Justice Ministries Reboot

An inspiring and inspired group of parishioners met in Fowler Hall on May 23rd to present, consider, and respond to opportunities to live God’s justice into our world—today. All friends and parishioners are invited to explore these opportunities with the identified contacts and prayerfully discern where God is calling you.

Prison and Re-entry. Georgia Burke and Linda Connelly presented opportunities to work with people who are in prison, especially women and seniors, and those who are facing the challenges of re-entry into society after years of imprisonment. Georgia works especially with senior programs, and Linda is a 49-year professional serving imprisoned and people who are re-entering society. For more information, contact Linda Connelly at [email protected] or 415-806-2105.

Gubbio Project. Amy Nachman and Nancy Clark shared the Gubbio Project’s work clothing, supplying, and feeding unhoused people through St. John the Evangelist Episcopal Church in the Inner Mission. Since most people living on the street must stay awake and vigilant at night, among other things, St. John’s opens its sanctuary for people to sleep during the day and provides a meal in the evening. Thanks to a very successful Lenten drive at St. Mary’s, in April we delivered 316 items to people being served by Gubbio. We are now looking to recruit and train volunteers to work directly with the people being served and will be assisting their fund-raising efforts to provide showers at ST. John/s for the unhoused. If you are interested in learning more, contact Amy Nachman, [email protected].

Nueva Esperanza Accompaniment Team (NEAT). Greer Hopkins joined Mikiko Huang (Congregation Sherith Israel) in sharing the transformative work of our interfaith partnership in accompanying migrants who are trying to establish lives of independence and dignity in the United States. Over the past three years, they have come from Venezuela, Ukrain, Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala, Argentina, and Afghanistan. NEAT accompanies them for 3-6 months to assist in securing housing, employment, legal representation, health care, and just learn how to navigate the logistics of living in the Bay Area. For more information on this transformative ministry, contact Greer Hopkines, [email protected].

Faith in Action Bay Area (FIABA) Affordable Housing Initiative. John Talbot (Cumberland Presbyterian Church) and Leslie Roffman (Or Shalom Community) represented Faith in Action Bay Area. FIABA is based on a community organizing model that is intensely relational and is shaped by those who are most directly affected. FIABA was central in helping us initiate our Justice Ministries six years ago. Informed by people in the communities, FIABA is organizing to keep people off the street by keeping them in their homes. Presently it is commited to ensure that the funds generated by Prop M actually are used to provide the intended ren subsidies. If you are interested in this intense, relational, community-based ministry, contact David Crosson, [email protected].