DEACON CLARE
Deacon Clare Josef-Maier and Pastor Ben Nickodemus in the Central Lutheran Church’s sanctuary in Eugene, Oregon. Clare joined the roster at Central Lutheran in 2017 for campus ministry with the University of Oregon and Lane Community College but is also a collaborative minister at the Emmaus and United Lutheran churches in Eugene.
Clare finishing last minute preparations in her office before Sunday service at the Emmaus Lutheran Church in Eugene.
After Sunday service Clare visits with congregation members at the Emmaus Lutheran Church. She is wearing purple for the Lenten season and waits by the doors until everyone has exited the sanctuary.
Clare and her daughter, Maeve, disagree about the placement of the fort Maeve has made under the piano in the Central Lutheran Church. Maeve spends a lot of time entertaining herself or with fellow congregation members while her mom is working.
Clare playing with her daughter Maeve (not pictured) and bubble wrap at Clare’s apartment in Eugene. Clare moved to her apartment, Maeve and her call “The Nest,” shortly after Clare separated from her husband.
Clare talks to one of the members of the Emmaus Lutheran Church in Eugene before going to pick Maeve up from school. In passing Clare shares she does not know if she leaves enough time in her life for hobbies.
Clare gives herself a haircut at her apartment in Eugene. She has been shaving her head on and off since before she was consecrated to the Lutheran roster in 2015. When asked about the initial decision to shave her head Clare said, “I've never been someone who's like, a great beauty or whatever. But I do feel like hair is one of those things that if I had anything, I cared a lot about my hair and how my hair looked. And I was like, what would it… feel like? What would it look like to just shave it off?”
Clare and Maeve watching the 1973 version of “Robin Hood” at Clare’s apartment in Eugene. When asked why Maeve’s head is also shaved, Clare said, “Maeve was like, ‘Mommy, I want you to shave my hair. So that I look like you. And then people will know that we belong together.’ So I was like, I think they're gonna know anyway…She was very set on it. She wanted to look the same.”
On a walk in their neighborhood, Maeve tells Clare that she doesn’t want a step-mom or step-dad. Clare explains to Maeve that she doesn’t have to worry about having a step-dad but she thinks “daddy” is the type of person that would be happier married. “It took me until Maeve's birth to really be like, launched by that event on a journey of coming to terms with being asexual. And much, much later, also being aromantic,” Clare said in a separate interview, “When you've come to terms with that, in a marriage, it's complicated.”
Clare places candles for the meditation she leads on Thursdays at the Central Lutheran Church. She leads the meditation regardless of how many people show up even if that means doing it alone.
GREAT HARVEST’S GREAT BAKER
Christen Castro arriving at Great Harvest Bread Co. before sunrise in Eugene, Oregon.
Castro gathering her ingredients for the day in Great Harvest Bread Co.'s walk-in fridge.
Castro and her coworker in the late morning kneading and sectioning off bread dough to be baked later in the afternoon.
Castro on her tip-toes. Being a baker is a laborious job that often requires her to be standing and on her feet for hours at a time.
Castro focusing on mixing the batter for Valentine’s day inspired cookies.
Castro helping a customer purchase a variety of baked goods near the end of her shift.