|
Vermont Interfaith Action Healthcare update |
|
Last May, over 2 dozen members of Christ Church participated in a Healthcare Sabbath, sharing stories with those of us who are members of our Vermont Interfaith Action Local Organizing Committee. Other congregations throughout Vermont, and throughout the nation were conducting similar forums to gather the human stories with which we hoped to affect the national healthcare debate. We wrote up your stories, respecting anonymity where requested, and added them to a notebook of other stories gathered in Vermont, and presented them to our congressional delegation at a forum held in June.
Since that time, we have continued to work on the issue, participating in a press conference on healthcare reform held by Congressman Welch, taking part in a national teleconference with President Obama, attended by 300,000 people of faith from throughout the country, and calling in as part of a phone campaigns to legislators to urge their support for healthcare reform. The national efforts were coordinated by People Involved in Community Organizing (PICO), the national organization of which VIA is a part.
Throughout the process, your stories have helped, both by giving us concrete examples of gaps in the current healthcare system, and by providing us with a spiritual goad to go out and seek justice. I believe that the stories have provided the same examples and goad to our congressional delegation, and that they have been incredibly valuable. Thank you for sharing them with us.
In September, I traveled to Washington DC with Kathy Bonilla, another VIA board member. There we joined advocates from 17 states where PICO is at work, and received updates on the various bills working their way through the House and Senate. We shared stories with each other, and also got excellent analysis of legislation from Community Catalyst, an advocacy partner with our national organization.
Then we went to our congressional delegations and advocated for affordability. As drafted, the House legislation and Senate Health Education and Labor committee bill had better standards for affordability than did the Senate Finance Committee bill. In our day of advocacy, people of faith from 17 states were able to meet with staff from over 100 congressional offices to talk about this crucial issue. All three members of our Vermont Delegation either met with us directly, or gave us generous staff time with their healthcare specialists. We've been communicating with them since our meeting, and they are working to see that the legislation eases the burden of those who are currently falling through the healthcare safety net.
The legislation will not be perfect, but some critical issues will be addressed. There will no longer be discrimination due to preexisting condition. a practice which still keeps people in other states from being able to even purchase insurance. Medicaid will be expanded to include more of the people who need it, and there are caps on the amount people at or below 400% of poverty will be expected to pay for both premiums and out of pocket healthcare expenses. Susan Reid If you enjoyed this article, then please subscribe to our RSS feed or via email to receive all new posts
|
 The Sudan Communion at Christ Church is an interfaith multi-cultural communion of prayer and support for the Sudan and its people in the Sudan and around the world. It sprouted after Martha Holden’s trip to the Sudan in 2007 through the prayers and conversations of Sara Baker, Joan Sabens, Danielle O'Hallissey and Martha after her return. One of the results of the trip was an awareness of the human hunger for communion and how that hunger is most richly satisfied by reaching further outside our comfort zones. Sara wondered how it might be if a small group got together regularly and prayed for the Sudan -- thus the Christ Church Sudan Communion prayer group was formed. We now have folks across the country and around the world and from different faith traditions joining us in prayer. We heard in mid-June that the sisters of the Maryknoll Contemplative Community are joining us in prayer. We know of other groups, and some we don’t, but the number is growing in a very God-full way. 
Anyone can participate. The group meets every other Sunday after the 10 AM service -- although we may move to meeting between services for the summer. Our plans are to continue to pray and to respond as the Spirit moves us through our prayers. We do not always see eye to eye about how to respond, and we keep on praying. Thus it is a crucible of discernment as well as an outreach ministry. We invite you to join us -- in person or in prayer. Please sign up for our blog.
Please help us pray the collect for the Sudan:
Gracious One, Fountain of all mercy, lover of all humanity, fulfillment of all hope, we bring before you the Sudan and its people in the land of their birth and spread among the nations. Strengthen and sustain the Sudanese people and all of us, Sudanese by birth and Sudanese by affection, who labor and pray on their behalf. Bring us into communion with each other that we may pray with one heart, that others may join us, and your blessing pour out upon the Sudan and its people, in the Name of all that is Holy. Amen.
Martha Holden
|
|
|
Senior Choir Roster 2008-2009
Bill Beard Bass
Ruth Beard Soprano
Sarah Blair Alto
Dawn Fairbanks Soprano
Meg Hadley Alto
Lisle Merriman Hall Alto
Dick Herrmann Bass
Diane Holland Tenor
Dick Mansfield Bass
Mary R Mansfield Alto
Jackie Mills-Brown Soprano
Susan Reid Alto
Frank Shiner Bass
Maggie Thompson Alto
Ron Thompson Tenor
Judy W Walke Soprano
Steamer Walke Bass
Brian Webb Director
Nancy Webb Soprano
Mary Williams Tenor
The choir will be in summer mode from mid-June until September. We are always looking for new voices so please contact Brian Webb if you are interested. Rehearsals during the term are Wednesdays from 7:30 to 8:30 and at 9:15 on Sunday mornings. Junior Choir
The Christ Church Jr. Choir is directed by Bill Beard, Jr. Members are Bill Beard, Adam Blair, Brynn Bushey, Madeline Conlogue, Merideth Stetter, Amelia Wilcox, Lydia Wilcox, Mary Wilcox, and Matthew Koucky.
|
Caring for each other in times of illness, crisis, or isolation is not solely the province of professional clergy. Pastoral care is something each one of us can participate in, offering love and support in a multitude of ways. A small group of Christ Church parishioners met in early spring to discuss current our pastoral-care programs, consider ways to make them more effective, and explore new ways we can minister to each other.
Prayer is a powerful and spiritually rich way to support those in need while deepening our own connection to God. Christ Church has had a prayer chain for a long time, with participants sending prayer requests through a telephone tree. That method has become a challenge as work and personal lives make passing telephone messages difficult for many. We would like, instead, to institute a prayer community, offering many ways we can ask for and offer prayers.
If you have a prayer request, please contact David Hall (223-3631). We will include those requests in the Prayers of the People, expanding the opportunity to pray for the specific needs of our parish. If you would like to receive a phone call in order to incorporate specific petitions into your own personal prayers, contact the church office to be put on the phone list. We will now have one person making phone calls with new requests. There is also a list in the chapel where you can ask for or offer prayers at a daily Eventide service. David will ensure that your needs are responded to with appropriate sensitivity and confidentiality and will help to find the best way our prayer community can respond.
Tucked away in nursing homes, hospitals, and apartments are some wonderful people who love to share their stories! We offer pastoral care to many of them through both Lay Eucharist visitors, who bring communion and a liturgical service, and social visitors, who may bring flowers, conversation, and good cheer. Visits are a tremendous gift to both recipient and visitor, and there is a great need for people to participate in this aspect of pastoral care. We will offer a program in the near future to share more information on this important ministry.
After our meeting, other ideas were offered as we begin to think about how we can care for one another. Here are a few of them:
- Can’t get out, but want to let someone know we care? Consider participating in a greeting-card ministry.
- A good meal is deeply appreciated by someone who is grieving or recovering from illness. Can you cook or bake something to be delivered or stored in our freezer?
- Do you have transportation? Shopping, running, errands, or driving someone to the doctor is a great way to make a new friend and help someone out.
- Build a relationship. Whether you’re a grandparent, a teen, or a child, come to coffee hour or to one of our dinners and reach out to someone new.
The Pastoral Care Committee wants to help build connections in our parish community. Do you or someone you know need a ride, a meal delivered, a visit, prayers, or other care? Can you offer transportation, basic nursing services, help with a project or food? Let us know! At different times in our lives, we all need or are able to provide help. We would like to start a list of people with skills, services, or gifts to offer so that we can match those with people in need of help. Ultimately, the list will be maintained and matches made through the Parish Office. For now, the Pastoral Care Committee will begin organizing needs and responses. To participate, contact Bonnie Smoren at
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
or (802) 371-7345. |
|
