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The stated mission of the Outreach Committee is as
follows:
“We, the Outreach Committee of the Church of the
Redeemer, with God's Guidance, strive to seek and serve Christ in all
persons. Blessed with so much for which we are thankful, we affirm that much
is required of us in ministering to our fellow men, women and children in
the community of Chestnut Hill and beyond. Our mission is conducted through
the ministries of all of the Committee's members and the parish. Serving
many, we are especially conscious of the needs of those who may be sick,
malnourished, abused, lonely and persecuted or who are the victims of
famine, natural disasters or economic injustice. Through our own service, we
hope the parish and those we aid and support will continue to mature as
God's people and that our service will promote a greater sense of community
in the parish. We look forward with hope to the day when our labors, along
with the devoted work of others, may bring about a true reconciliation of
the many differences that divide us from our neighbors and fellow human
beings.”
What
Do We Do?
The basic responsibilities of the Outreach Committee
are as follows:
- With
the approval of the Church Service League (see Funding section that
follows), the Outreach Committee allocates and distributes financial
grants to worthy service organizations utilizing the proceeds from the
Christmas Market and Auction.
- The
Committee also organizes and implements service projects and collections
for worthy organizations with the help of other interested parishioners.
- We
select and recommend to the vestry recipients of the Redeemer’s
Christmas and Easter offerings.
How Are We Funded?
The Outreach Committee is funded through the proceeds
of the Redeemer's annual Christmas Market and Auction as administered by the
Church Service League. In 2008, our church disbursed Outreach grants
totaling $38,500 to 14 organizations in addition to funding three separate
events for the St. Stephen’s Church and the St. Stephen’s after school
program.
- Build
on our Committee membership and commitment, with a particular focus on
exploring connections between “our business at hand” and our individual
and common spiritual growth.
-
Examine and explore ways to deepen and build awareness of
our parish partnership with St. Stephen’s. Consider the same for
Epiphany School and Nativity Prep, both of which our parish has had
special ties to.
-
Find ways to involve more parishioners in effective,
hands-on Outreach work, while being realistic about our parish’s time,
appetite and energy for such.
Ø
Enhance the fellowship aspect of this service.
Ø
Consider ways to involve youth.
Ø
Consider ways to partner with other parishes in our service
projects.
-
Continue to leverage and concentrate our parish’s
enthusiasm and generosity regarding “material contributions.”
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Consider ways to involve children and youth in our
outreach efforts.
-
Consider ways to partner with other nearby parishes in
our outreach efforts.
-
Maintain improvements in publicity.
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Re-visit the financial grants process with a focus on
streamlining the number of grants.
What’s
the Plan for Meeting Those Goals?
To meet our goals in 2009-10, the Outreach
Committee plans to:
-
Continue to have a chaplaincy function within our group. We invite our
clergy to open our meetings with a meditation on the spiritual nature of
our service.
-
Reserve a meeting to brainstorm ways to deepen our partnerships with St.
Stephen’s and possibly Epiphany and Nativity Prep. Should we have more
than one serious partner? Should our partner(s) be the recipient of
most service projects, collections, and major grants? What else can we
do for our partner(s)? How can we get the parish educated about and
involved with these partner(s)?
-
Organize and implement at least 3 parish wide collections and explore a
fourth for the late winter/early spring. Continue to consider ways to
involve youth, and to consider ways to involve another parish or two.
Ø
St. Stephen’s Christmas Collection for the children in the
After-School Program
Ø
Christmas Baskets for Teachers at Epiphany and Nativity Prep
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Perhaps another winter or spring collection
-
Continue our dialogue with the Church School on integrating a service
component into their curriculum.
- Pursue
another meeting as the next step in our collaboration with other nearby
parishes.
- During
the financial grants process, consider:
Ø
Ways to concentrate larger grants on groups within our parish
that have higher awareness (or about whom we can educate the parish.)
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Continue to carefully evaluate new groups proposed by
parishioners, our clergy, and the diocese.
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