he Outreach Committee is committed to seeking out and holding up ways to minister to those in need. We commit intensive, hands-on, and parish-wide resources to meeting these needs, and to offering parishioners ways to be involved in this work on many different levels.
- During the month of August we collect new and gently used clothing for school-aged children, which are then donated to Advent House Ministries as part of the Back-to-School Clothe a Child effort.
- We manage the Housing Assistance Fund, which supports area agencies by providing deposit money as formerly-homeless families move into safe, affordable housing. Each fall, we sponsor, with other area churches, a holiday sale of fruit and greens, proceeds from which go to the Fund. We also work with Habitat for Humanity in building affordable homes and helping offset the cost of those homes.
- We participate in South Church of the Nazarene's Teddy Bear Ministry, one of the church-run "needs banks" supported by Christian Services. This project provides a duffel bag filled with a stuffed animal, comb, toothbrush, toothpaste, T-shirt for sleeping, crayons and coloring book. This gift of love goes to children who have been removed from their homes to be placed in foster homes. Local police departments, hospitals, and State of Michigan Family Independence Agency (formerly Department of Social Services) all make use of this ministry.
- We collect hats, mittens, and scarves in the autumn for both adults and children who use Haven House services.
- At Thanksgiving, All Saints parishioners collect and deliver complete dinners to needy families.
- Each spring, we collect laundry baskets full of household cleaning items to be given to Haven House residents as they leave to establish their own homes.
- With the extra joy that is part of Advent and Christmas, All Saints works with different agencies to sponsor a family in need for Christmas, providing gifts and food.
- We collect gifts for newborns at Epiphany.
- We work with the Diocese of Michigan to support other ministries to the needy of the Diocese through contributions to the Combined Episcopal Services Agency (C.E.S.A.) and to the needs of the world through annual contributions to the Presiding Bishop's Fund for World Relief.
- All Saints celebrates Earth Day through prayer, music, and education on the Sunday closest to April 22. Celebrating Earth Day provides an annual reminder of the stewardship of the Earth required of all Christians.
- Each year, along with thousands of other houses of worship throughout the nation, All Saints celebrates the national observance of children's Sabbaths. This annual event, under the leadership of the Children's Defense Fund, seeks to unite people of all faiths to pray for and act on behalf of children in need. A subcommittee of Outreach and the All Saints Worship Center Director worked to tailor our own Sunday Eucharist to include prayers for needy children as well as hymns and anthems that expressed thanksgiving for children in our own parish family.
- We are a Covenant Church with Bread for the World, a faith-based, grassroots organization which lobbies decision makers on behalf of hungry people worldwide. Being a Covenant Church means that All Saints has made a commitment to an ongoing hunger ministry. Our relationship with Bread for the World gives us the chance to become politically active and work to address the root causes of hunger. The parish participates in the annual Offering of Letters. We also receive information about opportunities for action and education, such as Bread for the World.
- CROP Walk, a project of the Church World Services, raises money for the hungry locally, nationally, and internationally. In the annual 10K run/walk, participants receive pledges. All Saints' participates in CROP Walk annually.
- All Saints collects food for the hungry every week for distribution through Haven House.
- All Saints regularly prepares Saturday lunches for Advent House and dinners for Loaves and Fishes Shelter.
- All Saints hosts the Capital Area Council annual Service of Healing for People with AIDS/HIV+. This service, traditionally held in October, is not only meant to comfort those living with AIDS/HIV+, but is a statement of the Church's commitment to them and to those who love and care for them.
- We also assist the community by providing generous building use for a variety of community groups, 12-step programs, and adult and child education groups.
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All Saints Episcopal Church
800 Abbott Road, East Lansing, Michigan, 48823
Voice: 517.351.7160 • E-Mail allsaints-el@sbcglobal.netCopyright 1997©
