Outreach Ministry at St. Johns
Through our baptism into Christ’s Body the Church, we are called to seek and serve all people, loving our neighbors as we love ourselves, striving for justice and peace for all people, while respecting the dignity of every human being.
Our commitment to serve the immediate community and metropolitan area includes congregationally based outreach, as well as partnerships with other faith communities and non-profit organizations to create or promote ecumenical, interfaith and community-based service programs. Our Church members serve as the backbone of this commitment through their vision, active leadership and hands-on involvement. Recognizing the ever-constant, yet ever-evolving, challenges facing our City and world, we understand that “every day is a new day for outreach” in our efforts to provide relevant and life-changing ministries.
Ministry Objectives:
Seek out appropriate opportunities within the local community and encourage personal participation and financial support.
Focus on those opportunities that are:
• In the Church Hill neighborhood and metropolitan Richmond area,
• Well-managed and committed to being responsive stewards of gifts received and
• Responsive to the needs of the weak and/or disadvantaged for the basic necessities of life.
Current Ministries:
ACTS (Area Congregations Together in Service) is a greater Richmond interfaith mission providing support and resources to individuals and families experiencing a crisis which, if not addressed, would result in homelessness. Homelessness prevention is ACTS’ mission. St John’s is a founding partner congregation of ACTS and continues to provide financial support and parish representation on its advisory board.
McGuire Veteran’s Hospital: The mission of the St. John’s/St. Mark’s McGuire VA outreach ministry is to provide support services and respite activities for patients and their families receiving treatment on the Poly Trauma Unit at Hunter Holmes McGuire Veteran’s Medical Center. Services include monetary assistance to patients and families, the distribution of toiletries to family members, and hosting social events.
Freedom House is a local non-profit organization dedicated to providing shelter, transitional housing, and daily meals to the homeless and urban poor in the Richmond community. St. John’s periodically prepares and serves meals at two of Freedom House’s facilities.
CHAT (Church Hill Activities & Tutoring): St. John’s recently has become involved with a local Christian community development organization that is focused on reaching out to the youth in the neighborhood by providing tutoring, mentoring, and group activities. Volunteers participate in the annual Church Hill Games that include many CHAT kids and is hosted by the Blue Sky Fund. CHAT meets in the Franklin Military Academy.
Central Virginia Food Bank (CVFB): St. John’s supports an ongoing food contribution program. Parishioners make weekly gifts that are dedicated to the CVFB, an organization that distributes food to over 31 counties and five cities in the Central Virginia region.
The Peter Paul Development Center is an outreach and community service agency serving children and senior citizens in Richmond’s Church Hill. St. John’s has had the privilege of adopting a family each Christmas in an effort to make the season more special. Contributions also are given for holiday food baskets.
St. John’s Outreach Ministry hopes to serve (and speak on behalf of) people in need, especially those who are poor, weak, sick or lonely. This mission is inspired by the concept that the desire to reach out beyond our own concerns is the sign of the authentic presence of God’s love. We have a mission to understand what is happening around us, prioritize existing needs, and identify how we can use the gifts of the parish to accomplish good in the world. We are called to proclaim and make real the unconditional love of God for every person we serve in the local community and in the world.
We invite you to join us as we serve God and our community. Please contact our Parish Administrator to find out more about how you can become involved.