This Vestry report on Camp Unity was written by Eivind Nilsen, Senior Warden.
Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests;
but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head. (Matthew 8:20 NRSV)
I was recently reminded of the above verse from Matthew and this, also from Matthew:
Then the king will say to those at his right hand…I was hungry and you gave me food…. I was a stranger and you welcomed me….The righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food.…And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you?….. And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me’. (from Matthew 25 NRSV)
It seems that perhaps one of the best ways to see the face of Jesus is to look into the face of a homeless person. Save that thought away in a corner of your mind and read on.
Late last summer, Church of the Redeemer was approached by an organization—Camp Unity Eastside which is a faith-based organization that finds host sites, manages and organizes tent communities for the homeless—with a proposal that we host a tent encampment for four months starting in June 2022. After some discussion, the vestry recognized that this held the promise of engaging in a life-changing mission consistent with our faith, values and desire to live out that faith in the world in real and tangible ways. And so, we set about learning more to support our decision to move forward or not.
So, we made a plan:
- Two of our vestry members volunteered to do a little research. Chilton Fowler and Steve Daniel made a visit to the current encampment.
- They spoke with the organizers and with Pastor Anja Helmon of Northlake Lutheran Church, which has been a host twice for the encampment.
- We looked at camp policies.
What did we find?
- A well-run, structured organization with clean and well-managed camps.
- Policies that don’t allow drug or alcohol use and insist on respect and quiet for the church and its neighbors.
- We found Kenmore city and police departments that support Camp Unity encampments.
- We saw that since 2018 there had been thirteen encampments at six different churches and the City of Woodinville. All but one of the churches have hosted two or three times.
- Pastor Anja was overwhelmingly positive about her church’s two times of hosting. The neighbors of Northlake Lutheran had concerns initially, but all—both neighbors and parishioners—found it to be a positive experience.
We decided to move to the next step.
On October 24, a parish town hall was held. Information was presented, questions were answered and comments provided. While there were legitimate concerns raised, such as parking and access that will need further planning, the response was positive. An advisory vote was taken with 85% voting to move forward, 11% undecided and 4% saying we should not do this. The vestry met afterward and voted to proceed.
What’s next?
We have things to do in preparation. And the “what’s next?” question is partly up to you. We are going to need to get organized around this effort including:
- Work with Camp Unity to submit our application for a permit to the City of Kenmore.
- Arrange for question-and-answer sessions with our neighbors.
- Make sure the site requirements are known and ready for the camp.
- Ensure parishioners with mobility issues have adequate parking and workable access to the building.
- Understand and be ready for opportunities to serve the camp occupants including supplying some meals and potentially other help.
- Partner with other faith communities to help in this effort.
- Take the opportunity to further develop our own understanding of our relationship to those who are marginalized in the world.
- Find out, as a part of your faith journey, how you can and want to be involved.
And so, now we come back to that thought that you tucked away in a corner of your mind. Consider how God might be calling you as we move forward with this ministry. Reach out with questions and concerns. Pray. And if you’re in that 11% or 4%, pray and listen. Perhaps you’ll see Jesus in the face of the homeless.
For more information, contact Fr. Jed or Vestry members. We will be providing periodic updates. Read this For more information on Camp Unity.
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Church of the Redeemer
Welcome to Church of the Redeemer: Worshiping God, living in community, and reaching out to the world. We are an Episcopal Church serving north King County and south Snohomish County, Washington. As you travel your road, go with friends walking the way of Jesus at Redeemer.
Church of the Redeemer is at 6210 Northeast 181st Street in Kenmore, Washington. We are a short distance north of Bothell Way, near the Burke-Gilman Trail. The entrance looks like a gravel driveway. The campus is larger on the inside than it is on the outside. And we managed to hide a large building on the side of a hill that is not easily seen from the street.
The Episcopal Church welcomes you.
