Feast Day Of Harriet Bedell - Deaconess

Harriet Bedell spent her working life in the Episcopl Church ministering to Native Americans in Oklahoma, Alaska, and Florida. Ormonde at Through the Dust has a splendid biographical post on Harriet, who was truly an amazing woman. The Lectionary website has a biography from The Florida Memory Project.

I love these final words from "The Florida Memory Project" biography:

Bedell emphasized health and education rather than religious conversion in her work with the Seminoles; their spiritual and physical comfort was more important to her than religious conversion, and her work and friendship with the Seminoles of Florida reflected those values.

It appears that Harriet was adept at the practice of liberation theology. By her emphasis on meeting the needs of the people she ministered to first, before preaching to them, she reflected the light of Christ Jesus.

Of her work with the Cheyennes in Oklahoma, Ormonde says:

She threw herself into her work and gradually gained the love and trust of her people. She was adopted into the tribe and given the name of Vicsehia, which means Bird Woman, because she sang, hummed, and whistled constantly while she worked.

Lovely. I'm pleased to note that I am a bird woman, too, but not nearly as accomplished as Harriet in doing the work of God.

Readings:

Psalm 96:1-7
Romans 16:1-2
Matthew 5:1-12

PRAYER

Holy God, you chose your faithful servant Harriet Bedell to exercise the ministry of deaconess and to be a missionary among indigenous peoples: Fill us with compassion and respect for all people, and empower us for the work of ministry throughout the world; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.