Ministries within our Churches: Answering the Call

Abide in Me VII Episcopal Diocese of West Texas Ministries within our Churches:

Answering the

Call Presented May 30, 2015 TMI - The Episcopal School of Texas 1

The 2015 diocesan theme “Called to Serve” reminds us of our mission. In this community of faith, ministry opportunities abound and continue to be formed so that each one of us can serve. In community we are challenged to fulfill our call to serve, to reach beyond ourselves and leave behind our own desires: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves” (Philippians 2.3).

Jesus’ ministry was dedicated to service. He healed, he taught, he formed, and he loved. He demonstrated God’s deep caring for all people; in listening to their concerns and in reaching out to them in whatever way was appropriate for their particular situation.

We are called to serve our neighbor in many, many ways. As a diocesan family, we join together to serve those in our own communities of all sizes. We are called to serve those with whom we live, work, go to church, volunteer, as well as those persons who live outside our comfortable boundaries just as Jesus himself reached out to those on the margins of society.

“Jesus called them together and said, ‘For even I, the Messiah, came not to be served but to serve, and to give my life as a ransom for many.’” (paraphrase of Mark 10:42,45)

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Ministries within Our Churches: Answering the Call St. Philip’s, Beeville St. Helena’s, Boerne St. Mark’s, Corpus Christi St. Alban’s, Harlingen St. Peter’s, Kerrville Emmanuel, Lockhart St. Andrew’s, Port Isabel Santa Fe, San Antonio St. Francis, San Antonio All Saints, San Benito St. Philip’s, Uvalde Church-School Partnerships

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Community Ministries

St. Philip’s, Beeville

View: “Love Thy Neighbor” Ministry Moment by the Episcopal Diocese of West Texas https://vimeo.com/84740092

Theology Live Speaker Series “Theology Live: Ale & The Almighty” was designed to bring the talk and study of God out of the pews and parish halls and into pubs and places where people live. Since it’s inception in 2012, this speaker series has included theological topics, like “God in our Suffering,” “God in our Medical Care: A Theology of Medical Ethics,” and “God in our Christian Worship, Patriotism, and Nationalism” in the comfort of a Bar/Dance Hall atmosphere. Theology Live has been privileged to have such speakers as Dr. William Abraham, Theology Professor from Perkins School of Theology at SMU, Dr. Terry York, Theology Professor from Truett Theological Seminary at Baylor, Dr. Roger E. Olson, Professor of Theology and Ethics from Truett Theological Seminary at Baylor, Sister Miriam James Heidland, Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity, the Rt. Rev. Michael Curry, Episcopal Bishop of North Carolina, The Rt. Rev. Gary Lillibridge, Episcopal Bishop of the Diocese of West Texas, and The Most Rev. Michael Mulvey, Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Corpus Christi, to name a few.

About the Ministries: Berclair Services Rose Moya’s Restaurant in Berclair, Texas, a small, almost time forgotten community between Beeville and Goliad, is the site of our monthly mission service to the some seventy plus individuals and families that call Berclair home. Each month, we gather for lunch, Holy Eucharist, Healing & Anointing, and fellowship.

In addition to worship services and pastoral care visits, our church, in conjunction with the First United Methodist Church, Fannin, work with the Victoria Food Bank and distribute food for the poor and needy once a month, as well as clothing and accessories that have been donated through the parish. During special times of the year, we offer specific gifts such as school supplies, Turkey’s and food baskets for Thanksgiving and Christmas, fans to help beat the summer heat, and other financial aid when available.

Following the presentations, there is a short break to replenish food and beverages, and then we reconvene for a question/answer session. This event, cosponsored by St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, is free to all. Visit www.saintphilipsbeeville.com for this year’s speaker series.

Time & Place: Second Sunday of the month at 1:30 p.m. at Rose Moya’s Restaurant Contact: Susan Fields – 361-319-3191

Time & Place: Monday nights in June, 7:00-9:00 p.m. at T’s Honky Tonk in Beeville

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Contact: St. Philip’s office, 361-358-2730

Community Ministries St. Helena’s, Boerne

About the Ministries:

sent those flowers.” His wife, also a member of St. Helena’s, quickly realized the answer. She said, “It was us.”

Baby Bottle Boomerang St. Helena’s, Boerne, participates in “Baby Bottle Boomerang” twice a year. Plastic baby bottles are distributed to the congregation, and the parishioners are asked to fill them with loose change over a month’s time period. The bottles full of change are collected and taken to the Hill Country Pregnancy Care Center (HCPCC) to support the free services and programs the center has to minister to the families in the community.

The realization that it was the St. Helena’s Flower Ministry that had delivered the flowers was profoundly powerful. The joy that these flowers bring into the lives of those who may not be able to go outside for a walk is immeasurable.

Food Ministries In partnership with Hill Country Family Services (HCFS), St. Helena’s, Boerne, participates in two Food Ministries. First, once a month, parishioners bring in fresh fruits and vegetables or monetary donations for the Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Ministry. The fresh fruits and vegetables are taken to HCFS to be distributed to local families who would otherwise not be able to afford to include them in their diet.

This is a wonderful ministry that allows all St. Helena’s parishioners to “give back” to their community.

The Hill Country Pregnancy Care Center exists to promote the sanctity of life and empower individuals to make Christ-centered choices regarding pregnancy and sexuality, and to extend the healing presence and love of Jesus Christ. HCPCC offer services to anyone regardless of age, race, creed, color, national origin or marital status. Services are free and confidential.

Flower Ministry Every Monday, volunteers meet at St. Helena’s, Boerne, to take part in the Flower Ministry.

Several local florists donate flowers for this wonderful ministry. Volunteers pick up the flowers and deliver them to St. Helena’s where they set about cutting and arranging the flowers in small bud vases to be delivered to shut-ins and nursing homes.

Second, on another designated Sunday each month, St. Helena’s parishioners bring in jars of peanut butter or canned chicken for the Blessings in a Backpack Ministry. Volunteers then deliver these items to HCFS that, in turn, delivers them to local schoolteachers. During recess, the teachers then “slip” the peanut butter/canned chicken into the backpacks of children who depend on the school lunch program for their main meal of the day and whose families would not be able to provide such nourishing food for them over the weekend.

Recently, the power of this ministry “came home” when one of the parishioners was visiting with his 93-year-old mother in a nursing home just down the street from St. Helena’s and spotted some new flowers on her dresser. He said to his wife, “I wonder who

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Other parish family members show up ready to bag all of the donations. And a third set of people show up vying for the spots to deliver the gifts to families that very afternoon.

The entire “One Day Miracle” takes 5 hours, from the first 7:45 a.m. service until the deliveries are on their way to the homes of families in Kendall County. Each family plays a small role, so that they may witness to others the miracle of the greatest gift of all.

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One Day Miracle St. Helena’s, Boerne, began its “One Day Miracle” four years ago. On a designated Sunday in December, members of the parish family show up knowing what to expect.

Families or individuals choose an ornament from one of three decorated trees. On that ornament is a gift request from a child, a request for blankets, or one of the many elements of an abundant Christmas feast.

Parishioners leave church that day and drive directly to the store and purchase the item.

They then return to the church to drop off their gifts that same afternoon.

Contact: St. Helena’s office, 830-249-3228

Access Plus Outreach Ministry St. Mark’s, Corpus Christi

View: “Access Plus” Ministry Moment by the Episcopal Diocese of West Texas https://vimeo.com/58231798 About the Ministry: St. Mark’s, Corpus Christi, established Access Plus in 2001 with a goal of making homes accessible to the residents of Corpus Christi through the building of ramps or minor home modifications. All work is completed with volunteer man power and money designated in the outreach account. Approximately one ramp is built each month, usually on a Saturday.

The ramps take about 3-4 hours to complete, and the average cost is $500. Over the past 14 years, St. Mark’s has completed 170+ ramps.

Contact: Doug Wayland, 361-994-0285

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Community Ministries St. Alban’s, Harlingen

About the Ministries: The Order of Naucratius The Order of Naucratius is a group of hunters and fishers who use their pastimes to do ministry. They supply healthy, organic meat to two local refugee shelters, individuals, as well as the Harlingen Neighborhood Food Pantry.

Young Lives Young Lives is an outreach ministry of St. Alban’s to teenage parents in the Harlingen area. In a region that has one of the highest teen pregnancy rates in the country, members of St. Alban’s recognized a need that was no met in the community.

They take their name and ministry from Saint Naucratius - who was a brother to Gregory of Nyssa and Basil the Great. Unlike his famous brothers, Naucratius lived his life by a river; removed from society. As a skilled hunter and fisherman, he supported an elderly community nearby. He tragically died while on a fishing expedition to help feed his neighbors.

Today, members of the Order of Naucratius have set up a process by which hunters and fisherman can bring portions of their game to be processed and distributed. Additionally, they encourage members to pray before they take an animal, and to engage in environmental stewardship. You can find more information at www.naucratius.org.

Young Lives is a program aimed at high school students that is similar to Young Life. But, the young people who attend Young Lives are parents. They come to the church on the first Monday of every month for fellowship, spiritual formation, and support. Food and child care are provided. And the young people (mothers mostly) establish mentor relationships with the women who practice in the ministry. Through Young Life’s time-tested methods and life-onlife mentoring, teen moms are empowered to make positive choices, set and achieve goals, and live a future rooted in Christ.

Contact: St. Alban’s office, 956-428-2305

Contact: To start a chapter or support the ministry of our Valley chapter, please call Fr. Rod Clark at 956-428-2305.

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Community Ministries St. Peter’s, Kerrville

About the Ministries: Kerr County Baccalaureate Service In May 2013, St. Peter’s, Kerrville, reintroduced a Kerr County Baccalaureate for all graduating seniors in Kerr County.

Baccalaureate is a centuries-old religious graduation tradition that started in England, but in the United States, the term generally refers to a non-denominational ceremony.

This ceremony is held before high school graduation, offering a quieter, more intimate opportunity to pause and reflect on this rite of passage.

Magdalene House Kerrville Magdalene House Kerrville is a two year residential community serving women who have been victimized by trafficking, prostitution, addiction, and abuse.

Our mission is to transform women’s lives by providing a path that leads to: H E A L

St. Peter’s hosts the event beginning with a service in the sanctuary on a Sunday afternoon with a reception following in Tucker Hall. The Christian Education budget was revised to include $1,000 per year to fund the catered reception after the service. The Director of Christian Education works closely with the Rector to choose the keynote speaker, the scriptures and the songs for the service.

The thought is not to focus on the number of graduates, their families and friends in attendance, but to offer up a thanksgiving of the graduate’s achievements and to send them out into the world with God’s love, protection, and blessing.

Healing and recovery Education and employment Acceptance without judgment Love sustained by hope

God called a group of St. Peter’s parishioners to open a Magdalene House in Kerrville. That group, along with other community leaders, formed a development committee one year ago. Our plan is to model Magdalene House Kerrville after the Rev. Becca Steven’s program in Nashville. We are eager to share our plan and anticipate opening our first home January 2016.

Contact: Kathy Bogie, 918-557-6905 hopecottage@hctc.net

Contact: Linda Jordan, linda@stpeterskerrville.com

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Community Ministries Emmanuel, Lockhart

About the Ministries: Caldwell County Habitat for Humanity Four members of Emmanuel, Lockhart, serve on the Steering Committee for the Caldwell County Habitat for Humanity. The church has many members who work on the builds and provide food for the workers.

Evening with the Authors Rebecca Hawener has hosted the annual Evening with the Authors fundraising gala in her home for many years. This special event is in its 15th year and provides funds to support the Dr. Eugene Clark Library in Lockhart.

Several other members from Emmanuel are part of the Steering Committee and volunteer to enhance the library’s mission of providing the community with books and other media.

Reading Mentors Many of our members serve as reading mentors in a local elementary school. For 30 minutes, one day a week, the member sits with a child and listens to the child read; it is the same child for the entire school year. Often, parishioners will stay with the same child for successive years. In most cases, student reading levels are improved when he or she is involved in the mentor program. Being in the program also helps stimulate the student’s interest in more active participation in the Accelerated Reading Program.

Court-Appointed Special Advocates Several members of the parish have been appointed as volunteers for CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) by the Caldwell County Courts to provide assistance to children in the Child Protection Services system.

Grapefruit Ministry A seasonal ministry depending on the weather conditions is the church’s Grapefruit ministry.

There are two grapefruit trees in the church garden. When conditions are ideal, the church provides organically grown grapefruit to the local food pantry and the food pantry in San Marcos. Selling grapefruit raises money for the scholarship fund. Emmanuel contributes monthly to support the Caldwell County Christian Ministry Food Pantry.

Reading is Fundamental Program Members of Emmanuel also work with the Reading is Fundamental Program which gives two books to each elementary student in the Lockhart Independent School District each year. Because we have a high percentage of low-income students in our district, these may be the only books which a child can call his or her own. A member of the church, a high school counselor, has taken high school students to help with the book distribution.

She was struck by the fond memories her high school students had of receiving their R.I.F. books in elementary school and their joy in being able to help distribute books.

The Lockhart Support Group begun by women from Emmanuel has opened its doors to many organizations: Girl/Boy Scouts, Al-Anon, Narcotics Anon, Over Eaters Anon, Kiwanis, and Kairos Prison Ministries.

Contact: Emmanuel church office, 512-398-3342 9

Adult Literacy Program St. Andrew’s, Port Isabel

About the Ministry: The adult Literacy Program at Saint Andrew’s is committed to serving the local communities.

Teaching English as a second language, ESL, is a benefit to adults in the community.

Adult students have enrolled to help their children in school, to understand their English-speaking children, to participate in family activities, for better jobs and/or job opportunities, and to speak fluently in professional employment situations.

Ten volunteer teachers are working the adult ESL program at Saint Andrew’s. Eight are certified English teachers, and five have additional training in adult literacy. The class sizes vary between one to four students. The program uses the Cambridge University Press venture series textbooks. They are a fivelevel English text. The series covers speaking, writing, and grammar.

Starting with 22 students, the program is averaging 15 students regularly in attendance; family issues, transportation, child care and work schedules are main issues for absences.

The general consensus of the teachers in the program seems to be one of satisfaction in helping the local community. The enthusiasm from the teachers is tremendous and all have been flexible and eager to participate in the program. The enthusiasm of the students is fantastic and very motivating. Much insight has been gained by exposure to different cultures.

Students range in levels from very educated to very little education in any language.

Contact: The Rev. Beverly Patterson, 956-943-1962 10

Community Ministries Santa Fe, San Antonio

About the Ministries: Food Bank Program Santa Fe, San Antonio, serves their community in many ways. Most prominent is the Food Bank program on the first and third Saturdays of each month. Approximately 125 families are served each time. Santa Fe is greatly assisted in so many ways by friends at St. Thomas, San Antonio, in this ministry.

Clothing Ministry Santa Fe also has a clothing ministry on those Saturdays where all clothes are sold for 25 cents.

This income supports the church’s children’s ministries. The church collects coats and blankets to give away during the cold months.

Reading Program In partnership with St. Thomas, Santa Fe is planning a reading program two days a week during the summer months to keep the neighborhood children intellectually stimulated. Adults and older teens will read to the children who come for the program.

Classes and workshops for their parents and grandparents to assist with reading in their homes will be offered. There are also plans for a summer feeding program.

Peace Park Also with St. Thomas the children of both congregations plan to work together to build a “Peace Park” in a corner of our parking lot.

Trees, herbs, and flowers will be planted, and benches will be built. The church hopes to make a wall of mosaics to add color to our barrio.

Contact: Santa Fe’s office, 210-923-0822 11

Community Ministries St. Francis, San Antonio

View: “Sharing God’s Love with Everybody” Ministry Moment of the Episcopal Diocese of West Texas https://vimeo.com/60787508

families who come (usually 100-150 families), and help them take turns loading it into cars. Other volunteers handle paperwork and registration, assign numbers to the families in the order they arrived, and call numbers as the food is distributed. Volunteers also provide water and chairs, and English language translation (as needed). Other volunteers drive recipients home with a trunkful of groceries (if they have walked to get to St. Francis, which many do) and unload into their homes.

About the Ministries: International Community Garden St. Francis, San Antonio, has an international community garden on its property, with over 50 plots of land leased to refugee neighbors who live in nearby apartment complexes. The church also has one of the plots of land, so our parishioners can get to know our neighbors as we work alongside each other. Members help with building the plots and renewing the leases.

Worshippers for Warmth Once a year, St. Francis holds an event called “worshippers for warmth.” Members of the parish bring in coats, blankets, hats, and other warm clothes. A parishioner volunteers a portion of her storage unit for a portion of the year. A week before the event, volunteers set up the parish hall with tables and sort the clothing into genders and sizes. On the day of the event (always a Saturday), recipients line up in the morning and are guided through by a volunteer with a shopping bag helping them select the appropriate number of coats and blankets for the size of the family. Other volunteers handle sign-ups, hospitality (hot chocolate is usually appreciated in the cold weather), and rides home if needed.

Food Pantry St. Francis runs a food pantry, through the San Antonio Food Bank, which serves residents in the church’s zip code. A handful of parishioners make regular (usually weekly) trips to the Food Bank, and an office in the administration building houses the pantry. Volunteers assemble the food into bags of groceries, which are handed out to families who visit.

There is minimal paperwork required of people receiving food (e.g., family name, number of people in household), and slightly more complicated paperwork for St. Francis to fill out for the Food Bank.

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Additionally, four times per year, St. Francis coordinates with the Food Bank to do a “truck distribution.” An 18-wheeler comes by in the morning and drops pallets of food (usually 10,000 pounds or so). Volunteers disassemble the pallets, divide the food by the number of 12

Recovery Ministries St. Francis has long been a supporter of recovery ministries. In the last two years, one room in the outbuilding that previously housed a preschool was converted into a room reserved to host meetings for neighbors in recovery, with the 12 steps and 12 traditions posted and other books and materials always available. It is used multiple times each day, with a total of over 30 meetings each week.

Parishioners send notes of encouragement along with two dozen home-made cookies to each group at Christmastime.

San Antonio Refugee Health Clinic Twice a month, St. Francis hosts the San Antonio Refugee Health Clinic (SARHC). The clinic is a joint venture of medical, nursing, and dental students from the UT Health Science Center, overseen by faculty and attending physicians. The clinic basically takes over the ground floor of the church’s administration building for the afternoon and evening, using offices and classrooms as exam rooms, triage, patient processing, charting, and discharge areas. All the rooms are returned to their original configuration at the end of the evening.

Contact: The Rev. Cristopher Robinson, cristopherrobinson@sbcglobal.net

The biggest thing St. Francis provides to this effort is a “welcoming community partner� site, but parishioners provide encouragement to the students who run the clinic, and those trained as chaplains through Community of Hope of Stephen Ministry provide chaplain services as requested.

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Community Ministries All Saints, San Benito

About the Ministries: Food Pantry Every third Sunday of the month, All Saints, San Bentio, “Fills the Basket� for the local food pantry, and twice a year, the church makes monetary donations. In addition, several parishioners serve as weekly volunteers, and Wanda Kellog serves on the Board of the Food Pantry for All Saints.

Community VBS All Saints participants in a community Vacation Bible School. Five churches come together and we all take turns hosting; however, all are involved in the planning and execution. There are a great number of children that participate in the Bible school coming not just from the other churches but from the community around us.

Cub Scout Pack and Boy Scout Troop All Saints is the charter organization for a Cub Scout Pack and Boy Scout Troop. Over 40 boys from the community meet at the church. All Saints has parishioners who serve as Merit Badge counselors and have helped to start a small garden that will benefit the San Benito Food Panty and hopefully grow into a larger project. A majority of the scouts come from low-income families. All Saints has come together many times to sponsor boys to go to camps that are often very costly, as well as working in cooperation to hold fundraisers to benefit the Pack and Troop.

Contact: The Rev. Antonio Illas, antonio.illas@yahoo.com

Halloween in the Neighborhood For Halloween All Saints comes together to pass out candy, hot dogs, and refreshments to the neighborhood. This has been enjoyed for over 10 years, and a great number of families have come through. It is a fun time for all young and old!

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Community Ministries St. Philip’s Uvalde

About the Ministries: Uvalde Food Pantry The Uvalde Food Pantry is a communitybased organization that began as an idea and dream of St. Philips, Uvalde. The first Saturday in April, 2007, the doors opened to serve 200 families with a volunteer base that was comprised solely of St. Philip’s parishioners.

Today, over 500 families are served every week, and the board is made up of representatives of six different denominations as well as clients of the Food Pantry. The volunteers come from throughout the community, including about 50 percent who are clients, and many community service organizations.

In 2014, the food pantry distributed more than 530,463 pounds of food with a wholesale value of $695,600.68. The Uvalde Food Pantry nourishes the community of Uvalde, body and soul, client and volunteer.

Taizé Prayer Service In addition to outreach ministries focusing on tangible and physical needs such as food and clothing, St. Philip’s, Uvalde, offers spiritual outreach: Taizé prayer services, an outdoor labyrinth and prayer garden called Camino Sagrado, and an outdoor set of the stations of the cross. These are offerings not just to the parish but to the community of Uvalde, public offerings. The Taizé services are held quarterly and about 30 percent of those who attend are not from St. Philip’s. Camino Sagrado and the stations of the cross are open all the time, lit at night, and available to anyone. Camino Sagrado and the stations have drawn attention and use from outside St. Philip’s. Our intention is that St. Philip’s become a place of prayer, beauty, and spirituality for all people and that this be freely available without obligation or expectation.

Philip’s Closet Philip’s Closet is an outreach ministry of St. Philip’s, Uvalde, and serves as a resource for the local social service agencies. The church provides the agencies’ clients with clothing and household items such as beds, linens, and dishes. The agencies do the screening and needs assessment and then contact St. Philip’s with a request. Parishioners as well as non-parishioners donate items to Philip’s Closet. Philip’s Closet also has a budget for purchasing new items. Recently, a partnership has developed with St. Henry de Osso, a local Catholic outreach ministry, to do a joint distribution twice each month.

Contact: The Rev. Mike Marsh, marshmk@stphilipsuvalde.org

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Church-School Partnerships Diocese of West Texas

St. John’s, New Braunfels St. John’s, New Braunfels, is involved in a Community Arts Program. This program pays for violin lessons for students who are selected by the music teacher and counselor at Carl Schurz Elementary School and are economically and academically challenged.

The church plans to expand the program to guitar and piano and eventually make the program available at all elementary schools in the community.

Episcopal churches throughout the Diocese of West Texas are involved in a variety of ways with their local schools: St. Boniface, Comfort St. Boniface, Comfort, partners with other churches to provide backpacks filled with school supplies for children in the local district.

St. Boniface’s congregation alone contributed more than $800 to this ministry. This year, the church also plans to provide backpacks with non-perishable food items for children whose families are in need.

St. Andrew’s, Port Isabel Along the Gulf Coast, St. Andrew’s, Port Isabel, collects Wal-Mart gift cards. These are provided to school counselors who distribute the cards to families needing assistance with the purchase of uniforms.

St. Peter’s, Kerrville St. Peter’s, Kerrville, has adopted B.T. Wilson Sixth Grade School. Every year, the entire school attends the H-E-B Foundation Camp (Laity Lodge) for an outdoor education weekend. St. Peter’s Episcopal Church Women pay for every child whose family is unable to afford the weekend. Church members also mentor Wilson students. And on most fourth Sundays, the loose offering goes into the B.T. Wilson Fund, which is supporting a community garden and pays for other extras at school, such as pizza parties for students who have worked hard academically.

Christ Church, San Antonio Christ Church has a significant relationship with James Madison Elementary in San Antonio. Parishioners tutor the students at the church after school. Students sing in the children’s choir. Volunteers assemble Snack Paks 4 Kids, so Madison children won’t go hungry. And the church gives every Madison child with perfect attendance a free bicycle.

Emmanuel, Lockhart In Lockhart, Emmanuel Episcopal Church works with two programs at Plum Creek Elementary School: Reading is Fundamental and Reading Mentor in which a volunteer from the church reads with an individual student for 30 minutes once a week.

Grace Church, San Antonio San Antonio’s Grace Church teams with Monroe May Elementary School. The church has a school supply drive in August, an Angel Tree Project in December, assists with the school’s Teacher Appreciation, helps with its Spring Carnival, and assists at other times when requested by the school.

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Reconciliation, San Antonio The Church of Reconciliation, San Antonio, has a relationship with Serna Elementary School.

Church members meet regularly after school to tutor children. Teachers and administrators credit the tutoring program for contributing to Serna’s six-point jump in the percentage of students passing the STAAR test last year (standardized academic test). Reconciliation also hosts the Serna Summer Enrichment Program, which serves 30-50 students a day from Pre-K to 5th graders. Five teachers from Serna and 20-plus volunteers from Reconciliation lead classes in math and reading skills. Reconciliation partners with the San Antonio Food Bank to serve breakfast and lunch for free to students and anyone in the neighborhood in need under the age of 18. College interns also run an outdoor recess “after hours,” doing crafts and playing games.

St. George, San Antonio St. George, San Antonio, has a relationship with Larkspur Elementary School. In the fall, eight churches partner to put on the Jubilee Free Sale to benefit the families at Larkspur and other schools in the area. Church members donate used clothing, toys, baby and children’s items, furniture and appliances. The items are set out in a church gym and on a Saturday morning families are invited to take the items for free. St. George also collects backpacks and school supplies. These are blessed and donated to Larkspur for those children who need them.

At Christmas, the Small Group Ministry adopts families from Larkspur and purchases needed items and toys for the children.

St. David’s, San Antonio St. David’s, San Antonio, has a 60+ volunteer group that meets weekly to assemble Snack Paks 4 Kids to be given to 95-110 hungry children every Friday at Wiltshire Elementary.

The snack packs are given to children who are identified as food insecure - and for their younger siblings - to provide nourishment over the weekend. Recently, the group received the Superindent’s Award for the North East Independent School District for their work and dedication to the school.

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A publication of the Episcopal Diocese of West Texas

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