 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Outreach Evangelism can be defined as how we practice the skills taught to us in Jesus and how we witness those skills to others. In God's ministry of evangelism, we embrace Outreach and Stewardship as means by which we witness to Christ's love for us. In this sense, we evangelize and practice stewardship on several levels: within our parish (our church family), within our neighborhood, within our Diocese, within the National Church and with the Anglican Communion. Our goal is: "Spread the word and spread the deeds". We participate in several outreach ventures as a parish and as individuals. Among our major ventures are the Episcopal City Mission, Habitat for Humanity, and Feed My People. Episcopal City Mission: Chaplaincy to Youth in Detention The Church of the Advent is an active participant in the ministry of Episcopal City Mission: Chaplaincy to Youth in Detention (ECM). ECM serves youth in detention in both St. Louis City and St. Louis County with spiritual support. ECM also serves as a foundation for other services to these young people, such as alcohol/drug abuse and violence prevention programs. Some of these youngsters are in long-term residence sites and some are in more short-term incarceration. All can be described as “troubled”. All are children and are still searching for their place in God's world. ECM offers options and perspectives that are not always easy to find where these kids come from. ECM has many heart-warming success stories. The Church of the Advent reaches out through several functions throughout the year. The City detention center has a monthly party for the children housed there who have a birthday. The Church of the Advent is in charge of the celebration each September. The entire population of young people comes together in the lunchroom. Adventers supply gifts for the birthday celebrants, provide entertainment (music from bagpipers last year), play games with the kids and provide prizes, and serve cake and ice cream. The birthday party is always a great event. Without exception, the suburban adults that attend leave moved after the experience of the one-on-one encounter with these troubled inner city youth. It is our hope that the kids are left with the knowledge that there are some “rich folks from the suburbs” who care. Each spring the Church of the Advent sponsors a family friendly golf tournament to benefit the ECM. Although many squirrels suffer trauma as balls fly through the woods and many beautify manicured fairways are left with ugly divots, we manage to raise several hundred dollars to donate to ECM. Look for more information on this site if you would like to play golf with us this year. We have also recently helped spearhead an effort to recruit volunteers to participate in a Reading is Fundamental program at the Lakeside residential center. The program was delayed because of a staff change and a flood at the center's library. There is still room for more volunteers. If you would be interested in being a classroom reader, please let us know. Advent's contact for ECM is Vic Kremar. Episcopal Habitat for Humanity Project (EHFHP) 
Since 1998, Advent has participated, along with thirteen other parishes of the Diocese of Missouri, in the Episcopal Habitat for Humanity Project. This project works with the St. Louis Habitat for Humanity affiliate to fund and construct homes in the Hamilton Heights, Wellston, and Jeff VanderLou areas of Saint Louis. 
Habitat for Humanity seeks to eliminate substandard housing throughout the world. It is not a handout; the sponsored families put in 450 hours of sweat equity on their future homes, and pay for the homes through an interest-free loan. Members from several parishes are scheduled to work together on Saturdays during construction, providing an opportunity for members of these parishes to meet each other. In addition, since 2000 EHFHP has had the privilege of partnering with employees from Citigroup. Feed My People Advent has had a relationship with Feed My People since the latter's inception. Feed My People is a Christian Interdenominational help center showing God's love and compassion for His people in need. As individuals and as a parish Advent supports Feed My People throughout the year and in particular during the Giving Tree and Adopt-a-Family Programs at Christmas. Advent's contact for Feed My People is Eleanor Ellis. |