The next Community Dinner at St. Paul's will be on Saturday, February 18th at 4:30pm, serving ham, potatoes, vegetables and dessert with tea and coffee.
2011 NEWS FROM THE MISSION AND OUTREACH TEAM
On February 28th, Anne Dowie resigned as Chair of Mission and Outreach and was replaced by Co-Chairs Kathryn and Ted Glugosh. Evelyn Izzard and Dorothy Letman remained as members and our team had a busy year.
M&O Team Activities
- Provided prayer shawls for baptisms, the ill and the elderly which were knit by many skillful hands.
- “Bags to Beds” for Haiti – Members of the congregation provided milk bags which volunteers crocheted into 5 bed mats and sent to Haiti.
- In April, held a food drive for the Lanark Highlands Food Pantry.
- Collected food throughout the year for the Perth and District Food Bank.
- During the “Welcome Back Lunch” on September 11th, collected $1,162 in donations for the Horn of Africa crisis which was matched by the government doubling our gift to $2,324.
Note: This amount does not include the many donations made directly by members of our congregation.
- On October 9th, introduced blue mugs for visitors to ensure that visitors to St. Paul's are made to feel welcome.
- Guatemala Stove Project (GSP) – Organized an October 23rd presentation by Tom Clarke of the GSP along with Donna Clara Maria Colop who works with indigenous women and families in Guatemala and has been building stoves with GSP since its inception in 1999. St. Paul's has been funding stoves for Guatemalan families since 2001.
- Men's Cooking/Support Group - In conjunction with the Lanark County Alzheimer's Society, held 4 cooking classes for men who are caring for a loved one suffering from dementia and men who are recent widowers. The classes were so well received that we will be holding another 4 classes during the month of March.
- Organized a presentation on November 13th by David Cuddy of “Education is Power”. Through providing post-secondary education for East Africans, “Education is Power” is dedicated to develop the potential in underprivileged young leaders, who are committed to sustainable community development and the preservation of the natural environment.
- Operation Christmas Child resulted in 124 Shoe Boxes being delivered to the Samaritan Purse Overseas project.
- Donations from the Candlelight Fund were dispersed to St. Paul's Benevolent Fund ($350), Cornerstone Emergency Landing Residence ($200), Dignity House ($250), Guatemala Stove Project ($250) and Lanark County Interval House ($250)
- Held a Reverse Food Collection for the Lanark Highlands' Food Pantry and organized the “White Gifts” for White Gift Sunday. Our donations of food, gifts and money helped the Lanark Ministerial Association provide Christmas baskets to 140 needy families in the area.
- Ten Community Dinners served approximately 1157 people (see Community Dinner Report).
Many other Teams at St. Paul's are involved in Mission and Outreach projects. Although the details are covered in their Team Reports, the following summary will illustrate how the congregation in general and the Teams in particular, help our mission and outreach touch many people within the community as well as in distant places.
Other Mission and Outreach Team/Group Activities
Reverend Donald
- Rev. Donald performed a service at Lanark Lodge and a service at Perth Community Care.
Worship and Arts
- Coordinated Baptism Services for persons from other communities with pastoral charges in the area.
- Coordinated supply pastorate during the time we were without a pastor including services at Lanark Lodge.
- Coordinated professional “on-call” ministry for hospitalized patients with serious illness during the period when we were without a pastor.
- Coordinated congregational teams to visit hospitalized congregants with less serious conditions during the period when we were without a pastor.
- Coordinated with pastor to develop a service format more personal and relevant to those seeking a church home.
- Coordinated Advent, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day Services to invite and include “non-churched” individuals whenever possible.
Christian Education
- Matched approximately 31 children and youth with older members of the St. Paul's family in the Mystery Friend program.
- Sent birthday cards to children who have been baptized at St. Paul's or have been registered for Sunday School.
- Informed parents of Sunday school aged children of upcoming events and curriculum details.
- Co-sponsored one week at Camp Lau-Ren.
- Provided financial assistance as required for the SPY group including attendance at Conference activities.
- Assisted the SPY group in a special “hot potato bar
- ” dinner fundraiser held before their Trivia Night.
- Sponsored two “Mom to Mom” sales which, as well as bringing in rental income, served as a significant outreach project in the community.
UCW General/Units
- Made Izzy dolls which were included in the “Operation Christmas Child” shoe boxes and sent overseas to needy children. Special thanks to Shirley O’Connell.
- Held two rummage sales which provided assistance to Perth and area residents.
- Donated leftover clothing from the rummage sales to the Salvation Army.
- Donated leftover household items from the rummage sales to Community Living Association Support Services and the Dominican Experience Travelers at St. John Catholic High School.
- Donated unsold items from the Yuletide Fare (mittens, hats, sweaters, scarves etc.) to the Lanark Ministerial Association for inclusion in their Christmas boxes for needy families.
- Once a month a team of ladies prepared chicken pot pies for sale to church members and members of the community.
- Quilters met two days a week to quilt for members of the community.
- Sent $3,200 to the National Mission and Service Fund.
- Donated $500 to Camp Lau-Ren.
- Unit 2 donated $100 to Japan's Tsunami Relief Fund, $100 to Seniors' Home Support and $100 to the Food Bank
- Unit 4 contributed $206.30 to the Benevolent Fund.
- Unit 5 gave $50 to two families who experienced stressful situations ($100) to provide a little comfort and show that others care about them. They also gave $100 to the Benevolent Fund and made a donation to the Carleton Place “Habitat for Humanity” project.
Administration
- Held Royal Wedding Celebration/High Tea fundraiser which was well attended by many people outside the congregation.
Music Team
- Sponsored the “Capital City Chorus” (tickets sold, fundraiser)
- Performed “Malice in the Palace” which brought members of the community into the church and doubled the Sunday offering.
- Sponsored the “Arden Chamber Players” and lunch fundraiser (freewill offering)
- Sponsored the “Liona Boyd” concert (rental fee income)
- Performed Mass in Bach B-minor, which filled the church to capacity with predominantly non-church members.
- Organized a tribute to the memory of Edith Curry.
- Participated in an article by Chris Must in the EMC on St. Paul's and music outreach.
- Performed “Nine Lessons and Carols” in partnership with St. James The Apostle Anglican Church choir.
- Music of all services attracted people to St. Paul's to participate and appreciate.
Congregational Life
- Held dinner/silent auction fundraiser at the Legion which was attended by many people outside the congregation.
- Prayer Circle, formed in 1998, prays for people of any denomination whom their friends or family have asked to be added to the list. Throughout 2011 prayed for a large number of people and currently have 29 people praying for 17 people.
- Care and Share Group – Has 16 visitors visiting 60 people at Lanark Lodge and Perth Community Care as well as in Smiths Falls. Assisted with 3 teas at Lanark Lodge for the purpose of “Meet Your Minister”.
St. Paul's Bursary Committee
- Administers the Thornbury Fund and the Student Outreach Bursary Fund which were created by past donors. Payments of a portion of the interest from the Funds are dispersed to financially assist candidates for the Ministry who are attending school. Those eligible need to be members of a congregation of the Renfrew Presbytery. There are 2 eligible candidates for the 2011-2012 school year and both are attending Queens School of Religion. One is taking 3 semesters this year and expects to graduate in September 2012 and the other, who is in their final semester, expects to graduate in early 2012. $2,700 was awarded to the individual enrolled in 3 semesters and $900 to the other individual who is completing 1 semester.
SPY Group
- Donated a portion of the proceeds from the Trivia Night fundraiser to the Lanark “Food for Thought” program.
- Baked pies for the Thanksgiving Community Dinner at St. James.
- Provided assistance at the “Mom to Mom” sale and the “Yuletide Fair” luncheon.
- Sang Christmas carols at Lanark Lodge.
- 3 SPY members represented St. Paul's at the Fall Retreat in November.
Couples Club
- Purchased and distributed copies of the Upper Room to residents of Perth Community Care and Lanark Lodge, as well as members of the congregation.
Y and R
- Held a “Bowl for Kids” event in support of Big Brother and Big Sisters
- Supported SPY Trivia Night that donated a portion of their proceeds to “Food for Thought”
- Collected children's clothing for the Snowsuit Fund.
We wish to thank everyone who submitted information, and in particular those who contributed to the many mission and outreach initiatives undertaken during 2011. If we have missed a mission and outreach activity, please notify a member of the M&O Team, and we will add it to the list.
Members of the Mission and Outreach team are Kathryn and Ted Glugosh (Co-Chairs), Evelyn Izzard and Dorothy Letman.
Submitted by Kathryn Glugosh, Chair
