One of the signs of a healthy parish is its commitment to mission and outreach. While many mainline churches are in decline, there is evidence to show that those churches with a renewed commitment to their mission and outreach tend to grow. Several years ago, Archbishop William Temple stated very clearly that, “Churches that live unto themselves die unto themselves.” Jesus is also very clear in Matthew 25 about our responsibility to those who are vulnerable and marginalized when he said that what you do to the least of my brothers and sisters, you do to me. So, how are we doing at St. John’s?
St. John’s Facility Use
Alcoholics Anonymous and Al-Anon meet 5 times a week in the parish house. The parish house and its facilities are used for a week once a year for Night’s Welcome… a welcome shelter for those without homes offering a place to sleep, dinner and breakfast. The Downtown Neighborhood Lunch Program offers a well-balanced, tasty lunch at noon on Wednesdays from May 24th to Labor Day. As a downtown church we have many people coming to the office seeking counseling, food, bus tickets, etc. Without parishioners’ support of our general operating budget, this facility would not be available to respond to community needs as we do.
St. John’s Outreach Response
Through special appeals throughout the year, the parishioners of St. John’s have contributed approximately $14,500. These funds were contributed to various causes including funding in the Hampton/Newport News area for: Thanksgiving and Christmas baskets, the Downtown Hampton Child Development Center, Meals on Wheels, the Downtown Neighborhood Lunch Program, H.E.L.P., Youth Challenge, the Rector’s Discretionary Fund, Tyler Elementary School, St. Paul’s, Newport News, breakfast program, Night’s Welcome and tornado relief in Suffolk.
Funds sent further abroad, to which St. John’s contributed approximately $8,500, went to the Episcopal Relief and Development Fund, Ecuadorian School Children, Missionaries in Ecuador, Iglesia Episcopal del Ecuador, Huch Uy Runa (the Vacation Bible School outreach), Heifer International, the Church in Jerusalem, Hurricane and Flood Relief, Holy Cross Anglican School in Belize, Prevent Child Abuse Hampton Roads (our Sunday School’s Treasures-n-Treats outreach project at Halloween), and the Youth Services Project done by our J2A group in Washington, D.C.
The Nickerson Trust
The Nickerson Trust was established by generations of past parishioners. The interest from this trust is to be used for outreach. Through the years a special interest in supporting organizations that work with children has emerged. In November and December 2007, the fund distributed $30,000 to the following: St. Paul’s College, Lawrenceville, Virginia; Chanco on the James (Diocese of Southern Virginia camp and conference center); Youth Challenge; Transitions Women’s Shelter; Jackson Field Home for Girls; Boys Home in Covington, Virginia; Channel to Brazil; Holy Cross Anglican School, Belize and Ecuador; and the Downtown Hampton Child Development Center.
The Charitable Trust
This Trust was also established by parishioners of past generations and continues to receive gifts to it. The interest from this Trust is also to be used for charitable giving. The Charitable Trust has approximately $4,000 a year for disbursement.
The Lucille Williams Trust
This Trust has recently been received and its broad mandate is to assist the needy and elderly in the Diocese of Southern Virginia. The Trust has approved a disbursement of $2,500 so far this year, with approximately $23,000 available for disbursement this year. The guidelines for disbursement of this Trust are currently being drafted.
Originally published in St. John’s Epistle, December 2008.