Following Christ’s Example: The Outreach Committee offers opportunities to the parish to share themselves and their gifts to the community.
There is a constant need for volunteers. Please consider donating your time, talent, and treasure to these worthy causes.
Millennium Development Goals: This committee’s goal is to connect St. Martin’s Church to the Episcopal Church in their international effort to improve the quality of life in developing countries around the world. The MDGs are to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger, achieve universal primary education, promote gender equality and empower women, reduce child mortality, improve maternal health, combat HIV/Aids, malaria and other diseases, ensure environmental sustainability and develop a global partnership for development. St. Martin’s group will develop ideas and projects on a local level to participate in this global campaign.
Youth Outreach Programs: The youth of St. Martin’s sponsor many projects of their own and have gone on out-of-state Habitat for Humanity builds. The youth have provided meals to the Ronald McDonald House, Trinity Hot Lunch for the Homeless, Circle of Concern, and the Salvation Army. Groups have visited geriatric centers providing favors and enjoying interactive activities.
Habitat for Humanity: We participate in a joint effort with other local Episcopal churches to build houses in inner-city St. Louis. St. Martin’s Outreach provides funds for construction, volunteers to work, and lunches at the site.
Sponsor a Family: St. Martin’s has adopted several St. Louis families and helped them financially, as well as at holidays with food and gifts. In addition, we provide the families with a line of credit when shopping at our annual garage sale. We raise funds to sponsor families through a special Thanksgiving collection, a St. Nicholas Event, and family names received from Circle of Concern.
Recycling: Bring your magazines and newspapers to the bin at St. Martin’s and help raise money for the Senior High Mission Trip. It’s an easy and earth-friendly way to support our senior high youth and their outreach efforts!
Red Cross Blood Drives: The church sponsors annual spring and fall blood drives for participation by church members, their families, and the community.
Travel Time Treasures: Personal care kits, made from collecting travel items such as shampoo and shaving cream, are given at Christmas to a number of families, and donations are made to Grace Hill, Circle of Concern, and Haven of Grace. Items collected on your travels may be deposited in the indicated basket in the Narthex.
Weekly Food Collection: Members place food weekly in the basket in the Narthex and the basket is offered to God at the Offertory. That food is then taken to the food pantry of Circle of Concern. The second Sunday of each month has been designated as Food Pantry Sunday in order to place a special emphasis on this need.
The Ulster Project: The Ulster Project is an all-volunteer ecumenical peace program which brings Catholic and Protestant teenagers from Northern Ireland to various cities in the United States each summer. They are paired with host families who have a teenager of the same sex, age and religious affiliation. The entire group participates in structured activities aimed at giving the Northern Irish teens a look at the way Americans handle its “salad bowl” society. The goal of The Ulster Project is to promote tolerance, understanding and friendship between the future community leaders in Northern Ireland and their American counterparts. Currently there are four churches participating in The St. Louis Ulster Project program - St. Martin’s Episcopal, St. Clare of Assisi, St. Mark Presbyterian, and Church of the Ascension.
Circle of Concern: Circle of Concern receives our weekly food items for distribution and provides names to us of families in need. St. Martin’s participates in an annual scholarship program to assist a needy and qualified student to attend college.
