Welcome

Welcome to All. This blog is a discussion site, looking at our lives through our experiences, our spiritual, and, not so spiritual lens, ....what our lives look like at The Front. We are and some would argue, always have been, in interesting times. Servants, past and present have been at constant struggle with whatever the issues of the day have been. Where do we even begin to name them: poverty, hunger, education, shelter, .... and did I mention poverty? Fifty-one years ago, President Lyndon Johnson declared war on poverty, a war by the way, we're still fighting. Then again, we've always been at war with poverty, and yet poverty has remained steadfast. Jesus apparently got it right: "The poor will always be with you." But Jesus was a smart man. Did he mean what we think? Does poverty always have to be with us. Let's talk about this, and whatever else, in real and truthful ways. Let's view our lives from The Front.
If you have come to help me, then you are wasting your time. If you have come because your liberation is linked to mine, then we will work together.
----(Anonymous) Australian Aborigine Activist
--mailto:--neilpitts@aol.com

Contemplative Action

The Rite of Initiation: You are going to die


A shocking statement. Perhaps. But the Franciscan Priest, Richard Rohr,,who has studied the Rite of Initiation has said the following::

"Every initiation rite I've studied had some ritual, dramatic, or theatrical way to experience crossing the threshold from life to death in symbolic form. Some ritual of death and resurrection was the centerpiece of all male initiation. It is probably why Jesus sought out and submitted to John the Baptist's offbeat death and rebirth ritual down by the riverside, when his own temple had become more concerned with purity codes than with transformation. It is probably why Jesus kept talking to his disciples, three times in Mark's Gospel, about the necessity of this death journey, and why three times they changed the subject (8:31-10:45). It is undoubtedly why Jesus finally stopped talking about it, and just did it, not ritually but actually. Death and resurrection, the paschal mystery, is the theme of every single Eucharist no matter what the feast or season. It takes us many seasons and even years to overcome our resistance to death.

"The transformational journey of death and resurrection is the only real message. It makes you indestructible. The real life, God's life, is running through you and in you already. But allowing it to flow freely doesn't come easily. When you do, the spiritual journey really begins. Up to that moment it is just religion. Everything up to then is creating the container, but you have not yet found the contents; you are creating the wineskins, as Jesus says, but you are not yet drinking the intoxicating wine."

Tuesday, June 20, 2023

Healthcare and Zion Baptist Church

 

 

In January, 2011, Lawrence Onishi, a Temple Medical Student, contacted me to inquire about being mentored through an Albert Sweitzer Fellowship at Zion Baptist Church. Lawrence was interested in studying the intricacies of providing health services to faith-based organizations. This was seen as an excellent opportunity to connect with the Temple Medical School, located directly across the Street from Zion Baptist Church. Furthermore, because healthcare access and healthcare trust are significant factors in creating health disparities in African American communities, there were abundant reasons for connecting with the medical school that could possibly result in decreased barriers to healthcare in this North Philadelphia neighborhood.   

Zion Baptist Church has a rich history of service the surrounding community, the city of Philadelphia, the Nation, and the World. While the Health Ministry of the Church has been an integral part of this journey, the connection between the Church and an Academic Institution is a unique partnership. In fact, it honors Zion’s long-standing tradition of coupling faith-based pursuits with education and in so doing furthers the tradition of healing communities and making them whole. Thus, the Church’s Christian Foundation is made manifest. 

Healthcare is a civil right.  This year marks the 11th anniversary of the partnership between Zion Baptist Church and Temple’s Lewis Katz School of Medicine and Temple’s Heath System. Through this partnership, several programs have been initiated, and resources martialed, which have much historic consequence in that many lives have been touched for enhancing health literacy. These programs are: Screenings for hypertension, diabetes, heart, lung and eye diseases; Dental health education; HIV/AIDS education; COVIVID-19 and Influenza vaccinations; Medication reviews and education; clothing and food donations to help benefit the Zion Cares Ministry; Smoking cessation information; resource information to assist in homelessness and food insecurity assistance. These outreach missions continue, and are essential to the Ministry of the Church. 

The collaboration of Church and Academia is Historic. In this partnership we see the epitome of Faith, Learning and Science---the basic ingredients of what it means to be human---- motioned in the same direction, at the same time to achieve the same objectives: Community Healing and Wholeness. 

The future holds much Hope for this partnership. Students from Temple’s Lewis Katz School of Medicines continue to serve faithfully at the Zion Cares Ministry. Student’s from Temple’s School of Pharmacy continue to offer medication reviews as part of their community service. Zion will continue to be a source of healing through administration of the COVID-19 vaccination, provided through Temple University and Miriam Medical Clinics.  Hope is always historic, especially when it offers the opportunity for changed lives. This is the historic consequence of the Health Connections of Zion Baptist Church.

 

Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)