Serving Others
Reaching out to others in need is a hallmark of the St. Augustine’s community. Christian outreach is rooted in God’s call to care for strangers, the hungry, homeless and sick, and those who are alone. St. Augustine’s serves others through direct hands-on efforts, financial support, education and advocacy.
Serving Directly and Personally
Family Promise Homeless Project:
Continuing our long history of providing direct assistance to those in need, as well as financial support, in 2009 St. Augustine's Vestry approved our entering into a partnership with up to 13 other north suburban congregations to support homeless families in our area. The mission of this interfaith hospitality network, Family Promise of Chicago North Shore, is to help homeless and low income families achieve sustainable independence.
Congregations provide meals and overnight accommodations on a rotating basis, one week at a time. Families spend daytime hours in a central Day Center in Evanston with staffing shared by paid staff and volunteers. Family members who are in school or employed are able to continue their normal schedules.
St. Augustine's first families came to us in April, 2010. Since then every few months we have shared meals, entertainment and lodging with between 2 and 4 families at our church and plan to continue this experience four times each year.
All our volunteers have been trained for this project according to diocesan and Family Promise guidelines. This project is a wonderful opportunity for those who have a couple of hours to offer to those in need. Please contact augustine@ync.net for further information.
Hunger Ministries, including:
- Second Sunday all-parish food collection supports three local emergency food pantries.
- North Shore CROP Walk: In October 2009, St. A's walkers raised $2,468, contributing to the more than $34,000 raised by all the participating walkers to alleviate hunger.
- “Bread Brigade” rescues day-old baked goods 6 days a week, for distribution in local emergency food kitchens and pantries.
- Parish volunteers serve dinner at A Just Harvest Soup Kitchen (formerly Good News Community Kitchen) in Rogers Park. See below for our yearly donation to this program.
Sustainability Ministry:
The H.O.P.E. (Helping Our Precious Earth) committee works to educate the parish on environmental issues and coordinates special recycling collections
For Lent 2010, H.O.P.E. encouraged the congregation to consider a family Carbon Fast. A large red thermometer was placed in the main hallway along with sticker pictures symbolizing the behavior change chosen by parishioners. When they took a carbon reducing action, they were asked to place a representative sticker towards the top of the thermometer, moving down as the thermometer filled up. As the red showing on the thermometer went down, we were able to celebrate all the ways our congregation had helped prevent the Earth from further heating by our Lenten fast from carbon.
The Home of Love and Hope in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. In 2010 we are continuing to support Reina Gamez with a gift of $1,500.
Other Ministries include:
- Cathedral Shelter Christmas baskets
- Regular clothing drives to benefit Cathedral Shelter and New Life Shelter
- All-Parish Christmas Card benefitting Episcopal Charities and Community Services
- All-Parish Mission Trip to Grace House in VA.
Serving Financially - In 2010, we will give $80,000 to serve others in need.
Diocese of Chicago. Being part of the larger community of Episcopalians, we support the national church and our Diocese, its ministries and programs. For 2010, this amount will be $56,000.
Agency Grants. Since 1980 the annual parish budget has provided a sum for making direct grants to agencies. We try to balance local, national and international interests. In 2010, we will make the following gifts:
- Family Promise, Chicago North Shore 5,000
- A Just Harvest Soup Kitchen 3,500
- El Hogar (for Reina Gamez) 1,500
- Grace House Parish Mission Trip 1,000
TOTAL GRANTS (as of 9/10) $11,000