Join Our Extended Community!

Cook Meals
Sort Clothing & Donations
Host Showers for the Homeless & Poor in our Neighborhood
Offer Haircuts
Launder Shower Clothing
Garden
Do Electrical Work
Assemble Sack Dinners
Remove Asphalt & Concrete
Build Library Shelving
Redo Kitchen Cabinets
Mail Newsletter
House Cleaning
General House Maintenance

(What special gifts & talents do you have to offer? Call us @ 816-241-8047 and let us know how you would like to participate in community life with us!)

"Jerry"

The sun beats down on me
The sweat drips down my face
My back is tired my feet worn out
The heat it burns me to the core
No fan can ease my pain
No place to run no place to hide
Just one more pound just one more can
Just one more can my day is done
50 cents for every pound
Now I can go and walk away
No fan can ease my pain
No place to run no place to hide
Back to my house my things are gone
The window's shattered on my bed
Just clean it off and I am done
I need a place to rest my head
No fan can ease my pain
No place to run no place to hide
I cannot sleep I need a fix
Just down the block that's where she sleeps
You say the "system" has me down
But it has ahold of you
No fan can ease my pain
No place to run no place to hide
I live in your backyard
Won't you please come outside?

This song about our friend Jerry Davis was written by 2007 Summer Intern Trey Thompson.

Resting with God

~Prayer, solitude & resting with God;
~Living the Gospel;
~Breathing the Gospel;
~Looking & finding the Christ in each other;
~Remember that Christ's love & hope lives in ALL creation;
~Asking God's forgiveness for all the wars we create each day by our collective & personal violence, hate & injustices;
~Remember to practice giving forgiveness each moment of the day;
~Remember to practice humility more each moment of the day;
~Remember to practice mercy more each moment of the day;
~Remember to pray, practice solitude, rest with God each moment of the day;
~We start with prayer & come full circle at the end of the day resting with God.

~Steve Sheridan

Midwest Catholic Worker Retreat ~ April 26 - 28 (click on image to enlarge)

"Priceless" Salvation, by Desiree

This world is so BEAUTIFUL, yet
Some never STOP to see how ugly they
can make it "look".
It's sad if you ask me ...
Many people on this earth believe
That wealth and power is best ...
Yet poor can have much more than
rich, it's they who pass that test.
You may be criticized
by MAN if you don't
fit in style ...
relax in a field, wade
in the ocean
stay there for awhile
You'll realize what matters most, It's
Not what others say.
It's how you
Treat
what's always yours.
There is no price to pay.

After visiting us for showers one day,
we found Desiree's poem on our desk.
An unexpected gift.

Clarification of Thought Meetings

We are restarting our Clarification of Thought meetings. This is an age old tradition going back to the sermon on the mount. It is discipleship through dialog and round table discussions. So we are forming ourselves as the Beloved Community by informing ourselves on issues pertinent to following Jesus in today's world.

We will be meeting monthly on Fridays (usually the first Friday) at Kafe Kiskeya, in the storefront next door to Cherith Brook main house. Below is the schedule for the next few months. We invite all to attend.

November 16
Christians & Torture:
Learning about the School of the Americas (WHINSEC) with video & discussion.

December 7
Gospel Birth Stories & Consumerism

January 11
Women suffering Violence:
Veronica’s Voice

February 1
Eating for Life & Justice:
Dr. L. Shannon Jung, St. Paul School of Theology

Cherith Brook ESL & Tutoring

In addition to offering showers, clothing, meals, and visiting prisoners, we practiced the acts of mercy at Cherith Brook last year by hosting and empowering two Somali refugee families for six months. Our twice-weekly English classes supplemented in-school learning for all four children, and were also available to the two mothers (who took class 4 mornings a week at Don Bosco).

Our English classes ranged from practical survival/job-training skills to Math and/or Social Studies, to fun-educational outings. This low-pressure, 1-on-1 helping was transformative for both the children and mothers.