This Thanksgiving, I am deeply grateful to be part of the wonderful community here in Greenpoint. It is an honor to celebrate the work and legacy of Christine Zounek, a beloved Greenpoint resident who passed away in 2014. In September, Milton Street was co-named for Christine. Christine was head chef and guiding light at The Greenpoint Church Hunger Program, located at 136 Milton Street, now, appropriately, Christine Zounek Way.
The Hunger Program, a volunteer-based organization, serves dinner Wednesday evenings from 6 – 7pm, and runs a food pantry Thursday mornings from 8 – 11am. The Program serves over 800 people every month, and welcomes between 60 and 80 people every week for the community meal. The program and its volunteers “work really hard to provide the most delicious free meal you’ll ever eat. Our chefs are top-notch, and they take pride in serving gourmet food to everyone who comes through our doors.”
Christine Zounek was instrumental in making that meal delicious and special. According to Pastor Ann Kansfield of the Greenpoint Reform Church, Christine was involved with the program, “almost from the start,” when the church began running the soup kitchen in 2007. Each week “she made meals infused with love and care,” and “was an integral part of feeding our neighbors” for seven years. Continue reading →
Rev. Ann Kansfield. Photo via Greenpoint Reformed Church
If you think that all pastors are uptight, judgmental, straight laced, bores, that only shows you never met Reverend Ann Kansfield. I spoke with Ann for an hour and a half and the time seemed to whiz by. She is a great conversationalist with a disarming sense of humor, most of it self-deprecating.
I took careful notes on our conversation, but experienced writer’s block when trying to write about her. Suddenly, I had an aha moment, and realized why. Ann very rarely speaks in first person. She avoids the pronoun I, and invariably shifts from saying I to we. I realized that Ann is one of the least egotistical people I have ever met. Even though she was chosen as the New York Times person of the year in 2016, Ann is the personification of humility. As the old saying goes, “There is no I in team,” and Ann is the consummate team builder. Continue reading →
I am absolutely in love with my girlfriend of two years and our relationship is incredible with one exception, her ex-boyfriend. Currently she communicates with her ex-boyfriend but more importantly she also works with him. While I am completely confident that she is faithful, I know his intentions are not so innocent. I know he has approached her on multiple occasions which makes me feel extremely uncomfortable. I’ve tried to discuss this once or twice but it sometimes only results into an argument. What should I do? I know the more I worry or get irritated, the more damage it does. But in the end it still does bother me. Is it me? Or is it the situation?
Dear Ex-Trouble,
Worry and fear are not terribly helpful, but if you feel your concerns are based in some reality, perhaps you might attempt the conversation again with your girlfriend. I would suggest emphasizing that you do not think she has done anything wrong and that this may only be a concern of yours.
My boyfriend says I am “the one”, even though we have only dated for a few months… and I hardly see him, once a week usually, because of his work. When I think about it, I don’t feel I am in love with him… and now I question if I even know what love is. My parents were not big on saying “I love you”. And now I question if I loved them… Do I know what love even is… Although based on all I did for them before they passed away (took care of them at home and got a caregiver while I was at work… took care of them after she left and on weekends), I guess I did love them. I guess my question is: will I know when I finally do love my boyfriend? How will I know?
Dear What-Is-Love,
Love is, above all, pretty mysterious. One look at the Wikipedia page, and it’s pretty easy to see that the nature and definition of love is something people have discussed for centuries. You can ponder all this, but if I were you, I’d focus a little more on the here and now. . Continue reading →
Question: What do you do when you have very deep roots within a church that you love and sacrifice for, and then in comes a new honcho who stops ALL ACTIVITIES within the church and Parish. The Parish was finally in a good place, someplace it had not been in awhile and wham, torn to pieces again. Do you look for a new Parish or do you keep fighting those in charge?
Dear Displaced Disciple,
It sounds like you’re going through some difficult changes in your local church. Who knows, you could be describing my church. Over the time that I’ve served the Greenpoint Reformed Church, lots of changes have occurred. I’m sure that some of these were greeted with joy and others…well, I know that some folks aren’t so thrilled with the changes that have been made.
Houses of worship, especially in a city as vibrant as ours, are constantly changing. Continue reading →
You might know her as Pastor Ann Kansfield from Greenpoint Reformed Church but on Greenpointers she is known as “El Padre” and is ready to give her expert advice on life, love and God.
Anything goes, there is no question too weird or out there.
Still wetting the bed at thirty? Wondering if your girlfriend is gay? Is your dog an atheist? Do you have a real problem?
