Collaborative Ministry ExamplesThe Stewardship Committee received the following submissions of collaborative ministry at SJA.
Submitted by: George Wertin (phone 612-823-8205)
My example of Collaborative Ministry goes back many years and it demonstrates the solidarity of the people of St. Joan of Arc. It is the founding of PPL (Project for Pride in Living). I would have to go back and reread Neal St. Anthony's history of PPL for the details, but this is how I understand it. Joe Selvaggio had left the active ministry and was struggling to support himself in his work in the inner city. A number of people from St. Joan of Arc agreed to contribute money each month to support him in his new ministry. PPL developed out of that experience with a significant number of Joan of Arcers involved serving in various capacities through the years.
Submitted by: Jeff Rholl (phone 651-484-6631)
I understand George mentioned this one a few weeks ago, but let me get it in print.
The SJA website, by it's nature, is a collaborative endeavor. Not only does it use parishioners as it's eyes and ears, but it culls its stories from all areas of parish life. It also reaches out to those outside our parish. Thus far we have seen examples of that by the effects our reports have had on other people from across the country during the summer 2000 AIDS ride. The recent coverage of the trip to South Africa by SJA'ers affected people even on other continents.
As coordinator and webmaster, I am very excited when I see members of the webreporting crew moving into new areas of parish life and discovering new interests. I only wish we could grow our base of reporters and photographers so that others could experience that co-mingling of our SJA community assets.
Submitted by: Barb Green (phone 612-591-5974)
I believe one of the most effective Collaborative Ministries is being a partner in TRUST. St. Joan of Arc helped found TRUST and effectively supports its ministries with volunteers, money and representation on TRUST’s board. This partnership has resulted in TRUST being able to serve elders in South Minneapolis for over 30 years. We need to continue this Collaborative Ministry and re-dedicate our resources towards TRUST’s programs, which have been so successful in our community.
Submitted by: Jo Youngren (phone 612-788-4222)
For three years, I have initiated a peace vigil at Stillwater Prison on Christmas Eve, or more recently, the night before that. The crowd has been small; the most people we have had was 35. There are many things working against us. It’s usually bitterly cold and that time of the year most people are too busy to make the trip out to Stillwater. However, those who do come are usually moved by the experience and come back next year. The thing is that we are not allowed in the prison itself and the prisoners for the most part don’t even know who we’re there. You might wonder why we do this at all. It is to show our solidarity with the “least” of the people in our society. On that night we try to stand with them as a sign of God’s love in a world that doesn’t value them. I’ll try again this year, but would love to get more people from St. Joan’s involved. I welcome any ideas anyone would have that would help make this a more meaningful event for both the participants and the inmates at Stillwater.
Submitted by: Karen Milton (phone 612 827-6720)
Comment: There are several SJA members who live on the 4700 block of Clinton Ave. We have an active block club (20+ years) and work hard at keeping our block safe as well as ensuring that it is a fun place to live. We enjoy a diverse population and seem to be able to work out the conflicts that arise. As one neighbor put it, "It feels like living in a small town." Neighbors look out for each other and help each other in big (yard clean up or re-roofing) and small (picking up mail and papers or borrowing food or shoveling your neighbor's walk) ways. We also are good at celebrating. We get together as a whole block several times a year: alley clean up in the spring, parties in the summer and progressive dinners in winter. Smaller groups of neighbors also frequently get together to socialize or to help each other with home projects. I believe our efforts help make our neighborhood the kind of place in which we all would like to live.
Submitted by: Norma Schuh (phone 952-944-3817)
Two years ago, a tiny notice appeared in the St. Joan of Arc Church bulletin, soliciting an individual willing to develop a worship service for the residents of the Hennepin Adult Corrections Facility (HACF) in Plymouth. The Senior Coordinator of Volunteer Services at HCAF wanted the incarcerated men to experience the unconditional acceptance and diverse perspectives offered by speakers and parishioners alike that she’d so enjoyed while attending St. Joan’s for the past several years.
With the help of some of St. Joan of Arc’s lay prayer presiders, I put together the outline for a forty-five minute service similar to that offered at St. Joan’s (without the Eucharist), and set about finding and enlisting speakers and musicians as well as co-presiders to help with the ministry for the next year.
The Hennepin Adult Corrections Facility in Plymouth serves men and women with sentences from one day to one year for a variety of offenses, with the exception of first degree (premeditated) murder and first degree kidnapping. Alcohol and chemical abuse, prostitution, rape and theft are most often the reason for incarceration there. It is the fourth largest facility in the state and is considered medium security. Out of the population of 400 in the men’s facility, between thirty and sixty generally attend the St. Joan of Arc service. At the women’s facility the groups are smaller, generally between fifteen and twenty individuals.
My goal is to serve the spiritual needs of the residents, and nurture the growth of their faith and self-worth by offering a worship service that is welcoming, inclusive, celebratory, respectful, participative and ecumenical. I see this ministry as a venue for community and connection. Although the volunteers that I recruit and I are the “ministers,” the residents play an integral part of our spiritual journey, as well.
I share all to show what a collaborative effort this ministry truly is. Without the involvement of so many compassionate people (members of St. Joan's and other faith communities as well) this ministry would not be a reality.
Submitted by: Mary Patterson (phone 651-225-8942)
The first Sunday I attended mass alone after my husband Pat died last year. I shed a few tears while waiting for mass to begin. Just then I felt a warm hand on mine and looked up to see a lovely young woman comforting me. Since then we have sat next to one another and shared our friends. When Mary Jo needed eye surgery, I prayed for her, and now we really share every Sunday --- even the fun things. She and her sister bought a Cabaret ticket for me and I got to meet more of her family members. Needless to say, I really feel her ministry and will be there for her if she needs me.