National Jubilee Advisory Committee Meets in Diocese, Hears Requests from Social Ministries

by Pam Doty
The National Jubilee Advisory Committee met at the Hyatt Regency in Knoxville in March to consider adding more centers to the Jubilee network.

A Jubilee Ministry Center is a congregation, an ecumenical cluster with an Episcopal presence, or an agency with connections to the Episcopal Church, already engaged in mission and ministry among and with poor and oppressed people. Each program comes out of the history of its community.

The positive effects of such a designation include a network of resources from other groups already engaged in social ministries and a recognition of the work which the Episcopal Church is doing in the world.

In East Tennessee, the Episcopal Appalachian Ministries has been a Jubilee Ministry since the designation was created. EAM is a coalition of Episcopal Church diocese which works to support dioceses and congregations in their local Appalachian Ministry. It serves as the Episcopal member of the Commission on Religion in Appalachia and advocates for Episcopal Church funding for local community projects. Sandy Elledge, director of EAM, presented an update on their work for the Committee.

East Tennessee has several ministries which are seeking to become national Jubilee Centers. Each made a presentation to the Committee and will be visited by that entity in April.

The Rev. Pat Cahill, rector of Thankful Memorial in Chattanooga, presented the St. Elmo/Alton Park Reading Center. This ministry of Thankful Church in conjunction with the non-profit St. Elmo/Alton Park Partners advocates and encourages the growth of reading skills.

The Chattanooga Community Kitchen is an interdenominational ministry of feeding supported by these Chattanooga-area Episcopal Churches: St. Timothy, St. Paul, Christ, Grace, Good Shepherd, Nativity, St. Martin, and St. Peter. The Rev. Deacon Wade Frye, Diocesan Jubilee Officer, presented the work of the Community Kitchen.

Executive Director Chris Carins presented the work of Esperonza, the Hispanic Ministry Center in Chattanooga.

Director Ginny Weatherstone presented the ecumenical Knoxville ministry to the homeless --the Volunteer Ministry Center. The programs of the Volunteer Ministry Center are supported by area churches including Good Samaritan, St. Elizabeth, Ascension, St. John’s, and St. James’. The center provides a day shelter for the homeless with social services, medical care and meals available.

Harry Chase and Marita Pratt presented the various works going on in the Appalachian region, especially Campbell County, through three institutions. The work being done there includes the Appalachian School Supplies Project, building the White Oak Center to house work groups, and educational programs for women.The Diocese of East Tennessee and various Episcopal churches within the diocese participate in these various ministries, providing funding and labor.

St. James’ Church, Knoxville, is applying for Jubilee Center status for its feeding ministries to the community around the church. These ministries include serving meals to shut-ins, providing snacks for transients, supplying groceries and a meal for the poor, preparing and serving meals for the homeless at the Volunteer Ministry Center, and conducting an Alpha program.

Carolyn Dicer, Bishop’s Deputy for Program spoke to the Jubilee Committee about Jubilee Ministries in East Tennessee -- programs and events designed to educate and support race and reconciliation, stewardship of creation, economic justice and human sexuality.

The Rev. Canon Carmen Guerrero, Jubilee Officer indicated that all of these ministries are good candidates for Jubilee Center designation and encouraged them to apply. She said that each one demonstrated “walking the walk” of our faith which is the mission of Jubilee Ministry.

She read the complete mission statement of Jubilee Ministry: “The mission of Jubilee Ministry is to make a direct and dynamic link between our theology and our ethics - said another way - the talk of our faith and the walk of our faith.

As Christians we do this by:

• calling the church to live out its prophetic mission of empowering local people to ‘do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with their god’ (Micah 6:8)
• responding to the Gospel's call to ‘feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, welcome the stranger, clothe the naked care for the sick, and visit the imprisoned’ (Matthew 25:35)”

Ms. Guerrero added that a willingness to be a resource for others was a necessary part of the Jubilee Ministry network.

Pam Doty is editor of The East Tennessee Episcopalian.