WELCOME TO HAYWOOD STREET:

UPDATES:

We are still on the hunt for a new Lead Storyteller! Know anyone who might be a good fit? Click here to learn more about the position.

PBS stations throughout the country will be broadcasting the documentary on the Haywood Fresco in April and May. Locally, the film will be broadcast on SCETV in Asheville on April 11 at 10pm, WTVI in Charlotte on April 16 at 11pm, and on the WORLD Channel on Easter at 12:30pm (EST).  For more air date times and locations, please check your local PBS listings. The film is available to stream until May 1, 2022 at  PBS.org

COMPANION CORNER:

– Is your church or civic group thinking about a clothing drive? Haywood Street’s God’s Outfitters is in need of a range of items. Even with generous clothing donations received on Tuesday and Thursday, our closet is often empty by the next day. Donation drop offs are welcome every Tuesday and Thursday between 10 and noon.

– As we move through Lent and look ahead to the celebration of Christ’s rising on Easter, the kitchen is preparing for the feast. Full plates of ham and the fixings will be prepared for 600. Please consider supporting the Easter Feast by donating to the Downtown Welcome Table.

A Reflection from Chris Zaluski:

Director of Theirs is the Kingdom

When I started filming this project in February 2018, I didn’t realize how much it would become a central part of my life over the next 3 years. In many ways, I think that’s indicative to the experience many have when they first come into contact with Haywood Street Congregation. The unassuming brick building sits on the outskirts of Downtown Asheville, and I – like many – had passed by the church hundreds of times without ever stopping. But when I first stepped inside Haywood, the building seemed to radiate with an empathy and mysticism that shook me to my core.

In the years since, I’ve learned so much from listening to folks like Brian, Jeanette, Dave, Blue, and others that it’s changed my mindset and approach to filmmaking, community, and – in many ways – religion.

Ultimately, this film is about empathy, which seems to be lacking in so much of our daily interactions. I hope viewers can appreciate the very human stories in this film and take a moment to recognize those around them who are struggling in ways large and small.

Furthermore, in the uncertain times of the COVID pandemic when so many people have been unknowingly thrust into poverty, I hope the deeper themes of this film can resonate on a wider scale. Multiple people in this film show that so many of us are “only a paycheck away” from living on the streets. Blending those stories with the beauty and power of a traditional fresco mural can urge viewers to re-examine their own judgements and beliefs, while hopefully changing our response to the issues of poverty that are ailing us as a society.  

(click here for the official press release)