Dear Community,

I can’t tell you the gratitude I have for those who envisioned and executed the efforts of the Cooling Our Neighborhood project this past weekend. Every time I heard about the project I felt genuine joy because both the process and the product were so thoughtfully organized and so faithfully conceived.

Many of you know that part of my formation prior to seminary was serving as a Community Engagement Liaison in inner-city Baltimore. I supported the work of experienced community organizers in the IAF network (the same affiliate network that PCICEO is in).

After a season of that work I now notice how the wise practices of community organizing are just as important and helpful in organizing a faith community:

relational power is everything;
partnerships must be mutual and transparent;
every person and community has assets to contribute; and,
don’t be afraid to make a big ask

Last weekend’s event was a real success story. And I believe that success was because all that was done was rooted in committed relationships:

our Friday morning volunteers at Prince Elementary School’s pantry know the leaders of the school;
our grant-writing volunteers shared their skills to apply for and receive monies to support an outreach project sponsored by the Creation Care Commission; and,
the project paired Saint Philip’s volunteers with parents and children from Prince Elementary School and Watershed Management

The result?

A long row of shade plants next to the playground, a long tree-lined entryway, and a cactus installation in the center of the bus drop off area. Everything was carefully designed and expertly installed by volunteers from Saint Philip’s and Prince Elementary School, Joaquin and his team from Watershed Management Group, Sam (the Principal at Prince Elementary School), and Kevin Dahl (Ward 3 Council Member). Volunteers provided extensive organization and a big lunch for all 40 volunteers.

My deep gratitude to our Grant-Writing volunteers, Jane Prescott-Smith and Barbara Cone; to Creation Care Committee members, Erika Johnson, Emily Swartz, Greg Silva, Susan Gamble, and Ruth Campbell; and, to Junior Youth leaders, Edina Hall and Kelsi Vanada—as well as the parents who got their excited kids to the event and helped make it a success!

On All Saints weekend it felt especially joyful to share gifts in the community: And one was a grant-writer, one was a priest, one was a landscaper, and one was an earnest teen – for the saints of God are just folk like me, and I mean to be one too.

It is not always the case that a project can be so thoughtfully planned and executed, but particularly when we are in the business of serving our neighbors in mutuality, great care is deserved. Thank you to everyone who took this work so seriously, took the dignity of our neighbors so seriously, and followed Jesus into deeper relationship with one another in service.

In Christ,

—Mtr Taylor