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[Episcopal News Service] A planned joint replacement, a traumatic accident, a terminal diagnosis or the challenges of an aging body can be life-changing, as well as costly. The cost of needed equipment and supplies can be a nightmare for many people. Durable medical equipment such as wheelchairs, walkers, commodes, canes, crutches and shower chairs cost hundreds of dollars, yet once people recover, most no longer need the equipment. Enter Episcopal medical equipment loan closets, operated by churches. Their goal is to provide people with the equipment and, at times, the supplies they need. Everything is free, and the equipment is returned when it’s no longer needed. The St. James Medical Equipment Ministry in Eatontown, New Jersey, loans durable medical equipment and also gives out supplies such as wound-care bandages and ointments, adult diapers, catheters, feeding tubes and ostomy bags. Donors who give equipment and money have been so supportive of the ministry at St. James Episcopal Church that it also can help other groups as near as Pennsylvania and as far away as Ukraine, according to Jeff Hughes, one of the nine volunteers who run the ministry. “You ask for it; I can probably find it for you,” said volunteer Kathy Braun, motioning to the rooms and hallways at St. James stacked high with equipment and supplies. Nancy McCormick, from Point Pleasant, New Jersey, learned about the ministry when a friend’s daughter was diagnosed with cancer and needed help. McCormick recently came to St. James to pick up a shower chair for her 97-year-old mother. “It’s been helpful to come and get all the equipment I need,” she said, adding that she returns equipment and gets other equipment as her mother’s needs change. The St. James ministry began in 2022 when parish member and retired engineer Brian Meagher met an unhoused man confined to a motorized wheelchair with battery troubles. Meagher wanted to help fix the equipment and learned about the Pluckemin Medical Equipment Ministry, operated by the Presbyterian church in Pluckemin, New Jersey, since 2010. The ministry helped Meagher get the man a newer, better motorized chair at no cost. The Presbyterian group encouraged Meagher to start the St. James ministry in partnership with them. Judy Jackson, the founder and coordinator of St. John’s Medical Loan Closet in Bandon, a town in rural southwestern Oregon, found inspiration from a different source. St. John’s Episcopal Church did not have a permanent priest in 2017 and lacked an outreach ministry. A supply priest mentioned that she had heard about medical loan closets and suggested that the small congregation consider the ministry. St. John’s started with one wheelchair and put out a call to the community for donations. Today they have close to 200 pieces of mobility equipment to loan, she said. The ministry also got some start-up money from the church and the diocese, and from a local women’s charitable organization. The ministry does not solicit financial donations, but many people want to give something in return for the help they’ve received, Jackson said. Pastoral care often comes with the equipment. Volunteers say some people cry when they come to donate items that a family member or friend no longer needs. The donors, they say, are gratified that the equipment they bring can help others, as their loved ones were helped. Laurie Friedman, who volunteers at the St. John’s loan closet, said it recently felt like “most of what I was doing at the loan closet was listening to people’s stories and holding space for what they wanted to share.” “It seemed like everyone had a story to tell about why they were there seeking some kind of medical equipment. So much of what we do is to provide needed equipment, but just as important is that we offer kindness and a way to help folks deal with their stressful situations in a concrete way.” – The Rev. Mary Frances Schjonberg is a freelance writer who formerly was a senior editor and reporter for Episcopal News Service.

World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay extended greetings to the Synod of the Waldensian and Methodist Churches, meeting in Torre Pellice, Italy, 22-26 August.

There is a history that is whispered, periodically visited, and at times is changed with attempts to erase and rewrite. This history is not a moment in time, nor is it a singular moment that contributes to the events of…

The post Contemporary Complicities appeared first on United Church of Christ.

Prayers for Ukraine rang ’round the world on 24 August, from large ecumenical services to quiet reflections, all expressing solidarity and determination for justice and peace. The day also marked the 35th anniversary of Ukraine’s independence.

Earlier this year, the United Church of Christ partnered with the Values in Action foundation to encourage everyone in the U.S. to join the United States of Kindness (USK) movement, and commit to completing 250 acts of kindness, celebrating the 250th birthday of the…

The post UCC passes 10k participants in Kindland’s 250 Acts of Kindness campaign appeared first on United Church of Christ.

It might have appeared that Spiderman was in town, but Clevelanders were witness to some thrill-seeking individuals who were hanging off the side of a city skyscraper for a good cause. Three brave United Church of Christ staff members suited…

The post UCC Staffers rappel off National Ministries headquarters for adoption fundraiser appeared first on United Church of Christ.

In the aftermath of a disaster, rebuilding is more than just that of brick and mortar. It involves the rebuilding of spirits and souls. Within the United Church of Christ that work is carried out by the Emotional and Spiritual…

The post Emotional and Spiritual Care Team applications are now being accepted appeared first on United Church of Christ.

Pablo Picasso, the father of modern art, viewed artists as “political beings, alert to the heart rending, stirring or pleasant events of the world.”  Art was for him “an instrument for the offensive and defensive war against the enemy.” The…

The post Outdoor art gallery deepens rural connections, sets creative, activist spirits free appeared first on United Church of Christ.

Across Africa, churches are stepping up aid for children affected by civil wars and conflicts, as crises rise on the continent.

Kathy Kuczka, producer and director of the documentary “Taizé: A Pilgrimage of Trust,” reflects on what sparked her creative idea, and how the authenticity of nine young people gives the film a sense of hope.