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Justice and Outreach Council
Monthly Digest
February 2023
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Welcome to the Justice and Outreach Council (JOC)'s monthly newsletter.
A place to find all the happenings of this active ministry at Trinity.
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Stories and Reflections from the Border Crossing | |
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Shawn Carey: I say we have to go down into the wave’s trough to find ourselves, and then ride her swell until we can see beyond ourselves into our neighbor’s eye.
~ Marni P. Harmony, Becoming
As someone who has paddled the swells of the open ocean, I know first-hand that being in the trough
can make a person feel both fragile and safe at the same time. The waves crests’ may be smooth or
white-capped, but either way the trough offers a kind of transitory “in between.”
On Friday, January 20, the weekly census of residents at La Cobina Migrant Shelter recorded 171 adults (including more than twice as many women as men), 42 teens, 76 grade school-aged kids, and 21 children under age 5. Fathers slept on cots in tents in the courtyard while mothers and children crowded into the 20 or so rooms that constitute what used to be a hotel. As with the trough between waves, this in-between “albergue” seemed to be both a vulnerable place and a haven. The gate–locked and guarded around the clock–served as a reminder of the relative security La Cobina affords migrants;
simultaneously it created a sense of being trapped, physically and by circumstance. Keep reading Shawn's reflection.
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Clare Carey-Pisani: “Bearing witness.” These two words were used in our reflection group at the Holiday Inn Express, 3.5 miles from the Mexican immigrant shelter. Bearing witness to what we’d all experienced. Bearing
witness is to be able to share stories because there is not much else to do. A few weeks ago I bore witness to 310 stories.
After a cramped 7-8 hour drive, we finally pulled off of the ending freeway to our hotel which seemed to be in the middle of nowhere. We were too tired, and it was too dark, to tell that we were in a town. After a very long and chaotic time trying to fall asleep, we woke up at 7am to start our Mexico journey. Keep reading Clare's reflection (page 2).
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Abby Selzler: In the days leading up to our visit to the shelter, I imagined that the children there would have no interest in us, and think of us as privileged white people showing up to make failed attempts to entertain them in what they thought we would see as dull and unfortunate lives. I thought many of the children would refuse to even acknowledge the existence of people like me, seemingly so different than themselves. However, once we got to the shelter we were accepted with wide open arms. I met some of the sweetest and most loving little kids I have ever known. They were all so interested in our lives, and excited to share with us a bit of theirs. Even though there was a language barrier, they still managed to communicate through smiles, hugs, and high fives. The experience I had showed me first hand a whole new side of the world I never thought I would experience, and I feel like so much more of a better person because of it. Although I will heartbreakingly never know the rest of these people’s stories, I will still carry thoughts of them with me throughout my life.
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Laurinda Marshall: I was privileged to join the youth groups and their escorts from Trinity and the Unitarian Society of Santa Barbara at La Cobina, a shelter in Mexicali for immigrants awaiting asylum in the United States. My intention for the trip was to bear witness; to be present for the residents at La Cobina; to “see” them.
As background, the immigrants at the shelter make a treacherous journey to reach the border. The trip is arduous. Some have traveled on “La Bestia” (The Beast), a train which travels through Mexico. They hop on the top of the train and one resident told of having to keep himself awake all night so he wouldn’t fall off and die. He saw the bodies of less fortunate on his ride. Others suffer from extortion and brutality not to mention hunger and cold. Keep reading Laurinda's story.
Background: The Border Project, under the umbrella of Interfaith Sanctuary Alliance, is a group which gathers contributions for La Cobina Posada shelter in Mexicali, Mexico. The shelter houses approximately 400 immigrants awaiting asylum in the United States and protects them from living in tent cities which are rife with cartel activity, kidnapping, theft, and human trafficking. The residents are parents with children.
Contact Laurinda Marshall at laurindax@yahoo.com for more information.
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Santa Barbara Feeding Ministries
Transition House (TH). For January 28, Lynn Carlisle provided the meal for Transition House residents. Lynn makes amazing cookies! If any of you have experienced Lynn’s cookies baking nearby, you’ll know how much it feels like home just to smell them.
February marked the arrival of 10 new team leaders joining the TH ministry. The team leaders make it possible for team members to join in, and seamlessly prepare and serve a nutritious meal for the 60 Transition house residents. There are many opportunities to join in as part of a team. Watch the Trinity Notes and the website for a sign up link each month. Contact Teresa Pietsch at teresapietsch4@gmail.com for more info.
Dinner in Alameda Park. We will preparing dinner and serving in the park again on Thursday, February 23. Check the online sign-up for volunteer opportunities or email Sarah Thomas, sthomas@trinitysb.org. Trinity's next dinner will be on March 23.
Freedom Warming Center. Trinity hosted the Warming Center for two nights, January 29 and 30, and served roughly 70 guests. Thank you to our kitchen boss, Mary Gibson. Our next chance to be activated to serve dinner and host an overnight stay is the week of February 26. If you'd like to participate with the Warming Center volunteer team, please contact Mary Ann Paxton in the church office at 805-965-7419 or office@trinitysb.org.
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Visitors welcome at JOC Meetings
Come and visit a monthly meeting (the third Monday at 6pm) and consider joining the council. Meetings are held in the Guild Hall at Trinity. Contact Jeffrey Krutzsch at: jskrutzsch@gmail.com for more information.
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Opportunities for Involvement
in our local community, at Trinity, and in the world
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Events and Activism this Black History Month
Join our friends at SURJ (Showing up for Racial Justice) for the latest calls to action. Sign up to join an "action pod," meet new people, learn more about local politics and racial justice issues. Learn more here.
Visit the JuneteenthSB website for information on these and other opportunities to participate in Black History Month.
Choice of Colors Panel on the Intersectionalities with Race
When: Saturday, February 11
Time: 1pm
Where: Soul Bites Restaurant, 423 State St. (between Haley & Guiterrez)
Panel discussion: “Black Women Rock”
When: Sunday, February 18
Time: 1pm
Where: Soul Bites Restaurant, 423 State St. (between Haley & Guiterrez)
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PFLAG Connects: Virtual Support Meetings
PFLAG meets online every month, on the second Monday. Meetings are run by trusted PFLAG Santa Barbara leaders, exploring topics relevant to the LGBTQ+ community, followed by sharing and support. Visit the website for registration information.
Next Meeting: February 13 at 7pm on Zoom
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Every month we publish a story of justice, ministry and volunteerism from a Trinity parishioner. This month we feature Brian Bargiel, who has been active in many ministries here for the past 10 years. Here is a quote from Brian's reflection:
"For me, regular giving and receiving improves my spiritual health, and I believe improves the overall health of the Trinity community. Volunteering pumps my heart in relationship with God and with my human family as I receive the spiritual gifts present in each encounter of service. This regular exercise of love as part of the body of Christ helps me to grow in humility and gratitude and to diminish my ego and sense of entitlement. I can always use more exercise in this area, and so you’ll keep seeing me around."
Read Brian's full story here.
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News from our friends at the Foodbank
In the words of CEO Erik Talkin: "These vast improvements would not be possible without the tremendous support of partners like you. The Sharehouse truly belongs to the entire community.” Read more from Eric here.
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Celebrate and Support Justice | |
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Look for the blue celebration envelopes in the pews!
CELEBRATE!...a birthday, an anniversary, a special event of any sort for which you are thankful.
Turn your “celebration” into a donation to the Justice and Outreach Council. We will use these funds to provide comfort and safety to those in need—food, education for children, assistance to immigrants—any of our neighbors needing support . . . so they can celebrate. Together, these gifts make possible our community of welcome, reconciliation and service.
We thank Irene Marsi, Anna and John Campbell in memory of Skye, Jeannie Christensen, and Sarah Fenstermaker for their kind generosity in January.
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The Justice and Outreach Council (JOC) continues its important work in our community and beyond. Funding for the JOC comes from your pledges and Celebration offerings. The JOC’s funding is part of our annual operating budget where five percent (5%) of all pledges received during the year is put in the JOC account. As pledge income has remained steady this year, these funds continue to be set aside for justice work.
There are two ways you can continue to celebrate and support our justice work in addition to your pledges both now and in the future. You can send in a check made out to Trinity and simply note “Justice” in the memo line and provide the names of the persons or occasion you want to celebrate. You can also donate via Trinity’s PayPal account, select "Justice Fund" and under “special instructions” provide the names of the persons or occasion you want to celebrate.
Thank you for supporting our justice work through your pledges, donations, prayers, and most of all, the work you do in your lives to make this a more loving, peaceful, and just world.
Kathryn Dean, JOC
Michael Dean, Treasurer
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Land Acknowledgement
The JOC committee devised this Land Acknowledgment statement to be read before meetings at Trinity.
We honor and acknowledge the Chumash people, the traditional custodians of this land, and pay our respects to the Chumash elders, past, present, and future, who call this land on which we sit their home. We appreciate their wisdom, their culture, and their presence among us today as the host people of this land. We lament the injustices done to the original inhabitants and the injustices done to this land in the centuries since. We seek the courage and wisdom to heal the wounds of the past and build a better future together, in deep solidarity.
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