Dial Fish for Help

Ecumenism on the parish level has for the most part been expressed in terms of interfaith dialogues and common prayer services. But it can also lead to common action. One such method of putting unity into practice is "The Fish," a fast-growing network of dedicated Christians who carry out Jesus' command to "love thy neighbor" by cooperatively providing for the needy such homely but useful services as emergency baby sitting, hot meals, free transportation to the hospital and company for the aged.

The first branch of Fish, which takes its name from one of Christianity's oldest symbols for Jesus, was formed in 1961 at the Anglican Church of St. Andrew's in Oxford, England. Two years ago, the first U.S. Fish group was organized by the Rev. Robert L. Howell, 38, rector of the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd in West Springfield, Mass. Since then, Fish societies have sprung up in dozens of other U.S. communities. Through handbills delivered from door to door and modest ads in local newspapers, Fish urges anyone in need to call a local telephone number for help -- in West Springfield, for example, 732-3014. Callers are assured that there is no charge, no obligation to "listen to any lecture."

Sympathetic Escort. With a staff of 50 volunteers on call around the clock, West Springfield's Fish has been able to help people in countless small human ways. When one man with five children discovered that his wife was dying of cancer, Fish volunteers took turns cooking meals for the family, doing the laundry, and continued helping out for several weeks after the woman died. Another grateful recipient of Fish's aid was a woman returning home from the hospital after an operation. When she told Fish that she needed someone to clean her house but couldn't afford to hire help, a parishioner of Good Shepherd, who had a maid to do her own housecleaning, showed up to scrub the floors and wash windows. Fish will undertake any reasonable request: after one tearful teen-ager asked Fish to help explain a poor report card to his father, a sympathetic parent was found to escort the boy home.

Free Rides. Although Fish was founded in West Springfield under Episcopal auspices, its volunteers include Congregationalists, Methodists, Lutherans, Roman Catholics and even one Jew. In Canton, Ohio, a Roman Catholic priest is chairman of the local branch, and in Louisville, Ky., Fish is jointly sponsored by an Episcopal and a Presbyterian church. Purely secular organizations have been happy to contribute too: in Louisville, a local taxi company offers free transportation to Fish's emergency cases.

As a rule, Fish volunteers shun personal publicity, finding enough reward in help done rather than praise received. Rector Howell believes that the organization has caught on so well because "we need specific outlets to help us show the substance of faith in our lives." Fish, he says, has not only given help to the needy, but has also given the volunteers themselves a new dimension of what Christianity means and a chance to live their faith.

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