A couple of us accepted an invitation to travel with Kensington Welfare Rights Union down to New Orleans to kick off the March to Fulfill the Dream, a three-month caravan to the U.S. Social Forum led by the Poor People’s Economic Human Rights Campaign.
Keep track of their time down south through a few videos on this PPEHRC blog and press release.
Join us in a funeral procession lamenting the cruelty of yesterday’s massive SSI cuts inflicted upon 340,000 of Pennsylvania’s most vulnerable.
The elderly poor and disabled were dealt a devastating blow on February 1st after the state legislature implemented a $22 million cut to PA Supplemental Security Income. These budget cuts will drastically reduce food and housing security within an already-fragile sector of society living on a fixed income 20% below the poverty line.
The poorest among us deserve better.
Carry hope for a different tomorrow by joining New Jerusalem Now, our friends at Broad Street Ministry, and other affected Philadelphians in a procession and vigil around City Hall this Wednesday at 5pm.
Click on the image above for details of the event and read more about the cuts affecting a number of us at New Jerusalem and in our neighborhood HERE.
For those of you who don’t know, New Jerusalem was recently the subject and cover story of the Philadelphia City Paper. You can read the story here.
For those of you who have come to visit our site as a result of reading the article: welcome! We are glad to have you. We hope you will feel at home and look around, and if there are any questions we can answer, please feel free to leave a note and we will get back to you.
Our friends at the simple way and The Alternative Seminary have organized yet another excuse to get together. The new issue of Consp!re magazine is fresh off the presses and a whole bunch of us will be gathering to celebrate its release and the theme of “Sacred Subversions” this Wednesday, 6pm, at 18th and Diamond (just three blocks from the central New Jerusalem house).
Hosted by the Church of the Advocate, an embodiment of “sacred subversion” and central component in the struggle for civil rights and justice here in North Philly, the evening will begin with a potluck dinner and pick up steam during a time of communion, song, prayer, and a few readings from the latest issue.
While you might have missed New Jerusalem’s own Bruce Dawson’s and Nate Buchanan’s reflections during the last release party on the signs of hope and rebirth that appeared in their pieces from the spring’s Resurrection issue… you can’t say you weren’t aware that something wonderful was in the air this time around!
See you there…
The forecast was gloomy. No matter how many times we checked again as the day approached, and no matter how many different sources we looked to for a better-sounding prediction, they all joined their voices to promise an overcast day of rain and showers and thunder and lightning. Ugh.
God, grant us
the serenity to accept the things we cannot change…
This event was intended to be a fundraiser for our community, New Jerusalem Now, which Sister Margaret has aptly described as “mostly fragile potential.” By mid-morning on Saturday, the paper streamers in our yard were melting in the rain, revealing the mostly fragile potential of most of our best-laid plans.
We find ourselves, along with so many others, confronted with an economic situation which threatens each of us and our community with the possibility of closing our doors completely. The financial position of New Jerusalem Now is dire. Grants are harder to come by, donations are down. The forecast is gloomy. And yet, we felt like throwing a party anyways.
…the courage to change the things we can…
In the weeks leading up to the event, we sensed God nudging us towards a deeper understanding of the potential hidden within the occasion. This was more than just a fundraiser, or at least it could be, if we let it. Not only was it an opportunity for us to be and become community in a more meaningful way, but at a deeper level it represented the decision to embrace celebration and abundance and Jubilee in a season increasingly plagued by penny-pinching survivalism.
We find in God an absurd kind of abundance, a ridiculous overflow, like water gushing out of a rock in the middle of the desert. There is an extravagance which defies all sound financial advice. It’s like a full-blown Ponzi scheme, in reverse. God is throwing a preposterous party, and we keep getting lavish invitations. But for us, the party —and the battle—begin within. We cannot change the weather, but we can change our attitude towards it.
…and the wisdom to know the difference.
Two days before the event the forecast was fairly certain, and so were we. We chose to open the (flood)gates, rain or shine, and have a party anyways. We chose that particular brand of madness that dances in the face of disaster and looks to embrace God in reality, even when doing so means muddy shoes and soggy trousers.
We knew that those who came to see us in the rain would be heavenly angels sent just for us, and that we would have plenty of food to offer them. At one point in the planning, we had actually worried about being able to feed everyone who might show up. But God conspired to provide an overabundance for each person there, and the Spirit was abundant, too.
God’s will—not ours—be done.
What followed was one of the more memorable days in the recent life of New Jerusalem. It was wet and wild. We had mudslides and mochas; a DJ and a deluge; a farmer’s market and a silent auction; a beautiful, ragtag choir transforming the familiar into the extraordinary; an impromptu aria sung by two lovely young ladies; lots of smiles, lots of hugs, lots of laughs; and some of the best food ever offered on God’s green earth.
As we let go of our expectations and the way we thought it should look, we were able to move into the wondrous designs of a good God who really knows how to party, and how to provide. The event didn’t resolve our financial crisis, but it helped in the healing of that 
impoverished spiritual condition which is life detached from the Truest Source. And we are grateful.
Bouncing off each other under the shelter of our tents, the sun was rising, and the moon and the stars, God and all Her angels, too. We were all packed in there together, eating, moving with the music and laughing—at the weather, at the economy, at ourselves, and at every other thing that seems, for a moment, to foil God’s intention to get down.
And we got down.
Amen.
Postscript ~ It’s not too late for you to share in the abundance. For those of you who wanted to come but couldn’t, we are still happily accepting donations for our community and for our mission to serve the sick and suffering addicts of our society. We invite you to partner with us in our holy tomfoolery, and support us in our work for the recovery of our world. Checks can be sent to our mailing address, or you can check out our so-so-easy online contribution method by clicking on the “support” button at the top of this page.
Much love and many blessings, your friends at NJN.
For more photos, visit this LINK.
The New Jerusalem Now community would like to thank all those who made our first Summer Soulstice Block Party such a success and a wonderful time to be together:
Erika Funk, from Broad Street Ministry, who gave many hours in planning, much good advice, made many calls, arranged for and brought gallons of coffee, lent us tables from BSM, helped us run the farmers market on the day of the event, and brought sunshine into the rain.
Joe Morrison, who gave much good counsel and direction throughout the planning of the event, kept us from getting discouraged or off-point in our efforts, without whose help this event wouldn’t have happened.
Wendy Gaynor and the Broad Street Ministry “Motley Order Choir,” who sang, danced, and brought the Spirit and the soul into our little corner of Philadelphia. They gave of themselves freely and they made that day unforgettable for all of us.
Bill Golderer of Broad Street Ministry, Will O’Brien of Project H.O.M.E., Dick and Phyllis Taylor, Vic and Charlene Compher, Patricia Pearce and Kip Leitner, without whose financial support and abundant generosity this event would not have happened.
The Circle of Hope community, who have proven themselves such good friends and supporters of NJN, for promoting our event, and lending us the sound equipment needed to make ourselves heard and to bring some volume to our celebration.
Nick Schummer, who arranged for the sound equipment from Circle of Hope, packed it into his truck, transported it, set it up, operated it, broke it down, and took it back, and Nathan Leonard who assisted.
Broad Street Ministry (Erika Funk), Old First Reformed (Alice Reyes), and Incarnation of Our Lord School (Sr. Katherine Baltazar), who lent us the many tables and chairs needed in order to serve our guests.
Brittney “blew” Lewis, our visiting barista, who crafted many fine caffeinated concoctions to fuel the fun.
Aram Dadian, whose generosity and assistance kept our stage performers dry.
Jamie Moffett, who helped document the event with photographs.
Suzanne McHenry, our pancake princess, who supplied us with more batter and condiments than we could have asked for.
The Simple Way, who have supported us continually over the years, and who helped in the promotion of the event.
Our friends at the Camden House(s), who lent us extra tents which came in very handy when the rain came down.
Raymond Walters and Sheila Wortham, who were in our kitchen for days leading up to the event, and for most of that day too, preparing the food we all enjoyed so much.
Jerome Dupont, for designing very creative signs for our event.
The NJN Board of Directors, for their support and advice.
Everyone who donated goods and items for our silent auction.
Everyone else who contributed in many different ways, great and small, to help us pull this off, including everyone who showed up, in the rain, to have a great time anyways…
Thank you, thank you, thank you! And many blessings!
Sincerely,
Your friends at
New Jerusalem Now
Life in recovery has its share of peaks and valleys, but lately there has been a lot of cause for celebration around New Jerusalem. Even during the darkest of seasons, we are learning to find examples of in-breaking light… and James, a member of our Advanced Community, has been one such embodiment.
James celebrated his one-year anniversary a couple of weeks ago. For those that know James, he’s always got something to say:
The one-year anniversary is something I take pride in. It made me have a sense of understanding who I am and how to live life, truly, to its fullest. It was a stepping-stone, an opportunity, and it’s exciting to see the drastic changes I’ve made in my life.
Having a sponsee brother and someone that believed I could do this felt really good. The people around me—celebrating with me, encouraging me—made me feel more important than I ever have.
And it showed other people hope, that recovery is a possibility for anyone and that the program can make it happen. It gave me the opportunity to share my experiences, strengths, and hopes. It shed light of love, understanding, and commitment. It gave me the opportunity to represent what recovery actually looks like on a one-day-at-a-time basis.
Just for today, I am clean and sober; I’m happy. It’s not my will that anything be done; it’s God’s will that be done in everything. God is my sole provider and guider.
My anniversary went very well.
Congratulations James! It was exciting to be there to help you celebrate an inspiring accomplishment. For those that couldn’t make the party, imagine yourself there as you view the rest of the pictures HERE.
Today, May 7th, is our Director Brian’s birthday!
He lives with a lot on his plate and with multiple hats on his head…
But we made him take a vacation a couple of weeks ago and threw him a party today, so hopefully that’ll be enough to keep him around!
New Jerusalem gathered alongside other concerned residents of North Philly to discuss issues related to the city’s budget in a Q&A with Mayor Michael Nutter and Councilman Darrell Clarke. The questions posed to the mayor covered a range of topics as varied as jeopardized playgrounds and youth centers, abandoned property, fees and penalties for trash removal, the potential closure of a local nursing home and the need for greater support of recovery programs in a neighborhood marred by drug addiction. Mayor Nutter was attentive and generally sincere in his responses to the community’s concerns. Nevertheless, he and Councilman Clarke, when speaking separately of the relative threat to neighborhorhood medical clinics, offered conflicting perspectives on the risk that the reduced budget proposals pose to North Philly’s Health Center #5. The implications of a shuttered clinic in the neighborhood could be devastating, so with budget cuts looming we rely on God for serenity while we pray and work for the mobilization of justice and compassion.
Check out some of the signs KWRU made for us:
Last Thursday evening New Jerusalem attended a meeting held to address an emerging threat to our community’s local clinic. With Mayor Nutter considering a budget reduction as high as 30%, public health centers are now at high risk for closure. While community forums were scheduled across the city to inform various neighborhoods of the potential cuts, the city offered no such meeting for the concerned residents of North Philly.
As unemployment rapidly rises, particularly in economically unstable neighborhoods such as North Philly, an increasing number of families are left without health insurance and depend upon the care of public health centers. New Jerusalem relies heavily on Health Center #5 and has become actively involved in organizing the neighborhood so that our concerns may be heard. The safety net is already small in communities like North Philly and, without an organized resistance, the frail net is at risk of being discarded completely.
The board for our local Health Center #5, upon discovering that the clinic was in jeopardy and that the city had no plans of engaging the community before announcing a final decision, fought to schedule a meeting between our local councilman and the mayor.
Join us this Wednesday, March 4th, at 6:15pm so that Councilman Clarke and Mayor Nutter may understand the urgent need for adequate health services in North Philly. Their meeting will take place at Strawberry Mansion High School on 32nd and Ridge Avenue. Call Melvin Smith at 215.686.3442 if you have any questions.