANNA (Many Angels Needed Now And Always) is a community of homeless and previously homeless folks that meet at the Cathedral of St. Paul on Tremont Street, Boston every Monday at 10:00 am for a meeting, and then lunch for ANYONE who wishes to come at noon. After lunch we have a service with Eucharist celebrated each week.

The Missioner of this program, Cristina Rathbone, is traveling to India for a three-month sabbatical. While there’s a “seasoned” group of volunteers and staff, new energy is always welcome.

Typically I leave Charlestown around 9:20 am to walk to the Cathedral; however, I’m willing to take the T if you’re not a walker. I’m usually home by 3:00 pm. I eat with the guests.

Please speak to me if you’d like to give this opportunity to serve a try.

Thanks.

Maureen Lavely mglavely@verizon.net
617-242-3868

The Blessings of Serving at B-SAFE

Posted on August 4, 2015 by Saint John's Episcopal Church

Thanks to the volunteers and coordinators of the St. John’s—Old North Church shared week supporting B-Safe! Led by Steve Spinetto and Catherine Womack from St. John’s, Leah Raymond from Old North, and Priscilla Burns, , our teams enjoyed serving lunch each day and leading a field trip Friday. Thanks to Steve and Catherine, Alice Krapf, Kathleen McCormick, Jonathan McCormick, Nancy Armstrong, Maureen Lavely, Bridget Nyhan, Marion Wood, Bev Anderson, Karen Tompros, Rosemary Kverek, the Heim family, the Herlihy family, Evie and Laura Scoville, the Ringrose family and Barbara Bush who along with the Rector donated time, talents and/or funds to help St. John’s and Old North provide nutritious lunches and snacks for the children attending our Diocese’s summer camp at St. Luke’s in Chelsea.

Among the highlights were spending time at the lunch tables with the campers, (and learning that the ziti casseroles were a great hit), Steve Spinetto discussing with fascinated listeners the intricacies of his various artificial legs, and a field trip on Friday to the Adaptive Playground at Spaulding Hospital.

Thank you again to everyone who made our ministry in Chelsea possible!