Some of the ways that we are in Service to Others
Warmth Tree
Each Advent a Warmth Tree is placed in the church and used to collect hats, gloves, and scarves. These are then donated to organizations that can distribute them to people in need.
Hospitality of Space
Several 12-step groups use the church as meeting spaces.
Christmas Dinner
Each December we serve up a delicious Christmas Dinner to those members of the St. John's family who are home bound, or for other reasons are not able to come to church. In 2013 the dinner was enjoyed by over 58 guests and helpers. A full turkey dinner was an enjoyable way to spend time with friends at St. Johns.
Saugus United Parish Food Pantry
During the past year many bags and boxes of food items have been donated by members of St. Johns. These food items have been taken to the Food Pantry at the Cliftondale Congregational Church. The Food Pantry is open every Friday from 9:30AM to 11:00AM.
Episcopal City Mission
The Episcopal City Mission works for social and economic justice in Massachusetts, with particular emphasis on the urban poor. In 2014 St. Johns donated $200 towards furnishings for a house for women named the Worcester House in Boston.
Prior to the actual meeting, displays and exhibits from groups who received funding this year through the Burgess Urban Fund and the Pelham Fund for Economic Justice were available to view by the delegates and other attendees. The Pelham Fund for Economic Justice provides low-income communities with access to financing and focuses on economic development initiatives that:
Benefit poor and disadvantaged people within the seven dioceses of New England
Contribute to the social and economic advancement of the community
Promote small businesses that are economically viable
Outreach Committee – Sundays following 8:00am worship
A core of dedicated parishioners, who attend the 8:00 am Sunday service, send holiday greeting cards and get-well notes to church members who are ill or home bound.
The Rev. Roger E. Nelson & Dotsie Nelson Scholarship
The goal of this scholarship is to be able to award a scholarship to all students who apply and meet the criteria. In 2013, two scholarships were given out to graduating high school seniors.
And so much more! We look for opportunities to create partnerships with local institutions. An example of this was an Epiphany U2Charist, the proceeds of which went to support Saugus Public Schools.
Our outreach efforts have also been regional and national. We were approached by the Diocese to take part in their TogetherNow campaign. The vestry opted to participate via the in-pew collection model, and we exceeded our target goal. We have also raised money for programs like Heifer USA’s Seeds of Change program.
We also keep an eye towards global needs. As examples, our youth participate in World Vision’s 30 Hour Famine, our Church School children have raised money for projects such as World Concern’s 44 Cent Cure, and we have raised money to aid Japan in the wake of the earthquake and tsunami. We also host visiting priests who come to preach and collect funds on behalf of Food For The Poor. We also continually collect items for donation in the vestibule (e.g., for our armed forces serving abroad, etc.).
Warmth Tree
Each Advent a Warmth Tree is placed in the church and used to collect hats, gloves, and scarves. These are then donated to organizations that can distribute them to people in need.
Hospitality of Space
Several 12-step groups use the church as meeting spaces.
Christmas Dinner
Each December we serve up a delicious Christmas Dinner to those members of the St. John's family who are home bound, or for other reasons are not able to come to church. In 2013 the dinner was enjoyed by over 58 guests and helpers. A full turkey dinner was an enjoyable way to spend time with friends at St. Johns.
Saugus United Parish Food Pantry
During the past year many bags and boxes of food items have been donated by members of St. Johns. These food items have been taken to the Food Pantry at the Cliftondale Congregational Church. The Food Pantry is open every Friday from 9:30AM to 11:00AM.
Episcopal City Mission
The Episcopal City Mission works for social and economic justice in Massachusetts, with particular emphasis on the urban poor. In 2014 St. Johns donated $200 towards furnishings for a house for women named the Worcester House in Boston.
Prior to the actual meeting, displays and exhibits from groups who received funding this year through the Burgess Urban Fund and the Pelham Fund for Economic Justice were available to view by the delegates and other attendees. The Pelham Fund for Economic Justice provides low-income communities with access to financing and focuses on economic development initiatives that:
Benefit poor and disadvantaged people within the seven dioceses of New England
Contribute to the social and economic advancement of the community
Promote small businesses that are economically viable
Outreach Committee – Sundays following 8:00am worship
A core of dedicated parishioners, who attend the 8:00 am Sunday service, send holiday greeting cards and get-well notes to church members who are ill or home bound.
The Rev. Roger E. Nelson & Dotsie Nelson Scholarship
The goal of this scholarship is to be able to award a scholarship to all students who apply and meet the criteria. In 2013, two scholarships were given out to graduating high school seniors.
And so much more! We look for opportunities to create partnerships with local institutions. An example of this was an Epiphany U2Charist, the proceeds of which went to support Saugus Public Schools.
Our outreach efforts have also been regional and national. We were approached by the Diocese to take part in their TogetherNow campaign. The vestry opted to participate via the in-pew collection model, and we exceeded our target goal. We have also raised money for programs like Heifer USA’s Seeds of Change program.
We also keep an eye towards global needs. As examples, our youth participate in World Vision’s 30 Hour Famine, our Church School children have raised money for projects such as World Concern’s 44 Cent Cure, and we have raised money to aid Japan in the wake of the earthquake and tsunami. We also host visiting priests who come to preach and collect funds on behalf of Food For The Poor. We also continually collect items for donation in the vestibule (e.g., for our armed forces serving abroad, etc.).
