WELCOME TO HAYWOOD STREET

Updates:

Haywood Street is so grateful to have such supportive restaurant partners. Luella’s Bar-B-Que has decided to donate part of their 15 year anniversary proceeds to the Downtown Welcome Table. Check out the article featured in the Asheville Citizen Times!

New time: The Wednesday Downtown Welcome Table will now go from 10:00-11:30 am. The hope is that this shift will allow companions and staff who want to attend worship at 12:30 have enough time to clean and transition upstairs.

Don’t forget to register for the annual Golf for Awareness fundraiser! This benefits the Downtown Welcome Table and Respite, supporting those struggling with poverty and/or homelessness. The event will be held at the Asheville Municipal Golf Course on September 16th. Register Here!

The Hair Cutting Salon is almost done! We are so excited to get this ministry started. One of the big reasons Haywood Street decided on a salon as one of our ministries was because we recognized that one of the first things the streets take away is the opportunity to present oneself as beautiful; But we know the truth is that God has provided all of us with beauty. This is our way of offering a place for people to feel the reality of this truth!

COMMUNITY RESOURCES:

Check out this updated calendar that lists the food resources in the Asheville area. You’ll find the organizations, times, and locations where folks can get meals and groceries each day.

Click here to see the list the places in the community to donate clothes and to find free clothes. If you know of a place not on this list, reach out to Melanee at melanee@haywoodstreet.org.

COMPANION CORNER:

  • Robert is asking for some help! Robert has been hard at work on the Respite Porch, and is asking for help painting this week. If you’re interested, come on by during week!
  • Servers are invited to join us at the Welcome Table: The kitchen is in need of additional servers at the Downtown Welcome Table on Wednesdays and Sundays. If you’d like to help, please let Katlyn know or sign up and feel free to bring a friend!
  • Meal Train for Respite:  Every night of the week a wonderful home cooked meal is provided for our friends in Respite. This month there are several open days that we need folks to sign up for. You can do so here: https://mealtrain.com/dm2y6z. Feel free to share this need with your friends, Bible Studies, etc.
  • Clean Up Companions Needed for the Downtown Welcome Table on Sundays and Wednesdays: Wednesdays 12:00pm-1:00pm and Sundays 10:00am-11:00am companions are needed to help clean up. You can sign up or just show up!
  • Haywood Street Hair Cutting Ministry – We are currently in the process of reimagining the Hair Cutting Ministry here that we have had in the past. If you would like to be a part of that process or would like to cut or wash hair when it is open, let Katlyn know!
  • To Go Boxes – Since reopening in December, we have gone back and forth with to go containers at the Welcome Table. Because we served only to-go-boxes during the pandemic, our community got used to the option and we didn’t want to take that away abruptly. We have slowly been phasing out of providing to-go containers and have decided to begin phasing them out completely. Once we run out of our current supply, we will not purchase any more containers. This is both for sustainability purposes (creation care & budget sustainability) and because we want to focus on the experience at the table and allow other places that serve to go to do that well. In the case of an emergency, staff will work directly with an individual and provide food to go if needed.
  • NEW MINISTRY UPDATES – Starting the week of May 1
    • Sunday Bible Study – 11:00am in the sanctuary
    • Tuesday Prayer Group – 12:00 in the sanctuary – Gather for a time of communal prayer
    • Thursday Card Making Group – 10:00am in Room 1 (off the main lobby) – Gather together to make cards for our community and friends in prison or in the hospital

SACRED ENCOUNTERS

“Gratitude Overflowing”
By April Nance

Today’s arrangements are going to be all about height and drama,” Andrew said as the two of us stood in front of the communion table this morning. Gladiolus and roses were piled there, along with two vases filled with water.  While Andrew arranged, I trimmed the long stems at a forty-five degree angle and tore away some of the leaves that had started to fade. Andrew worked methodically starting with the tall gladiolus, then mixing in yellow, pink, and white roses.  When he was finished with one vase he left the other one for me to do. I followed his lead, asking his advice along the way to which he replied, “What do you think?” or “Trust yourself.” We stood back to examine both vases and noted that they were having a conversation with each other. My bouquet was a bit wild and his was more like something from a boutique flower shop. They were both beautiful.

This was not the first time Andrew and I made flower arrangements together. He has shared his talents many times. He credits his mother and grandmother with teaching him about color, design, and gardening. Not too long ago, inspired by the marigolds in the garden, Andrew suggested we make garlands.It seemed ambitious to me but I was up for it. We started with a couple of mums to make tassels. I found some thread and a needle in a sewing kit in the office, and Andrew taught me how to take the bloom from the stem, then thread the needle up through the flower. While Andrew worked on the tassels I went into the garden to pick marigolds. We sorted the blooms by size and worked from the middle to make everything symmetrical.I worked on one side and he worked on the other. We sat on the front pew in the sanctuary stitching flowers and chatting. When the garland was complete we pinned it to a white cloth draped over the communion table. We added a colorful scarf and anchored it with brass candle holders. couple of days later, it was a beautiful beginning for the altar created for Eric Laurilla’s memorial service. I just know Eric would have loved it.

When Melanee asked if we had ideas for the Sacred Encounters section of the newsletter, I thought right away about the times I’ve been able to get to know Andrew: walking in the garden picking sunflowers, hydrangeas, and black-eyed susans; arranging flowers at the communion table; and picking out fabric to go along with the bouquets – all the while sharing stories and thoughts on nature, faith, and relationships. Where else could something like this happen? These are the times when Haywood Street feels sacred to me, and I am filled with a gratitude that is overflowing.