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“For those of us at City House, our service is listening and

our action is reflection.”

When I was first asked to consider this position at City House, last summer, I was not immediately drawn to it. Fortunately, some of you saw that this position could be a good fit for me—that my life mission and the City House mission were in close alignment.  That became clear one morning as I witnessed a volunteer providing spiritual listening one morning at the Basilica of St. Mary drop in center.  After that it became easy to say “yes.”

I come to this work with an eclectic background—church ministry, non-profit work with men coming from prison, construction supply sales, and a lot of time attempting conflict resolution.  And I intend to bring all aspects of me to City House, especially those parts I have marginalized in myself—the minister, the musician, the clown, and the dreamer.     

My training has taught me to seek balance between action and contemplation, to bring reflection into service.  For those of us at City House, our service is listening and our action is reflection.  This is a rare kind of ministry we are doing and it is deeply needed in our broken world.  Our work heals social wounds, and we are all invited to be agents of that healing and the ones being healed.

I feel a little bit like Jonah.  God called him to go deliver a tough message in Nineveh and he immediately boarded a ship going the opposite direction.  Yet in the end, after he was swallowed up by the whale, he ended up in Nineveh, just where God wanted him. So here I am. From all the signs I can read, this is where God wants me and it feels right.  And I look forward to meeting each and every one of you and learning where you have landed in your life.

On Thursday Oct 20th, over 50 of us gathered to kick off a new season of City House and welcome our new Executive Director, Tom Esch.  With three new staff—and three mostly-new board members—there is a lot of “new” going on with our organization.  The City House staff chose the theme “Treasure the Transformation” because we feel we’ve been handed a precious gift by those who have preceded us.  We recognize that we are standing on the shoulders of others who have, with the support of the Spirit, built the foundation of City House.

Speakers that night included volunteers Joy Hayenga (Shakopee Prison), Sally Nunn (RS Eden), Jaime Gjerdingen, who recently completed the first City House Spiritual Listening training workshop, and Violet Johnson, a long-time City House participant who knows life on the margins firsthand. The mistress of ceremonies was Vivian Mims, Board member, who, coincidentally, also celebrated eight years of sobriety that night. This news was greeted with a standing ovation by the audience.

Not many social-spiritual gatherings include the diversity that was represented in the room that night.  When people who are coming out of addiction, homelessness or prison sit next to someone who is not identified as being an addict or in prison or lacking a home, magic can happen—and usually does.  It was a magical evening and surely portends more goodness to come. If you were unable to make it, don’t worry, before you know it spring will be here and we’ll have another gathering.

“When I see men cry and women stand up and say they are powerful, I know I’m in a place where the Spirit is at work.” Tom Esch, Executive Director

(Double click on the picture to see it full size.)

On a sunny November afternoon at Dunwoody Institute eight men and women from the margins of society stepped up as leaders to mentor 16 field sales managers from Lifetouch Corporation, the world’s largest employee owned photo company. The leader-mentors were from Alliance and Central Avenue supportive housing. The business people were from all over the US—all in Minneapolis for the last leg of a leadership training program through the local company, Prouty Project. This program was the first time most of the leaders from the margins—plus me and our Executive Director, Tom Esch, who are still new in our jobs—had done the unique City House leader-mentor program. We were all a little nervous about the half-day event ahead.
There was no reason to worry.

The leader-mentors shined as they shared their personal stories—stories that included addiction and recovery, crime and imprisonment, poverty and homelessness—with their corporate “learners.” They listened deeply, too, when their partners from the business world told their stories. Heart-centered connections were made between people who would normally never be in a room together, let alone share what was deep and personal in their lives. You could see and feel the camaraderie, openness, and joy in the group by the end of the day. Many had discovered that beneath the socioeconomic gap that separated them, there was also a profound humanity that connected them.

Reflecting on the experience, Tom Esch, said, “When I see men cry and women stand up and say they are powerful, I know I’m in a place where the Spirit is at work.” I agree, and it makes me hope we can all roll up our sleeves and do it again.

City House will lead a one-day workshop that teaches spiritual listening with people in the margins of society. The course, developed by City House staff and consultants, is based on years of experience of providing Spiritual Companions to people in poverty, recovering from addiction, and those reentering society after prison. By offering this workshop, City House hopes to equip people with the basics of spiritual listening—and to have them experience it—so they are more able reach out with compassion and without judgment to others who may be outside of their comfort zone.

When:         Friday, February 10, 9am-3pm. Lunch included.
Where:        Christos Center, Lino Lakes, MN
Cost:           $85*
Note:           limited to 17 participants.

*Scholarships available to those who qualify.

For more information or to register, click the link, or contact Jennifer Pedalty, City House Program Director jennifer@city-house.org      612 -234-1136.

Candice and Sherry met at Shakopee women's prison. Sherry was a volunteer spiritual companion with City House and Candice was a City House participant. In this video Sherry and Candice talk about their relationship and the impact it has had on each of their lives. This is the first in a series of videos from City House participants and volunteers. The videos begin with a short set of principles that guide spiritual listening at City House. Check back next month for the next installment!

In January 2011, the City House Board of Directors decided on the following goals and objectives to guide our work for the next 3 years. These goals grew out of the conversations and prayers that more than 100 people connected with City House contributed in the past few months. 

1.       Make the transformation experiences of City House accessible to more people

a.        Provide a means of volunteering for people who are not trained as spiritual directors, but who desire to be spiritual companions with people on the margins, and who want support for that. Provide a short-term training to get them prepared, connect them with a friend on the margins, and provide ongoing support. Invite City House participants to also complete this training, and volunteer to be holy listeners with others.

b.      Develop a “training of trainers” model, to equip people to start City House-like programs in their own organizations and communities.

c.       Offer street retreats and inner city pilgrimages, which can be a feeder into other forms of participation and volunteering in City House.

d.      Work more with businesses, offering experiential leadership development based on relationship with people on the margins, and spiritual reflection.

2.       Sustain and grow the core program, organically and relationally

a.       Prioritize staffing and resource to ensure the sustainability and vitality of the core program, connecting volunteer spiritual companions with people on the margins.

b.      Host regular gatherings for City House volunteers and participants, from all sites, to come together to build community and connect spiritually. Support each other to carry out the spirit of City House relationships in all areas of our lives. 

c.       Refine and document internal procedures for recruiting and supporting volunteers and partner agencies.

3. Deepen and broaden partnerships, making them more intentional

a.       “Give it away.” Offer City House’s programs from a place of generosity and trust, providing services without charge, and inviting people and organizations to “pay it forward,” giving donations to support future participants.

b.      Deepen our collaboration with the Ignation Spirituality Project, who offer retreats for people who are homeless, with the goal of ending homelessness.

c.       Work closer with local spiritual formation programs, integrating City House’s learnings and relationships into their curriculum.

d.      Partner with Redeemer Center for Life and Redeemer Lutheran Church in offering inner-city pilgrimages, doing joint fundraising, and building a base of City House’s work in North Minneapolis.

e.      Work closer with churches, supporting congregations as they move from service of food/clothes to a spiritual component of outreach, into spiritual friendship

 

4.       Tell the story of City House so it is more visible and known

a.       Refine the following framework for City House and use it to expand the base of City House’s support in the community, through the media, partnership development, materials about City House, and relational outreach:

                                                               i.      City House builds the spiritual muscle to end homelessness, poverty, and addiction. We pursue this goal both by supporting the spiritual muscle of people who are dealing with homelessness, poverty, or addiction--and also building the spiritual muscles that we all need to change systems and cultures to end homelessness, poverty, and addiction.

b.      Prioritize fundraising, through inviting individuals, churches, and businesses to become financial partners in City House’s mission.

c.       Encourage more volunteer/participant pairs to share their stories in presentations, writing, and videos for the purposes of leadership development, outreach, and friendship development.

Communicate the impact of City House’s work with related research and evaluation, showing the impact of mutual spiritual support.

We invite your collaboration in carrying out these goals! Please contact Michael Bischoff, the Interim Executive Director, at michael@city-house.org or 612-234-1122 to talk about how you would like to work with us.

The following poems were written by participants in the City House spirituality group at Eden House for Valentines Day 2011:

Core of a Man
In the depth of a man
comes the warmth of a king
strong essence of a gentleman
and the strength of his being
So to be a man is unique
his thoughts are intriguing
because not only does a man
express his love
but always demonstrates his feelings
- Gerald AKA Sonny


Today is another day at Eden House I say
I woke up one morning and said
"Its time to go astray"
two of my friends said, "won't you stay?"
I cried and cried and said, "Its time to obey"
All that day, I don't know what to say
I call my wife and she said, "Just don't leave today"
I went to my room and started to pray
God told me "Ty - its time to stay, forget
about everything and do as they say,
and next time just pray. I'll be there to say
that's my man for the rest of his days."
- Tyrone


Honey my heart is true
I know I made you blue
come take a chance
we will do the best to make it last
Don't forget the times
that were forever
give it a chance
my time here with you
makes my happy I found you
- Rick


Visiting Room
I love her blue eyes
her long blond hair
I love her beautiful smile
her heart warms the air
She means the world to me
when she smiles
It makes me smile
When she laughs
it makes me laugh
the time we spend together
will forever be remembered
The loving warm hugs
brighten my day
She's my little princess
her name is Jade
when we part
she gives me kisses
she cries
that makes me feel sad
Every time her
last words are
I love you Dad
I love you too Jade.


As I sit here pondering
I wonder where life will take me
I've been so many places
Yet no where
Though I still ponder and ponder and ponder
- David


The Field
It is not a life of loneliness I seek
for I have knowledge not unique
yet my love is one of truly deceit
I feel it is defeat
why must I feel lonely this way
for I am only to find it one day
still my life is in deceit
will I defeat this darkness I am in
it runs so deep
where is the love I truly seek
my love, my life, the fields I seek
The field of life where love I will meet
- Aaron


Heroin
You told me that you liked me
But the whole time you despite me
you told me you could make me feel good
to find you I had to return to the hood
I prayer for you to stop the hurt
you smiled and laughed and spit on me like dirt
Its time for me to end this pain
So you can no longer run through my vein
There comes a time to make a stand
So I can become that chosen man
Now comes the time that this must end
I truly learned you were not my friend


Lee Ann
If I had you again
in my heart - I know
we'd never part
But you broke
and crushed my world
in so many ways
you left me standing
in a terrible dark haze
so please Le Ann forget
me now and forever
By the way
you were not ever
that clever
You dragged me down
and I don't want you around
Now you can get your money
from the clown

On November 18, 2010, fifty people who care about City House gathered to listen together for directions that City House is called in the next phases of its life. Here is some of what came out of that gathering:

What is best about City House?

• A circle of giving and getting
• Call us out of our comfort zones
• Stories open us up, join us together
• Builds self-confidence
• Development of community
• Listening in the Spirit, finding the next step
• Deep mutuality
• Create connection
• Witness courage
• Authentic people
• Relationships
• Opportunity for leadership
• Mutual transformation and being able to be close and see transformation
• Connection with people seeking God
• Helps with problems
• Honoring through listening
• Blessed relationships
• Spirit-filled mission
• Meeting each other with God

What areas might City House be called to in its next phase?

1. Make the transformation of City House accessible to more people, including volunteer spiritual friendship opportunities for people who aren't spiritual directors.
   
2. Continue and sustain the core program (providing spiritual companions to people who are on the margins), organically and relationally
3. Increase leadership development, equipping people and organizations to carry out the mission of City House on their own
4. Expand the definition of “the margins," reaching those who are in nursing homes, facing foreclosure, etc.
   
5. Deepen and broaden partnerships, making them more intentional
6. Follow the bold goal of ending homelessness and poverty through spiritual transformation
7. Consider setting up a City House drop-in center, a storefront offering “spirituality on the streets
8. Tell the story of City House, so that it is visible and known
   

On Thursday, Jan. 13, we will extend the gathering, to have dinner and to discuss possible scenarios for City House’s future, which the City House board will consider in late January. We’d love to have your input and participation in this conversation. The meal and conversation will be from 5:30 to 7:00 pm on Thursday, Jan. 13 at Hennepin Avenue Methodist. Please RSVP to Michael (michael@city-house.org).

Dear friends of City House,

Very simply, we at City House are working to end poverty and homelessness. Our programs help people from all walks of life build the spiritual muscle required to bring about this change. City House started out by companioning our sisters and brothers who lived on the margins which we called "attending to the spiritual needs of the poor." We believe that building inner resources gives people the strength to take steps out of poverty and homelessness. Over time, we noticed that in companioning the poor, we too were changed. We, the poor in spirit, became more fully alive in these relationships. That insight sparked the development of two programs designed for people in the mainstream who feel called to explore the poverty in their spiritual lives. Through that exploration, mainstreamers find ways of using their voices, skills, and connections on behalf of those on the margins.

The work of City House is alive as ever but, ironically, cannot continue without your financial support. Perhaps you care deeply about poverty and homelessness but cannot at this time in your life volunteer or take a class. If that is the case, please consider supporting this important work with a donation. If you feel called to contribute your time and talent as well, please let us know. We need new Board Members, advisers, and volunteers. In the meantime, please give.

This year, 33 volunteers will provide 3,550 spiritual companion visits. This results in a lot of transformation– a lot more people drawing on their inner resources in order to find and keep housing, food, and work. Our research continues to show a 90% correlation between that inner work and those outer results. Our two programs for mainstream learners, “Will You Drink From This Cup?” and “The Inner Leadership Program” also continue to deeply change lives.

The work of City House is alive as ever, and opportunities keep arising for us to carry out our mission in new ways with churches, mainstream leaders, as a part of the movement to end homelessness, and with many other partners. In this season of transformation for City House, we invite you to join us:

• Give generously
• Envision with us (See ways to join the discernment)
• Act with faith and boldness

Michael Bischoff
Interim Executive Director