Author Archives: parkinglotpastors

The second in our July series about why some individuals are harder to move to housing than others, this is a post about substance use disorders, especially alcohol and drug addiction. We make it a policy to avoid calling the police at the shelter, since most of our guests have already had enough trouble withContinue reading “Hard to House: Addiction”

This is the first in a series on what can stand in the way of getting those experiencing homelessness housed. I have known ‘Ben’ for 10 years.  He is one of my favorites.  I know it may seem odd to have a favorite, but Ben will forever be one of mine.  I knew him beforeContinue reading “Hard to House: Mental Health”

We get lots of calls at the shelter.  Many calls are asking about space and resources, but many people call  asking if they can donate their stuff to the shelter.  These are the calls that often leave me a little salty.  Let me explain… When a guest arrives at the shelter,  one of the firstContinue reading “The Story of Stuff: We Don’t Want Your Stuff”

While we never like to see families need the shelter, staff and volunteers usually love having kids around.  Even most guests enjoy the shift in energy that kids bring.  This past season, we were blessed to walk with a sweet family made up of a mom, a teenage son and young daughter.  B had aContinue reading “The Story of Stuff: Magic and Unicorns”

In our first two seasons, when we were still rotating among our partner congregations’ buildings, we developed a serious stuff issue. Knowing virtually nothing about homelessness when I started, this was a problem I hadn’t anticipated. I mean, how much stuff could people with no place to put it actually have?! The answer is AContinue reading “The Story of Stuff: DVDs and Rotten Oranges”

In this work, we say a lot of goodbyes.  Goodbyes wrapped in mystery or confusion.  Goodbyes that were full of celebration and the promise of new things to come.   See you later, quick hug goodbyes and don’t let the door hit you in the ass goodbyes.  Each one leaves a mark on our hearts,Continue reading “Goodbyes are Hard”

This is the first in a series of shelter stories, based on the stuff that gets left behind, guest belongings that sometimes remain unclaimed, and sometimes draw guests back in ways and with stories we couldn’t predict. She danced, child-like and joyful, not quite present to the world, but fully in her body. Skipping fromContinue reading “The Story of Stuff: (C)remains”

It was a Tuesday morning before our monthly board meeting, and I’d arrived at Connections Shelter to find that one of our families had again used abusive language toward staff, the fifth time in as many days. They had been warned that they had only one more chance, but I really didn’t want to beContinue reading “Jesus Has Already Done It”

I happen to be working the overnight shift at the shelter tonight.  It’s not something I usually do as one of the pastors, but this season, with a pandemic and short staffing- we do what we need to, to keep the doors open.   I am used to different rhythms in this space.  The mornings whereContinue reading “In the Still of the Night”