| Community Outreach |
| Evangelism |
| Family Focus |
| Men's Groups |
| Homeless Shelter |
| Fellowship |
| Stephen Ministry |
| Stewardship |
community outreach
Susan Doherty, Chairman
The Community Outreach Board is interested in extending Christian compassion and helpfulness to people of all ages in need of aid. We strive to enlist in these efforts as many of the individual members and organizations of thie congregation as possible to respond to those in need. This committee studies social conditions, primarily in the local community, but also nationally and internationally, and keeps the congregation apprised of their findings. Contact Susan Doherty for information.
Donations
Outreach - St. Mark Lutheran ChurchCommunity Outreach has begun a new program to support the Ronald McDonald House in Richmond, the closest to us. Many Ronald McDonald Houses work with local recycling centers to receive money for collecting tabs from aluminum cans - including those from soda cans, vegetable and soup cans, and pet food cans. There are large round plastic containers intended for offices that consume a LOT of soda. If your office fits this description, please pick one up. We ask every congregation family to please begin collecting soda, vegetable, soup and pet food pop tops. There is a plastic box for weekly donations of this kind in the narthex and the program will run indefinitely.
York County Church Women United Food Pantry
The second Sunday of the month is York County Food Pantry Sunday. Members of the congregation bring food items to be delivered to the York County Food Pantry. See the collection table in the narthex for the current program.
Lunches Provided for the Hungry
The next opportunity for the St. Mark congregation to support those in need will be in Newport News, hosted by Saint Paul's Church on Saturday, May 6, 2006. Participants will prepare 180 bag lunches and a hot lunch for fifty people to be served at 12:00 p.m. Be at St. Paul's at 9:30 a.m.; plan to depart by 1:00 p.m. Financial donations are also welcome to buy three big bags of salad, fifty bananas and one large bag of ice. Please mark donation envelopes "St. Paul's Lunch."
PORT
"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clother me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.'" (Matthew 25:34-36)Together we can make a difference for the homeless and destitute in our area! Your help is needed to make PORT work one night during the week of January 14-21, 2009. Along with six partner churches, we will provide dinner, breakfast, and a warm nights lodging for the homeless in Newport News. We will do this at St. Jerome's Catholic Church in the Denbigh area of Newport News. Contact Susan Doherty if you are able to volunteer.
International
Heifer International
(January)
Collect monetary donations to provide gifts of livestock and training in more than 125 countries.
Lutheran World Relief(As needed)
Collect monetary donations in times of disasters; i.e., earthquake, tsunami.
Souper Bowl of Caring
(February)
Collect monetary donations for ELCA World Hunger Appeal on Souper Bowl Sunday.
Ecuadorian Children's Mission
(All year long)
Thanks to the congregation:
- 27 children are starting Elementary school.
- 12 children are starting High school this fall.
- 11 students are considering Higher Education
- There are funds for medical emergencies.
- There are funds for emergencies that come up in the Refugio such as buying gas to cook for the children.
This community of boys and girls has accomplished so much and are very appreciative of any donation you might offer. There is a drop box in the hallway off the narthex. The needed items are: New or gently-used shoes, socks, underwear, tops and pants or a monetary donation (checks payable to Ecuadorian Children’s Mission). Please speak to Susette or Rob Goff if you have questions.
2006 Mended Heart Pillow Workshop
Share a heart...to make a heart...for a mended heart.
(February)
On two Saturdays in February, volunteers will meet at the church to share in making heart-shaped pillows to be donated to Riverside Regional Medical Center's Open Heart CSICU. Come in and help mend, sew, cut, stuff, and hand stitch 50 pillows to support open-heart surgery patients (dates to be announced.). Check the kiosk in the narthex or call the church office for more details or to sign up.
The Quilters will meet to make Quilts of Valor to be given to wounded ilitary members. Join us on Wednesdays at 2:00 p.m. (plan to stay and have dinner at Cafe St. Mark) to help with cutting and sewing. For information, contact Lois Schroeder.
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Other Projects
Sunday Church School Outreach
Donate to the S.P.C.A.
The Sunday School children accept donations to go to the S.P.C.A. Items suggested: dry cat food; kitty litter; towels; sheets and blankets; bleach; cat/dog flea treatment; nuts and corn; hay; grooming supplies; instant hand sanitizer; shoe boxes for cat beds; veggies or fruits for zoo animals; fresh or frozen raw chicken, chicken let quarters and beef roasts for wild cats. The donation box is available in the hallway off the narthex. See the sign on the kiosk in the narthex for more details, or call the church office. Dates are to be determined.
New Playground for St. Mark Preschool and Family Focus Children
Members of the church, the Youtherans, the pre-school, and the Coast Guard worked together in June 2005 to assemble the new playground equipment donated by the pre-school. Here some of theworkers test driving the equipment.
Family Violence Services
TRANSITIONS A pathway to safety...a source of hope.Transitions Family Violence Services has sheltered more than 14,000 victims of abuse since 1980. Clients receive all services at no charge. The agency assists adult and child victims through shelte, counceling and support. Self-sufficiency and life skills education programs will assist in gaining the confidence and skills needed to break the pattern of violence and begin a new, violence-free life. For more information, see the Community Outreach display in the narthex, go to their web site http://www.transitionsfvs.org/ or call the Hotline: 757-723-7774
We can provide a helping hand by collecting the following items to donate to TRANSITIONS :
Household Items
Support for Our Wounded Troops in Iraq
This is our opportunity to show support and God's love for soldiers wounded in Iraq. Wounded soldiers being transported from the field to military hospitals beyond the borders of Iraq are in need of articles such as gym shorts (S,M,L), cotton long pajama bottoms (S,M,L), and travel-size hand lotion. Let's help make this trip as comfortable as pssible for our soldiers. A collection box is set up in the hallway off the narthex.
- And Also -
USO "Read with the Troops" - new and used books
USO Adopt-a-Serviceperson for Thanksgiving
Cell Phone Drive for domestic abuse victims
Orphan Helpers - sewing and cosmetology items for El Salvadorian orphanage
Menchville House - personal, household & cleaning supplies
American Red Cross Blood Drive
Habitat for Humanity - local and in Malaysia
World-wide Health Kits