St. Paul's, Winona Mission Update

Grace and Peace to you, from St. Paul’s Episcopal Church! Our parish is blessed to call Winona home; ‘celebrating the love of God poured out for all at Broadway and Lafayette since 1856.’

The Spirit has been on the move in The Driftless region, and we wanted to check-in and let you know where we have been, where we are, and where we are being called to go…

Several years ago, a seed was unexpectedly planted. We began a new activity during coffee hour for those who felt like stretching their legs after Eucharist. We took our donuts and coffee to-go and walked/rolled through our neighborhood, two-by-two, for about half-an-hour. The structure was minimal: Notice things, be friendly, and reconvene in thirty
minutes for debrief and prayer. If it sounds simple, it was. It was blessedly, radically simple. No consultants required!

When we took the time to get out of the building and ask God to open our eyes, we began to see our neighbors more clearly; all of them. The energy during the debrief was palpable. Comments like, “I didn’t know there were so many people in Winona going through a tough time,” “Winona is a city-a small one-but it is a city,” and, “I wonder how they
make it in when the weather gets cold…”

Someone even surprised the group by sharing a story about when they were going through a rough patch and found life-giving safety in a shelter.

During the short prayer time following the debrief, we offered intercessions for all those experiencing any kind of housing insecurity. Someone petitioned the Holy Spirit to guide our parish toward serving Christ in ‘the least’ among us (Matthew 25:35-40).

As our eyes opened further and we became increasingly aware of our unhoused neighbors, St. Paul’s began a period of discernment about what it might mean for us to more deeply live a ‘cross-shaped-life.’ Inspired by the unearned gift of our Creator’s sacrificial love for the world, we asked ourselves questions like, What does St. Paul’s have that could be offered up for the greater life of Winona? Where might our gifts meet the needs of, ‘the world about us?’

Although St. Paul’s is smaller in number than in ages past, we remain very large in spirit…and space. Word in Winona spreads faster than prairie fire and in a short time, Catholic Charities of Southern Minnesota reached out to St. Paul’s to let us know they were gifted with staff and volunteers, but in need of space. Fast forward to today, and St. Paul’s considers itself blessed to host Catholic Charities’ Day Shelter in the cathedral-sized guild hall that had long outgrown our chapel-sized congregation.

One of our town’s historic buildings that used to sit nearly vacant six days a week, now brims with life for all seven. Unsurprisingly, when people are given the space and time to safely catch their breath in a supportive community, everything begins to change.

The word ‘community’ here is intentional. Humans are social beings who flourish when they feel togetherness and flounder when they feel isolation. Keeping this in mind, it is not surprising that the most successful and safe aid centers are centrally located and anchored by 24/7 shelter services, not on the edge of town and not part-time.

Throughout the history of our country, every time a vulnerable population has been moved from the margins of our communities and closer to the center, they benefit. Whether it is our aged elders, children, the chronically ill, at-risk mothers, the undereducated, those in recovery or suffering from addiction, people with mental health needs, or those
unable/difficult to work; when vulnerable populations are brought in from the margins and placed nearer to the center, they begin to flourish.

As we all know, there is no Department of Grace. There is no Bureau for the Prevention of Hopelessness, and we do not expect Operation Forgiveness and Mercy to begin any time soon. If you are experiencing housing insecurity in our country, non-profit shelters operated by professional staff and trained volunteers are on the frontlines of getting
those in crisis the help they need.

In a climate that can be deathly cold nearly half the year, a 24/7 emergency housing space located in an easily accessible part of town can literally mean the difference between life and death for our most vulnerable residents (and recently has, Lord have mercy).

After much praying, discerning, and canonical due-diligence around the building we hold in trust for the diocese, St. Paul’s began walking down the long municipal road of rezoning the property. Rezoning our property lot from ‘residential’ to ‘mixed use’ allow us to house people both during the day and overnight, empowering St. Paul’s to provide the only 24/7/365 shelter in Winona County.

At the time of this writing, we are grateful to say that because St. Paul’s is willing and able to providing the needed space, Catholic Charities has long-time experience operating shelters in cities across Minnesota, and the rezoning request is consistent with the policies and objectives of Winona’s future Comprehensive Plan to repurpose existing historic
structures for the benefit of the greater community; we have successfully cleared four of the five necessary municipal steps throughout the last year; each one subject to a vote and each one requiring the petitioner (that’s us!) to appear ‘in chambers’ and make our case.

Please continue to lift up St. Paul’s and the housing-insecure of Winona in your prayers, beloved. Pray also that our mission partners Catholic Charities of Southern Minnesota and our civic partners on Winona’s Planning Commission and City Council continue to help us ‘seek the good of the city in which we have been sent’ (Jeremiah 29:7).

In a culture that so often privileges and glorifies the individual, our ancient faith offers nothing short of a radical reorientation pointing to beloved community; a proclamation in word and deed that we have been created to be in right relationship with one another and the God in whom we live, move, and have our being. The Holy One who makes a forever home for everyone.