Community Service Ministry
Purpose: Our mission is to assist those both inside and outside our church who are unable to provide the essentials of housing, food and clothing for themselves. As we do so, we endeavor through example and personal interactions to provide optimism for those who are also “poor in spirit.” Please contact the Moderator (Thom Sare, thomsare@gmail.com) if you would like to join our wonderful Ministry and make a real difference to someone in need.
Activities and Programs:
Our mission is carried out through many different ongoing and annual programs, including:
Purpose: Our mission is to assist those both inside and outside our church who are unable to provide the essentials of housing, food and clothing for themselves. As we do so, we endeavor through example and personal interactions to provide optimism for those who are also “poor in spirit.” Please contact the Moderator (Thom Sare, thomsare@gmail.com) if you would like to join our wonderful Ministry and make a real difference to someone in need.
Activities and Programs:
Our mission is carried out through many different ongoing and annual programs, including:
- A volunteer-operated, 5-day-a-week Food Pantry on church premises.
- Sponsoring a "Souper Bowl" in February to allow the congregation to "vote" for their favorite Super Bowl team by donating canned goods to benefit the Food Pantry.
- Participation in “Meals on Wheels” program which delivers hot meals to shut-ins.
- Hosting of Red Cross Blood Drives six times a year - some of which occur in our Fellowship Hall, or at our sister ecumenical churches (Haygood United Methodist Church and Baylake Pines United Methodist Church). Hours
are 2-7 pm. - Participation in Winter Shelter, hosting 50-65 homeless for a one week period in December, providing hot dinners, a warm and safe place to sleep, hot breakfasts, bag lunches, warm clothing and toiletry articles, foot care, prayer and fellowship.
- Collection of coat and other warm clothing and toiletries for adults during our Winter Shelter.
- Christmas gifts for those less fortunate, supplied by individual donors who fulfill approximately 250 specific “Angel Tag” wishes.
- Christmas caroling at Bayside Health and Rehab Center for the residents in early December.
- Providing sandwiches made by Sisters in Spirit (SIS), to the homeless at St. Columba Ministry on a monthly basis.
- Collection, organization, and delivery of Easter baskets to less fortunate children at St. Columba.
- Collection and delivery of school supplies for children in need in our local schools.
- Thanksgiving baskets for approximately 100 families, each containing a full turkey dinner. The Bayside Preschool decorates the grocery bags. Turkeys are donated by members of the congregation and canned food donations are collected by our church-chartered Cub Scout Pack and Boy Scout Troop.
- Participation in monthly Bible studies at the Sentara Community Care Center for older adults.
- Helping the residents at Virginia Supportive Housing's Crescent Square by the collection of warm outerwear, providing computer instruction, or hosting bingo nights - as needed.
- Helping Samaritan House, JCOC, Beach Health Clinic, or another supported
agency by holding donation drives for them as needed. - Selling Virginia Diner peanuts during the Christmas season to raise
funds for the Food Pantry. - Volunteering to make lunches for Faith Works Coalition as needed.
- Beach Health Clinic
- Faith Works Coalition
- Good News Jail and Prison Ministry
- Judeo-Christian Outreach Center
- Samaritan House
- Seton Youth Shelters
- St. Columba Ministry
- HumanKind
- Virginia Supportive Housing
