September 2014
Sharing Our Gifts

Stone Soup

This article is also available in Spanish here. Este artículo es disponible en español aquí. 

There is an old story everyone knows. It is about a “poor” traveler who comes to town and with great flourish begins to boil a pot of water, to which he ceremoniously adds a stone. Before long, of course, curiosity conquers and residents gather around to inquire. “Welcome,” cries the traveler, “Stone soup is so much better with friends!” Intrigued, the people listen to him describe the soup he is making and before you know it, everyone has brought something to contribute. In the end the neighborhood sits down together, with bread from the baker and wine from the vintner, to the most amazing feast.

This story makes us laugh. Silly people, tricked into making soup for a beggar! But were they? Did the traveler really contribute nothing or was he the catalyst, the Spirit bearer who made new life possible? Hard to imagine that a man with only a pot and a stone could produce a banquet, but he did. So what wisdom is here for the Church? Could it be that our declining resources are not only a challenge, but also a gift? This may be hard to imagine when you are struggling to pay bills and make ends meet, but let me tell you another story.

Several years ago, Grace Church, Nampa, Idaho started “Adventure Club,” a hiking group for kids during the summer. Numbers grew, especially when kids from La Capilla de la Gracia, our Latino mission, joined in. We needed a bus.

“No problem,” said one of the youth leaders. Her sister-in-law was on the board of a large foundation, the Maybelle Clark Macdonald Fund. The youth leader spoke with sister-in-law to learn more about the types of projects they funded. Although Grace and la Gracia weren’t a perfect match for fund’s stated criteria, we were encouraged to write a grant proposal.

Several months later we were the proud owners of a “new” (used) bus with a wheelchair lift. Having the bus made it possible to expand Adventure Club and to transport kids the thirteen miles from La Gracia to Grace Church for a combined youth group. We took a picture, expressed our profound thanks to the foundation, and thought that was the end.

The following summer, a representative from the foundation was in town visiting and stopped at the church. She spent nearly an hour discussing the mission and ministries of Grace. “So why,” she said, “haven’t you asked for anything more? There’s so much we can do to help. How about technology? I love technology.”

She was so enthusiastic! It was crazy and confusing. I wanted to say, “But we don’t meet your foundation’s criteria and we already have a computer!” It isn’t often, however that someone comes along and tells you what amazing work your church is doing. So, even though I thought the last thing we needed was “technology,” I let the idea roll around in my head.

I remembered the race for the iPad a volunteer had brought to our afterschool program at La Gracia. The students loved using it. Well, maybe, I thought. Maybe tablets for the afterschool program couldn’t hurt. Very few of our students had access to more than phones, so we put together an after school tutoring program built around using tablets to help students meet their academic goals and wrote the grant. The program was funded.

It was amazing. Our program grew as students earned points toward getting their own Surface or Nabi tablet. We developed relationships with student’s teachers and parents. Using the tablets meant that homework got done more quickly, students were on-task, and a stronger and stronger sense of community developed. When summer came, much to the surprise of parents, we explained that we trusted them and their children to take the tablets home. This trust and relationship made it possible for us to send seven students to a two-week science camp when the last minute opportunity came. The “technology” that I didn’t think we needed transformed our program.

And it has begun to transform the way we think about mission and resources here at Grace. We know we need to start with a vision and to articulate that vision. We know we need to take action with the resources we have. But like the traveler, we are learning that there is a gift in sharing that vision. When the vision of Grace/La Gracia Church in Nampa, Idaho encountered the vision of the Maybelle Clark Macdonald Fund of Washington state, a spark was struck and the Spirit breathed it into new life. We are both more than we were. As we live more deeply into this new understanding of shared vision and mission, unexpected gifts abound. We understand that we are called to share our resources, our vision, and our need. The empty seats at our table have become invitations to participation rather than symbols of decline.

So how does it work? First we acknowledge that God has put us here for God’s good purpose. We give thanks for God’s wisdom and goodness. Then we find a place where the Good News needs proclaiming. We articulate a vision for that mission as best we can and assess the resources we have. It is supper time. No one seems inclined to share. Well, let’s put the water to boil and invoke the Spirit. What resources do we need? Make a public list of all that is needed. As amazing as this soup is, a few carrots would make it even better! Some resources will come to you. Others you will need to pursue. For Grace, grant writing has been an excellent source. Get on the Internet. Google what you are looking for such as “grants for children’s programs” or “grants for art installations”. You are searching for foundations with a vision that intersects with your vision. Read the criteria carefully. You want the best match you can find, but be open to possibilities. And if you know someone who knows someone, knock on that door!

Remember, you are inviting someone to the banquet. Be open to the Spirit. You are the vision carrier, but that vision is never complete. Be open to changes that come with collaboration. And finally, include everyone in the celebration. All foundations ask for final reports. This is a document of celebration. Be thorough and respectful when completing these documents. These people have a seat at your table. They are honored guests and fellow travelers.

Try This: In the story of the Stone Soup, the hero has a vision – a delicious meal. Then he explores his assets. He has a soup pot, materials to make a fire, water, and a stone. He takes what he has and begins. Then he shares the vision and the specific needs with others. For congregational leaders, we invite you to follow these five steps:

  1. Vision
  2. Assess resources
  3. Take some forward action
  4. Share vision and needs (You too could be part of this great work!)
  5. Allow the vision to grow as the community around it grows. Celebrate current abundance!
Karen Hunter has been a priest in Idaho since her ordination in 1998. She served both the Episcopal and Presbyterian churches in the small mountain community of Salmon, Idaho before coming to Nampa and Grace Church in 2007. She was also the part time Canon for Education and Formation and the editor of the diocesan newsletter several years. She is a native of Montana where she began her professional ministry as a campus chaplain at the University of Montana in Missoula. She served as a lay vicar at St. Mark’s, Anaconda, Montana and Church of the Redeemer before her ordination. She and her husband Randy have two sons and five grandchildren.

Resources

Researching Grants - Stone Soup Resource

Stone Soup Visioning Resource

This article is part of the September 2014 Vestry Papers issue on Sharing Our Gifts