STREET OUTREACH INITIATIVE

QVOD EORVM MINIMIS MIHI

As to the least of them, so to me (Mt 25:40)

SUMMER 2011

INSIDE THIS ISSUE ON THE STREET CHRISTIAN FORMATION A BIT ABOUT MATTHEW OUTREACH NEWS

2011 Chris Loh

Photographed on the corner of Hastings and Gore.

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STREET OUTREACH INITIATIVE

 ON THE STREET
I work in a place where the least expected things are always to be expected, and where God reveals himself in the most unlikely people and places.

Why dont you to join me, on this slightly overcast afternoon. Walking down Powell St...A black man in his late 20s is heading in my direction. We both stop, and he looks me in the eye: Exorcism...Do you do exorcisms...? He asks matter-of-factly. I tell him the truth . . . Havent done too many lately ... Whats up? He is not forthcoming. But asks, Look, can I meet with you...? But later . . . Ive got to be somewhere else right now. I make an offer: St James Church, in an hour? Do you know it...? He nods grimly, and departs without a word. I continue down Powell St. On my way to the most infamous street corner in Vancouver. The intersection of Main and Hastings deserves its notoriety.

Im stepping up onto the sidewalk in front of the Carnegie Centre, when a thin white man in his 50s immediately asks me, What do you need? What can I getcha? Hes a front man for a dealer, standing around the corner. Hes asking what drugs Im looking for. I shake my head, No. Directly in front of me, people are exchanging bills and coins, for small paper flaps, prescription pill bottles, and tiny crystals that look like rock salt. On this corner you will find, what our Book of Common Prayer refers to as all sorts and conditions of men. This includes merchants, professionals, middle class types, trades workers on breaks, and others, all visiting this part of the neighbourhood, to score. I enter the Carnegie, and at the front desk, pickup the latest drafts of Free Food and Resources in the Downtown East Side. These brochures are the definitive, up to date listings of whats available for people in need of various things, from a hot lunch, to emergency dental care, to assistance with applying for replacement Photo I.D. Across the street on the northwest corner, and away from the drug bazaar, groups of indigenous men and women are talking, laughing, and milling about. You might expect that, as a white Anglican priest, I would be persona non grata among those who as children attended the infamous Residential Schools. It is remarkable that here there is hospitality and kindness. I meet and catch up with 2 friends.

Vince is indigenous man in his late 20s. A black eye and split lip are evidence that Vinces been in another scrap. A man not prone to
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violence, hes very open, as he recounts the circumstances that led to such a rough encounter. I shake my head, chiding with a smile. For the street outreach priest, parishioners are not only those who show up at the church building Sunday. Our parish members include men and women just like Vince. Residents and denizens of the neighbourhood parish of St James. And my colleagues, on a team of seven priests, do the same. They are all prepared to stop and connect when encountering a friend or someone in need. For all of us, the parish extends very definitely into the neighbourhood, including its toughest street corners. As I bid Vince farewell, Chris, an indigenous man in his late 30s, smiles and says hello. Chris has just completed a demanding drug recovery programme. I make a practice of celebrating all triumphs, both great and small. And as Chris speaks about this landmark in his life, I have never seen him so open hearted and joyful. I celebrate with him this major step. To my mind, there is no recovery that is not a miracle. And I tell him, that the Creator must be very proud of him. In speaking with the indigenous members of our parish, I am comfortable referring to God openly and directly. People in other areas of our city, on Robson Street, or at a mall in suburbia, might wonder at a statement mentioning God. But in the DTES, and especially among the members of the First Nations, it is simple and natural to speak of Gods presence in our lives.

An aboriginal man up ahead sees me coming. Hey there, Mushum. Tall and in his early thirties, he leans back, against the Western Union store window, and says nothing further. I stop. Sorry... I didnt hear what you said...? About a mushroom? No, he says, mush-um, not mushroom! He shifts his eyes, left and right; never looking straight at me. You, you are a Mushum. I stare blankly at him, and he can tell that I dont get it. He looks right and left, yet again. Am I irritating him? It feels as if he cant stand the sight of me. I dont understand...? What does mushum mean? Only now does he look straight at me. Go. Ask an elder what mushum means... Okay, I tell him. Ill do just that. And with this, I move on. Baffled. What did I do to offend this man? I walk and wonder about the meaning of mushum. It sounds like something bad. But why...? An insult maybe? Im walking now on Abbott Street, and I hear the whining of a small engine. I look up to see an old motorcyclethe kind with a sidecar heading toward me. Painted blue, it must be surplus, World War II vintage. But then, I do a double take at the passenger in the sidecar. There sits a large brown doga genuine hound. His eyes protected by goggles, a scarf around his neck! He looks around nonchalantly, as if taking in the sites.

Chris and I catch up. And I head further down Hastings.

ST. JAMES ANGLICAN CHURCH

No, Im not hallucinating! This is just a typical moment, in an average day, in the life of the Downtown East Side.
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I head back to the Church to meet the fellow about exorcism. And for the record, I have never done one. From experience, the chances are this: 35% that he will show for the meeting, and 65% that he wont. . . I sit on the concrete front steps of St James, and brood about how ineffective I feel. Especially when it comes to follow-up meetings. On top of that I begin to wonder again about what the word mushum must mean. Perhaps it means fool or phoney, or maybe something worse... Frustration wells up, from deep within me. I am staring at my feet... When out of the blue, some words come to my ears... Dontbesohardonyourself... And as I look up, its not at all clear who has said this... There is no one nearby, except an IndoCanadian man in his 30s... He strides by, and for a moment, looks up the steps at me. Blank faced, moving quickly. And then he is gone.

on my part. The most I can do, at times, is to be available. Whether someone shows up, or not, is up to them. I go to the Church to write some log notes, and update the prayer list. 20 minutes later, and I head down Cordova Street, to meet my old friend Wayne for coffee. Again, I start brooding about the native fellow and how I must have offended him. . . Down the sidewalk, two women in their 20s are laughing as they walk in my direction. One of them looks up and stops me. You. Are you a real priest...? I tell her that I am, and that I work in this parish. Oh, Im an Anglican too. Her enthusiasm is genuine. She points to her girlfriend. Hey. Its her birthday. Can you give her a blessing? I look over at the other girl, who smiles quietly and nods her approval.

The hairs stand up on my arm. . . Dontbesohardonyourself. I am not sure who said this, nor do I know what prompted his words. But I do know these words are for me, and for this precise moment of frustration. Almost as if God himself, were trying to tell me something... I look at my watch; the fifteen minute grace period has expired. Yet one more noshow! I think of the words just given to me. And I can see that a no show does not equal failure
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So I say a blessing, for the birthday girl. And another blessing for the one who asked. She responds, with considerable emotion, I havent been to Church for 10 years...Im really glad we ran into you...Theres a reason this happened... I point over my shoulder in the general direction of the St James building...If you ever want a place to pray, or a spiritual home, youve got a standing invitation! Im sitting now. Sharing a cup of coffee with Wayne. Wayne is a traditional First Nations artist. God has bestowed awesome artistic gifts upon him. We reminisce and laugh about living in Regina Saskatchewan, where both of us went to high school. As we talk, I am reminded that sitting across the table from me is a member of the Cree People. I change the topic . . .

STREET OUTREACH INITIATIVE

Wayne, can you explain something? I ran into a native guy this afternoon.. He called me mushum... Its something bad --- isnt it? Wayne responds immediately: No. Not something bad! Waynes eyes are very serious, as he meets my gaze. A term of respect. Mushum means Grandfather... Like someone who looks out for the well being of others. Its not something bad, Matthew. He is honouring you. I sit in silence, just looking at my friend. Grandfather...? I am surprised and humbled. The indigenous men and women I work with are not glad-talkers. They do not use words lightly. As Wayne and I part company, I am quiet and deeply moved. Tonight is the feast of Corpus Christi. And I am back just as the evening service begins.

out of the windows, and flows down the wall, to where we are speaking. The narrative, about a Father who truly forgives, clearly makes sense to her. Donnas facial expression and her posture both relax visibly. She says yes to my offer of the words of absolution. And as we are about to part, I offer Donna one of our prayer cards, with a careful selection of the basic prayers of the Christian Church.

I will spend some time on the front step, to welcome neighbourhood latecomers to Church. Music rises from the choir, out the window, and onto the street where I stand. A young Chinese woman, in her early 20s asks if we can talk. I nod, and move to the side, for some privacy. Donna recounts some past wrongdoing and asks: Pastor, can God ever forgive me...? She is sincere and speaks plainly, and I am filled with both compassion and respect for her. I tell her the truth..: Oh. You might be surprised at what God can do...! Donnas expression immediately changes, and she looks searchingly. And I recount for her, briefly, Jesus story of the Prodigal Son. As I stand there with her, leaning against the wall of Church, the spicy fragrance of incense from the procession streams
ST. JAMES ANGLICAN CHURCH

As I put on a cassock, as the choir sings, I pray a deeply felt thank-you to God, for the vast privilege of doing this particular ministry, at this point in time. This has been just one day in the 130 year connection between this neighbourhood and this church. What a wonderful thing it is, to be a part of it. Copyright 2011 Matthew Johnson. The names and descriptions of persons mentioned here have been carefully altered to protect identities. Events are not in their original chronology. Photographs do not depict those who are mentioned in this article. MJ

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 CHRISTIAN FORMATION
Christian Formation is an integral dimension of our Outreach work. Part of this is providing resources, in particular for Christian Prayer and Faith. For those who wish to study the Scriptures, and are street involved or on limited incomes, SOI provides new hardcover NRSV Bibles at no cost. We also provide Prayer Cards in English, and in Spanish; designed especially for street involved neighbours. Our aim is to provide the central prayers of the Christian Tradition; and especially the texts most critical for daily life, and for moments of crisis. We have revised our English Prayer Card, adding two texts to the collection: The Two Great Commandments, and The Prayer of the Good Thief Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. The overall objective with the prayer card is to identify and make available, what are perhaps the most significant and powerful of all Christian prayers, that also address the life situations of our neighbours on the Street. These are fitted on a two sided post card. SOI is most grateful to the St James Outreach Committee, and to Convenor Professor John Conway, for underwriting this much needed ministry resource. And to Stephen Rathjen, who accomplished design and printing of the card.
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 A BIT ABOUT MATTHEW

Sometimes people ask about how I got into the work of street outreach. Did I begin with a degree in social work? Did I train specifically for urban ministry? Well, No. Actually I trained as a theologian and I could never have foreseen that Id be working in the Downtown East Side! I began studies in political science at University or Regina. I did a couple of courses in Religious Studies at the Jesuit College. It is there that my interests in theology and liturgy began. From there I did a Masters degree at Regent College, and a Master of Divinity at Trinity College, University of Toronto. I completed the course work for a Ph.D. at St Michaels College, University of Toronto, from which I am currently on leave. I have published a number of articles and reviews in journals like Studia Liturgica, National Bulletin on the Liturgy (Canadian Council of Catholic Bishops), and the Toronto Journal of Theology. The biggest piece of work Ive produced is called Bibliographia liturgica. The book was published in Rome by the Vincentian Fathers. When I hit the streets each day, I know I am not alone. I am aware of Gods presence. My other companions include St Anselm of Canterbury, St Thomas Aquinas, and Fr Karl Rahner. Many of their insights are universal in application. They address directly this time in history, and this place of the Downtown East Side. Their teachings about God and the dignity of the human person, provide a constant resource, as I move from one situation to another. I love the pastoral work which I am privileged to do. What is fascinating to me is that my training in theology should be so relevant to this work of pastoral outreach. Perhaps I did indeed become a sort of theologian in practice. Although I could never have foreseen the shape of this vocation, I cannot imagine any other sort of work Id rather do.

2011 Chris Loh ST. JAMES ANGLICAN CHURCH

Photographed in an alley near Main & Hastings St.

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 OUTREACH NEWS
A NEW 3 YEAR COVENANT FOR THE STREET OUTREACH At the heart of the Street Outreach Initiative is a three way partnership, involving St James Church, Diocese of New Westminster, and our Community Funding Partners. On 13th of October 2010, these Partners arrived at a new 3 year funding agreement, which will keep the Outreach operating in the current year and right through 2013. On 19 November 2010, a new entity, the SOI Partners Executive Group, held its first meeting at Christ Church Cathedral. In attendance were Mr John Van Luven (representing St James), Ms Judy Hager (representing community funding partners), Fr Matthew Johnson (Street Outreach Priest), and Convenor the Ven Dr Ellen Clark-King (representing the Diocese). The Executive Group took on the task of recasting a new Covenant in Ministry, among the Partners. This new Covenant was signed at the Synod Eucharist on 27 May 2011. We are grateful to so many, whose work has made this possible. Special thanks go to Diocesan Staff members, Mr Rob Dickson, and Fr Paul Borthistle (now at St Marys Kerrisdale). Their assistance was instrumental in the complex task of forging a new agreement for the continuation of this work. SPECIALIZED TRAINING FOR CRISIS INTERVENTION Last summer, Fr Matthew completed the training and instructor accreditation process with the Crisis Prevention Institute, based in Milwaukee. He is now certified to deliver training programme called Non-Violent Crisis Intervention. There are times on the street, when things hang in the balance. Someone may be angry or agitated, and ready to strike out at someone else, or indeed at me. The Rules of Engagement when Im on the street, start first with putting distance between myself and the individual acting out. But sometimes this is not possible. In moments like this, words and behaviour can directly influence what happens next, and the overall outcome. Many of the persons encountered on the street have serious and untreated mental illness. Others struggle with addictions, where drug use itself can occasion temporary (and long term) psychosis. Abuse of alcohol too can result in psychotic episodes characterized by delusions and hallucinations. Alcohol also has a disinhibiting effect on the brain, which can result in serious violence. Matthew observes, [When] I see someone coming down the sidewalk in my direction, Id much rather encounter someone who is mentally ill, or in a drug induced psychosis, instead of someone who is blitzed on alcohol. [] Intoxicated people are less predictable, more prone to the use of violence, and less open to the influence of others. Matthew has taught variations of this programme with volunteers at St James Church, and at other parishes. His hope is that the better able we are to deal with people in crisis, the more prepared we are to invite everyone, including the street involved, to join us at the Lords Table.

If you wish to contribute to the Street Outreach Initiative, and are not a member of St James or a subscriber of GEM please make cheques payable to the STREET OUTREACH INITIATIVE and send them to the address below. CONTACT DETAILS: Street Outreach Priest: Fr Matthew Johnson Project Administrator: Stephen Rathjen Street Outreach Initiative, 303 East Cordova Street, Vancouver BC V6A 1L4 Telephone: 604 685 7522 Email: streetoutreachinitiative@gmail.com PAGE 8 STREET OUTREACH INITIATIVE

NOTE TO FINANCIAL SUPPORTERS