Working with and in the community - Rector's Rambling for May 19, 2019

Today we welcome representatives from area charitable organizations that are doing good work for others.

In 2014, when we signed our new lease arrangement with Olympia, there was a strong feeling that just as we as individuals are expected to tithe of God’s provision to us, so too the parish should be tithing of the provision of God’s blessing to the parish through the new lease arrangement.

Former parish treasurer Cathy Morgan took the lead in our newly formed Outreach Committee.  Basing it on a program in her daughter’s parish in New Jersey (where Cathy has since moved), we solicited various organizations in the neighborhood, asking them to apply for program specific grant requests.  We have had some sort of parish affiliation with some of these organizations over the years, such as the Episcopal Diocese-related Crossroads and Mariners Inn.  Other organizations were recommended to us by parishioners with whom they had an affiliation and where they volunteered their time.

Over the years, and along with today’s groups, we have given money to support hunger abatement initiatives, which include feeding and community gardening, job training and computer support, community social work, autism awareness and support, crisis pregnancy, human trafficking rescue, educational initiatives, the arts, youth ministry, and a seminary of the Episcopal Church.

Today we award this year’s grants to Cass Community Services, Crossroads of Michigan, Detroit Children’s Choir, Georgia Street Community Collective, H.I.G.H., Jack’s Place for Autism, Keep Growing Detroit, Positive Images, Pregnancy Aid, Vista Maria, Youth Works, and Nashotah House Theological Seminary.  Be sure to join us at coffee hour after the 10:00 AM Service to greet the representatives of these organizations.

Finally, a hearty thank you to Debbie Swain, who took up the mantle of leadership of the Outreach Committee when Cathy left, and now passes it on to John Barge and Anne Ruffley.