Yes, everything is for your sake, so that grace, as it extends to more and more people, may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God. 2 Corinthians 4:15
Outreach Ministry Group
Helping Our Community
Contact Person: Alice Barber
Our parish aims to help both our community and the larger world become better places to live. The Outreach Ministry Group enables parishioners to become involved in these efforts and to encourage fellow parishioners to help meet the needs. During the year, the Outreach Ministry Group carries out a variety of successful projects due to the outstanding generosity of the members of St. John’s parish.
- Throughout the Twelve Days of Christmas, money is collected to provide communion wine for the four rural Kenyan parishes served by Fr. Jesse, who worshipped with us when he was studying here.
- An ongoing project is collecting socks of all sizes for Rare Breed, Safe to Sleep and Harmony House ministries.
- In our neighborhood, we have on-going efforts to assist Bowerman Elementary School and, especially, to provide single-serving food items for students to “purchase” with credit dollars earned by good attendance and positive behavior. Box tops for education are also collected.
- Our Lenten Episcopal Relief & Development Project raises money to provide aid in various ways to places all over the world.
- Parishioners are providing meals for Women’s Respite Shelter, which shelters homeless women recovering from hospitalization.
- The collection box for Toys for Tots overflows!
- The three families we adopted for the holidays from the Bowerman School district receive bountiful baskets of food and vital paper and cleaning supplies to ensure they will share in a truly thankful Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter.
- Throughout the year, when shopping, parishioners continue the “holy habit” of purchasing an extra non-perishable food item for Crosslines and many pounds of food are delivered during the year.
Through projects such as these, the Outreach Ministry Group leads in sharing our faith and blessings by helping those in need.
Lord, give us grace to know your will, give us joy to serve your Church, keep us safe in the knowledge of your love; so that with quiet minds and gentle hearts we may work to bring glory to your Name. Amen.