AND ENDED EATING SOGGY CORNFLAKES

ON A WORN-OUT SOFA

Introduction:

This essay will critically reflect on the lived experience of poverty by the researcher (autoethnographically) and how that enabled a meeting of heart in the missional life she now lives outside of poverty. It is only through this lived experience that the researcher was compelled to go outside the structures of the organisation to engage with the mystery of the situation.

Framework

 The framework of spirituality will be one from the Methodist tradition bringing the 18^th century Wesleyan quadrilateral into the 21^st century. This means that the two-dimension static shape becomes a three-dimensional fluid movement. Frohlich warns against lived experience being the only route in an academic assessment of spirituality when she says, “an academic discipline that would name its object simply ‘experience’ is in danger of becoming hopelessly mired in a morass of practical and philosophical problems[1].” This framework brings the four core aspects of studying a phenomenon in the Christian tradition, reason, tradition, and scripture pouring into the lived experience of the researcher and the lived experience of the researcher equally pours into their perception of tradition, reason and scripture.

Figure 1 A Reimagined Wesleyan Framework of Spirituality for the 21st Century

Susan Gallagher MA Applied Spirituality thesis unpublished 2023[2]

Method

The method used will give a thick description to the situation and then engage with the spirituality framework to discern and critically reflect in each area, scripture, reason and tradition with the lived experience of the situation and the autoethnographically lived experience of the researcher. Culminating in bringing all the strands together in a conclusion that will give recommendations on how to live with the poor, accepting hospitality and being present in the situation.

Autoethnography – beans from a tin – yummy

My mother told us we were poor, but she went to the theatre, had meals out, we never went hungry, and our clothes were Marks and Spencer. I left home and became a student and I felt rich for half a semester and then poor for the other half, but I was not proper poor. I married before leaving university and we had a son and bought a house. Big things for people who ate the only decent meals at work for free, we were poor but did not feel it as we were both working, and I was finishing my degree.

We moved to Ireland and we became poor. One place we lived I looked out of the bathroom window one day into the yard and it looked like the yard was moving – it was chock-a-block full of black river rats. We lived in a car for a while, it was not ours and had broken down, we smelled a bit. I was doing work experience in a library, and they asked me about personal hygiene. I felt less than human and vowed that I would strive to change people’s perceptions of poverty.

We remained poor out of economic necessity and then choice. Our life decisions were better when we were frugal and lived simply. 2000 saw first job with a salary not a wage, for ten years we spent foolishly. It ended when I left work to take up unpaid work for the church living on donations. The story happened in this timeframe, and whilst I was a volunteer lay worker.

Description – eat what you are given

One of the stewards[3] alerted me to the problem of toilet rolls. As they perceived it someone was helping themselves to the store of toilet rolls in the church. They told me they had started watching who was going into the bathroom with large handbags. I imagined the Ryanair stewards who ensure only bags of certain size were allowed through. I wondered how far the steward would take it; would they look inside bags to see if the loo rolls were there? Would they shout, “Stop, thief!” in the Sanctuary? I remembered the lived experience of not having enough money for toilet rolls and using cloths that were washed out in cold water, reallocating toilet rolls from public loos to our loo, and I remember rationalising such an act, as not stealing but borrowing.

I never found out who took the toilet rolls but I did find ‘my’ people. I visited every family on our books and in one home is where the title of this essay comes from. A couple, A & B, had struggles. A from being born with a learning syndrome and B with years of abuse could not hold memory. They had met at a commune church in America and had been paired off by that system. We chatted, A made tea and brought out three bowls of cornflakes with the milk already poured in for some time. The tea was not quite brewed, and much sugar and milk poured in.

Scripture – Blessed are the hungry for they will be satisfied

Wright exhorts that in the modern-day, scripture is not just for church services but there is a call in the self-revelatory nature of God within the Bible to take the words of scripture into the missional lives of the followers of Jesus. Wright suggests there are five contemporary cultural areas that scripture interacts with. “…each of which interacts with the others in complex interlocking patterns: culture, politics, philosophy, theology and ethics.[4]” Listening to Wright there is the realisation that our perspective, weltanschauung, or world view is brought into the mix when we look at scripture. It is not a book to read but to be lived. This feeds into the study of spirituality that brings other disciplines into the evaluation of the situation.

There is clearly a call in the Bible to look after the poor, widows, and orphans. Exodus 23 exhorts the people be just with the poor, “Do not deny justice to your poor people in their lawsuits,[5]” and following this in verse 11 the year of jubilee is first proposed[6]. Provision is made for the poor to be included in the life of the Israelites even with the offerings[7]. Leviticus brings in the concept of gleaning; extrapolated best in the Book of Ruth and means leaving a margin around the fields when harvesting for the poor and foreigner and was applied to all arable farming including vineyards and groves[8]. Still in the Pentateuch, words are written in Deuteronomy that speak to us today, “However, there need be no poor people among you, for in the land the Lord your God is giving you to possess as your inheritance, he will richly bless you,”[9] This was reiterated when Yunus stated, “he had a dream of setting up a museum of poverty; a building where the children of the future would go and marvel at the phenomenon of poverty.” And in his ideal world, “”There will always be some poor because everyone has ups and downs, but everyone will be keen to help because poverty will be a novelty.[10]“

In the ministry of Jesus, in the fulfilment of the law, there is a deeper call to inclusivity. Including those on the margins; the poor, widows, orphans etc into the community of his followers. When Jesus sends out the seventy two, he tells them, “When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is offered to you,[11]” for me, this is the heart of how ‘the poor’ enters into community. Accepting hospitality from those rooted in poverty is humbling and honouring, including everyone in every echelon of church life is not just ideal but Jesus mandated it in his manifesto, The Sermon On The Mount and other similar passages illuminate God’s plan for those who are poor. There is inheritance, the Kingdom of God and satisfaction.[12]

Reason – we cannot afford to eat

“You forget what it is like to be poor,” stated Russell[13]. The mind is powerful tool and memory is a part of it. Reason dictates that our minds process the information given it. We are not merely receptacle of information, but we process it. God has designed our mind’s work or reasoning powers to be able to think abstractly but not that we can attain the abstract necessarily. For example we might think through what it looks like to have no poverty in the world but we are not given the resources and political clout to achieve same. Equally in personal relationships we can want the very best for people, but they have freedom to reject a path illumined for them. Journeying with people spiritually means accepting them as they are, listening to the story and rationale, offering friendship and kinship even when our minds might want to say, “a waste of time.”

Tradition – we eat   xyz  on a Monday

Methodist spirituality has its base in Zinzendorf’s pietism that proclaimed, “a religion of the heart[14],” which has been demonstrated in the mission of the church. The twin towers of Judaism of Social justice and holiness is lived out through the Wesleyan tradition, called ‘works of piety’ and ‘works of mercy’, piety first from which mercy is borne. This resulted in the church birthing the trade union movement, involved in the abolitionist movement, education of adults and children, anti-alcohol practices, etc. The mission of the church was to the poor, widows, orphans, prisoners; those on the margins of society.

Traditionally the poor were the ones to be taken care of; the church did mission to the poor, deciding what was good for them. In later times there was advocacy on behalf of the poor. Myths about poor people abound. Have you heard them? “Sure, if they stopped smoking/ drinking/eating take out/ drinking coffee they’d have money,” “the amount they spend on the lottery would feed the family for the week,” “how can they be poor they have a 50” tv.” There are many more that this essay cannot begin to engage with. When we engage spiritually with people – myths are debunked and relationship begins. Therefore, we have to acknowledge of how the Church did mission in the past and move past to a new model of mission with.

Eat all you can buffet

Dorr alerts us to one of the underlying problems of spirituality and the poor when he states, “People who want to make an option for the poor and to build a more just world – a world of Kingdom values – often feel frustrated and paralysed because they  do not know where to begin,[15]” Because of my personal history I embarked on discovering the toilet roll mystery so that I could ease the financial burden on the person or family. I invested in toilet rolls for the church to stop any further chatter in church. Laing discovered ‘borrowing’ toilet rolls is not based on poverty but is a more nuanced conversation around entitlement[16] which concurs with Audrey’s narrative told by Frances[17]

From the encounter with A & B a relationship developed. They began giving their time in church, I was able to supplement their income with ‘mileage’ and we began various ministries that were ostensibly helping others but gave them skills. A is finishing level 6 biology and B helps the congregation with building projects. They are both on the lay leadership team and give voice equally in all aspects of the church. Those soggy cornflakes that were given to me in love sparked a whole relationship for the good of many, thanks be to God. For me, helping the poor means meeting people where they are at, accepting their hospitality, accepting that the road might be bumpy and that everything is done in love. Sheldrake, although talking about place in terms of culture and society certainly adds something to the sense of place for those who are marginalised when he states,

To be a person is not merely to be embodied but also to inhabit a public place… So the way people describe particular places as central or peripheral tends to accord with whether they are associated with high or low culture.[18]

Hunter helpfully enlarges on the concept on place as church when he states,

The Church tends to distinguish itself by its religious, separate-from-the-world nature. But the Kingdom of God—God’s realm—is a reality always connected to and in solidarity with the broken world.[19]

In tangent with these enlarged visions of the Kingdom of God and Kingdom values the General Secretariat of the Synod in its working document for the Continental Stage, “Enlarge The Space Of Your Tent,” has findings involving the poor more inclusively than has previously been the norm. The Bolivian contingent stated, “As the Bolivian Church, we are saddened that we have not been able to effectively reach out to the poor on the peripheries and in the most remote places[20]” and later there is an acknowledgement “… participants in the Continental Assemblies, it is important to pay special attention … people living in conditions of poverty or marginalization.”[21] There is possibly more to be said in the future from the Church as it moves into a posture of seeking forgiveness for those it has abused in various ways of which the treatment of the poor is one. Maybe this is the moment when the Church as a whole, regardless of denomination could stand and admit as the General Secretariat of the Synod admits “The wounds of the Church are intimately connected to those of the world. The reports speak of the challenges of tribalism, sectarianism, racism, poverty, and gender inequality within the life of the Church, as well as the world.”[22]

A & B would not have got involved in the mission of the church to the extent they did without that day when I ate soggy cornflakes. Of the expansion of the Kingdom of God Walt says, “… we will see the greater things of God when we embody the greater love of God[23].” When the love of God that we have received is extended through service and in the spiritual the mystery of presence is encountered and transformation occurs. This model is not new, but is often forgotten. NicUaithuas in her contribution to the Vincentian tradition in spiritual direction states,

As the practice of spiritual direction has become more and more professionalised  … many who would dismiss this [the model] as not really being spiritual direction… dismissing how God works with people and how people experience God in their lives.[24]

Vincent de Paul and Louise de Marillac embodied this model of service and spiritual direction, and it was not new then, in the 16^th and 17^th centuries. Perhaps Wesley took some of their model into his own model of works of piety birthing works of mercy as well as Zinzendorf’s vision. However whatever the history the points for the future remain hospitality, presence, bringing the lived experience of all together and above all bringing in the love of God and expecting mystery. A & B are still poor, they are still on benefits, they love the Lord and they love people. My engagement with A & B was not about changing circumstances it was about being present.

Bibliography

Bradley, Anne and Lindsley, Art. For The Least Of These: A Biblical Answer To Poverty. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2014.

Bredin, Mark. Jesus, Revolutionary Of The Poor: Matthew’s Subversive Messiah. Eugene: Cascade Books, 2017.

Chester, Tim. Good News To The Poor: Social Involvement And The Gospel. Wheaton: Crossway, 2013.

Cloke, Paul and Pears, Mike. Mission In Marginal Places: The Theory. Milton Keynes: Paternoster, 2016.

Dorr, Donal. Spirituality And Justice. Dublin: Gill & Macmillan, 1985.

Frohlich, Mary. “Spiritual Discipline, Discipline of Spirituality: Revisiting Questions Of Definition And Method” in Minding The Spirit: The Study Of Christian Spirituality, eds. Elizabeth A. Dreyer and Mark S. Burrows. (London: The John Hopkins University Press, 2005).

General Secretariat of the Synod. “Enlarge The Space Of Your Tent,” Working Document For The Continental Stage. Vatican City: General Secretariat of the Synod, 2022.

Gossai, Hemchand. Power And Marginality In The Abraham Narrative. Eugene: Pickwick  Publications, 2010.

Heitzenrater, Richard, P. “The Poor And The People Called Methodists” in The Poor And The People Called Methodists 1729-1999, eds. Richard P. Heitzenrater.  Nashville: Kingswood Books, 2002, 15-38.

Houston, Walter J. Justice For The Poor: Social Justice In The Old Testament In Concept And Practice. Eugene: Cascade Books, 2020.

Jennings, Theodore, W. Good News To The Poor: John Wesley’s Evangelical Economics. Nashville: Abingdon, 1990.

Keeble, Paul. Mission With: Something Out Of The Ordinary. Watford: Instant Apostle, 2017.

NicUaithuas,  Máire Éibhlís. Spiritual Accompaniment And Marginalisation In The Vincentian Tradition: An Exploratory Study. New York :Mellon Press, 2021.

Pilgrim, Walter. Good News To The Poor: Wealth And Poverty In Luke-Acts. Eugene: Wipf & Stock, 1981.

Lotz, David W. “Continental Pietism,” in The Study Of Spirituality, ed. Cheslyn Jones, Geoffrey Wainwright and Edward Yarnold. London: SPCK, 1992.

Richardson, K.C. Early Christian Care For The Poor: An Alternative Subsistence Strategy Under Roman Imperial Rule.  Eugene: Cascade Books, 2018.

Russell, Dr. Cathriona. “Ecology and Spirituality” lecture. Milltown Park: MA Applied Spirituality 4/5/23.

Sheldrake, Philip. Spaces For The Sacred: Place, Memory And Identity. London: SCM Press, 2001.

Wright, N.T. Scripture And The Authority Of God: How To Read The Bible Today. San Francisco: HarperOne, 2013.

Netography

Hunter, Bishop Todd. e-mail message to author, 18/1/2023.

Broomhall, Kisen. “The Nobel Winner Who Wanted To Make Poverty A Museum Piece” in The Guardian 13/10/2016 which can be viewed at https://www.theguardian.com/news/blog/2006/oct/13/thenobelwinneMoore.

Carolyn and Walt, J.D. “The Secret Ingredient: A Conversation. A New Room Podcast, 11/6/2020.

Appendix One

Jaime Laing

The saga of the toilet rolls happened in 2014. At the time of the loo roll mystery a series was being shown on BBC1. In it very rich people went to live with poor people and their shared lived experience was shown on tv. Jaime Laing has a net worth of £8 million, he is heir to the United Biscuits fortune. To give the context Jaime discovers there is no toilet paper in the house which he totally is exasperated about. Later in the job club hub he ‘borrows’ loo roll from the bathroom.

Transcript from Famous, Rich and Hungry.

(Ja) So I’ve been needing a poo for the last few days and in the house there’s been no loo paper, so I went to the loo just now and some reason I couldn’t go even though I’m desperate, it didn’t work for some reason, you know sometimes it doesn’t work. But there is loo paper in the loo so I’m going to go and borrow it, take it back to the house so we can have some loo paper in the house. So tonight I can settle in and have a poo. I’m so excited! I’m going to light candles and everything.[25]

Audrey B.

Frances worked in a Dublin hospital during the late 80’s early 90’s. There was an occasion when the British Prime Minister, Neil Kinnock visited Dublin to meet with Dick Spring, Tánaiste. Travelling back to the airport one of his aides got sick and had to attend hospital. The hospital went into full lockdown, Frances takes up the story…

Transcript from Frances

Audrey came from a well to do family in the Midlands, and she was a nurse on duty. When she was leaving the hospital she was mortified because all bags were being searched and she had four toilet rolls from the hospital in her bag. She never lived it down and when we would meet as a group we all brought a roll for her.

---

[1] Mary Frohlich “Spiritual Discipline, Discipline of Spirituality: Revisiting Questions Of Definition And Method” in Minding The Spirit: The Study Of Christian Spirituality, eds. Elizabeth A. Dreyer and Mark S. Burrows. (London: The John Hopkins University Press, 2005) 65

[2] Susan Gallagher Wesleyan Framework of Spirituality model. MA Applied Spirituality thesis, unpublished, 2023

[3] In Methodist societies there are lay volunteer committee members, one of the roles is Society Steward.

[4] N.T. Wright, Scripture And The Authority Of God: How To Read The Bible Today. (San Francisco: HarperOne, 2013) 4

[5] Exodus 23:6

[6] ¹¹ but during the seventh year let the land lie unploughed and unused. Then the poor among your people may get food from it, and the wild animals may eat what is left. Do the same with your vineyard and your olive grove. (Exodus 23:11)

[7] ²¹ “If, however, they are poor and cannot afford these, they must take one male lamb as a guilt offering to be waved to make atonement for them, together with a tenth of an ephah[e] of the finest flour mixed with olive oil for a grain offering, a log of oil, ²² and two doves or two young pigeons, such as they can afford, one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering. (Leviticus 14:21-22)

[8] Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the foreigner. I am the Lord your God. (Leviticus 19:10), “‘When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Leave them for the poor and for the foreigner residing among you. I am the Lord your God.’” Leviticus 23:22

[9] Deuteronomy 15:4

[10] Kisen Broomhall, “The Nobel Winner Who Wanted To Make Poverty A Museum Piece” in The Guardian 13/10/2016 which can be viewed at https://www.theguardian.com/news/blog/2006/oct/13/thenobelwinne

[11] Luke 10:8 

[12] “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:3, “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God, Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied.. Luke 6:20, Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Matthew 5:5

[13] Dr. Cathriona Russell, “Ecology and Spirituality” lecture MA Applied Spirituality 4/5/23.

[14] David W. Lotz, “Continental Pietism,” in The Study Of Spirituality, ed. Cheslyn Jones, Geoffrey Wainwright and Edward Yarnold (London: SPCK, 1992) 451.

[15]Donal Dorr. Spirituality And Justice. Dublin: Gill & Macmillan, 1985.

[16] See Appendix 1 story 1

[17] ibid story 2

[18] Philip Sheldrake, Spaces For The Sacred: Place, Memory And Identity (London: SCM Press, 2001) 21

[19] Bishop Todd Hunter, e-mail message to author, 18/1/2023.

[20] General Secretariat of the Synod, “Enlarge The Space Of Your Tent,” Working Document For The Continental Stage (Vatican City: General Secretariat of the Synod, 2022) 23

[21] Ibid 48

[22] ibid 24

[23] Carolyn Moore and J.D. Walt, “The Secret Ingredient: A Conversation. A New Room Podcast, 11/6/2020

[24] Máire Éibhlís, NicUaithuas,  Spiritual Accompaniment And Marginalisation In The Vincentian Tradition: An Exploratory Study (New York :Mellon Press, 2021) 388

[25] Jaime Laing, Famous Rich and Hungry, Love Productions,  premiered 12^th March 2014 at 9pm https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03ybkz4