To answer the concerns of St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church by responding to parishioner needs and by reaching out to our local and extended community, offering both financial and hands-on involvement.
UNITED THANK OFFERING - United Thank Offering (UTO) is a ministry of the Episcopal Church for the mission of the whole church. Through United Thank Offering, men, women, and children nurture the habit of giving daily thanks to God. These prayers of thanksgiving start when we recognize and name our many daily blessings. Those who participate in UTO discover that thankfulness leads to generosity. United Thank Offering is entrusted to promote thank offerings, to receive the offerings, and to distribute the UTO monies to support mission and ministry throughout the Episcopal Church and in invited Provinces of the Anglican Communionin the developing world.
CROP Hunger Walks are community-wide events sponsored by Church World Service and organized by local congregations or groups to raise funds to end hunger at home and around the world. With its inception in 1969, CROP Hunger Walks are "viewed by many as the granddaddy of charity walks," notes the Los Angeles Times (Oct. 26, 2009.)
Operation Shoebox - Since 1993, more than 100 million boys and girls in over 130 countries have experienced God’s love through the power of simple shoebox gifts from Operation Christmas Child. Samaritan’s Purse works with local churches and ministry partners to deliver the gifts and share the life-changing Good News of Jesus Christ. Together with more than 100,000 dedicated volunteers in the U.S., we are able to share the love of Jesus Christ and the joy of Christmas with millions of boys and girls. See Reba Webb or Peg Graber with questions. SOUPER SUNDAY is an Outreach Fundraiser for our programs. Many people in our congregation make large pots and a great variety of SOUPS. We serve them up during our Coffee Hour downstairs in the church. Freewill donations are accepted in our soup can for a bowl (or 2 …) of soup, crackers and beverage. Though we normally serve sweets served during coffee hour, these are eschewed as we remember that many people in our world are lucky if they get even a bowl of soup each day.
BAGEL Sales - Bagels are sold each Sunday to support Episcopal Relief & Development for current needs in our country (currently the Oklahoma tornado victims.) The Bagel Basket is available for your donations. Enjoy! ADVENT CALENDAR CARDS- are sold for $3 to support our Outreach activities. The Cards are on the table in the back of the church. They can be sent to help someone you care about to track their countdown to Christmas. JOY OF SOX - We collect warm socks over the winter for men, women and children who are homeless or in need. The socks are sent to the JOY OF SOX organization located in Philadelphia and taken to a homeless shelter in our area. ADOPTED CHILDREN - Members of our congregation sign up to help support our Adopted children each month and the committee provides yearly gifts at birthdays, Christmas, Easter, etc. We support Marta in Guatemala, Ria in the Philippines, and du Juan in the US. Du Juan recently graduated High School and is attending college! We will continue our support every month until he completes graduates.
PRAYER SQUARES - The prayer squares are given to those are ill or have need for comfort. We also have Prayer Pets, small plush animals holding a child's prayer square for children. We also create military squares to give to those in service to our country to carry with them in a uniform pocket or helmet. Each square consists of material sewn together and quilt tied with prayer. Each prayer knot allows room for the recipient to tie a knot of their own as they say a needed prayer. They are easy to make and our leader, Alyce, provides chocolates each time! Join us each month on the 3rd Saturday of each month from 1-3 pm.
PRAYER SHAWLS - We are fortunate to have talented women in our church who create beautiful shawls of all shapes and sizes. The shawls are blessed by our congregation and given to those who are ill, grieving or have a special need. Recently we were able to bless a family with a prayer shawl for the Mother and 3 prayer pets for her children, one of whom was diagnosed with leukemia. Hundreds of prayer shawls have been given to those who need them in the last several years. We are proud of this ministry.