Here's an article by one of our dear Portland peeps, Pam Hogeweide, about HomePDX. It's a great read, as her articles always are. Of course, it doesn't hurt that The Porch gets a little space in the article too (hey shameless self-promotion can be fun, don't judge me!)
http://www.wineskins.org/filter.asp?SID=2&fi_key=215&co_key=1787
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Blessed are the Feet
An article on the spirituality of feet and walking:
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2009/aprilweb-only/113-51.0.html
Walking, and the feet that accomplish walking, hold a pretty central place in our ministry. We live in a city where walking is a way of life. While we may have plenty of trains and other such vehicles to get us from place to place, we still end up walking a great deal. There are so many places that a train will not take you. Our beloved East Village is one such place -- few neighborhoods in Manhattan are more lacking in basic subway service. Yet this void turns out to be a blessing many times. It forces one to become intimately acquainted with the uniqueness of each block, and to truly become a part of the landscape instead of merely passing through.
Of course, many of our friends are travelers by trade, and so the act of walking becomes even more central to us. On the road and on the streets, feet become the most precious of body parts. You can damage other parts of the body and still get by, but if your feet go, you're done. I learned this myself very quickly in the military, and this fact applies even more so to our friends. Hence the importance of socks and our constant requests for the same.
I have gotten many puzzled looks when I respond to the question, "What do you guys want/need the most?" with the simple reply of: "Socks!" But those who join us understand almost immediately. Socks speak volumes, because socks are often needed more than even food. To have fresh socks shows that you actually understand the reality of the lives of many people. It shows that you understand the sacredness of feet.
So I guess it's no surprise that walking, and feet, play a pretty special role in the Bible as well. After all, wasn't one of Jesus' most signficant acts the washing of his disciples' feet? I'm sure that spoke to them in way much deeper than words, a true communication of love and grace. Hopefully our simple offerings of clean socks can approximate that spirit, in some way.
And of course, if you feel so inclined to send us some fresh socks, please feel free....
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2009/aprilweb-only/113-51.0.html
Walking, and the feet that accomplish walking, hold a pretty central place in our ministry. We live in a city where walking is a way of life. While we may have plenty of trains and other such vehicles to get us from place to place, we still end up walking a great deal. There are so many places that a train will not take you. Our beloved East Village is one such place -- few neighborhoods in Manhattan are more lacking in basic subway service. Yet this void turns out to be a blessing many times. It forces one to become intimately acquainted with the uniqueness of each block, and to truly become a part of the landscape instead of merely passing through.
Of course, many of our friends are travelers by trade, and so the act of walking becomes even more central to us. On the road and on the streets, feet become the most precious of body parts. You can damage other parts of the body and still get by, but if your feet go, you're done. I learned this myself very quickly in the military, and this fact applies even more so to our friends. Hence the importance of socks and our constant requests for the same.
I have gotten many puzzled looks when I respond to the question, "What do you guys want/need the most?" with the simple reply of: "Socks!" But those who join us understand almost immediately. Socks speak volumes, because socks are often needed more than even food. To have fresh socks shows that you actually understand the reality of the lives of many people. It shows that you understand the sacredness of feet.
So I guess it's no surprise that walking, and feet, play a pretty special role in the Bible as well. After all, wasn't one of Jesus' most signficant acts the washing of his disciples' feet? I'm sure that spoke to them in way much deeper than words, a true communication of love and grace. Hopefully our simple offerings of clean socks can approximate that spirit, in some way.
And of course, if you feel so inclined to send us some fresh socks, please feel free....
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