Taking a road trip is a mini-school of relationship building. Fellow-travelers see the worst and the best in each other, and have to struggle with relating in the best of times and worst of times. Recently three of my Portland friends and I road-tripped from Portland to Joshua Tree National Park and back. It was a bonding time and, for me, an experience of the Incamarion in our midst. We learned a lot about ourselves and each other.

While we were in Joshua Tree, we went rock climbing. One member of the group became separated from the rest of us. Two hours later, after a lot of searching and worrying, we were all reunited. A heated discussion developed which boiled down to a question that goes all the way back to Genesis and the dawn of history, the question Cain snarled at God after his brother Abel's murder: "AM I MY BROTHER'S KEEPER?" As we talked, we struggled with our own sometimes frustrating sense of being responsible not only for ourselves but for each other. Our ultimate answer was in accord with the answer that reverberates throughout Scripture, the implicit answer to Cain's defensive question. "Yes, we are our brother's and sister's keeper!" We are each mutually responsible for each other.

Two years ago I was walking down Polk Street when I observed a man sprawled in a bed of flowers. Before I could reach him, I noticed several people hurry past, even though he was obviously having a seizure. I called 911 and remained with him until the paramedics arrived. In that moment I had to answer the question, "AM I MY BROTHER'S KEEPER?"

At night, on the street, whether I'm "working" or not, I often check people who are slumped in phone booths, alleys, doorways, even the middle of the sidewalk. The reason is that people who overdose often just crash wherever they find themselves. Again the underlying question is "AM I MY BROTHER'S KEEPER?"

A few weeks ago I was on the phone with a young friend from the suburbs, listening to his most recent girlfriend problems. My super-intense staffperson/friend Mikael finally yelled in exasperation, "I can't believe you're running a counseling service for suburban kids with girl problems, when you've got a thousand kids with real problems right here in the City. That seems like a pretty stupid waste of time." I understood Mikael's frustration, but the Gospel, as I understand it, insists that every person is important and what they want to talk about is relevant. That goes for suburban teens with interpersonal angst just as much as it does for the kids we serve on the streets of San Francisco. "AM I MY BROTHER'S KEEPER?"

The life of Jesus gives dramatic witness to the fact that we truly are our brother's and sister's keeper. I like the New Living Translation which paraphrases Cain's question as: "Am I supposed to keep track of him wherever he goes?" And the answer is simple: yes, we are. Each of us is called to keep track of our brothers and sisters in the alleys, in the high schools, in the suburbs, in the City, in the health club, in the ghetto, and in our own homes. When we truly start to keep track of our brothers and sisters then maybe, just maybe, our society will take a small incremental step toward being a more just one; a-society in which every person's basic rights to housing, food, clothing and adequate health care are provided for. aeaeaeae

SOCIAL JUSTICE ACTIONS

Week 1: Make a list of three things you truly enjoy in life. Thank God for each one. Let your joy show!

Week 2: Be conscious of the gift of water today. Water is - for the present abundant here. Pray for those in other parts of the world for whom it is not and who yearn for it.

Week3: Find and read carefully one article on the consequences of our food choices. Resolve to change your buying habits in some way as a result.

Week 4: Loosen upi Give warmer handshakes, gentler kisses, more caring hugs. Touch others with your peace.

NEWSLETTER VIA E-MAIL

If there is sufficient interest among our readers, we hope by the first of next year to be able to send out this newsletter by e-mail to those who wish to receive it that way. This would save postage and paper. Please send your email address to Fr. River at punkpriest@yahoo.com if you're interested.

GOOD FRIDAY STATIONS OF THE CROSS REPORT

One hundred fifty people joined with us to observe the Stations of the Cross in downtown San Francisco on Good Friday. We processed over several miles bearing witness to the crucifixions that go on every day in our midst. Our special thanks to The Rev. Kathy McAdams and all other participating clergy for their support and a very special thanks to Stephanie Salter for her great piece in the San Francisco Chronicle. Stephanie's deep spiritual commitment has been evident in her articles from the first time we came across them, and her friendship to Temenos over the past few years has incarnated that commitment in a most powerful way for us. We are grateful.

EUCHARIST

In the past six and a half years, our open-air Eucharists have been the centering point for each week. In the ups and downs of our journey, we are grateful for this weekly Eucharist as a time of truly experiencing and celebrating the presence of Christ among us. It is a powerful witness to our particular corner of the world that the Risen Christ is present on the street. Some people have joked with us about these services ("celebrating mass in an alley?!"), but, in reality, many of the greatest movements of the Spirit were in the open air, from the preaching of Paul, down to John Wesley, on to Billy Graham in our own day.

On Sunday, May 20% at 3:00 p.m., we will celebrate our first open-air Eucharist in United Nations Plaza, where many homeless gather. We will also continue our traditional 6:15 p.m. Sunday Eucharist in Cedar Alley. We need volunteers. Come and worship with us!

OUR THANKS!

Over the past months we have not published the names of our supporters, due to the list having apparently been abused in a few instances. We're now going to try a new approach: we will publish the names of our monthly contributors unless you request that your name be withheld.

The generous help of the following has allowed us to serve 2500 meals and to provide sacramental and pastoral care to 120, 4055 clean needles and other harm reduction supplies, 120 blankets, 550 pairs of socks, clothes to over 450 and the presence of the Risen Christ in the midst of the darkness of the night.

Thanks to The Rev. Robert Matthews, The Rev. Father Stephen Bartlett-Ré, Chris Seltzer, Angie Davison, Sue Lane Graves, Mary Beth Bianco, William Kruer, Rose Grogan, Father Mario Dicicco, and Rudy and Pam Clark for generous financial support. In kind donations and/or volunteer labor were provided by Jessie and Josie Manibusan, Jim Haber, HPPC, Rainbow Bread, First Congregational Church (office space), Larry Holben (editing and typing the newsletter) and Roy and - especially!! - Linda Moss (publishing and mailing the newsletter).

FINANCIAL REPORT

Several friends of the work have suggested that we include a short budget report periodically. Here are the basics:

Projected Need for 2001:    $66,685.95
Current Assets:                        8,250.80
Needed Each Month:               5,557.16

Income (April, 2001):              1,310.00
Fees Earned by Fr. River
for Consulting Work:                1,500.00
Total April Income:                  2,810.00

Expenditures for April
[All Paid 4/15/01]                    3,753.79

If you would like a breakdown of expenditures, please write or e-mail Fr. River at punkpriest@yahoo.com.

Our regular supporters and the "public at large" are truly generous at Thanksgiving and Christmas and it is that generosity that carries us through the remainder of the year. But as the above summary shows, each month our expenditures outstrip our income.

Your regular support through "ordinary time" is deeply appreciated.