Deacon's Corner-9.24.26

Greetings, Friends,

I want to introduce, more thoroughly, the book for our first October 14th meeting (7pm, in the meeting room near the parish offices, changed from the library), Poverty, by America by Pulitzer Prize-winning author, Matthew Desmond. 

A few years ago, I read his book, Evicted and was moved by his candid, often heart-breaking, account of how our neighbors come to be put out on the street. I recalled, from personal experience and those of friends, as to how close many of us might be to that, faced with a catastrophic illness, job loss, and lack of savings or family. In reading Poverty, by America, we will examine together the history of poverty in our nation and our responsibility, as people of faith, in addressing prayerfully how we experience poverty in our community and how we might take Christ into the world in work toward ending poverty. 

Here is a short excerpt: "Without poverty, we'd be more free. A nation invested in ending poverty is a nation that is truly, obsessively committed to freedom. Franklin Roosevelt was right: 'True individual freedom cannot exist without economic security and independence.  Necessitous men are not free men,' and a country besieged by poverty is not a free country...'All flourishing is mutual,' he adds, quoting Robin Kimmerer (Indigenous author of Braiding Sweetgrass). Please come and bring a friend! If Wednesday evenings are generally not good for you, still read along. 

If you are looking for a bargain price for this book, I recommend alibris.com. Below is a link for the book: https://www.alibris.com/Poverty-by-America-Matthew-Desmond/book/52293425?qsort=p&matches=149

Next, I would love it if any gardeners among us would want to bring flowers for use in church to share our bounty.  And this does not have to be flowers! Beautiful leaf stems and branches are just as wonderful. I'll get us started and I'll put a sign-up sheet on my office door. 

Speaking of my office door, please check it out for posters for our reading group as well as for other ministries such as the Bright Light Hat Knitting ministry that serves our unhoused neighbors in Center City as well as the program Bishop Gutierrez has deacons running that also serves to address poverty in our community, food insecurity, to be specific. 

Finally, every now and then I serve with the Bishop at his parish visitations, or preach at other churches. I will try to give any dates I am away to Charlese as much ahead as possible to ensure there is good communication. 

See you soon!

Deacon Jeannie