Epitome of Community Service ? ?? - a podcast by Brigitta Toruño

I am honored today to be chatting with Father Daniel Rivera – an UNO Soul. He is the Vicar of St. Gabriel's Episcopal Church, Sacerdote Vicario de la Iglesia San Gabriel.
Father Daniel is the epitome of community service and being a beacon of light in Loudoun County, VA. He is very humble about this and says that it is part of his faith and ministry, but he goes above and beyond his ministry. Father Daniel has been the Vicar of St. Gabriels’ Church for 8.5 years. He didn’t go to the seminary until he was 40 years old. He studied social work, divinity, and theology. He formerly was an engineer working in IT. Father Daniel puts his whole heart and soul into serving the people in our community that are most in need. He says that it takes a village to provide service for the community – he’s an important fiber in the tapestry of our community. Thank you Father Daniel!

The services are at 10 a.m. on Sundays at Belmont Ridge Middle School and at 3 p.m. in Spanish at St. James Episcopal Church in Leesburg, VA. https://www.saintgabriels.net/

?? Listen to Father Daniel talk about the importance of vaccines. “I protect myself. I protect my family. I protect you. We protect one another.”  (3:01)
? Listen to Father Daniel speak about Educando con Amor (Educating with Love) – a community education arm as part of the outreach ministry at St. Gabriel’s (3:30)
? Hear Father Daniel talk about how his community empowers everyone from children all the way through older adults to help in the community. They helped one of their partners - Loudoun Hunger Relief - with what he calls “Uber Eats” – supplementing the food bags with Latino products and diapers, and then delivering them to homes  (7:00)
? Listen to Father Daniel talk about the community resources in Loudoun County and how important it has been for St. Gabriel to partner with them “Go out 2 by 2. Don’t try to do anything alone because you will not be as effective”. (9:00)
? Hear Father Daniel talk about his very interesting background. “I love being a parish priest.” (11:15)
? Hear Father Daniel explain how St. Gabriel’s started and the path he has opened up for the church starting 8.5 years ago. He started a Latino/Hispanic ministry. “St. Gabriel’s is authentically inclusive…” (13:30)
? Hear about St. Gabriel’s partnership with INMED Partnership for Children (17:30)
? Listen to Father Gabriel explain “systemic trauma” that is occurring and how it affected him (18:40)
? Listen to Father Daniel explain the picture of the extreme poverty that exists in Loudoun County, VA (22:45)
? Hear Father Daniel talk about being authentically inclusive which means they do not just welcome people into their church, they integrate them into their church:  “knitting the people into the fabric of St. Gabriel’s Church” (25:00)
? He only asks that you pray for St. Gabriel’s Church. And also wants to know what kind of service ministries they can do that will be of interest to you. They want to engage that. Whether you are affiliated to the church or not – but you become affiliated with the people. He says “this is God’s table.”
? And Father Daniel leaves us with a blessing.
     
#WordsofWisdom from Father Daniel: “Don’t forget your neighbor.”
     
? Thank you for chatting with me Father Daniel!! We are grateful for you! 
? UNO Souls are beacons of light in our community that can be guides for how to cope through this collective moment of change. I would love to chat with you – please reach out! I honor the light in all of you ??
 
#meditation #health #human #energy #aware #yoga #edenenergy #wellbeing 
 

Further episodes of UNO Souls Chat

Further podcasts by Brigitta Toruño

Website of Brigitta Toruño