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THE MESSENGER GOOD SAMARITAN CHURCH NEWSLETTER VOLUME 111 ISSUE 4 APRIL 2021 FROM THE PASTOR S DESK JESUS FEMININE WAY AND THE GOOD NEWS OF EMPTY We have cultural gender norms and expectations In the masculinity we have historically prized men take up space They are man spreaders literally and figuratively They take what they want don t ask They don t apologize much if at all certainly not for taking up space They are confident and self assured They don t qualify their thoughts and opinions with I think I believe I feel or I m not sure They interrupt and dominate Meanwhile in traditional femininity women try not to take up too much space and apologize for the space they do take up They carefully qualify their opinions thoughts and ideas as their own and not necessarily the right or only one out there They wait patiently and politely for space to open up in a conversation before speaking They apologize repeatedly for their mistakes even for others mistakes Many well meaning folks have explained it to me over the years that women were socialized to do these things to be more submissive and put others needs first before their own They say it is the result of sexism and if we want more equality between the sexes women particularly those stepping into positions of leadership and authority need to unlearn these habits that are the product of oppressive female socialization I can t tell you the number of times more seasoned clergy women have told me something akin to if you want to be respected and effective in ministry be more like a man I am coached to be bolder apologize less qualify my opinions less speak up more even if it means interrupting speak louder and deeper and even take up more space if possible learn to assume the more masculine power body postures which all pretty much involve making yourself look bigger and more intimidating Of course their instructions come with a warning label that a woman too aggressively assuming masculinity might be perceived as a b tch bossy or any number of other lovely terms What always baffles my mind is the assumption that female socialization is the problem the primary sin of sexism that male socialization is only recently starting to also be seen as an ugly bi product of sexism and not the perfect model of leadership I know the 1 women who have tried to coach me and mentor me especially those who have survived in even more sexist times are just trying to tell me how to survive in our sexist world and garner the same authority and respect men enjoy without even trying But seriously Whoever decided that all of us assuming traditionally masculine ways of being in the world is what is best for humanity That this will build beloved community It occurs to me that women are taught from an early age to consider the other before themselves and this is exactly what Jesus taught and embodied in his life despite physically presenting as male Considering his context what he did and taught are remarkable really He was in many way re socializing men and those with power including himself to be more like women to make space for the other consider the needs of the other I didn t expect it but in editing our Advent and Lent conversation devotional videos I have become much more aware of feminine and masculine ways of communicating and the effect of each I am a newbie video editor so I didn t realize going into it that I would be able to see the shape of a conversation but on a good video editing program you do It looks a bit like a mountain range with peaks and valleys As I learn this art of video editing I ve come to recognize the shape of various sounds like the voice filler umm which by the way looks like a small rounded hill with a sharper incline on the way in and a slow continued on page 5 gentle decline

HOLY WEEK ACTIVITIES SUPPLIES NEEDED IF BAKING 1 Packet Active Dry Yeast 2 Tablespoons 3 Cups Flour 1 Egg 1 3 Cup Oil Cup Sugar t Salt 1 8 Cup Milk or milk alternative A baking sheet or casserole dish Measuring spoons and cups Oven even a toaster oven can work Grape Juice or Wine Olive Oil Soup or a Light Supper to go with Bread optional SUPPLIES NEEDED IF NOT BAKING Bread Light Supper Juice or Wine Olive Oil for dipping optional 2

HOLY WEEK ACTIVITIES 3

STAY INVOLVED BE A PART OF SUNDAY WORSHIP EACH WEEK 4

FROM THE PASTOR S DESK continued from page 1 on the way out I have also come to recognize patterns in things like the cadence of someone s speaking Before even watching a video I could probably tell you just by looking at a picture of the audio if the people in the conversation are internal processors introverts or external processors extroverts The shape of the conversation physically looks different One thing in particular has stood out some conversations have many more long pauses than others It is strange to visually see the shape of that empty space created by those who leave it On my screen it looks almost like the flat line of a heart monitor or if you were looking at a mountain range the place where a low body of water or desert flattens the landscape I suppose I became particularly cognizant of these silences because I m usually removing them so that the recording feels more energetic and has fewer lulls for the viewer But I ve started to wonder if even this instinct in my editing has been an instinct to value the masculine the filling of space over the feminine the making of space In the live conversation these pauses serve an important purpose It allows for more inclusive participation from the whole group When they occur it is almost like the louder more dominant conversation participants open a door or leave a seat open and it becomes an invitation for the quieter more reticent participants who have been pushed to the margins of the conversation to share their own thoughts or story Emptiness can be an invitation Of course there are many factors involved in creating these empty valley pauses on the audio bar I know that space is sometimes left as people are considering their answers or when they simply don t have one However a couple of the people I invited to these conversations were very knowledgeable wise people who I knew had ready answers and sometimes they too would leave these spaces open in the conversation They seemed to be particularly comfortable with the empty and the silence I ve asked a couple of them about it and the answer I usually get is something along the lines of Oh I do that intentionally to make space for others Whether men or women they are self aware of the space they take up and how it might be marginalizing others If they weren t trained from birth to take this posture of space making the traditionally feminine role they have intentionally trained themselves later in life in order to be more hospitable conversation partners Perhaps not surprisingly many of these individuals are people I consider quite mature in their faith people who have spent their lifetime soaking in and trying to follow the Jesus way It s evident even in how they show up in these conversations and it makes for a better richer conversation overall When I observed the beautiful shape of these empty spaces in our recordings it brought to mind the empty tomb Jesus left that first Easter morning That emptiness ushers us into the kin dom of God and makes space for those on the margins for whom this world has not made space It also reminded me of the earliest known Christian hymn recorded in the epistle to the church at Philippi Philippians 2 That hymn speaks of Christ s self emptying ways How he did not strive toward toxic masculinity did not strive to exert a likeness of God s power and authority but poured himself out in love and with humility When I imagine the shape of Jesus love for us on the audio bar of a video recording I imagine it would look like one of those long empty valley s standing open ready to embrace those of us who have not been given a voice in this world As I write this we recently witnessed a horrific act of terrorism in the murder of eight in Atlanta I am reminded that we do not need more people male or female striving toward toxic masculinity or trying to emulate whiteness and white supremacy I am reminded that we need to stop overvaluing assimilation to white culture or masculine machismo rape culture Time and time again we have seen how those ways of being in the world lead to violence death and destruction They are not the goal and don t get us to the goal of beloved community We need to start valuing people who emulate Jesus way of being the feminine and marginalized way of being which the world has often deemed weak and powerless If the empty tomb teaches us anything it is that there is actually immense power to transform the world in what they world thinks is weak Perhaps instead of pressuring the powerless and marginalized to assimilate to what is toxic in our world we need to assimilate to their way of being Marginalized peoples know better than anyone the good news of empty This year as we celebrate Easter may we celebrate and follow the feminine way of Jesus the self emptying love that makes space in this world for all of us Pastor Jen 5

FAST NEHEMIAH ACTION REPORT PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED BY BILL COOLEY AND ERIC JOHNSON The Annual NEHEMIAH ACTION was held Monday March 22 at 7 00 PM There was an outdoor stage at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Pinellas Park for those who chose drive up attendance and Zoom for those who preferred to watch from home Over 2000 attended the event Good Sam network members brought 114 of them The Behavior Health Committee requested that County Administrator Barry Burton collaborate with behavior health stakeholders to make sure there is ONE central pathway to access mental health and addiction treatment and to commit to putting a proposal for implementation before the County Commission by May 1 Unfortunately Mr Burton chose not to attend so a letter to sign was included in the materials given to each attendee and they will be forwarded to him Linda McKinnon CEO of Central Florida Behavioral Health Network and Barbara Daire CEO of Suncoast Center were present and gave us information about the centralized phone number Wellness Connection 727 791 3131 which provides direct help to connect to the services the caller needs The Affordable Housing Committee asked the County Commission to commit that Penny for Pinellas funds be spent on affordable housing that 6

goes to families making 56 250 or less Funding for housing above that income level would come from other sources Commissioner Eggers the only Commissioner to attend gave a yes with reservations Commissioner Justice was unable to attend but sent his yes in writing The Criminal Justice Committee asked for commitments to work with FAST over the next year to expand access to the Pinellas Adult Pre Arrest Diversion Program Allison Miller representing Public Defender Sara Mollo St Petersburg Police Chief Holloway and Clerk of Courts Ken Burke all enthusiastically agreed Network members will meet one last time through Zoom for the Joshua Assembly on Monday May 10th 7 00 PM This is when we debrief our work for the year and make plans for the coming year It is also the time to receive the investments to sustain and grow our vital justice ministry Network members are asked to invest at least 200 How do we stand FAST TOGETHER Submitted by Bev Kelly and Rev Jean Cooley AN INVITATION TO SHARE All of us have epiphanies and moments when we have a spiritual awakening I ve shared one of mine below I would love to hear from some of you willing to write down an experience that meant a lot to you where you felt especially touched by God or felt that you received a special spiritual message that lifted your spirits If you don t feel comfortable writing it down call me and share the experience and I will try to write it for you Submitted by Carolyn Woodard A Lesson From a Turkey Yesterday while driving along a country road I saw a turkey pacing back and forth beside a hog wire fence I wondered why she was pacing but I didn t stop to see Thirty minutes later I came back by and saw that the turkey was still in the same spot pacing beside the fence She was looking at the fence as if she was trying to figure out how to get over it but knowing that she could fly I figured she must be ensnared in some way that was keeping her trapped So I stopped My Sweetie and I walked across the road and slowly approached the turkey The closer we got the faster she paced getting more and more frantic until she turned started running down the fence line lifted off in flight easily clearing the fence She ran as fast as she could toward a clump of trees and soon disappeared from sight APRIL IS NATIONAL INTERNSHIP AWARENESS MONTH So we want to thank both of our wonderful interns for all their hard work and the ways in which they have blessed and inspired our congregation rJeremy Wallace Serving Good Sam from September 2020 until May 2021 Chance Martinez ColonR Serving Good Sam from February until August 2021 As I drove away I began to think about the fact that the turkey had it within herself to scale that fence all along but it took an outside influence to come on the scene and motivate her to do what she was always capable of doing Sometimes we find ourselves pacing back and forth in a situation that feels insurmountable We repeatedly do the same behavior that keeps us busy but doesn t get us over the situation or where we need to be Often it is only when we are taken out of our comfort zone that we realize that we have it within ourselves either through our own strength or with the help of God or others to accomplish what is needed May we learn to skip the pacing spread our wings and fly Carolyn Woodard 3 13 21 7

OPPORTUNITIES TO SHARE 8

BE SURE TO STAY CONNECTED MANY OPPORTUNITIES FOR VIRTUAL MEETINGS WITH PHONE OR COMPUTER ARE AVAILABLE 9

CHILDREN S COLORING PAGE 10

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GOOD SAM MYSTERY TREASURER S REPORT Which Good Samaritan couple could not find their ashes when they were needed When the envelope arrived it was put in a safe place so it could be retrieved on Sunday But it wasn t there What could have happened to it And who were the unlucky folks who had no ashes Check in next month for the answers to this mystery In February Total Giving was under budget by only 1 494 the total of pledges was under by only 865 The expenses for February were under budget by 2 953 We have not begun the search for a new Music Director and so have that budgeted position unfilled This is a savings of 1 000 per month During 2020 when the first CARES Act was passed by Congress I attempted to apply for a Payroll Protection Plan loan Due to the very high volume of applications our bank PNC Bank had to stop taking applications When new PPP loans became available this year I was successful in applying and we did receive a PPP loan of 17 295 based on our previous year s payroll costs This loan should be 100 forgivable if used to retain our employees Ferris VanDien has completed the review of selected 2020 transactions His only concern was the lack of a second person working on the offering deposits Since we are not having in person worship and Sunday offering I had been coming to the church office and emptying the mailbox at least once during the week and making up deposits after applying receipts to members pledges Beverly Finn has begun meeting me at church each week and we are working together on the counting and recording of gifts The RD Team is continuing to research a replacement insurance company due to the large increase in the premium for the current year We received a donation from AmazonSmile in the amount of 13 90 This was the result of members and friends giving the Good Sam Federal ID number as part of their profile and Amazon donating 1 of the qualifying purchases Submitted by Kate Hall DEADLINE FOR MAY 2021 MESSENGER IS APRIL 15 Send all information for submissions to carolyn woodard 130 gmail com THANK YOU TO ALL WHO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT OUR MINISTRY 12

DON T MISS THIS UPCOMING BOOK STUDY SERIES 13

FOOD PANTRY REPORT FEBRUARY 2021 Number of days open to serve clients 12 Number of clients served Adults 1 069 Children 293 Total 1 362 qThe first load of food from the Emergency Food Assistance Program from the USDA see Kate Hall s report this page qThe truck pulls into position to unload much needed food for our clients Volunteers during February were Bev Kelly Ginnie Thompson Ginger Breitkreutz Kate Hall Carole Diehm Tom Fauquet Linda Rupp Sarah Butz Beryl Fruth Judy Friend Trish Spencer Joni and John Melville Jean Krauss Lewis Hill and Jane Gaylord Also helping to pack the 55 Plus bags for seniors were Mickey and Jim Moore The number of households served in February was 473 That means that 473 bags of groceries were given out in the 12 days we were open in February Our pantry is now a Local Distributing Agency LDA in the USDA s The Emergency Food Assistance Program The room in the Community Building that had housed the Synchrony Arts Group s scenery and props was cleaned out earlier this year and new shelving was built in what was once a closet by John Melville See last month s Messenger for pictures A new wall unit air conditioner is being installed by Lewis Hill and John Melville in what is now the USDA room The food received monthly through the LDA program is stored in the USDA room and we must keep a log of the temperature to assure that the temperature does not exceed 80 degrees F One of our freezers is also designated for USDA storage and has its own temperature log There is additional paperwork involved in being part of the LDA program We have a page for each family where we record the monthly visit where we distribute the USDA foods The pages are kept in alphabetic order in a large 3 ring binder In July 2021 the beginning of the Federal Government s fiscal year we will be required to start a new page for all of our participating families Each month that we receive USDA food we give our volunteer packers a list of the items that will be in the USDA bags i e spaghetti sauce canned fruit mashed potatoes so that they know not to put those items in the bags they pack from our regular stock Oakhurst United Methodist Church in Seminole continues to hold monthly Pop the Trunk food drives for our pantry on the third Saturday of each month Other outside groups and individuals have been bringing food to the Donations door We also continue to receive checks for deposit to the Food Pantry Fund As always thanks to all who keep this important mission running Submitted by Kate Hall RSo thankful for this influx of food for distribution to our clients qTemperature control for our new food storage will be carefully monitored Here Trish Spencer places food into one of the refrigerators qNow being stocked RHere are some of the food we give to the homeless clients Pop top individual servings and ready to eat are what they need 14 PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED BY JUDY FRIEND qEmpty shelves

GOOD SAM FOOD PANTRY RECEIVES FREE USDA FOOD March was a busy month at the Good Samaritan Food Pantry Our numbers which had grown to 1 500 people served started to go down to about 1 350 The Steering Committee decided that we should explore receiving free USDA food We decided that this was a good thing for the pantry We received training made sure that we were complying with USDA rules set up a system to pack USDA bags etc On Monday March 1 we received our first shipment of USDA food There is extra government paperwork but this new source of food will definitely be a benefit We continue to have many groups and individuals that bring us donations Sometimes we get fresh fruits and vegetables and frozen meat All of the volunteers who work in the Pantry have been vaccinated We continue to wear masks and gloves while we are there Submitted by Sarah Butz FOOD DRIVES BOLSTER OUR FOOD SUPPLY PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED BY BERYL FRUTH AND ERIC JOHNSON Oakhurst United Methodist Church in Seminole continues to hold monthly Pop the Trunk food drives for our pantry on the third Saturday of each month Thank you to their members and friends who continue to donate and to our own Good Sam volunteers who help each month with the food drives and with getting the food to our pantry and to on the shelves Good Samaritan Church is an equal opportunity provider 15

THE MESSENGER of Good Samaritan Church 6085 Park Boulevard Pinellas Park FL 33781 727 544 8558 Email office goodsam church org Web Site discovergoodsam org Our Mission To Build The Beloved Community A Ministry of Hospitality Vision and Justice A Global Mission Church Check out Good Sam on FACEBOOK SESSION Katie Fullerton Clerk Kate Hall Treasurer CLASS OF 2021 Lisa Ware Carolyn Woodard Vacant CLASS OF 2022 Beverly Finn Linda Rupp Clarence Wilkinson CLASS OF 2023 Sarah Butz Beryl Fruth Chris Osberg ST JAMES LIST Pray for one another that you may be healed James 5 16 Let us remember those members and friends who have asked for our prayers and those who are unable to attend worship Vicky VanDien wife of Ferris VanDien Dawn Johnson Sophia Stringer Shaddai Simmons Drew Taylor and family Martha Taylor s son the Brockus family Dottie Boake Nancy Rudasill Eddie Kosinski Sandy Badger Larry Rupp Donna Knight all the families in our community affected by COVID 19 whether through sickness or financial stress and Good Samaritan Church Jesus didn t reject people Neither do we CELEBRATING OVER 100 YEARS THE MESSENGER Newsletter of Good Samaritan Church Presbyterian Church USA More Light and United Church of Christ Open and Affirming Sunday Worship 10 30 a m Fellowship Coffee Hour Following Worship GOOD SAMARITAN CHURCH STAFF Rev Jen Daysa Pastor Rev Jean Cooley Parish Associate Position to be Filled Director of Music Ministries Rebecca Kessel Office Administrator Position to be Filled Bookkeeper Shelby Lamb Nursery Assistant Mirko Bratic Custodian Rev Dr Harold M Brockus Pastor Emeritus GOOD SAMARITAN MINISTRY TEAMS Resource Development Team Clarence Wilkinson Moderator Gretchen Ackerson Celeste Behret Beverly Finn Beryl Fruth Kate Hall Treasurer Liaison Care Team Ginger Breitkreutz Moderator Beverly Finn Jane Gaylord Jim Moore Mickey Moore Clarence Wilkinson Disaster Preparedness Liaison Justice and Mercy Team Rev Jean Cooley Moderator Gretchen Ackerson Sarah Butz Judy Friend Lewis Hill Linda Rupp Rachael Wells Clarence Wilkinson Kate Hall Food Pantry Liaison Bev Kelly FAST Liaison Spiritual Formation Team Chance Martinez Colon Moderator Sarah Butz Steve Crist Rev Bill Cooley Judy Friend Chris Osberg Debbie Rasmussin Jeremy Wallace Fellowship and Outreach Team Eric Johnson Moderator Jean Adams Sandy Badger Robin Becker Annie Gambino Barb Steger Martha Taylor Carolyn Woodard Personnel Committee Gretchen Ackerson Robin Becker Kate Hall Clarence Wilkinson Pastor Relations Committee Carolyn Woodard Moderator Ginger Breitkreutz Bev Kelly Chris Osberg Lisa Ware Clarence Wilkinson