City of Erie honors late soup kitchen director in ‘Sister Mary Miller Way’
A portion of East 11th Street in Erie has been named “Sister Mary Miller Way” in honor of the longtime director of Emmaus Soup Kitchen.
In today’s world, many of us are constantly connected. We are notified of events on our phones and TVs. Google makes it easy to find answers to anything that intrigues us. With instant gratification, knowledge and options galore, we often lose our deepest connection to nature, community and the present moment when we focus on ourselves.
At Sister Gus Kids’ Café, Emmaus staff and volunteers provide love and care to children while meeting their basic needs like food and clothing, and building connections and community happens naturally every day. Sister Gus Kids’ Café is a ministry of Emmaus and an after-school program that provides nutritious meals, homework help and supervised activities for approximately 60 children ages 6-17.
Sharing a hot meal is just one of the many activities that take place as children from different backgrounds and schools come together to learn, experience, socialize and play. Every week, a group of girls climbs the stairs of A Space to Create: The Studio at St. Mary’s (formerly St. Mary’s School) to practice mindfulness and the art of movement in a yoga class, finding peace in the present moment.
Teaching my students became something I looked forward to every week. I began working with Emmaus Ministries in December, shortly before opening Infinite Love Yoga, LLC. Eager to take action and cultivate meaningful change, one of Infinite Love’s first goals was to become more involved in the community surrounding our studio.
Compassion in Action
Seva is a yogic ethical principle that roughly translates to service or acts of compassion. It is living in a way that supports the well-being of others to make the world a better place, without regard for reward. Many yogic traditions often involve feeding others. What better place to practice seva than at Emmaus, surrounded by people who have dedicated their lives to selflessly serving for 50 years? The hospitality and service of Emmaus staff and volunteers is well known in our community. They feed Erie’s less fortunate every week at the Emmaus Soup Kitchen, provide groceries at the Emmaus Food Pantry, and grow fresh produce at the Emmaus Grove.
Using our own skills, whatever they may be, to serve others, to find a need and fill it, seems like such a simple thing to do to foster connections and improve our communities. So why don’t more people do it? Whether it’s feeding or clothing those who need it most, giving up time to help a child with their homework, or offering a service, we all have something to offer others. We all have talents, and the fact that each of us has something unique to offer to contribute to our community is a blessing.
Quiet Power
When I started my children’s classes, I heard a lot of stories about the meditation classes that Benedictine sisters have taught to children for years, and many of my first adult students still fondly remember those lessons. Some of the children have never experienced complete silence or spent time away from the influence of technology. It’s a challenge to get them to a quiet and peaceful place and to concentrate, but the girls enjoy the process. Sometimes they even fall asleep in a deep state of relaxation.
The kids are learning to focus and reflect within while having fun and building community among themselves. In weekly yoga classes, they learn creative expression as they stretch their arms and reach the branches in tree pose, bend backwards in wheel pose, and stand still and quietly in warrior pose. It’s fun to watch the kids creatively approach their practice, and it’s fun to watch them challenge each other and change a little each week. As I get to know each of them, I see myself changing a little each week as I challenge each other.
Some of my students are New Americans from Erie, whom I recently had the opportunity to teach. As I sat at the front of the classroom, holding a large refillable water bottle, I noticed some eyes on me. I then reflected on how lucky we are to be able to quench our thirst whenever we want. We don’t have to walk miles in the wind and rain to get clean drinking water. We can simply turn on a tap or stop at the nearest store. I learned that some of the kids in my class have had to carry water for their families. The world is at our fingertips, yet most of us don’t really know our neighbors.
more: Sister Mary Miller ran the Emmaus Soup Kitchen for 42 years. How did Ellie honor her service?
After the first class, I thanked all the kids for being with me. They immediately asked, “Why thank us? You taught us?” I explained that I was grateful to have them there so that we could learn and practice together. I could see the kids begin to shine, and now every week they ask new questions. They ask again and again about the plants in the studio and the prisms of rainbow light that shine through the windows. They understand that the studio is a special, sacred place. They appreciate the beauty and peace of the space. I tell them, “Take this peace and take it with you, go outside and share it with the world.”
Amy Vanscoter is the Communications and Development Coordinator for Emmaus Ministries and the owner of Infinite Love Yoga LLC located inside St. Mary’s Studio “Space to Create.”
