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Our church leaders made Outreach the top goal in 2010:
By 2012, we will build and sustain local, regional, national, and international outreach programs:
- Every Commission will independently or in collaboration with other commissions implement at least one new externally focused initiative each year. These new programs will involve time, talent, and/or treasure.
Two committees make up the Outreach Commission: Outreach and Share the Faith.
The Outreach Mission: To spread the love of Christ by caring for and supporting our neighbors in need locally and world wide……
Share the Faith's mission: Our mission is to reach out and invite those who are seeking and spiritually needy to join us in experiencing and expressing the joy, peace, and love of Christ, and to encourage and support the St. James’ community (individuals, commissions, committees) in ways that they can share the faith through their lives and ministries.
Outreach Activities - Join Us! The rewards are greater than what we give.
Local
Food Ministry
Panera Bread – St. James’ receives bread from Panera in Glastonbury each week. Parishioners pick up the bread and distribute it to the Center City Churches MANNA Food Pantry and Christ Church Cathedral Soup Kitchen in Hartford every Monday. Help picking up and delivering bread always welcome!
Food Banks - Non–perishable food and toiletries donations are collected every week before Sunday services. Items donated to the food banks are given to working individuals who do not earn enough to provide adequate food for their families. We have designated the non-perishable food donations received on the first and third Sunday of each month to the Glastonbury Food Bank, a project of Glastonbury Social Services. Contact Carol Hilton 633-4115. Donations on subsequent Sundays are delivered to the Center City Churches Food Pantry along with Panera bread.
Christmas Families
Since 1986 this program has provided gifts and a Christmas feast to families in need in the Glastonbury area. In 2010, six families including 13 children received bountiful gifts of clothes, toys, and food provided by the parish. Members of the church look forward to the beginning of Advent season when they are given the opportunity to choose gifts or food items to give the families.
Easter Families
The same families also receive beautiful Easter baskets filled with goodies and food for their Easter feast.
Coat Drive
New and gently used coats are donated by the Parish and distributed to needy families in our community.
Glastonbury Fuel Bank
An annual donation is made to help Glastonbury families with their fuel bills.
Regional
Light and Peace
The Light and Peace program is a ministry of evangelism and neighborhood outreach for children 3-11years old at Trinity Church in Hartford . This program provides a hot meal, worship and art activities every Monday night. St. James provides dinner once a month.
Church Street Eats
Four times a year adults and youth from our parish prepare and serve a meal for the homeless at Christ Church Cathedral in Hartford.
Camp Washington
Camp Washington is the picturesque center for outdoor ministries of the Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut. The purpose of the summer camp program at Camp Washington is to provide a place where children of all ages can grow spiritually, emotionally, and physically. In 2010, our parish participated in the Bishop’s 5K Run for Kids where we raised $600 for Camp Washington and earned a first place trophy! We also supported the camp with several foursomes at the Hastings Open Golf Tournament in June.
National
Mission on the Bay. In April 2010 St. James' parishioners participated in the rebuilding of homes in Mississippi destroyed by Hurricane Katrina.
International
Holy Trinity Elementary School in Port-au-Prince, Haiti
St. James’ Church has for many years sponsored a student at Holy Trinity Elementary School in Port-au-Prince. Marie Soeurette St.Georges has been our sponsored child for the past six years. The Rev. Fernande S. Pierre-Louis, the only female Episcopal priest in Haiti , is principal of the school. The school is now rebuilding after the devastating earthquake.
CODEP – Comprehensive Development Project
This is an incentive program that has been established in the very mountainous Southwestern part of Haiti . Besides the direct participants most of the larger communities are benefiting. The program includes soil restoration by means of terracing programs, followed by forest tree planting followed by fruit tree planting. The program includes water cisterns for individual families, agricultural training of young people, teaching vegetable gardening through 4-5 regional schools and demonstration gardens. About 60 fish ponds have been constructed by area cooperatives, growing Tilapia for nutrition and micro business. The ultimate incentive award is the help with obtaining and construction of a family home that is somewhat hurricane safe and cisterns for homes. It is interesting to note that the recent Hurricanes that just passed by Haiti , only caused minor damage in the CODEP project area instead of the major flooding and erosion that would have been experienced in prior years. The program is supported financially by St. James’ and also provides mission opportunities for our parishioners.
Gifts for Life
The Gifts for Life catalog put out by Episcopal Relief and Development contains items that support the Millennium Development Goals such as farm animals, tools and mosquito netting. During the holiday season, the Outreach Committee offered to mach any gift made from the Gifts for Life catalog. Response was wonderful. In 2010, St. James’ matched the $1,000 in donations made by parishoners!
Operation Christmas Child
This is a national program to provide underprivileged children around the world with a Christmas gift contained in a colorfully wrapped shoebox. Over 60 shoeboxes full of toys and necessities were lovingly prepared by St. James’ families and distributed by the organization Samaritan’s Purse. This was a fun program for the whole congregation that we plan to continue in future years.
CROP Walk (Communities Responding to Overcome Poverty)
St. James’ sponsors walkers for this important community-wide program to provide interfaith hunger education and fund-raising events sponsored by Church World Service.
Episcopal Relief and Development
Episcopal Relief & Development is an international relief and development agency and a compassionate response to human suffering on behalf of The Episcopal Church of the United States. The agency works to heal a hurting world is guided by the principles of compassion, dignity and generosity. St. James makes a financial contribution each year.
Millennium Development Goals
The Outreach Committee of St. James’ Church supports the UN Millennium Development Goals identified by the UN and endorsed by the General Convention of the Episcopal Church in June 2006. The Millennium Development Goals have become part of our Outreach goals. Several programs and donations this past year were directly responsive to them.
St. James’ parish voted to focus on MDG #1.
- Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
- Achieve universal primary education
- Promote gender equality and empower women
- Reduce child mortality Improve maternal health
- Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases
- Ensure environmental sustainability
- Develop a global partnership for development
| Share the Faith |
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We offer educational opportunities throughout the year to help the parish understand the ways and importance of sharing our faith, individually and as a parish family.
We had a very successful booth at the Glastonbury Apple Festival. In 2010, we sold 39 gallons of chili (553 servings) and are planning to make our booth for 2011 even better. Stop by and see us!
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