Service Beyond the Parish

Hugh Tilson

After the service is over and the choir and clergy have processed to the back of the church, the deacon sends the congregation out into the world "to love and serve the Lord." In effect, this dismissal calls on all present to be ministers once they leave the church. The catechism of the Episcopal Church defines ministry as representing Christ and his Church; bearing witness to him everywhere; carrying on Christ's work of reconciliation in the world; and playing a role in the life, worship, and governance of the Church. This praxis-oriented theology is underscored in the rite of Holy Baptism where the congregation is asked if they will seek and serve Christ in all persons, strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being. The celebrant also prays God to send the newly baptized into the world in witness to God's love.

The mission statement of the Chapel of the Cross calls us to worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness, learn and teach the Christian faith, love one another, strive for justice and peace among all people, care for those in need, and share our many blessings. Accordingly, the Chapel of the Cross has historically provided a variety of opportunities for its parishioners to serve as ministers of Christ to those beyond the parish.

One way that the parish serves the community is through the use of the space in its buildings. For example, it has long been a tradition for the buildings to remain open during the day for student study and for prayer in the chapel. The parish allows also numerous community organizations to use its facilities at no cost. Over the course of a 3-4 week period, outside organizations, such as the Johnson Intern Board, Girl and Boy Scout Troops, Habitat for Humanity, White Ribbon Campaign, Alcoholics Anonymous, English as a Second Language, Earth Action Fest, and the UNC Meditation Group, use facilities at the Chapel of the Cross for their meetings. In 2004, the church also provided space to nearly 50 preschool children. Over the last 33 years, more than 1000 children of diverse backgrounds and cultures have been taught at the Chapel of the Cross Preschool.

It has often been said that the budget of an organization reflects its priorities. If that is true, then reaching out beyond the parish is a high priority for the Chapel of the Cross. The annual parish budget includes line items for organizations such as Habit for Humanity and the Inter-Faith Council for Social Services. In addition, the Chapel of the Cross provides funds for nearly 30 groups through its community organization and discretionary funds. In addition, it is a policy of the parish that 30% of all undesignated bequests is allocated to the outreach endowment. Each year, the Chapel of the Cross sponsors the Attic, Basement and Closet (ABC) Sale to sell furniture, books, clothing, items for the garden and household. In 2005, proceeds from the ABC Sale - $22,500 - were allocated to 17 charitable organizations.

The Social Ministry Committee works to bring Christ's love, justice, and mercy into the world through education, stewardship, and leadership in social outreach. One of the primary responsibilities of the committee is to identify needs in the community and coordinate opportunities for parishioners to participate in social outreach activities. The committee also makes recommendations to the vestry concerning allocation of funds received from bequests and financial support through the parish budget. The committee also sponsors special outreach activities. For example, in 2004, the Social Ministry Committee worked with other local churches to provide housing for homeless men during the renovation of the IFC housing facility. The committee also led an effort to collect food for the local food bank and helped facilitate the resettling of refugees from Burma.

The Chapel of the Cross is one of a handful of parishes in the diocese that has two deacons, Martha Hart and Bill Joyner, who function to serve all people, but particularly the poor, the weak, and the lonely. Martha is involved in a number of outreach activities, including serving meals at the Inter-Faith Council for Social Services, helping patients and families at Ronald McDonald House, tutoring disadvantaged students, and conducting services at the Carol Woods Health Center and at the Cedars. Bill leads the parish CROP Walk effort to collect money to feed the hungry and leads a monthly special worship service for people with developmental disabilities. He also works with Project FAST of the ARC of Orange County to help provide assistance to families with members who are disabled and with the parish's Habitat for Humanity partnership. He is also involved in the emerging effort to develop Global Outreach ministry by the parish.

The Chapel of the Cross provides several opportunities to support national and international outreach efforts. In 2004, a number of high school students worked with Native Americans in Wyoming to improve housing and participate in educational activities. The parish has recently formed a Global Outreach Committee to build on two previous adult missions in which parishioners from the Chapel of the Cross and St. Paul AME went to Costa Rica to help build churches. The Global Outreach Committee is currently in the process of determining the site and nature of the next mission trip, which will probably be held in the spring of 2006. The Chapel of the Cross also provides annual support for orphans at El Hogar, an orphanage associated with the Episcopal Church in Honduras.

The parish continues to support efforts for reconciliation at the local and international levels. In the spirit of racial reconciliation, the Chapel of the Cross and St. Paul AME have engaged in a sister parish relationship for more than 10 years. In addition, the International Community of the Cross of Nails has established a St. Paul AME-Chapel of the Cross Center for the Cross of Nails, which has worked to promote racial reconciliation. The Chapel of the Cross also regularly contributes to the Martin Luther King, Jr., Scholarship Fund.

As a part of their personal ministries, parishioners at the Chapel of the Cross are involved in a number of outreach activities. For example, some parishioners are involved in care teams that provide assistance for those facing debilitating life situations, while others visit church members unable to attend services and other activities at the church. The parish AIDS ministry continues to prepare meals at the AIDS House in Carrboro. Several parishioners serve on the Board of Directors and/or volunteer to serve meals or provide other services at the Inter-Faith Council for Social Services. The Chapel of the Cross has also played an active role in obtaining resources and labor to build homes for Habitat for Humanity in Orange County. In addition, the parish has provided monetary resources to build Habitat houses in other countries such as Honduras. Several parishioners are actively involved in prison ministry at the Orange/Alamance County Prison, while others are involved in collecting clothing for children at the Thompson Children's Home. Parishioners volunteer their services for a number of local organizations, such as the Augustine Project, Best Buddies International, Blue Ribbon Mentor, Carolina White Ribbon Campaign, OKAY Opportunities for Kids and Youth, Orange County Literacy Council, Orange County Rape Crisis Center and Freedom House.

In his sermon on June 19, the rector, Stephen Elkins-Williams, told the congregation that our ministry is two-fold - tell others about the immediacy of the kingdom of God and show others about the reality of that kingdom so that they may experience it for themselves. To a large extent, the members of the Chapel of the Cross have responded to that call to ministry. Our shared vision of the Kingdom of God, however, is still incomplete; much work remains to be done. Poverty and homelessness continue to be problems in our community. Many of the citizens of Orange County are uninsured or underemployed. Men, women, and children are utilizing emergency shelters with increasing frequency and domestic violence is on the rise. Crisis intervention and distribution of emergency food are increasing annually, particularly for new immigrants in the community. Racism is still prevalent in our society and the need for reconciliation between people of different ethnic backgrounds is high. Over the years, the Chapel of the Cross has been one of the faithful witnesses to Christ's love in the world. Yet, much remains to be done to bring about the kingdom of God. The next time the deacon sends forth the congregation with the admonition "to love and serve the Lord," where do you think your ministry will lead you?

Send items for inclusion in future "Cross Roads."
The deadline is the first Thursday of the preceeding month.

© 2005 The Chapel of the Cross