A joyful noise … Pentecost in Dayton
INTERCHANGE news from the Diocese of Southern Ohio |
Jubilee ministries serve people in need By Kelly Kagamas Tomkies Interchange contributor
(Entering the call process for the cathedral) was an act of faith. I thought, ‘If this was of God, and I’m being called, then let’s see.” I had known (former Southern Ohio bishop) Roger Blanchard very well. Ben Arnold, one of my predecessors at Christ The Very Rev. Church, was the first bishop I voted for James Diamond as bishop suffragan of Massachusetts. There was a lot about Christ Church and the diocese that already had an impact on my life.” Q: What did you hope to accomplish when you came to Cincinnati? A: I told the vestry that I needed to live a year with the life of the cathedral and life of the diocese. Close to the anniversary of my first year, I gave an address to a group called “The Cathedral in the City.” It called the cathedral to be a place of sanctuary and safety. I talked about the cathedral being the people’s church, a place that aims for excellence, aims to offer the very best that we can. At the end of the day, what I said was that a place doesn’t function as a cathedral until the people of the diocese claim it to be their cathedral. I tried to help people of the diocese claim this institution as their cathedral.
For Charles Stough, helping clients fill out tax return forms is one way he abides by Jesus’ command to help others. “As a young, married guy decades ago, I sold insurance. When I complete a good application for a client today, and I know the benefits are going to come to him or her, it’s just like making a big sale,” he said. When a mother of two had a business that failed, Stough helped her secure a $6,000 tax refund. Another time, “I helped a dishwasher with a $1,400 tax lien against him, and I did seven back tax returns that wiped out all but about $90 of it.” Stough is part of the outreach program at Christ Church, Dayton, which is one of seven designated Jubilee Ministry sites in the Diocese of Southern Ohio. The fruit of a 1982 General Convention resolution, a Jubilee Ministry designation opens the door for some funding sources from The Episcopal Church. More importantly, the designation indicates a commitment to serving others and to being a part of the reconciling work of the body of Christ. One of the diocese’s Jubilee centers is in Christ Church, Springfield. The church partners with an elementary school and provides tutors and a clothing closet. They participate in Peace Camp, which teaches peaceful conflict resolution skills to elementary school children for a week each summer. They also own two houses next to the church, which are used by Clark County Mental Health and Interfaith Hospitality Network. The congregation hosts a Neighborhood Fair each year as a gift to the community. “We sit on the edge of the poorest neighborhood in Springfield,” said the Rev. Charlotte Reed, rector of Christ Church. “This is a way for us to get to know the neighbors and offer them a free afternoon
please see DEAN, PAGE 2
please see MINISTRIES, PAGE 9
A Dean’s legacy: Cathedral in the City After more than a decade of leading Christ Church Cathedral, the Very Rev. Jim Diamond is retiring at the end of June. The retirement caps nearly 40 years in ordained ministry for Dean Diamond – most of which was spent in parish ministry and as an advocate for reconciliation and social justice. Dean Diamond, 65, and his wife, Barbara – a lawyer who also will be retiring – plan to split their time between homes in Maine and Arizona. After settling into retirement, the dean hopes to get involved in local parish life and perhaps do some spiritual direction. He shared with Interchange some final thoughts about the life of a cathedral and his ministry as dean. Question: What led you to serve as dean of the cathedral? Answer: Cincinnati had not been on my radar. I’d known about the Diocese of Southern Ohio for quite a while. I remember when Bishop Thompson ran for Presiding Bishop, there was a lot of publicity about how right-wing he was. I joked with Barbara and my staff, “You’re going to hear the thud (of my resume) in his wastebasket all the way back to Massachusetts.”
June 2010 Volume XXXVIII, No. 6 www.diosohio.org
Award of General Excellence: 2006, 2007, 2008
The Rev. Derrick Fetz, the Rev. Carol Potterton and Abigail Nenna lead the worship service at a local park as part of the Hope Now Mission Gathering, an outreach program of St. Mary Magdalene, Maineville. A community picnic, games and playground fun were offered after the service. See story and pictures: Page 5.
By Richelle Thompson Interchange editor
See story, photos: Page 11