Many of you may know my son by his nickname, Poppy. His given name is Alpha Omega Stewart III. We came to what was Grace Episcopal Church in August of 2008 and we were instantly welcomed with open arms and many invitations to join things and help out a small and growing church in a box. The cool thing was that not only I was asked to help, but for the first time at any church we had ever attended in 28 years, Poppy was asked to help. Not asked if he "needed help". Big difference! Poppy was born with Down's syndrome and he and I have been asked his entire life what kind of help he needed. Never that "his help" was needed. Again, big difference. First Sunday there I was added to Jackie Glenn's big white treat board that everyone at Grace and now St. Paul's is well acquainted with and Poppy was added to Gregg Glenn's Usher Rota with training to begin the next Sunday. His best friend Daniel who lives with us much of the time also has Down's syndrome and also was welcomed with open arms as were my grandchildren who guess what! Don't have Down's syndrome.

 

Quickly feeling like family to Grace, Poppy began inviting friends to his new church and one was a young man, Tim, who had recently lost his father suddenly to a heart attack. Over the years, Tim, quickly and his mother, Kathie, slowly began to embrace Grace because of course Grace was embracing Tim and what mother can resist people who love their child? Kathie was a lifelong Presbyterian and knew little about us Episcopalians except we hug a lot and have lots of potlucks.

Well many years have passed and although it's difficult for Kathie to get up early on all Sundays after a long work week, she and Tim are here with us for everything else including our new ministry, Yellow Bags of Love, which was born from the heart of our fellow parishioner, Amador Alcazar. The second Saturday of each month we meet in Grace Hall to fill the yellow bags given by the Diocese. This story is about the first day 15 of us met to fill the bags and make a plan for distribution.

 

After all the bags were stuffed many of us started to grab 1-3 bags to put in our cars so we would have them near to give to someone in need that we would be sure to meet sooner than later. I noticed Kathie was leaving without a bag and I could hear that Tim was asking her if he could take one. She said she really wouldn't have an opportunity to give one out because she just drives to work and back home. I challenged her to take one anyway and if she didn't find someone to give it to by Wednesday I would take it from her. I knew she was hesitant because she is uncomfortable one on one talking to the homeless and I hoped an encounter would ease this. Thankfully at 1:30 pm she took the challenge.

 

The following are texts that I began to receive soon after we parted ways in the parking lot:

 

3:15pm: "Please forward my text to Amador: just shared our first yellow bag and met an elder woman Maddie, out in front of Smart and Final by F St. She was in the group of people that were thrown out of the encampment on Union Avenue by the city yesterday. Tim and I talked to her a few minutes. Tim will not let me go home until we find 2 other people.......THIS is his job.

 

5:25pm: Found Friend #2: Gregory, who desperately needed food and a Kleenex. Thankfully our yellow bag had both. We sat down next to him on the curb and talked awhile. He thinks he was on TV last night. He offered Tim his autograph. Such a sweet man. God bless him. Please tell Amador. P.S. Gregory was in front of a laundromat off of Golden State Highway.

 

6:30pm: Last Bag! Tony on the corner of H St. and Brundage Lane. Older man with a split and bleeding lip. Thankfully our yellow bag had some wet wipes and I had a band aide so we cleaned him up and put on the band aide and he was so grateful. He spoke mostly Spanish but we understood each other. He was sitting beside a dumpster at Payday Loans. Talked for a while but he was so hungry we left so he could get to his yellow bag of goodies. Now Tim will let me go home. LOL. God bless him. Please also tell Amador that Tim said Tony, the last man as he was eating his cookies, put his new black socks on. Amador picked just the right things to put in the bags, Oh; I also encouraged each one of them to share the things they didn't need with someone else. Now Tim and I have three new people on our prayer list. Tim, with his dear heart was grinning from ear to ear at the end, said to me; "Mom, now those people are happy" and I realized that this made a much greater impact on me. I was so out of my comfort zone. I am such an anxious person by nature and with Ken gone I'm more nervous around strangers, but I realize the reality of giving the bags is that it probably will change the life of the receiver for probably 15 to 30 minutes, but giving the bags has changed my life forever."

 

Warden Workshop

                                             Presenters: Bishop David and Canon Kate

 

The Roles of Wardens, Vestries, and Treasurers

What your job is and what your job is not

 

 

Treasurer Workshop   

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