Love the World Fellowship - Easter in Fairfax

Barb and I traveled to Fairfax to be with our daughter and her family for the Easter Holiday. Sarah is to be cup bearer for the 9:30 service and I put on a Spring suit with my favorite tie - Lisa Aged 13, Everybody needs a friend - a Save the Children reminder.

The service gets off to a good start. Joyous sounds, young people dancing to the Lion of Judah, traditional readings including the account of the Resurrection from the Gospel of Mark. The rector,Tory Baucum ascends to the pulpit and a solid Orthodox sermon ensues interspersed with  personal experience. I am at the stage where I am trying to scrape the paint from my spiritual windows accumulated over a lifetime. Having discarded "substitutionary sacrifice" as an obscuring doctrine, the sermon does not set well on my recovering heart and mind.

I wander outside and absorb the wonders of Spring. I notice a group of three men standing in the parking lot. I ask them if they are waiting for a lift and they say, "no we are waiting for the service". Each is carrying a "day bag" that looked stuffed. I say, "the service is going on right now" and they reply, "we are waiting for the service at Noon. The line will be long and we want to be ready early."

Not yet aware of what is going on, I hear the sound of basketballs hitting a backboard. Wandering down the path around the back of the church, I find the source of the sounds and a small army readying an outdoor shelter with a heater, chairs and curiously - ash trays. I am observed by a young man who tolerates the presence of an interloper.

I found that raising a camera caused discomfort for some. One fellow explained that many in the group had no wish to be identified. In fact, being identified in the group might cause some not to return. I realize one of the reasons for someone to be homeless is a desire to remain "free".

My host is on "staff". Although "equality" is a central tenet, some people assume the responsibility of maintaining peace and order. They sense authorities would rather they go away and their job is to suppress if not prevent behavior that would bring discredit to the group. Notable are inebriation and fighting. Substance abuse and addiction being another of the major causes of homelessness. He explains that 250 to 300 people show up each week. He attributes the "success" of the group to the charismatic leadership of Pastor Munny (I heard money). Pastor Munny is half of the team of Munny and Betty Yates. Betty died of cancer in January and I can feel the grieving still going on.

Munny and Betty were/are members of Truro and leaders of a home church. As an expression of their faith they invited anyone and everyone into their home for a common meal and common prayer. It was obvious that many could not attend lacking transport. Others in the home church movement pitched in including driving vans to pick up people. Munny dipped in his pocket and came up with weekly bus passes good throughout Northern Virginia so his guests could get around. Soon the house was overflowing into the carport and the need for space became evident.

Munny went to Tory Baucum and Tory made space available in a building across the street from Truro which Truro owned. That space too overflowed and Tory moved them into the basement of Truro's Office building which they in turn overflow. Munny hoped parallel operations would emerge from other home churches so that the group could remain small(er) and personal.

Tory's simple act of hospitality didn't stop there. When the Fellowship was challenged by the Mayor and City Council, Tory declared the Fellowship part of Truro Church. And Munny, a tax lawyer by trade would walk up to a confrontation with Police and say "I'm a lawyer; can I help?"

Many of the congregation go about their worship oblivious to what is happening next door but I found several of them helping out, especially with the food. I had already had communion with the staff (coffee and doughnuts) but when one of the congregants announced that communion would be served downstairs, I lined up with perhaps half the staff. A few host bearers and cup bearers show up and started to serve. One of the host-bearers exclaimed that they couldn't serve everyone for lack of "elements" and the lady of the congregation who initiated the communion exclaimed "Yes! There are enough!" with authority no one could refuse.

People from the congregation had contributed ham for a thousand and gallons of the best scalloped potatoes I have ever eaten. The usual fare is hamburgers and hot dogs from charcoal grills outside but this Sunday they would Celebrate. I entered the end of the line with a fellow I had met outside. He related many stories of the fellowship and a few from his personal llife.  He wasn't homeless but he was disabled. He looked much like any other upper middle class professional, spoke eloquently and attracted the attention of one of the congregants who asked "Why are you here?" He replied, "I am bi-polar and can't hold a job." Another of the major causes of homelessness - mental health issues.

After the shared meal, almost everyone attended a prayer service. A few "leaders" provided continuity but every one was welcome to share inspiration and "testimony". It wasn't the usual Redemption Song and tended toward "good" things people had experienced. A few had found employment with help from the "Lamb Center" - another story. Some had found help with their physical afflictions - another major cause of homelessness. A few even found "healing" and were looking down the long road back up. Carol, a healer with the Fellowship, helped people spot the moment in time when healing could take place. She herself had overcome a displaced hip and dropped foot which she explained was due to a combination of the mechanical and spiritual.

During the whole affair I noticed one white guy, a slightly younger version of myself. A "servant" type who found the time to relate the theology, philosophy, mission and history of the Fellowship. The theology was simple and un-dogmatic. He knew what "needed" to be done. He found inspiration in the Bible and believed that all the "answers" could be found in scripture. From a fundamental desire to keep God in his heart and treat others as he wished to be treated to an explanation of the modern electrical insulator derived from the ceramic pottery chards found near "Petra". He found simple commandments, among them one of the most difficult for homeless to obey - "bathe". On a visit to the necessary room, I found a dozen men busy brushing their teeth and shaving, taking advantage of warm water and a little privacy.

David is essential to "outreach". He knows the encampments of many of the homeless and loads up his van with basic supplies. He took a transistor radio to one camp after 9-11 knowing the homeless would not have access to the "news". Feeling hopeless as we all did, people just listened and prayed. If David will have me, I'd like to visit the homeless where they live. In these economic times, people are losing their homes to bankruptcy for two more major reasons of homelessness - unemployment and medical expenses.

"The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head."

 "This is the day which the Lord has made: let us rejoice and be glad in it"

 Thanks

To be continued