Giving thanks through baked goods

Palm Coast Observer
Opinion

Wanda Russell and Miriam Picconi have been making news in the ministry world since their ordination into the Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests last year.

While the two women are involved in many outreaches with their organization, Inclusive Catholic Ministries, one caught my attention: the cupcake ministry.

The cupcake ministry is something that began by chance as a result of their ordination celebration held at St. Thomas Episcopal Church, the church they had been attending for the two years leading up to their ordination.

“They supported us in our journey to priesthood, even though we were Roman Catholic,” Picconi said.

And in celebration of their ordination, the church held a reception with a large cake, one that could not be finished by those in attendance. Carting around the leftover cake home with them, Russell and Picconi wanted to give it to the poor. But they were pulled in another direction when they passed a fire station and without fully thinking about it pulled in.

They gave the firefighters the cake as a token of their appreciation for how they serve the community.
From there, the ministry blossomed. Now, once a month, the women gather baked goods from various volunteers, including the St. Thomas Outreach Committee, and distribute them to fire and police stations throughout the county.

“Our hearts are into thanking people who don’t get much thanks or appreciation,” Russell said. “Everyone seems to have enjoyed it, and at the same time we introduce ourselves to the community.”

In addition to spreading joy through baked goods, the two also hold monthly mass at their home, in addition to an interfaith theology club at their house, open to all faiths. There has also been talk about creating a neighborhood phone chain to check on the elderly.

Their organization will also hold its first interfaith Sunday worship 10 a.m. Aug. 25, at Castle Otttis, in St. Augustine. The castle, named accidently with an extra “T,” was left that way to symbolize the three crosses at Calvary.