Year: 2021
A Pandemic Playlist
Editor’s Note: Lay Missioner Joleen Johnson shares a playlist of compiled songs that have helped the FMS community throughout this past year of pandemic. To mix it up a little bit, I chose to use more music instead of words for this blog. I’ve asked current FMS Missioners and community members to share a song…
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God’s Timing
Editor’s Note: DCSC volunteer Domonique Thompson reflects on her time serving within the Father McKenna Center. She embraces all that she has learned and plans to carry it with her throughout her mission in Bolivia later this year. This was the year that I never wanted and never thought that I would need. There is…
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One night in Mexico
Editor’s Note: Lay Missioner serving at the US-Mexico Border Rhonda Eckerman recalls a time spent serving at the Migrant Resource Center. She candidly shares some stories from her first night. The Migrant Resource Center is a small two story building located approximately 20 feet from the port of entry turnstile that rotates into 1st Street,…
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The Enlightening Process of Interfaith Photovoice
Editor’s Note: DCSC volunteer Bekah Galucki shares her experience taking part in an interfaith photovoice project across the country. She dives into the fruitful community of this leap into the unknown as well as deep personal growth. Within this year of service, an abundance of opportunities have found themselves my way. Given that time…
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Looking Forward
Editor’s Note: Lay Missioner Hannah Hagarty shares her discernment of “What comes next?” following the end of her service with FMS. In her final blog, Hannah candidly opens up about her approaches in trusting God with her steps moving forward. My time serving as a Franciscan Mission Service Overseas Lay Missioner (FMSOLM) is coming…
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A Peek into my Thought Process
Editor’s Note: DCSC volunteer Madeline McKissick shares her experience from a recent Formation Session, reflecting on her time thus far within the program. She welcomes the pause that comes with stopping and recognizing the moments that have formed her into who she is. Every week, DC Service Corps attends a Tuesday session where we gain…
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On Decision-Making Circles
Editor’s Note: DCSC volunteer Fede Wettstein ponders the impactful reality of one’s decision-making bubble brought about from our DCSC Formational reading, “The Defining Decade.” On Tuesday afternoons, we have Franciscan Formation sessions with DC Service Corps. Throughout the year, these sessions have taken the form of discussions, workshops, or presentations with topics ranging from spirituality…
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The Graces of Change
Editor’s Note: DCSC volunteer Emily Dold discusses the impact of change through the experiences of Casa changes as well as her role within the Father McKenna Center shifting. Have you ever felt as though a homily was meant just for you? Or, more likely, that God wanted you to hear the homily’s contents? The Easter…
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Habitual Welcome Mats
Editor’s Note: Lay Missioner Nora McMahon reflects on the acts of Holy Thursday and how it can relate to our modern times. Today is Holy Thursday (though by the time you are reading this I am sure it is well past that) and the readings and focus for Holy Thursday has always been on the…
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Two Desert Days
Editor’s Note: Lay missioner Rhonda Eckerman describes two days from her time in mission at the US-Mexico border. She dives into the details of her experiences of encountering the harsh realities and hardships of a migrant. I am in the first months of my border mission here in Douglas, Arizona and recently have had two…
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Auntie Hannah & Jamaica Day
Editor’s Note: Lay Missioner Hannah Hagarty describes her shifted role within her Jamaican school community. Through this new “Healthy Mind, Healthy Body” class, she’s been able to appreciate those around her and dig even deeper into her faith as well as her community. When I returned to Jamaica after being home in the states…
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You Got It All!
Editor’s Note: Lay Missioner Anna Metzger reflects on giving her gifts and talents to all those she encounters. Through a happenstance reply, she recounts how God has provided through her with a renewed gratitude and awareness. In my last blog, I challenged you to “be attentive to the present and step into the moments where…
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Gains and Growth
Editor’s Note: Lay Missioner Joleen Johnson, in sharing the story of her dad’s physical therapy, reflects on the positive impact of growing beyond your limits of comfort. A few weeks ago my dad had his right knee replaced. At a recent physical therapy session, the physical therapist said something that got me thinking about growth. …
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Give the Good.
Editor’s Note: DCSC volunteer Erin Brown discusses a Lenten lesson that she is actively putting into practice. She delves into how it is in giving that we truly receive. “There is a wonderful, almost mystical, law of nature that says three of the things we want most—happiness, freedom, and peace of mind—are always attained…
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Complaint Fasting
Editor’s Note: DCSC volunteer Domonique Thompson shares her experience of fasting from complaints this Lent. In a continuation from her last blog, reflecting on her blessings, she shares her process of practicing gratitude this season. Part of Lent is taking time to fast and sacrifice. When most people think of fasting, they often think of…
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The Ministry of a Programs Associate
Editor’s Note: DCSC Volunteer and Programs Associate Fatima Godfrey reflects on her role within the FMS office, finding the mission of accompaniment abundantly. Working at the FMS office as the Programs Associate provides me the opportunity to serve as the first point of contact for those inquiring with FMS. This means I get the privilege…
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“Who do you say that I am?”
Editor’s Note: DCSC volunteer Madeline McKissick brings the reader into an experience from the DCSC Mid-year retreat. In playing a get-to-know-you game there, she reflects on her identity both within Christ and this intentional community. I anticipated the mid-year retreat for several reasons. First of all, we spent three days in a cute little Airbnb…
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Meals Made to Share
Editor’s Note: DCSC volunteer Airianna Beitler shares her experience of cooking for our great, big Casa San Salvador community. She delves into the importance of food for her and the significance of being able to share this with others. Food is very important to how people express themselves and their cultures. You can guess that…
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One Year: A Reflection on my DCSC Discernment Days
Editor’s Note: Communications Associate, Bekah Galucki, reflects on the impact a year can have in thinking of her discernment a year ago. She openly shares from a perspective of gratitude about the movements of her heart in those few days last February that have brought much fruit. So much can happen when giving God…
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Rest Required
Editor’s Note: Lay Missioner Nora McMahon describes the process (and standstills) of arriving at her new mission site in Cochabamba, Bolivia. She notes the importance of rest as a gift, contrary to cultural acclamation. Preparing to leave for Bolivia was perhaps more hectic than actually traveling there. Repacking my bags three times, trying to say…
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Constantly Immaculate: From Luxury Hotel to Franciscan Home Base
Editor’s Note: Lay Missioner Megan Hamilton delves into the history and Franciscan connections of her daily home-base within the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany convent in Kingston, Jamaica. Megan would like to thank her friend Adrianna Amari who contributed critical research on Constant Spring Hotel. At my November 16, 2019 Commissioning Mass in Washington DC I…
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The Packing and the Unpacking
Editor’s Note: Lay Missioner Rhonda Eckerman discusses the uncharted waters of packing “do’s and don’ts” within the process of moving to her new mission site at the US-Mexico border. She shares the difficulty of packing tangible items, as well as the necessity of intangibly packing moments that bring a sense of home. THE PACKING I…
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Simon of Cyrene’s Hotline
Editor’s Note: DCSC volunteer Fede Wettstein candidly shares some common experiences of his ministry site with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). He openly correlates his weekly task of answering the refugee hotline to that of an accompanying Simon of Cyrene, all with a perspective of hope. Every Wednesday from 2-3:30 pm I…
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Lest I Want to Remain as I am.
Editor’s Note: Reminded by a brief snowfall, DCSC volunteer Emily Dold recognizes the differences between her and the men of her ministry site, the Father McKenna Center. While recognizing her own experiences do not align entirely with those experiencing homelessness, she strives towards the long road of deeper understanding, knowledge, and love. It’s snowing in…
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FMS Lifelong Missioner Feature: Tim Shelgren
Program Director Emily Norton had the gift of interviewing Tim Shelgren (Mission Class 33, Serving from 2018-2020 in Kingston, Jamaica) via a Zoom call. Below is the interview. Q: How have you chosen to live out Franciscan simplicity since returning to the US? The day I left Jamaica, I remember standing in the airport on…
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Step into The Moment
Editor’s Note: Overseas Lay Missioner Anna Metzger speaks about her active call to ministry while in Bolivia. As she awaits both the welcome of another FMS missioner, Nora, and an official ministry site in Cochabamba, she reflects on the life giving relationships throughout her day to day. As followers of Christ, we are all called…
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New Year, New Me
Editor’s Note: DCSC volunteer Airianna Beitler reflects on her past year, in ways that she has grown and still yet has room to grow, with hope for this new year in mind. “New year, new me.” This is a the common phrase we hear around this time of year; it is a time of transition…
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Ministry Grounded in Gratitude
Editor’s Note: DCSC volunteer Domonique Thompson shares an experience from her placement site at the Father McKenna Center. She reflects on an encounter with one of the men, leading to long-term lessons and deep gratitude. As we are entering the coldest times of this winter season, it puts the meaning of homeless into a different…
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Goodness, Then and Now
Editor’s Note: DCSC volunteer Erin Brown enters this new year in contemplation of the word “good” and what that can look like. Inspired by Fr. Mike Schmitz’ “Bible in a Year” podcast, she reflects on this word from both the context of the Bible to her own life. In the New Year, I have been…
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The Power of Simple Prayer
Editor’s Note: Overseas Lay Missioner Joleen Johnson shares the story of her spring break babysitting turned God-moment. She expresses the power of a simple prayer through the eyes of her younger cousin. When I was in college, I excitedly volunteered to babysit my twin cousins while their parents were gone for the weekend. It was…
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Developing Gratitude
Editor’s Note: Development Associate Madeline McKissick shares a deeper meaning of her ministry with FMS. She describes what her day to day looks like, often in the form practicing gratitude, within a non-profit office setting. As the Development Associate of Franciscan Mission Service, I do a lot of work with donor relations. I make phone…
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Day 33: Wisdom
Editor’s Note: To close out this Advent Blog series, Programs Director Emily Norton reflects on the gift of wisdom in the context of the Magi come Epiphany. She shares from her own experiences on how she has found this “sacred wisdom” throughout her past year. The Wise Magi of 2020 “Sacred wisdom.” These are the…
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