Brighter days ahead for 11 people welcomed by church -- and for the rest of us, too

Today, Feb. 2, is Groundhog Day. This is halfway between the winter solstice and the spring equinox — a date that was celebrated in ancient Celtic culture as Imbolc.

Later, Christians celebrated it as Candelmas. Some say this was a commemoration of the presentation of Jesus at a temple in Jerusalem; others say it had something to do with counting candles.

Germans are reportedly the first to link it to a hibernating animal poking its head out of the ground; German or Dutch immigrants in Pennsylvania brought that tradition with them. Lacking the badgers present in Germany, they settled on the humble groundhog. This tradition is still celebrated in the town of Punxsutawney — a name that could make or break a spelling bee contestant.

It doesn’t really matter whether the groundhog sees its shadow; it has no predictive value. What does matter is that the days are getting noticeably longer, and we’re halfway to full-on spring. That is definitely worth celebrating.

A new beginning for 11 people and a congregation

Eleven people who lived in the now-empty space under the Fourth Avenue Bridge have moved into the underground parking garage at First Christian Church. The move followed a unanimous vote by the congregation to invite them in.

This big-hearted congregation is led by Pastor Amy LaCroix. It includes City Council member Clark Gilman, and Selena Kilmoyer and Mindy Chambers, both of whom were dedicated volunteer leaders of Camp Quixote, the tent camp that moved from church to church more than a decade ago before evolving into the tiny home Quixote Village.

Pastor Amy and other members of the Concerned Clergy had been working with the people living under the bridge for several months to help them figure out a system of self-governance. The campers who are now tucked under the church were the core group that worked together on that challenge. They have committed to maintaining a clean and sober “New Hope Community” in their new home.

First Christian already houses the Interfaith Works Emergency Shelter in the church’s basement. Its entrance faces the same parking lot the new campers will occupy. Earlier, there had been some concern about possible conflicts between shelter guests and campers.

Gilman reports that one camper remembered living in that shelter space when he was a kid, at a time when the shelter was run by Family Support Center and served parents with young children. The young camper remembered Camp Quixote being located in the parking lot, and said everyone got along just fine. That helped reduce the worry, and so did the fact that only 11 people would be in the new camp.

First Christian Church has a long and remarkable history of supporting people who are homeless, and offering aid to the poor. Among many people who are homeless and their advocates, it is affectionately known as the “First Church of Homelessness.”

First Christian was a frequent host of Camp Quixote during its seven-year existence. Camp residents especially appreciated the warm welcome from church staff and congregants – and being out of the rain in that underground parking lot during the winter.

One resident of Camp Quixote, a woman of about 50, remembered coming to the church as a child when it housed what was probably the first food bank in town. And for as long as anyone can remember, the church has hosted countless memorials, meetings, fundraisers and potlucks attended by homeless people, volunteers, donors and advocates in its social hall.

Now the church’s good works will get some support from the city. The City of Olympia will provide fencing, portable toilets, and garbage service for the camp.

Other congregations have been helping too, and a plan to transition from tents to tiny houses is under development. A volunteer and community support effort is just now being organized; anyone interested can contact First Christian Church for more information.

And while the church community deserves recognition for welcoming another tent camp, Pastor Amy insists it’s the campers themselves who deserve praise.

“This is a group of people who’ve been labeled and maligned, but they are people with heart, integrity and incredible resilience,” she said. “They are working through all the issues of how to live together and support each others’ sobriety. They are making chore lists. They’ve elected Opie Taylor as their president. They cook a meal together in the church kitchen every day. They are the real heroes of this story.”

This story was originally published February 2, 2020 at 5:45 AM.