Tent City 4 at Kirkland Congregational Church

Tent City 4 is a camp that provides homeless men and women privacy and a safe place to leave their belongings while they go out to work. The residents can sleep undisturbed, take a shower, and have meals before going out to jobs or to look for work. There is a strict code of conduct in the camp, and security/background checks are done on every prospective resident. It is a community of homeless men and women supported by dedicated volunteers from all over the east side who help with health care issues, transportation, laundry, and meals service.

Volunteer to Serve a Warm Meal

A group of 3 to 12 or more people can volunteer to serve a warm meal at Tent City 4.

The volunteer groups and individuals who have served Tent City residents dinner do so because they know that at least one hot, home-cooked meal a day is nourishment not only for the body, but for the spirit.
Sitting down to an evening meal gives the residents of Tent City a chance for community, and gives volunteers from the east side a chance to get to know these neighbors and understand something of the homeless situation in King County.

Eloise Boyle Phone: 425-483-4130 Email: boyle6@earthlink.net

You will have the chance to do your part in helping the homeless get off the streets and back to a fulfilling life. You will be able to sit and chat with residents and your eyes will be open to another aspect of urban life. You will feel great after serving a meal at Tent City because you will have helped people who need a hand up.

From the Pastor

My newsletter article last month dealt with the issue of repentance. I quoted favorite author Frederick Buechner, True repentance spends less time looking at the past and saying, "I'm sorry," than to the future and saying "Wow!" I closed saying, I pray that your Lenten season will be full of "Wow!"

Little did I know how true that would be. WOW!! The past two weeks have been amazing for our church. By the end of the first week of February, we received news that a planned move for Tent City4 from Finn Hill to Bellevue had fallen through, leaving them with no place to go on departure day, February 20th. I talked with church Board members and we called a special meeting for February 9th, Ash Wednesday (how appropriate!). After talking with residents from Tent City4 and reps from the two previous hosting churches, the Board voted to recommend to the congregation that we extend an invitation to TC4 to come to Kirkland Congregational for 90 days. In a letter to members, a congregational meeting was called for Sunday, February 13, the day before Valentine's Day (again, appropriate).

February 13 was already on the schedule as "Women's Sunday." The preachers of the day brought a power message of what it means to be the church and share God's love. Dottie Blair was honored as "Woman of the Year" for giving of herself to enhance the ministry of this church. The air was already filled with excitement when moderator Kevin McFeely called the meeting to order.

Members heard Mayor Mary Alyce Burleigh share her promise that the city of Kirkland would work with us to welcome TC4. Indeed they have! They have been supportive and cooperative. I'm grateful to Mary Alyce, the City Council, and all of the City employees for joining us in this endeavor. Members also heard from TC4 residents, from Capt. Rebecca Norton, King County Sheriffs Department, and from a staff member at St. John Vianney, the Finn Hill host church. When the vote was taken, the count was 55-2 to extend the invitation. We joined hands in a large circle, and prayerfully sang our Alleluia of thanks for God's guidance.

My Valentine's Day morning began with a meeting with TC4 leaders, hearing about plans for the move. Then the 6 of us headed over to meet with the Mayor and 18 of her closest friends at City Hall. Members from every department of the City were present as introductions were made and plans reviewed.

Then it was back to the church. I wrote a cover-letter to neighbors, apologizing for the short notice, asking for their understanding, and explaining that our invitation was part of God's call to us as a church. TC4 residents stuffed 300 door-knob bags with my letter and two additional pages of information and distributed them to our immediate neighborhood. This effort, and some personal conversations with neighbors set the tone for a respectful, positive Neighborhood Information Meeting at our church on Thursday, Feb. 17th. Not all the issues were solved, however. Two neighbors filed suit to stop the move. On Friday, Feb. 18, I gathered with lawyers and TC residents at a hearing in King County Superior Court. After listening to all the arguments, Judge Lum ruled that he had no authority to stop the move. Churches have the right to served the homeless. He did issue a temporary restraining order that requires the church and the camp to observe the guidelines of previous encampments while the City of Kirkland completed the permit process.

Saturday morning dawned crisp and clear. The mayor, Assist. City Manager Lynn Stokesbary, and lead City/Fire inspector Art Hill were among those present to make sure the move went smoothly. And that was exactly what happened! TV and print reporters were present throughout the day to mark Kirkland's warm reception for TC4. Protestors were noticeably absent.

That would have been enough for any day, but there was more to come. Saturday evening, the Evergreen Peace and Justice Community sponsored a talk by Dahr Jamail, an independent journalist on the ground in Iraq. The sanctuary was packed solid, with more than 250 in the audience, as Dahr shared some of the horrors of United States actions that are rarely reported in our mainstream media.

Before the talk, I welcomed the audience, saying

On behalf of the congregation of Kirkland Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, I welcome you here. We join you in working for justice, and an end to bigotry and hatred. We strive to share God 's love with our community. We host five other congregations and more than fifty 12-step and community service groups. We are an Open and Affirming congregation, welcoming our gay, lesbian, bisexual, and trans-gendered sisters and brothers and affirming God's love for them.

I announced that Tent City 4 had just moved to our parking 1t that morning, and the audience broke out in applause. Then I issued them an invitation, saying:

If you have given up on Christianity, because you think it is narrow-minded and judgmental, I hope you will give us a try and join us for worship.

I continue to pray that your Lenten season will be full of "Wow!"

I am yours in Christ,
Walter John Boris

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