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Outreach
____________________________________________________________________________________________
& 2007 Outreach Committee
Report
Christ
Church has had a long tradition of outreach ministry. The parish is now working
to enhance the outreach ministries of the members of the congregation. The
Vestry Outreach Committee will be establishing a number of outreach ministries,
some oriented toward the Christ Church Parish Family, others toward the local
community and still others with a focus much more global.
This past year, following
Father Lowry's recommendations the committee has continued to focus on two main
goals; activities within our own Parish and communities and activities and
projects in our country and abroad.
November 2007 Update
Operation Christmas Child
–
Our
congregation and Sunday school classes will be participating again in
Operation Christmas Child sponsored by Samaritans Purse. Our church
family can share Christmas joy with needy children around the world by filling
wrapped shoeboxes with small gifts for boys and girls ages 2-14. Please return
your filled shoeboxes or the donations of small new toys, school supplies,
hygiene items etc. to Susan Bunyon’s class room in the parish hall (please refer
to the list of gift ideas in the rear of church).
You may also choose to donate only empty gift wrapped shoeboxes (the top of shoebox should be wrapped separately so gifts may be inserted); or holiday gift wrap, to wrap empty boxes or the any of the items on the list to go into the wrapped shoe boxes. All donations will be greatly appreciated. The deadline for donations is Sunday, November 11th. If you have any questions please contact Susan Bunyon.
“Foodraiser” Bulletin – Second Wind Bags and Accessories will be hosting it’s annual “Foodraiser” on Friday, November 30th, from 1p.m.-7p.m.
This year the Foodraiser will take place in the Christ Church, Manhasset gymnasium. Admission will be canned/boxed food, paper goods and personal hygiene products…as much as you can carry! There will be wonderful vendors with fabulous products for you, and for holiday gifts for friends and family. There will be jewelry, candles, aromatherapy, gift baskets, handbags, children’s clothing, holiday merchandise, and much more. Many of the vendors are from Manhasset, and neighboring communities.
All food, and proceeds
from the raffle, will benefit the Long Island Council of Churches Emergency Food
Pantry. We hope to make this an interfaith effort throughout Manhasset. Please
tell your friends and family, and please come and support this effort to help
our fellow Long Islanders, who are hungry.
“Coats for Kids”
– We will be collecting gently used coats for children from now through
Sunday, December 2. Please bring your coats to the Parish House between the
hours of 9am to 5pm Monday through Friday and/or Sunday from 9am-12noon. The
last day for donations will be Sunday, December 2. These coats will be brought
to Mineola and distributed through the “Coats for Kids” program of the National
Cleaners Association.
Adopt a Family Program – The Family Consultation Services of the Diocese of Long Island has a program through which families in need can receive Christmas gifts. Christ Church has agreed to adopt 10 families (including up to 30 children). Several families in Christ Church can combine to adopt-a-family. Please contact Valerie Siener if you wish to participate. The last day to receive all wrapped, tagged and bundled gifts is, Monday, December 3.
Northport Veterans Hospital (VAMC Veterans Affairs Medical Center Volunteer Services) – The Sunshine Ministry will be collecting greeting cards to be sent to the patients at the Northport Veterans hospital. General greeting cards with a note of hope, encouragement, get well or thanks for serving our country will be distributed by the nurses. Please drop off cards at the Parish Office to be forwarded to the hospital. This ministry will continue year round.
Local Programs
Existing programs within our church have included:
Food for the Hungry Food Pantry, run by the Long Island Council of Churches. The
food drive is organized, as always, by Lette Snodgrass, who supervises the
collections of nonperishable foods on the fourth Sunday of each month and with
the help of Carol Allen delivers it to the Long Island Council of Churches Food
Pantry in Freeport.
The Sunshine Ministry - Continues to meet every Thursday morning to send notes
to Parish members and friends who are ill or housebound, or who are celebrating
birthdays and anniversaries. (Amy Angus, Burr Henahan, Lette Snodgrass, Marianne
Templeton)
The North Shore Hospital Day Treatment Center - The Parish Hall gym/auditorium
is made available to this group on days when the weather is inclement to assist
with this programs exercise and physical activities criteria for its members.
Manhasset Girl Scouts- Two troops meet in the Parish House on alternate weeks;
Troop #53l-Mary Jane Whalen and Troop #532Lori Kelly.
Manhasset/Great Neck Community Center (EOC) Summer Program - Jerome Blocker,
president of the EOC Board, made a presentation to the Vestry outlining the
Summer Program, its purpose and needs. The summer program runs for 5 weeks, 5
days a week, from 8:40 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and serves around 80 children from 6
years to 13 years of age.
The Vestry approved $1,500 and individual donations were also sent.
National and International Outreach
Operation Christmas Child - A project of Samaritan Purse, an International
Relief
Organization, took place under the direction of Susan Bunyon. Thirty-six shoe
boxes were filled with small gifts, toys and toiletries and were sent to this
program. Samaritans Purse in turn sends the gift boxes to children in countries
throughout the world including, Uganda, Sudan, Liberia, Philippines and Poland
to name a few.
Episcopal Relief and Development - Christ Church parish has supported the
Episcopal Church in its work for the relief of Individual members have also made
donations to the Red Cross and Salvation Army.
Children's Outreach - The children of the Church School and the Youth Groups
continue to be involved in sending holiday decorations and cards to the
children's hospitals and local nursing homes, and the also took part in many of
the outreach programs and service projects.
Christ Church is blessed with many caring and giving members, and we thanks all
those who have "reached out" so generously!
Our
greatest concern is to prioritize the different possibilities in order to use
our time and resources wisely. Any suggestions or offers to help will be most
welcome! Please contact Marianne Templeton with your ideas.
3
November 2007
