Mission and Outreach Opportunities
St John’s is a mission driven church. We respond to the gifts we have been given. Please look at the different areas and programs where you can help.
Outreach Luncheon
NEXT LUNCHEON – May 25, 2013 @ 11:00am
ADDITIONAL OFFERING – we are specifically collecting cereal this month!
We hold a lively lunch for our guests. Please check in Memorial Hall to see what is needed!
We need you! The Outreach Luncheon is held each month, the last Saturday of the month in Memorial Hall for those in need of a warm meal and even warmer conversation and interaction. If you can help in the kitchen, bring something for the meal, assist with set-up or clean-up, or more importantly, be here to be part of the meal and community, we need you! Literally, everyone is welcome! Contact the church office, Lisa Alexander or Cindy Strampe for more information and details.
Church Periodical Club
The Church Periodical Club (CPC) is an Episcopal institution; its ministry is to supply books, magazines, tapes, videos and computer programs free to those who cannot otherwise obtain them and to raise the money to do so. There is a jar at the back of the church for the “Miles of Pennies” Program. $844.40 equals one mile! The Miles of Pennies program benefits children who cannot otherwise afford books. Grants are given out year-around. Please contribute your pennies and see how far we can have them grow!
Christmas Sock Drive
This is an annual St. John’s event. As soon as the “sock tree” goes up we ask for donations of socks from all that can. Plan on giving a pair for every member of your household (and of your sizes). Socks wear out and the need never goes away.
The 2012 Christmas Sock Drive collection was a huge success with over 300 pairs of socks shared between the Neighbors’ Place and the Salvation Army !
TIP (Treatment Instead of Prison)
We have been asked to be a site for the collection of gently used clothing. The project is through TIP (Treatment Instead of Prison), and is focused on providing some basic clothing for inmates released from our local jail. Inmates are usually released at 5:30am and may have only the clothes that they had when they were picked up. This could mean being released in the winter with only shorts, t-shirts and sandals (if they had been in jail for several months). Please look through your clothes and donate some pants, shirts, sweatshirt, shoes or even a winter coat. Collection boxes are being placed in several congregations around the community including St John’s, with a distribution site near St Paul’s UCC (which is across the street from the jail and where newly released people often go first to ask for help). Bring any clothing to Memorial Hall and it will be delivered to St. Paul’s.
Food Pantries
The Salvation Army, Neighbor’s Place and First Presbyterian Church all provide food for our neighbors who simply cannot stretch their own budgets far enough. When you shop, please pick up something extra to place in the food basket. Thank you!
The Women’s Community
The group is looking for: coffee makers, alarm clocks, table lamps, bed sheets. They can always use new items as well: shampoo, soap, laundry soap, dryer sheets, cleaning supplies, gas cards, bus tokens.
Discretionary Fund
There is a constant demand for the number of requests for assistance. If you are able, please consider making a financial contribution to the Discretionary Fund so that St. John’s can continue to assist our fellow community members.
Pick’n'Save Savers Card
A way to help St. John’s just by doing your grocery shopping. Pick’n'Save allows you to specify a charitable organization when you get their card. Select St. John’s Episcopal Church and a percentage of what you spend on groceries help our ministries.
