Parish Life

Outreach Ministry Committee

Working for world peace and justice by supporting and empowering communities at home and abroad

 

“How does God’s love abide in anyone who has the world’s goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses to help? . . . let us love not in word or speech but in truth and action.” (1 John 3: 17-18)

 

The Outreach Ministry Committee serves to enrich the spiritual life of St. Andrew’s. Our purpose is to deepen the fellowship within our church family and to offer Christian support and relief to the world outside our doors. We will leverage the gifts, time and wealth that St. Andrew’s has to offer to address unmet needs in the region and beyond, with special concern for children, the homeless and those struggling with illness.

 

This open and inclusive committee fulfills St. Andrew’s mission by providing a key outlet for church members to “reach beyond ourselves” and bear witness to Christ’s love.

 

St. Andrew’s Church reaches out to those in need by sponsoring and supporting outreach programs to its immediate community, the Diocese of Southern Virginia and the world. St. Andrew’s supports and celebrates individual ministries and helps members recognize the ministries where they can best serve.  Some programs are funded through the regular church budget while others depend on the financial and volunteer support of interested parishioners.  Some programs require weekly involvement, while others are annual events.

The Outreach Ministry Committee which coordinates these activities usually meets on the first Monday of the month at 7 p.m. in the Guild Room and invites any interested person to attend.

 

Community Outreach Ministry

 

There are many state and local projects that the people of St. Andrew's Church support through parish funding and special collections as well as through volunteering.  Learn more . . .

  

Community organizations assisted by St. Andrew’s include –

 

ACCESS (AIDS Care Center for Education and Support Services) formerly Full Circle and Candii - is the combination of two non-profit 501c(3) organizations that provide children, adults and families affected by HIV/AIDS access to comprehensive medical, social, financial, educational, mental health and support services as well as specialized meals programs, transportation, and children's daycare services. St. Andrew’s holds a monthly cook-in and provides approximately 1200 meals to clients served by ACCESS.

Boys’ Home – Covington – residential educational facility for boys ages 6 to 17.

Camp Wakonda – a summer camp program of the Episcopal Diocese of Southern Virginia for children and families dealing with HIV/AIDS.

Canterbury Center (Old Dominion University) – a campus ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of Southern Virginia.

Catholic Worker - Small hospitality house in Norfolk offering short- and long-term hospitality to homeless men and women; serves 100+ folks four mornings a week, bringing "breakfast-to-the-streets."

Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia - The Foodbank is a warehouse or "bank" where recovered and contributed food is collected, sorted and distributed to over 611 agencies including church pantries and area Kids’ Cafes who then prepare and serve the food to those in need.  

     

ForKids, Inc. – Through a network of shelters, housing, counseling, education and other comprehensive programs, the agency helps client families make the very challenging transition from homelessness to home. Each Christmas, St. Andrew’s sponsors “Angel Trees” to provide gifts for the children in the ForKids program.

     

Ghent Area Ministries - GAM is an ecumenical ministry dedicated to ministering in faith to those in need in the Norfolk community through financial assistance, resources, and services. Those with financial difficulties receive help with rent, utilities, filling of prescriptions/medical needs, food, baby formula/diapers, obtaining IDs, and transportation. In addition, clients can receive assistance from the Coat Closet and the Food Pantry.

Gosnold Apartments – provides a supportive living program and small apartments for people who were homeless.   

H.E.R. Shelter -  Help and Emergency Response, Inc is located in Portsmouth and serves victims of domestic violence by offering a 24 hour emergency hotline, emergency shelter, a children’s program, an aftercare program, court advocacy, and community awareness programs.

Jackson Feild Homes for Girls - Jackson-Feild Homes is a non-profit 501 (c)(3) charitable organization dedicated to providing gender specific programs and services for adolescent females ages 13 up to 21 who are “at risk” for mental health problems, delinquent behaviors and/or failure to complete their basic education.  The program operates residential programs for girls at the main campus in Jarrett, Virginia and in Richmond, Virginia.

     

Mission of the Holy Spirit - Mission of the Holy Spirit is a collaborative effort of several Norfolk congregations and the Episcopal Diocese of Southern Virginia.  The focus is to provide life skills and Christian spirituality in urban youth in the Norfolk area.  Currently, the Mission provides Sunday evening dinner, supervised activities, and education in a loving, safe atmosphere.  Hopes for the future include expanding to establish a multi-cultural center and a safe after-school program for teens. 

Norfolk Emergency Shelter Team (N.E.S.T.) – N.E.S.T. is a volunteer coalition of churches, synagogues, and community groups that offer emergency shelter to the homeless from mid-November through mid-April.  Shelter is offered a week at a time at various churches and facilities on a rotating basis.  Guests are housed  from 8 p.m. until 7 a.m. the next morning and receive two meals, a warm, safe place to rest and other assistance as needed. St. Andrews provides financial support and a site for N.E.S.T.

Park Place School - located in Norfolk VA, provides at-risk elementary school students from low-income backgrounds the basic reading, spelling and math skills necessary for academic success, within a Judeo-Christian environment.        

Red Cross – St. Andrew’s co-sponsors the blood drive initiative of the Ghent Area Ministry.  Please click on the following for more information:  Ghent Churches Blood Drive Schedule

YWCA  - The shelter is located in Norfolk and serves victims of domestic violence by offering a 24 hour help line, emergency shelter, counseling, tutoring and parenting assistance, a children’s program, an aftercare program, court advocacy, victim support groups and community awareness programs. Male victims are also assisted by the program.

 

Peace and Justice Advocacy Ministry

 

Members of the parish participate in various advocacy aimed at making the world a better place to live for all people.  Learn more . . .

 

 

Parish Awareness and Advocacy

The Outreach Ministry Committee works on an on-going basis to keep the parish informed about current local, state, national and international issues and actions that can be taken to address them.  For example, this year:

 

  • Information about each   Millennium Development Goal Melliennium Development Goaland other issues was provided on bulletin inserts, e-mailings, newsletters, and postings on a regular basis.

These organizations help focus and guide our actions to help others:

 

On the state level:

  • Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy - St. Andrew’s is a congregational member of the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy (VICPP). The Virginia Interfaith Center is a nonpartisan coalition of faith communities working to create change through education and public policy. By partnering with organizations across the state and mobilizing grassroots networks, the VICPP “empowers faithful advocates to LEARN about the issues challenging  communities, PRAY for guidance and discernment, and ACT to make Virginia a more just and compassionate commonwealth.” The focus of the VICPP is to empower and inspire faith-based citizenship.  Issues addressed include supporting children and families and reducing poverty in Virginia.

On the national and international level: 

  • The Episcopal Public Policy Network (EPPN) – St. Andrew’s advocacy outreach efforts are guided by the national Episcopal Church. As Episcopalians, we promise in the Baptismal Covenant to "strive for justice and peace." Striving for a just and peaceful world can take the form of helping those in need one-on-one. It can also involve pursuing broad, social change through public policies designed to help the needy. The EPPN is committed to the ministry of justice and peace through public policy advocacy.
The EPPN represents the social policies established by the  General Convention and Executive Council, including issues of international peace and justice, human rights, immigration, welfare, poverty, hunger, health care, violence, civil rights, the environment, racism,  and issues involving women and children.

     

 On the international level:

 

  • Bread for the World – The organization objectives are to seek justice and end world hunger through public awareness and advocacy.  The organization headquarters are in Washington, DC and the work of the group involves a strong faith-based initiative.

 

Worldwide Ministry

 

Parishioners at St. Andrew’s are connected to others around the world in a multitude of ways.  Contributing to and working for others no matter where they live, is an important value of this parish. Learn more . . .

 

Some of the many ways that parishioners of St. Andrew’s participate in worldwide ministry include:

Episcopal Relief and Development (ERD) - Formerly called The Presiding Bishops Fund, ERD provides emergency aid where needed in selected target areas here and around the globe.  For example, after the World Trade Center tragedy on September 11, 2001, ERD responded immediately by setting up a relief shelter in historic St. Paul’s Chapel, near the ruins of the World Trade Center.  More recently ERD provided substantial assistance to people affected by the disastrous tsunami, particularly on the island of Sri Lanka, and by Hurricane Katrina.  St. Andrew’s sponsors a yearly parish-wide collection for this fund. For example, ERD is also rebuilding lives and livelihoods devastated by the tsunami in India, providing training and long-lasting insecticide-treated nets to prevent malaria in Zambia, and helping women earn an income in a bread-making cooperative in Honduras. St. Andrew’s sponsors an annual parish-wide collection for ERD and has a liaison with the ERD Representative of the Diocese of Southern Virginia.

 

The Millennium Development Goals of Episcopal Relief and Development

The Millennium Development Goals (MDG) are one of the frameworks Episcopal Relief and Development (ERD) uses to put its development strategy into action.  Working with Anglican and ecumenical partners, ERD focuses on funding for food security, primary health, and emergency relief and rebuilding. 

Alongside the growing movement in support of the MDGs within The Episcopal Church, there has also been a movement of dioceses supporting international-development programs with 0.7% of their annual budgets. The Episcopal Diocese of Southern Virginia has committed to the 0.7% international-giving target.  St. Andrew’s has also committed to the 0.7% international donation commitment.

 

 

  • In 2007, the parish MDG donation will be divided between three ministries where the parish has connections-
    1. Sovereign Global Mission in Ghana
    2. Holy Cross Primary School in Belize where youth from St. Andrew’s worked on their 2006 mission trip; and
    3. Sudanese refugee camp in Kenya where some of our local Lost Boys and Girls have ties.

 

ONE Episcopalian Campaign

ONE Episcopalian seeks to build on the enormous energy for the MDGs already generated among Episcopalians. The ONE Episcopalian Campaign challenges every congregation to become a ONE Congregation. This involves pledging to organize a "ONE Sunday" and achieve three of the following five goals:

  • Feature the MDGs in a sermon or rector's forum;

  • Organize an "Offering of Letters" and ask participants to sign the ONE Declaration;

  • Use ONE resources in Christian-education classes for youth and adults;

  • Meet with Members of Congress to advocate for the MDGs; and

  • Collect an offering once a year for the MDG programs of Episcopal Relief and Development.

 

St. Andrew’s participates in the ONE Congregation Campaign. This year’s efforts focused on the reauthorization of the Farm Bill.

 

 

Belize Mission Trip

 

Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem

The Diocese serves five countries, including Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Palestine and Israel, within the Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East.  There are thirty-one parishes that minister to the needs of their communities. The church supports thirty-five institutions, which include hospitals, clinics, kindergartens and schools, vocational training programs, as well as institutions for the deaf, the disabled and the elderly. St. Andrew’s parish and individuals sent funds to support the healthcare ministries of the Diocese of Jerusalem.