As a part of our 2019 Annual Budget, as a parish we approved a 10% tithe of our expected income as Outreach. Outreach means any resources used to support activity and ministry outside of our immediate Parish needs: the Deacon’s Dining Hall, food to elderly shut-ins, or gas to travelers in need, supporting social and political issues we are committed to as a parish, such as the “Lift Every Voice” campaign. We already actively support the Deacon’s Dining Hall and the Eliot Neighborhood Community Garden.
Rather than simply give money to any organization, I would like to see us support relationships we already have with our communities. I know that many of you already commit time and resources to organizations actively seeking to practice compassion and implement justice: Willie and Bob support Portland Jobs with Justice; Faye works with Street Roots; Mother Alcena is a founding member of the “Lift Every Voice” campaign; Pat D. is active with educating teenage girls through the Deltas; Joe is working with the new culinary program for youth, Opportunities Kitchen.
The Vestry is inviting you to suggest organizations with whom we can share our resources. Since we have a limited amount of money, we will only be able to support 10-12 organizations.
Who would you like to support? What about the work they are doing gives you hope? How are they making a difference? Why is that difference important to you?
If you have an organization in mind, please contact a Vestry member or Mother Maria. Please be prepared to answer the questions above. If we do select that organization, we will ask you to stand up on a Sunday and share with all of us what they do and why their work in the world is important to you.
Although we are not a wealthy congregation, we can share what we have, giving of ourselves so that others may live with compassion and justice.