"It is only with the heart that one sees rightly--
What is essential is invisible to the eye."
- A. Saint Exupery
The Little Prince
I do not at all understand the mystery of grace---only that it meets us
Where we are, but it does not leave us where it found us.
-
Anne Lamott
Trudy James, a trained hospital chaplain, graduated from the University of Kansas and Union Theological Seminary in New York City. After raising three children, she came into non-profit CareTeam recruitment, leadership and training through the AIDS epidemic in the late 80’s. In 1989, she became the founder, then Executive Director of the Regional AIDS Interfaith Network (RAIN) in Arkansas. In seven years, 1500 RAIN RAIN volunteers served over 500 individuals with AIDS—20% of the AIDS population in Arkansas at that time.
For twenty years, Trudy worked to recruit, train and support volunteer CareTeams to be with individuals living or, dying, or with AIDS. In 1997, she moved to Seattle and began a successful CareTeam program under the umbrella of Multifaith Works, a nonprofit dedicated to compassionate community-building. She served Multifaith Works as CareTeam Program Director and CareTeam Program Specialist for eleven years, retiring in 2008 to focus on consulting.
Trudy is a per diem Chaplain at the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, a commissioned Episcopal lay minister and licensed preacher. She has facilitated training's, workshops and retreats for Puget Sound volunteers and health care professionals.
As a consultant/owner of Heartwork, Trudy currently facilitates an Art and Community group for people with AIDS, a Wisdom Sharing group for seniors in Assisted Living, end of life planning groups and a variety of pastoral care, self-care, renewal and listening workshops and retreats.