A moment to breathe

12/15

Teddy greets me outside as I arrive to get the church ready for Sunday. George is still sitting in the south bay, checking out the street. Wish I knew what drew him and why.

Hope is arriving as I open the 86th Street door. The Sweatshop Free Upper West Side  campaign folks will be arriving shortly for another day of canvassing. 

I check out the church. We’ve got to put things back the way they were  before the concert. Get the communion table back in front of the pulpit, return the big Tiffany Studio chairs to the pulpit platform. I need to find the purple cloth for the table. Place the Advent wreath. Place the candles that Jamie brought. The Spanish Bible. My Advent stole made by Leila.

Hope doesn’t see the communion table and chairs. And is concerned until I point out that they are in the back of the church and Teddy will be putting them back soon.  

Jeffrey from Sanctuary has arrived with a load of greens ready to add their touch. Teddy will prepare the chapel for their after services get together. And negotiate between Noche and Sanctuary for the new shared office plan. 

Eric from SSFUWS has arrived and then Sarah and then Sophie. More are coming as they organize their afternoon. Hope shares her frustration with the shops that have turned us down. Some surprising. Some run by immigrants. Can’t understand the reluctance to simply obey the  law. We’re going to keep asking until we’ve got 100 small businesses. And there’s a second agenda...to keep eyes open for anything that may be suspicious, any indicators of undocumented workers exploited. This community based organizing campaign continues to move forward week by week, shop by shop. By the end of the day there will be four more businesses signed on.

The canvassers have left for their visits. I take a look at our work, the quiet sanctuary ready for tomorrow. Feel a sense of satisfaction. A moment to breathe.