Outreach

The Mission of our Outreach Ministries is:

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.

We answer that mission through many activities throughout the year, especially as listed below:

SERVING AT THE LIGHTHOUSE YOUTH CENTER

Members of St. Christopher’s whom we have named “The Christ bearers” after the mission for which St. Christopher is known, go at least once a month to The Lighthouse Youth Center to prepare and serve a meal for the youth who gather there in the afternoon and share an evening meal before returning to their homes. This team has grown from just a few parishioners to now include many who have offered themselves in service, including our children. We consider this ministry a primary aspect of our Outreach ministries because it allows us to work directly in service to the youth of the community who come to the Lighthouse. This is “hands on” ministry at its finest and we are blessed to be a part of it.

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.

SOUPER SUNDAY

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 undercroft or for those who are not able to negotiate the stairs, with our newly accessible worship space we can also accommodate you upstairs. 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 not served on Souper Sunday as we remember that many people in our world are lucky if they get even a bowl of soup each day.

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 currently are supporting Bianca in the Philippines and the Student of the Month at Lighthouse Youth Center here in Oxford.

SILO

We partner with SILO by leasing a garage for their food ministry, providing financial assistance for shelter needs, and offering shower facilities for their unhomed clients. SILO is a community-focused organization dedicated to Serving, Inspiring, and Loving Others by fostering a supportive environment where everyone can contribute their skills and gifts. They engage in various activities such as monthly meals, home visits, transportation assistance, work projects, and random acts of kindness to support and uplift individuals from all walks of life.