Earlier this year I
started to have these feelings of emptiness, like I was missing some
connection. I knew what it was; I had been toying with the idea for a while!
The idea of going to church, becoming an active member of a community but doing
more than just attending a service, I wanted to participate in something
larger, something that would make me feel that I was doing something relevant
for someone else.
Then, out of the blue
my neighbor invited me to an event at her church, Parkway United Church of
Christ. They are located on Washburn Avenue, just a few blocks from my house.
See how things are starting to align? Needless to say I started to attend on
Sundays, and after a few months became a member.
The pastor, Kathy
Itzin, is a wonderful leader, easy to talk to and so obviously dedicated to our
ministry—which is expanding throughout the Northside. Pastor Kathy and Parkway
members are a dedicated people from all walks of life who want to use their
experiences, knowledge and compassion to make a difference in the world. We try
to touch the lives of people who are somehow suffering, or who have fallen on
hard times and need a hand to help them rise.
Parkway United Church
of Christ is “open and affirming,” in that we welcome and affirm gay and
lesbian members. The church also participates in many programs that directly
benefit our community, one is called Beacon: Families Moving Forward. Three
times a year our church provides evening shelter for four families (including
around 10 children) who are homeless. We do this for a week at a time; we not
only provide individual ‘bedrooms’ but also a warm meal every day, and have
evening activities for the children. The program strives to house the families
within 60 days; in fact some of the families have been housed in our own
neighborhood.
Parkway provides
support in many ways for St. Anne’s Place, a shelter for women and children. I
am currently working on some baby blankets for St. Anne’s. The congregation
knits prayer shawls for the sick (done that too!). Housed within the church is
Patchwork Quilt, a free summer and after-school program for Northside children.
Parkway provides many community services. This is a congregation of action, of
people trying to make a difference in a community that in many cases is judged
by its reputation in the media. We know that the majority of people in our
community are hardworking, and striving to make life better for themselves and
their families.
Now finally, I am
beginning to get that feeling of being a relevant part of a community! I hope
to grow and keep contributing to the community along with Parkway United Church
of Christ. They are more than just bricks and mortar, and readings from the
Bible, they are relevant!
Katrina Stamboulieh,
Robbinsdale