Carry Your Experience with You
Dear FVMs, Eleven years ago, I found myself on closing retreat, where these words now reach you. Eleven years from now, perhaps you will find yourself thinking of one of your neighbors down the street, of one of the guests from the Inn, of one of the parishioners, of a community member. Maybe you have the same internet password as you did at your FVM house, because it reminds you of how much you cared about each other. Maybe you hear a church hymn for the first time in a decade, and it brings you right back to ministry. Maybe you’re still in touch with some of the other FVMs and can laugh and cry together as you remember this beautiful year of your life. Maybe you fell into [...]
Serving with Our Gifts
Some time after a retreat on personality types and preferences, I was talking with one of the FVMs, who shared a similar Myers-Briggs personality type. She was very engaged in working with students trying to address the problems in the community and in community organizing. I tended to associate people working for justice issues with the “Thinking” function but she had a solid “Feeling” function like me. I asked her about it, and she said that she “feels” for the people who need the justice and that motivates her to work so hard to help them raise their voices. She really challenged me, and she still does. She reminds me that, not only does everyone have his or her gifts, but that everyone can be challenged to serve the [...]
Reflections from Philadelphia
One of the jobs at the St. Francis Inn that I love is cleaning the bathrooms. I can’t remember ever cleaning them while growing up. But, here at the Inn, someone has to clean them every day because they get extremely dirty. So, when the meal ends a team member goes in, sweeps, replaces the toilet paper, scrubs the sink and the toilet, and mops. Talk about humbling work. It is a powerful experience every time! The spiritual journey is about being emptied of all that blocks a loving relationship with God. Cleaning the bathrooms is definitely an activity that empties me. It is a great opportunity to get yourself out of the way and let God work on you. Then, suddenly, while wiping the inside of the toilet, [...]
It Will Be Difficult- A Poem
It will be difficult To move to a new city To be surrounded by new people To work in a new environment It will be difficult To live in community To share parts of your life with others To be away from the comforts of home It will be difficult To enter a new church community To create boundaries To find a balance that works for you But it will be worth it It will be worth it because You are loved By all who walk along the path with you And all the people you will serve It will be worth it because You will be supported By supervisors, co-workers, teammates, and The other FVMs, past and present, from all communities It will be worth it because You [...]
My Authentic Inn Community
When you have a rough day, what is the first thing you like to do? Go home, watch a movie, or scroll through your phone. For me, when I have a rough day I like to talk it out, and I can TALK. My community member and I have what we call nightly inn debriefings. We sit down together each night, even if we spent the whole day together, and go over what we need to release from the day. She keeps me authentic and accountable and I do my best to do the same for her. The whole inn community for me feels authentic and supportive; they see you as you are and help you in any way that they can. When they saw that I needed to [...]