Outreach

Outreach Ministry in 2007/Annual Report
"Do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God." --Micah 6:8

Outreach Ministry Vision: Assist the parish in bringing the Good News of Christ to the world and make known the needs of the world and local community to the parish. Provide ongoing and special opportunities for members of our congregation to reach out and give to, as well as receive from, those outside our parish walls. Provide an opportunity for members of the congregation to offer their time, skills, and resources beyond their pledged income to the needs of the less fortunate. Work toward social justice for all in our community and the world.

 

Mission Trip to New Orleans
The GulfCoast, New Orleans, St. Bernard Parish, the Lower Ninth Ward . . . February 2007, 17 months after Hurricane Katrina struck and families still experienced extreme uncertainty about their lives, their families and their homes.

In September of 2006, Outreach began thinking about a relief mission to areas hardest hit by Hurricane Katrina. When this possibility was announced in church, an incredible number of people expressed a strong interest in the trip. Deb C. and Pat V. along with Mother Mary coordinated the trip, with much help from all involved. After research, discussion, and information sharing with Anne L. G., the group decided to work with EDOLA (the Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana). Parishioners contributed money for the trip, those who went also provided for their share of expenses, and Mother Mary wrote a grant to the Whittemore Foundation. The Foundation granted $3,000 which was accepted with much gratitude! A group of 20 people from St. Martin's, family and friends committed to the trip and were commissioned in prayer by the congregation at the Annual Meeting, January 28, 2007.

The missionites car pooled and flew, leaving Kalamazoo on Thursday and Friday, February 1 and 2. We squeezed into Chapel House, the lodging provided by Chapel of the Holy Spirit - women in two rooms and men in another, with cots side by side! Of course, being from St. Martin's, we immediately went to the French Quarter Saturday night for a Mardi Gras parade! On Sunday, we took a tour of New Orleans, seeing unbelievable devastation in the Lower Ninth Ward and nearly everywhere you looked . . . contrasted by beautiful antebellum mansions in the Garden District which escaped most of the flooding. We didn't realize it at the time, but we would be gutting two of the houses we saw that afternoon in the upcoming days in New Orleans.

Monday morning, we were up early and off to orientation and then the work sites. Most of the group worked on gutting houses which was a dirty but satisfying work. We knew that our labor was saving the home owners, who were primarily elderly, thousands of dollars and would allow them to either consider re-building, or they could know that the property could not be saved. Several other members of our group worked with EDOLA's Mobile Medical Unit which spent time with people, listening, taking blood pressure, blood sugar readings, and caring for those in need. Others worked the Mobile Respite Unit, spending the day listening to people's stories, and handing out food, paper products, water, donated toys, books, sheets, and t-shirts.  They came back with stories of incredible devastation and personal depression . . .

Thanks to the generosity of the Whittemore Foundation, we were able to give over $800 to EDOLA for much needed respite vehicle supplies.

Each day, we came back to our home on Zimple Street where two of our group kept us well fed and happy with home cooked meals morning and night and specially packed lunches to take with us to our work sites. On Saturday, we packed our things and most of us returned to Kalamazoo Sunday, February 11, with the exception of those who continued to other destinations. We will never forget what we saw and experienced in New Orleans and our prayers continue to go out to all those still suffering from the aftermath of Katrina.

In July, St. Martin's joined with 19 of the missionites for an evening of gumbo, corn bread, celebration, remembrance and thanks for all we saw and did in New Orleans. [Financial Report and Roster at end of Outreach report]

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During the Designated Lenten Offering, St. Martin's parishioners gave $295 to Loaves and Fishes and $1,665 to Open Door/Next Door during the Designated September Offering.

Jeanine F. coordinated St. Martin's participation in the Crop Walk in May, with several St. Martinites participating in this annual event. Our turnout was a little low this year due to other events occurring on the same day.

Again this year, St. Martin's partnered with seven other churches, individuals, and businesses in refurbishing a new Open Door Next Door affordable residence at 420 Ranney, right next door to the Open Door shelter. In June, we worked on the front living room which would become the quiet room in the house. We cleaned, painted, installed a light fixture and fan, mini-blinds, built-in bookcase, and furnished the living room. The house is now home to 4 working men who were homeless or at risk of homelessness. Laura E. and Pat V. coordinated the project which became a family affair with even the kids, Ben and Sam E. and Taryn and Karsen W. all helping out. Thirteen St. Martin's families and friends helped make this happen!

The 2006 General Convention made work for the poor and oppressed our number one priority, specifying the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) as a corporate vehicle for our response to extreme poverty wherever it exists in our world and asked that every parishioner, every parish, every diocese, every province of our Episcopal Church give our individual and corporate .7% of income. In 2007,Vestry designated .7% of St. Martins budget for the MDGs and spent time reading about and sharing information about the MDGs.

In answer to the MDG call, St. Martin's parishioners also began intentionally discussing the Millennium Development Goals. Monthly Friday movie nights have focused on movies that relate to the MDGs. Action and Education groups were formed. Steve W. is heading up the major project that has developed from these discussions. "Martin's Market" will provide parishioners with the opportunity to buy shares of produce from a local farm and will also open up outreach possibilities for the community as well as for our members who are homebound. More on this from Steve!

An "Over/Under" Drive was coordinated by Tom P. This was our second annual In-Gathering of Coats, plus this year, underwear was included! The coats and undies were blessed on November 18. The Deacons Conference and Ministry with Community were the recipients of over 128 coats, sweaters, hats, and gloves as well as 185 pairs of socks, undies, t-shirts, etc.

St. Martin's Harvest Gathering of Food for Loaves and Fishes was held St. Martin's Day, Sunday November 11, with over 82 bags of groceries donated to the agency. Our goal had been 60 bags!

Our eighth annual Alternative Gift Market in December raised $2,759 for numerous projects around the world and $758 for the Open Door/Next Door Shelters!

During the Christmas season, St. Martin's youth, with the guidance of Dawn G. and Shirley T., coordinated the annual "Giving Tree." Three families with a total of 12 individuals were served! The families were very grateful and a thanks goes out to everyone who helped make this a success again this year.

We are all grateful for the generosity of time, prayer, and financial outpouring of our St. Martin's family.

-- Pat V., Outreach Ministry