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Outreach
Through our Outreach work, we engage the world with the love of God in Christ. We are the hands of God in this world and we strive to be agents of peace, love and reconciliation in a world that so desperately needs it. By giving back the life and hope so generously bestowed upon each of us, we hope to further that joy and hope for others, particularly children and the hungry.
These and other ministries are the means by which we live into our Christian faith, express our core values and work toward fulfillment of our mission: to invite all people into an ever-deepening relationship with God in Jesus Christ.
Our commitment to Outreach is strong. We support international projects, food ministries, programs to aid at-risk children, and many local and diocesan organizations with both funds and personal time commitment. You will find a complete list below.
If you would like your organization to be considered for funds, you may apply in the early fall. You are welcome to view our letter about the purpose of the David St. George Outreach Endowment Fund, along with the application, which are available for download. Please note that the deadline is November 1.
Good Shepherd Home in Bamenda, Cameroon
Founded by Sr. Jane Mankaa and the Benedictine Sisters of Bethany, the Good Shepherd Home is dedicated to educating and caring for children of the streets in Cameroon. Many of these children have lost their parents to the AIDS epidemic. The Home provides a safe environment for them to grow into healthy young men and women. We are actively fundraising to support the children and to raise money for building a new school. Since our initial sponsorship of the orphanage, Sr. Jane has been able to expand and is breaking ground on building the school. People are invited to support individual orphans through monthly sponsorship, and to work to promote the financial well being of the Home.Food Ministries
Saint Peter's supports five food ministries on a regular basis throughout the year:
Apostle's House
Apostle's House, located in Newark, provides shelter for homeless families and services for at-risk families and children. Each year Saint Peter's provides back packs and school supplies for children whose families are served by Apostle?s House.Angel Tree
Each year the congregation of Saint Peter's helps make Christmas a little brighter for approximately one hundred children in foster care or group housing (Kid's Connection) and children of parents who are incarcerated (PATCH) by purchasing gifts for them from personalized tags taken from the Angel Tree. The Angel Tree is displayed in the back of Church beginning the first Sunday in Advent.Thanksgiving Baskets
Members of Saint Peter's Youth organize a drive in November and deliver baskets of food containing all of the components needed to cook a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. As many as fifteen Thanksgiving baskets provided by Saint Peter's are distributed to needy families by Caldwell Human Services.YCS Therapeutic Learning Center
Located in East Orange, TLC is New Jersey's only mental health preschool program. Each Christmas eve, the children of our congregation bring gifts which are given to the children of TLC on their birthdays. Additionally, parishioners provide Easter Baskets each year for these children.North Porch
The North Porch Women and Infants' Centers provide seven-day emergency supplies of formula, baby food, diapers and clothing for needy mothers and infants in the Newark, Paterson and Dover areas. Saint Peter's collects emergency supplies as well as gently-used clothing and new clothing twice yearly in cooperation with the families of Saint Peter's Nursery School.Prison Ministries Camperships
Children whose parents are incarcerated enjoy a summer camp experience sponsored by the Diocese of Newark. Parishioners donate the clothing, camping equipment and toiletries needed for the children to attend camp.Cross Road Scholarships
The Episcopal Church Women group funds scholarships to the Cross Road Camp and Retreat Center, the Diocesan "sleep away" camp for youth and families.Knitting Ministry
Afghans, shawls, baby blankets and hats are knitted by the women of our church and distributed to homeless shelters, rehab centers, area hospitals and given to other people in need.David St. George Outreach Endowment Fund
Initiated by a previous rector, David St. George, the David St. George Outreach Endowment Fund provides financial support to various local and diocesan charities active in outreach ministries. The grant money allocated by the David St. George Outreach Committee comes from the interest accrued by the Fund and a sizable donation from the Saint Peter's OpShop.In early fall, we send grant applications to a number of organizations and post the application on our web site. Information about an organization's mission, financial reports showing income and expenses, a budget for the coming year, and details of how a grant would be used are all part of the application.
A committee of parishioners reviews the grant requests in December, and makes recommendations to the Vestry about allocation of available funds. It is a thoughtful, intelligent, caring and respectful group that gives their time to prayerfully and graciously review and discuss each of the many applications.
Dana Leach is the Chair for the DSG Outreach Endowment Fund. You may contact Dana to learn more about the Fund or if you are interested in participating in this ministry.Funds are distributed with the following in mind: "The David St. George Outreach Endowment Committee is an outreach committee of Saint Peter's Episcopal Church, Essex Fells, NJ. Its purpose is to distribute funds to organizations or groups, within the communities of Saint Peter's and the Diocese of Newark, who seek to assist struggling individuals with food, shelter, education and/or support in hopes that they may one day be able to support and care for themselves. The distributed funds will be given in response to grant requests, submitted by these organizations, after prayerful consideration, discussion and investigation by the committee members. The aim of the committee is to not only assist individuals in need, but to focus on smaller organizations or projects for whom our limited resources would have the most impact."
2016 David St. George Outreach Endowment Grants totaling $33,540 were distributed to the following organizations:
- Apostle's House in Newark: To establish a mini-computer lab in their Women & Children's Shelter.
- Caldwell Department of Human Services: Provide grocery food cards and emergency assistance to food pantry clients.
- CASA for Children of Essex County: Support newly-created Center for Advocate Development, providing continuing education opportunities for volunteer advocates.
- Cedar Hill Community Development Corporation (St. John's Episcopal Church, Boonton): Support for Community After-School Program.
- Christine's Kitchen (Holy Trinity, West Orange): Support operation of soup kitchen and food pantry.
- Newark School of Theology: Scholarship for theological student in Newark.
- North Porch: Help to buy supplies such as formula and diapers for women and needy families with children under three years old; also assisting with payment of rent and staff.
- Holy Trinity Episcopal Church (West Orange): Support of after-school tutoring program by assistance with computer purchases.
- St. Peter's Haven: Purchase food (kidney beans & brown rice) for Healthy Food Pantry.
- St. Peter's Morristown, The Afterschool on South:: Support Bilingual after-school program to subsidize tuition for four students.
- Saint Peter's Rector's Discretionary Fund: Funds for use at the discretion of rector for outreach ministry.
- Senior Resource Center (Chatham area): Assistance in funding "Lunch and Learn" programs for health and wellbeing of senior citizens.
- SPY Mission Trip: Contribution to Saint Peter's Youth for their week-long Mission Trip to Pennsylvania this July
- Toni's Kitchen (St. Luke's Montclair): Support Backpack Program; sending backpacks full of nutritious food home to low-income families.
- Wynona's House: Help fund expansion of Family Advocacy Program offering support services for children of abuse and their families.
St. Peter's Youth Mission Trip
Each year St. Peter's Youth (ages 14 - 18) and a few adults undertake a mission trip to demonstrate the love of God in Christ through hands-on activities to rebuild or rehabilitate housing. In recent years, SPY has worked in Puerto Rico, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina.
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© 2016
Saint Peter's Episcopal Church
271 Roseland Avenue
Essex
Fells, NJ 07021
Phone: 973.226.6500
Fax: 973.226.5477
