Pilgrimage Debrief (Part 1)

This week's post comes from Hannah Cooper, who wrote the following testimony and shared it at worship on Sunday, September 19. The second and final part of this story, as told by Regan Plourde, will be posted next week.

Hello, for those of you who don’t know me, my name is Hannah Cooper. I have been a

part of the youth program here at St. Paul’s since I was little, so I’ve been able to experience all that the program has to offer. Going through multiple famines and a mission trip, this summer I was lucky enough to travel to Grand Tetons, Wyoming for my pilgrimage.

Sunday

The first day was a big day. It was the first time we were flying without our parents and

for some the first time flying ever. First, getting there was a shock to my senses, having never been anywhere with that landscape: the size of the mountains and the haziness from the fires in Oregon and California was astounding. The evening was filled with introductions to our guides Pete and Bill and the numerous bear and animal safety warnings which did nothing to curb my worries. That first night we tried to adapt to our new surroundings, which did not go very well seeing as I freaked out for a solid 30 minutes before bed about a flying centipede in our yurt.

Monday

On Monday, we visited the Church of the Transfiguration set into the mountains, a landmark which we were constantly shown when curious of where we were going this summer.

Preparations for the stone soup dinners were also made at the grocery store as we formed our two teams.

Finally, we all went on our first hike of the trip where we were promised an opportunity to go cliff jumping down by Phelps Lake. This hike probably didn't start as early as it should’ve so we rushed to get down to the lake about 1.5 miles away. We lost the chaperones for a bit during the hike which became a problem when debating if we should be jumping off a cliff with no phones and no idea how to get help if anything went wrong. Luckily, the chaperones magically appeared while we were debating, probably a moment of wonder to be honest.

Tuesday

Tuesday was our day of service with the National Park Service. Our job: maintaining a trail that had been overtaken with sage bushes and plants. Now at first, this task was fun. We each had a giant pair of clippers and got to throw the bushes down the mountain. The excitement soon started to fade though as time went on with the discovery that inhaling sage pollen for three hours was not great for some people’s allergies.

Wednesday

On Wednesday, we drove to Yellowstone National Park. This was also the day we formed the kids car where all seven of us plus Reverend Helena got to go in one car. The park was beautiful and even though it was still Wyoming, there was a different atmosphere. We got to watch Old Faithful erupt twice and ate lunch by a river.

On this night, it was our team’s turn to make our stone soup dinner which went pretty well except for dessert. The plantains, which we for some reason thought would be successful even though we had no clue how to make them, were inedible.

Final Reflections

Before I let Regan tell you all about the second half of our pilgrimage, I would like to

share how pilgrimage has changed me. Now although I wouldn’t say that I necessarily found God while on pilgrimage, I have found a greater appreciation for everything that has been created around me. Being that much more removed from the real world than usual, the impact of nature was very strong; the views of the mountains which looked different from every angle, the abundance of butterflies everywhere I looked, and the overall serenity of this place provided me with a stronger appreciation for life. Enjoying every moment and living in the moment, not focusing so much on the what-ifs or the future but what is in front of me right now.

Each night, our entire group would have a debrief reflecting on the events of that day,

performing a short night service, and sharing our God moment of the day. Seeing as we shared one each night, I had an array of God moments throughout the trip, but the one that still stands out to me is the view of the mountains which never got old. From each new location or angle, the mountains had a different impact. For instance, looking at them over Phelps Lake felt different than swimming next to them in Jackson Lake. The simplicity yet depth of nature in the Grand Tetons demonstrated to me the beauty of God’s work.

Lastly, I would like to thank the St. Paul’s parish, our chaperones, our guides, and the

other pilgrims for making this experience possible. Amen.

Welcoming the Children

How appropriate that we're starting up our children's formation again (in a modified format), and this Sunday's gospel reading is from Mark 9.

In this story, Jesus is sitting with his twelve disciples.

Then he took a little child and put it among them; and taking it in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.”

Children in the ancient world were particularly vulnerable. Some scholars think that only about 50% of children in ancient Rome lived to see the age of 10.

So, when Jesus places this child at the center of their circle, he is highlighting for them one of the most defenseless people in their society. And he's identifying himself with that same vulnerable person!

"Jesus welcomes the children" from the Jesus Mafa project

It made me think of this painting from the Jesus Mafa project. In the 1970s, Mafa Christians in Cameroon did dramatic recreations of scenes from the New Testament. They sought to envision the most important scenes from Jesus' life in their own cultural context. Photos were taken, and French artists transcribed the photos into paintings.

In this painting, we see Jesus, wrapped in a red robe, surrounded by children. He has several in his lap, and others are gathered around smiling. Clearly he has a magnet-like effect on the children of this village. And they have his undivided attention.

The gospels record Jesus prioritizing children several times in his public ministry. I wonder what he means when he talks about welcoming a child in his name? He seems to have a soft spot for them, in the same way he has special love for sick people, tax collectors, and scorned women.

If welcoming children is equivalent to welcoming Jesus, then our supporting our children's formation program is crucial work. We're still looking for teachers for 2021-2022, and we'll be doing fundraising activities throughout the year that will need your support, as well. I invite you to discern how the Holy Spirit might be nudging you to take action to welcome children in Jesus' name.

For more Jesus Mafa artwork, see the collection online at Vanderbilt University's Jean & Alexander Heard Libraries. And let me know which ones are your favorites!

A Visit with the Neighbors

Since I started serving St. Paul's in the thick of the COVID-19 pandemic, there are many staples of our common life that I haven't yet had the chance to experience: e.g. famine weekend, the Apple Harvest Festival, and volunteering at Bread for Life. A few weeks ago, I was invited to Bread for Life so we can restart that connection.

Executive Director Donna Ayer and Missy Cipriano, Director of Operations, showed me around the dining room, kitchen, storage facilities, and garden. I also got to see the new bee hives! It's truly a remarkable operation. I had the pleasure of touring these facilities with (and getting to know) Michael Pavano, the new Director of Youth Ministry at the Catholic Youth Ministry of Southington.

The genesis of this re-connection came when we were launching the St. Paul's Little Free Pantry. (Read more about that process here.) Missy generously agreed to speak about food insecurity in Southington to those gathered at the blessing of our Little Free Pantry. So, I was thrilled when she invited me for a tour of this place that's so important to people in our church community—and in our town.

Missy Cipriano, Rev. Helena Martin, and Michael Pavano outside the garden at Bread for Life

Bread for Life feeds people with 130 meals per day, which is impressive. But what stood out to me even more was their commitment to serving their clients with utmost dignity at every moment. Their kitchen is as highly certified as a restaurant. In non-COVID times, they serve food on real plates and offer real dining chairs to sit in. No paper plates or folding chairs in sight! To keep everyone safe during COVID, they wrote a grant to create a similarly dignified outdoor space for the people they serve.

You probably know that Bread for Life bought the property for its building at 31 Vermont Avenue from St. Paul’s a handful of years ago. And then two or so years ago, they bought the land with our garden so they can grow fresh produce to serve to their clients. I loved getting to see the ways they’re using this land to serve our whole community.

Missy and Donna speak with passion about their love of caring for people by feeding them. During the tour, I kept thinking of all the times that Jesus fed hungry people and commanded us to do the same. I'm really looking forward to the time when Bread for Life invites volunteers back into their space!