Jennifer has been the Director of the Berkshire Servant Leadership Center since its beginning in 2007 and founding Vice President of BIO, Berkshires Interfaith Organizing, in 2014. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work from Elmira College, and a Masters in Divinity from Berkley Divinity School at Yale University. She currently holds outdoor services each Sunday, in a congregation called The Cathedral of the Beloved. This community gathers each Sunday afternoon on the lawn of St. Joseph’s Church in Pittsfield for an ecumenical service at 2 p.m. and has a meal. Through this work she has become acquainted with the struggles of those living on the street or in insecure housing situations. Now, Jenny is requesting help to secure housing that has been developed by the First United Methodist Church.
She is inviting us to work with members of many congregations and members of First Methodist (FUMC) to make sure the homeless shelter at First Methodist on Fenn Street becomes a reality.
Jenny says,”As some of you already know, this work is already well underway and Downtown Pittsfield Inc. (DPI) and the downtown business owners are working to bring it to a halt. As one member said during the Development Review Board hearing last week (and I paraphrase), “it’s not about wanting it in my backyard, I don’t even want it in my front yard.”
Here is Jenny’s letter and supporting documents.
Dear Colleagues,
Many of you have asked how to help mobilize around the homeless shelter in Pittsfield. I have just sent out an action plan to downtown faith communities in Pittsfield for the next two weeks. Please see the letter and attachments below. With many of you living outside the city of Pittsfield, you and your parishioners are invited to make phone calls as partners in ministry with Cathedral of the Beloved. Specifically, help us make phone calls on the last several days prior to the Developmental Review Board meeting and vote (August 14th, August 17th and 18th). Full details, possible call in scripts and background are all attached.
Please be in touch with any questions you have.
Thank you!
Jenny+
Click here to read the full invitation
Click here to read the script for the phone calls
Click here to read the supporting documents. Background of shelter project 1
Click here to read the supporting documents. Background of shelter project 2