Episcopal Diocese Of Newark Senior Ministries Published Article

1. ACTS/VIM funds ministries
throughout diocese
By Cathie Studwell cial times,” said Sandra Accomando, executive director of
Apostles’ House. “ACTS/VIM funding is critical for our
When youth gather to share meals or study the Bible at food pantry and Feed the Solution advocacy program. The
Grace Episcopal Church in Union City, they do so thanks numbers of people requesting food have tripled recently.
partly to funding for the church’s Youth Outreach program We would not be able to continue serving food without the
from the diocesan ACTS/VIM Foundation. help of ACTS/VIM.”
“We feed 70 teens every Friday night,” said the Rev. Haven of Hope for Kids, a country retreat and network
David S. Veale, Grace’s rector. “We want to encourage fel- of support for New Jersey and New York area families car-
lowship around a healthy meal. ACTS/VIM resources also ing for children with life-threatening illnesses, is extremely Children in the Haven of Hope for Kids program, and a
support our youth Bible Study. We started with donations grateful to the ACTS/VIM board, especially for funding country retreat and support network for families caring for
from our congregation, but as our program grew, so did our the pilot of this successful project in 2004, said Executive children with life-threatening illnesses, check out a tractor.
expenses. ACTS/VIM has been a Godsend!” Director Pamela Faris. “Vital small nonprofits are often
ACTS/VIM, standing for A Commitment To Serve/ overlooked because big foundations and corporations want
Venture In Mission, is the result of two separate committees to put their name on doors or on furniture in buildings.
coming together during Bishop Jack Spong’s time in the Also, many secular foundations will not support the work of
Diocese of Newark. The foundation has provided financial church-based programs. ACTS/VIM realizes the important
support for programs and projects that encourage congrega- work that Haven of Hope and other programs do.”
tional development and community outreach for many years. Other programs that have received funding over the
It endeavors to increase the activity of the Episcopal Church years include the community development corporation
in the diocese as it expresses Jesus’ vision for God’s people. of Christ Church, Hackensack, for its Next Step Initiative
Chaired by Laura Russell, a legal-aid attorney for New homeless program; Church of the Messiah, Chester, for its
York and member of All Saints in Hoboken, the foundation’s Senior Resource Program; St. Paul’s, Paterson, for its City
board consists of 12 members, both lay and clergy, who Serve Summer Youth Program; Church of the Good Shep-
can serve two three-year terms. With help from Diocesan herd, Fort Lee, for its Friends For Life HIV/AIDS support
Administrator Michael Francaviglia, the board reviews grant program; All Saints, Hoboken, for its Jubilee Children’s
applications submitted by individual churches, multiple Program; and Trinity, Kearny, for its English Language
congregation initiatives and district initiatives each February Education Project.
and September. Board members then have the opportunity to ACTS/VIM funding applications can be found on the
observe the programs that would receive funds and discuss diocesan website, www.dioceseofnewark.org. Board mem-
the vision, activity and challenges of the programs with bers are available to assist in developing a comprehensive
their directors. application. For more information, call Michael Francaviglia
To complete the process, applicants attend an ACTS/ at 973-430-9900.
VIM board meeting to present a small review of their pro- Cathie Studwell attends St. John the Divine, Hasbrouck
gram or project to the entire board. Heights, and is a member of the ACTS/VIM board.
A youngster in the have received funding over the years.
Many groups Haven of Hope for Kids program makes
June 2009 Vol. 57 - No. 3
friends with a horse. Theand corporations have was funded
“So many funders Haven’s pilot program stopped or
greatly reduced their funding during these difficult finan-
by ACTS/VIM.
Diocese meets seniors’ needs in many ways
By Kevin Berrigan Peter’s, Morristown, and later employee of community’s skilled nursing center, which istries, the Grace Senior Center for Health
the Church Pension Fund who founded the provides sub-acute rehabilitation services Living in Jersey City is part of Grace Church
As many Americans continue to live diocese’s senior ministries program more such as physical, occupational and speech Van Vorst Community Services and under the
longer and require more specialized physical, than a decade ago. therapies for patients who are treated and umbrella of Grace Church Van Vorst. One of
socialization and educational activities to en- The offering from the Evensong will then discharged. Long-term care is also the center’s greatest challenges is attempting
joy their quality of life in their latter years, the benefit the Senior Resource Center at available for those who require more in- to provide a comprehensive program that
Diocese of Newark and some of its individual Messiah, Chester, which provides support tensive health care, including 24-hour care. not only addresses the seniors physical well-
organizations and churches are addressing programs in education training and referral Spiritual resources are a significant being but also their psychological nourish-
these issues with ministries to meet elders’ programs for seniors and their caregivers, and component of the community’s offerings, ment, said Rev. Nick Lannon, church curate.
physical, emotional and spiritual well-being. Shepherd’s Haven in Pompton Lakes, which McCracken said. A chaplain is on site 20 “What we are attempting to do is to
The diocese offers educational programs administers an adult day-care program pro- hours a week to coordinate spiritual care continue to provide and maintain a com-
for seniors on hospice care, driving for se- viding safe, stimulating and health-promoting for the community. Besides regular church munity and social structure that the seniors
niors, health and health insurance and care- activities for elders. have become accustomed to their whole
giving. One program in much demand is the lives,” Lannon said. “We have a ready-made
diocese’s advanced directives program, which Housing options community here for the seniors and a single
outlines important information about legal Seniors can find several special- place where they can meet and interact, not
documents, living wills, power of attorney ized housing options in the diocese, out of necessity, but in comfort.”
and how to deal with terminal illnesses from including two continuing-care retire- The senior center enlists the help of
an individual, family member and caregiver ment communities – Heath Village consultants who provide programs in exer-
perspective, said the Rev. Oscar Mockridge, and House of the Good Shepherd in cise, quilting, yoga, line dancing and art. A
72, chair of senior ministries for the diocese. Hackettstown, each just outside Hack- discounted lunch program provides a nutri-
“Many of the individuals within our ettstown, and – Canterbury Village, an tious meal on weekdays.
diocese are living longer, and through our assisted-living facility in West Orange. Once or twice a month, guest speakers
services we are trying to improve the qual- Good Shepherd, for example, discuss topics such as how to cook a healthy
ity of that extended life,” Mockridge said. provides residential and treatment meal at home, heart issues and how to pre-
The diocese also provides educational services for 180 residents age 65 or vent identity theft. The center also schedules
programs on health-related issues concern- older in three distinct populations. monthly trips to museums, movies, musicals,
ing Alzheimer’s disease, depression in Apartment-style dwellings are avail- sporting events and other locations. Many
Retired math teacher MaryDell Morrison, 81,
seniors, support systems (family, church, able for individuals who want to live remains very active while living at Heath Village, of the seniors also volunteer to assist during
groups) personal and health (nutrition, independently while remaining close to a continuing-care retirement community outside the Grace Church Van Vorst Breakfast Plus
health and physical fitness), the aging pro- friends their own age and giving family Hackettstown. In 2008, she joined a bike jour- program, which provides breakfast to the
cess (physical, social and psychological) and members the comfort of knowing that ney from Pittsburgh to Washington, D.C., where homeless on weekends.
retirement planning. 24-hour medical care is nearby, said each cyclist rode between 150 and 180 miles. “The socialization is probably the most
In June, 52 seniors received Lifetime James McCracken, executive director. In 1999, she completed a more than 2,900-mile important part of our events,” said Joyce
Achievement Awards from the diocese at “We also have an assisted-living bike excursion. Davison, coordinator of the senior program.
their Evensong program at the Christ Church arrangement where an individual may services, this can include one-on-one coun- “It allows our seniors to get out of the house
in East Orange in recognition of their special have one or two specific health issues that seling and activities such as Bible study, and meet and mingle with people rather than
ministries in their churches that serve their need frequent attention,” he said. “We also choir and pet therapy. remaining alone and inactive.”
congregations and their community at large. provide three balanced meals a day and
The awards are given in memory of the medication-administration assistance.” Church-based programs Freelance writer Kevin Berrigan lives
Rev. David Hegg, the former rector of St. The third option is living inside the Among congregation-based senior min- in Edison.
JUNE 2009 THE VOICE 7