Church invites medically fragile homeless into its upper rooms

 

In his Jan. 12 sermon, Bob Feeny, pastor at Westminster Congregational United Church of Christ (UCC), observed that when he writes sermons, as well as in his church's life and ministry, he often asks, "Where is Jesus?"

The sermon was partly a stewardship sermon on the church's budget and seeing Jesus in the light and heating bills. It was also about the church's decision to house vulnerable homeless neighbors who are released from a nearby hospital or chronically going to an emergency room or urgent care.

Bob wavers between feeling that the church's approval of offering space for the respite center has taken much thought, prayer and work, and feeling it "fell into our laps." He is glad to be working with partners in the community.

Westminster UCC voted on Dec. 8 to open a respite/recuperation center in 3,000 square feet of its second floor, working in partnership with Providence Community Clinic and Jewels Helping Hands, who will staff and run it, and with the City of Spokane and Empire Health Foundation, who are funding it. The respite center opened on Jan. 13.

"Where is Jesus?" Bob asked, answering that Jesus is found when "we are doing what we are supposed to be doing as a church by welcoming those who are suffering and in need."

Church moderator Kelly Cox said, "I have often passed brothers and sisters on the streets and wished I could do something to help them. This is what I can do.

"In many places in the Bible, Jesus told us to care for the poor," he added. "This program will not only do that but also help people navigate through the system to be 'homed.' I also realize we also need to bring along any in the community who are hesitant about having a shelter in their backyard."

He hopes the church will impact people's lives as a caring community offering shelter.

"We realize that when we worship, people in the respite care will hear the music and sounds," he said, adding that they will be welcome to join in worship and fellowship if they wish.

Kelly, who grew up Presbyterian in Texas, moved after college to work in business in New York City. He attended Marble Collegiate Church there for several years. When he retired in 2018 and moved to Spokane to be near his mother and sister, he found Westminster UCC online. He has been the church's moderator since June.

In August, with a grant from Avista, he said Westminster replaced or weather sealed the windows in its 135-year-old building to improve energy efficiency as part of its plan to install a new HVAC system. Last year, the church repaired its elevator, not knowing about the possibility of being a respite center.

Westminster UCC has a history of involvement with homeless programs, such as Family Promise, Crosswalk and Shalom Ministries.

In 2019, it opened its doors as a pop-up emergency warming center for youth under 21 during the winter. Youth came at night and slept on mats in the fellowship hall.

When the city proposed scattered sites for shelters, Jewels Helping Hands partnered in December 2023 with churches to start the scattered site model.

Morningstar Baptist Church in Northwest Spokane and the Cedar Center in the former New Apostolic Church in the Garland district each opened 30-bed centers for medically fragile and elderly people experiencing homelessness.

The scattered-sites proposal has a goal of eight sites housing 20 to 30 people.

In the summer, Bob joined faith leaders invited by the Land Development Group and Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown to see those sites and explore ways churches can be involved to serve unhoused people.

Laurel Fish of the Spokane Alliance and hadley morrow of Cool Spokane, which offers water and shade at pop-up sites in the summer, called a meeting in September.

Bob met with Zeke Smith, director of Empire Health, who facilitated connections with Julie Garcia, executive director of Jewels Helping Hands, and Robert Lippman, a behavioral health clinician who is the manager of the Providence Community Clinic and the president of Spokane Homeless Coalition.

"We realized we would not be acting alone," said Bob. "Every church faces challenges. We have a well-maintained facility, located close to the hospitals at the edge of downtown near services."

"Homelessness is a problem the city can't solve alone. The community needs to be involved. It fits in with our mission," said Kelly.

During 2024, the city closed the "warehouse" approach at the Trent shelter, designed to house 300 people, and began conversations on a scattered site approach to connect people on the streets with services and avenues into permanent housing.

The goal of the Westminster Respite Center is to relieve pressure on hospitals and Providence Community Clinic and other urgent care centers, said Robert.

"We seek to stabilize people released from hospitals, those needing long-term support and those who go in and out of acute care at emergency rooms and urgent care for colds, infections and chronic needs," said Robert.

He said the Providence Community Clinic was started in 1976 by Providence Sr. Peter Claver to uphold the Providence mission and her vision of serving the poor and vulnerable.

The community clinic team, which will coordinate care, includes a medical director, a nurse practitioner, registered nurses, visiting nurses and psychiatry support.

For Westminster, opening the center meant that three weeks after the church voted unanimously to offer its space for the center, church and community groups needed to move out of the rooms on the south side of the second floor and into rooms on the east side.

The church's choir, bell choir and Sunday school classes, plus a Lego League team and a yoga group relocated to that space. The Spokane Area Youth Choir, which was outgrowing its space, and the community women's choir moved their practices and storage to the Episcopal Cathedral of St. John.

"The church needed time for conversation, but the people were ready and had a heart to do it," said Bob.

After the groups moved, Jewels Helping Hands' volunteers sealed cracks and painted the walls, took down window coverings, tore up the carpet and installed plank flooring.

Julie said people will stay as long as they need medical care and then be transferred to a care facility or housing.

"We will need more centers, so we will record data for six months on this model," she said. "Then we will recruit funds and other sites."

"Jewels provided beds with memory foam mattresses and bedding," said Julie, adding that donations of twin sheets, pillowcases and towels can be dropped off at the Cedar Center.

"We have taken a chance," said Bob. "Now every dollar we spend operating this building will also support a safe place for people to get back on their feet. Our mission is to be the hands and feet of Christ in our world, caring for our neighbors."

"What is the purpose of this sturdy, creaky old building but to open our doors to unhoused people," he said, "and to work with partners to reorient our world to justice, healing and hope."

Kelly noted that for many churches with excess space and shrinking finances, this is a way to turn a dilemma into ministry.

Once he began negotiating with the partners, Kelly said his business side kicked in, identifying risks and concerns to include in the contract.

Those coming to the center are referred by the hospital system, Providence Community Clinic and have a background check that screens for sexual offenses and violence, following legal requirements related to its location next to a school.

Those receiving care also sign an agreement not to use drugs or alcohol, and to respect the premises, people and neighborhood. Those coming are escorted from the door, up the elevator and down the hall to the door of the respite center.

Jewels Helping Hands will provide 18 staff and volunteers trained to care for patients, keep the space clean, transport people to appointments and assure safety in the neighborhood.

It is not a walk-up shelter. People in the respite center are not to congregate outside. They are there to recuperate, Kelly said. As their health improves, they will be assigned a case manager and relocated.

"I hope this will be a healing, loving space for those in the respite care," Kelly said.

For information, call 624-1366, email office@westminsterucc.org or visit westminsterucc.org.