What I know for sure is that everyone we serve in our outreach ministries also has a deep longing to serve, connect and do good in the world. I witness every week in my work as Director of Outreach: Folks who come through one week to pick up meals at Hope House, stop by to serve food another week. Recently the residents at Wellington Park hosted an amazing potluck dinner for all residents and the community partners who have walked with them through this impossible journey that will end in their dislocation from their homes by January 15, 2022. It was important to them to serve, feed, and do good despite the prospect of homelessness, relocation and deep anxiety. This gathering of partners and residents was a living example of loving your neighbor who does not look, think, love, speak, pray or vote like you.
The Joy of Christmas Program this year will focus on the families of Wellington Park. Please donate money so that we can provide five of the most vulnerable families facing displacement from their homes a sizable gift card to Walmart so that they can purchase what their family needs this year. Please donate here!
The traditional Joy of Christmas Tree was set up in the Narthex by Pam Ali and Julie Arthur and contains ornaments naming frequently requested items at our Community Meal Program such as Laundry Detergent, Gas cards, diapers of all sizes and other household products. Please remove the ornament with the item you intend to donate and return the item by 12/12. These items will be given to families at the Community Meal Program on Monday nights at Hope House, Tuesday nights at Wellington and Wednesday nights at Olive Branch. Providing these necessities around the holidays will allow folks to have a bit more spending money for their families.
In other Outreach news we have had two wonderful gatherings over the past few weeks of folks interested in serving in the community in the coming year. These meetings were life-giving as there was so much energy from new and longtime members to care for our environment, feed our neighbors, welcome the refugees, and advocate for the vulnerable in our community. If you did not have the chance to attend these gatherings and want to read the information about upcoming opportunities such as Habitat for Humanity MLK Day of Service doing home rehab work in the Northeast End or volunteer training with the US Committee on Refugees and Immigrants as we welcome Afghan refugees into transitional housing on the Seminary campus please read our Outreach Gathering Minutes and contact me with any questions outreach@stjohnswf.com.
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