Deacons at Work in Denver

I've had a very full couple of days in Denver shadowing some dedicated deacons as they work with homeless ministries supported by the Episcopal Church here.  On Tuesday evening I visited St. Clare's Ministry at the parish of St. Peter and St. Mary in Denver, a program very similar to His Place at St. John's.   The evening opened with Eucharist in the church, followed by a dinner for about 100 in the parish hall.  After dinner, the clothing and "stuff" closet opened where I helped new friends find jeans and other clothing for the cool night to come.  Started in 1983, the ministry has continued to evolve thanks, in large part, to the efforts of three deacons, Melanie Christopher, Becky Jones, and Cammy Haupt, who take their call to serve Christ in the world very seriously.  They are each assigned to a parish, but serve the larger community at St. Clare's and elsewhere.  I also met Darrell, pictured here in his role as crucifer.  Earlier in the day he was cutting the lawn of the church and welcoming guests.  But only a few years ago Darrell was living in a box under a bridge.  St. Clare's Ministry walked with Darrell as his circumstances stabilized and he moved into permanent housing.  Now he is an important leader in the community.

Wednesday I accompanied Deacon Becky Jones to the 32nd Avenue Jubilee Center, a multi-service resource center for families housed in an Episcopal parish house, and to the St. Francis Center, a day shelter for the homeless which also has permanent, supportive housing units and a full range of resources for guests at the center.  Becky and a visiting priest offer Eucharist every Sunday at 8 AM at St. Francis Center.  At both programs I was greeted by yet more deacons, "retired" yet still actively serving.

In the afternoon, I joined Reuben to walk along the 16th Street Mall in Denver.  We talked to people who appeared to be spending a lot of time on the streets. Reuben talked to friends and met some new folks as he offered referrals and assistance.  Up to 100 people sleep on benches and over sidewalk grates along the mall each night.  I especially enjoyed talking to Reuben (an OSU graduate!) who has been doing street outreach for six years.  He got his start when he lived in an intentional Christian community in Camden, NJ started by Shane Claiborne, author of The Irresistible Revolution: Living as an Ordinary Radical and other books.  I talked enthusiastically about the young people moving into Franklinton and their work there.  We hope that Reuben will visit us in Columbus in 2012.

Now, back to the extraordinary visibility of deacons in Denver.  What impressed me is how seriously the deacons I met take their call to "take the church to the world and bring the world to the church".  They combine their liturgical responsibilities in a congregation with active work in the community that requires a significant commitment of time.  This may be due, in part, to the level of commitment the diocese has to Episcopal Jubilee Ministries.  The Diocese of Colorado has 23 Jubilee Ministries, so designated by the Episcopal Church because of their efforts to eliminate poverty and advocate for the vulnerable.  Deacon Becky Jones is the Jubilee officer for the diocese and works to keep the various ministries actively engaged with one another and with all the parishes in the diocese.

The emphasis on Jublilee Ministries may also be transforming churches with a long and rich history in Denver that are now struggling to survive be re-imagined into vibrant ministries that serve the poor and marginalized.  Sunday morning may see few people at worship, but ministries throughout the week demonstrate Christ's love and compassion.   The question is, of course, how to financially support these churches.  But that's the reason we all pay mission shares to the diocese, isn't it????