|
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
|
|
|
For the past fourteen years, the Full Ladle Soup Kitchen has been a rich and rewarding ministry for many at Christ Church. Every Wednesday, the Soup Kitchen serves a nutritious noon meal to 65-85 guests from our community.
 We are blessed by the very generous offering of area businesses and parishioners that donate soups, bread, coffee, and vegetables. A group of faithful volunteers gather each Wednesday and have a very good time working together in the kitchen and serving our guests. There is much laughter and comaraderie, both in the kitchen and around the tables. For all of us, the pleasure comes from getting to know the members of the community who come each week and enjoying a meal with them.
On a typical Wednesday, Lloyd Moyer arrives first to start the coffee and begin setting up for lunch. Ruth Prey arrives soon after to set tables and arrange platters. Susan Reid and Steamer and Judy Walke come mid morning to command the salad spinner, heat the soups and pitch in with whatever needs doing. Susan, the former owner of Susan’s Kitchen, is a wiz in the kitchen and has been called on to make a soup (as in “stone soup”) for lunch at the last minute. From time to time, she throws off her apron and picks up her fiddle to provide the entertainment.
About 11:00, the lunch service begins and more volunteers pitch in. Paige McIntyre and her two children, Madeline and Thomas arrive. Paige provides the Soup Kitchen with wonderful homemade goodies and is tireless in helping to serve and clean up. Madeline and Tom, Soup Kitchen veterans, help in numerous ways.
Two elders of the Mormon Church arrive about the same time and are responsible for serving the Soup. Often, Ida Lange stops by. Her cooking prowess and organizational skills are formidable and most welcome. As dirty plates arrive, Ed Skea, our dedicated and efficient dishwasher steps up to his command post at the sink. We all know to stay out of his way, as he is a veritable white tornado!
Charlotte and Ernest Gibson arrive about noon. Charlotte clears tables and helps guests find what they need. Ernest, clearly a crowd favorite, eats lunch and chats with a growing circle of friends, who thoroughly enjoy his company.
The clean up crew consisting of Les Bloomberg, Bill Beard and Gail Kilkelly and anyone else we can grab, drift in later, as their work schedules permit, and provide much needed relief. By about 1:30, all is done, and peace and quiet returns to the kitchen.
Please consider coming and spending time at the Soup Kitchen. The work is rewarding and fun, the company fantastic and you get to eat lunch!!!!! Sharon Wilson photo by thebittenword |
|
