Christ Church Outreach News: February 8, 2024
It's "Souper Bowl" Sunday!
We invite you to contribute this year by placing your donation in the CEC Youth Group soup pot this Sunday, February 11th, the final day to collect canned goods and monetary donations for local charities. Last year groups brought in more than $4 million to support local causes! You can also donate using our Online Giving Form; just choose "Souper Bowl" from the FUND dropdown menu. This year, the canned items will be donated to the FISH food pantry and monetary donations to Grassroots in Columbia.
African Team Ministries
It's that time of year - African Team Ministries' beautiful handcrafts will be on display again this Sunday. This ministry provides East African artisans with a market for their beautiful creations. Come and see intricate wood carvings, primitive musical instruments, eye-catching soapstone décor, natural elements nativity sets, stunning necklaces, earrings, bracelets, and more!
We also need volunteers to help with set-up, selling, and pack-out. If you are interested in helping and are available after Sunday services or on Shrove Tuesday (the final ATM day), please contact Sara Kirkpatrick at atm@christchurchcolumbia.org.
DreamBuilders Chocolate, Tea, and Coffee, Just in Time for Valentine’s Day!
We will be selling DreamBuilders goods after all three worship services this Sunday, Feb. 11, and at the Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper on Tuesday, Feb. 13. All the proceeds will go to help fund DreamBuilders disaster recovery missions. The chocolates, hot cocoa mix, coffee, and tea are tasty, for a worthy cause, and just in time for Valentine’s Day.
Inviting You to Join Our Monthly Outreach Meeting next Monday, February 12
Learn many ways to help others by joining us remotely for the Outreach Commission meeting on Monday, Feb. 12 at 7:30 p.m. Our mission has a local, national, and international scope. Email us for the Zoom details - outreach@christchurchcolumbia.org, and we'll see you on Zoom!
Help the Homeless next Monday, Feb. 12, by Preparing a Dish for Grassroots’ Live-In Facility or Serving a Meal at the Day Resource Center
On the second Monday of each month, Christ Church provides a hot midday meal for the homeless at the Day Resource Center (DRC) and drops off dinner at a live-in shelter whose 50 residents include about 20 children. If you’ve been yearning to decorate Valentine's cookies or other desserts, now’s the time!
A team of volunteers led by parishioner Shahra Toth makes side dishes and desserts that we serve in person at the DRC, which is operated by the Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center. To join us on Monday, Feb. 12, please sign up by Sunday, Feb. 11. If you wish to volunteer or bring food for the midday meal, our DRC online signup form describes the procedure. We most recently took part on Jan. 8th.
The drop-off time is 12:45 p.m. in the Christ Church parking lot near Old Brick for DRC’s food, drinks, and supplemental items such as fruit and granola bars. In-person volunteers gather at that time to carpool to Jessup. Later, parishioners who cook or shop for the evening meal at Grassroots’ Live-In Facility arrive in the Old Brick parking lot between 3:15 and 3:30 p.m. Get details in our Grassroots online signup form.
Grassroots staff serves the evening meal at its Freetown Road facility. It’s efficient to provide for both venues on the same day. Your donations and Vestry-approved funds pay for the fried chicken entrees. Thank you!
Grassroots has wider needs for its pantries, which are now located at three sites as described in the Outreach Blog of Feb. 1, 2024. Look for its list on church bulletin boards or see “Related Files” on each signup form. Please put your in-kind donations on the marked kitchen counter in the Parish Hall for delivery on the second Monday.
Columbia Community Care Seeks Baby Care Items, More Volunteers
Please continue supporting Columbia Community Care (CCC) by giving essentials and with your time and talent. One task is sorting at the pantry building, 10750 Little Patuxent Parkway in Columbia. Go to the “I Can Help” portion of its website or check the CCC Facebook Group for updates.
Please keep collecting diapers, baby wipes, sanitary and personal care items, and adult diapers. Put any of these in the yellow bin, marked “CCC,” inside the Parish Hall. Drop off items on weekdays when the church office is open or on Sundays. The Christ Church point of contact is Leigh Smith, who monitors the bins and delivers their contents.
Please Donate All Kinds of Grocery Non-Perishables and Toiletries to FISH
FISH of Howard County needs non-perishable foods and toiletries. FISH provides committed support to select families in need. Please put donations in the basket at the altar or in the marked yellow bin that, during cold weather, can be found inside the Parish Hall entrance. The neighbors you help give thanks for all you do in their support.
Save-the-Date: Bridges to Housing Stability Sets Next Chili and Cornhole Event on May 5 at Centennial Park in Ellicott City
For many years, chili has been a key part of fundraising for Bridges to Housing Stability, an advocate for affordable housing that helps individuals and families who struggle to keep a roof over their heads. Last year, Christ Church was a supporter of Bridges' chili event and cornhole tournament, which was held in March. The cornhole competition was heated, but the word “chilly” also applied to the outdoor festivities.
This year the Beans & Bags event will be held on Sunday, May 5, from 12:30 to 3 p.m. at Centennial Park, Pavilion H, 4760 Woodland Rd., Ellicott City 21042. Save the date, and start practicing your cornhole skills!
The event raises crucial operating funds. Christ Church has been a supporter of Bridges since participating in a countywide chili cook-off in 2019. At a Chili & Challenge virtual fundraiser in 2020, Christ Church won a Silver Ladle Award. Then, at the 2021 Chili & Challenge, we won gold. The relationship began at the urging of parishioner Jim Collins, who was honored among Bridges’ “Heroes for Housing” in 2022.
In general, if you have suggestions about ways to help the community, if you want to get involved, or if you need assistance, please email Christ Church Outreach at outreach@christchurchcolumbia.org. Your help is greatly welcomed and appreciated. Thank you.
