Christ Church Outreach News: June 29, 2023
Save the Date: On Sunday, July 23, Enjoy a Coffee Hour (In-Person or Online) While Zoom Takes Us to Uganda with Friends of Sabina
What’s life like in rural Uganda? Find the answer and hear why opportunities are greater for 345 students at Sabina Boarding Primary School, which Christ Church supports through the nonprofit, Friends of Sabina (FOS).
At noon on July 23rd, parishioners are invited to join our annual Zoom Coffee Hour with FOS leaders Maria White and Ann Marie Davis for an update and question-and-answer session. Because Ann Marie will be on-site in Saanje, Uganda, it’s possible Sabina students will be able to take part in the informative show-and-tell. Maria will join remotely from the United States.
Don’t miss the virtual trip – or the homemade baked goods – that you can enjoy downstairs in the Great Hall of New Brick after the conclusion of the 10:30 Worship Service. Outreach members will offer coffee, tea, beverages, and snacks during an approximately 30-minute actual coffee hour for parishioners and any others whom you wish to invite to the presentation. At noon, we'll gather at the projector and laptop and Zoom to Uganda. Or people can log on from a device remotely.
The session will run from noon until 1:30 p.m., which allows time for a Q&A with parishioners who began sponsoring individual students at Sabina in 2020. You’ll find a photo collage of seven of the nine children, pictured at that point in time, on the FOS page of the Christ Church website.
The youngsters come from families who otherwise cannot afford their schooling, and sponsors commit to fund an annual scholarship and to keep in touch. One aim is to form relationships, like family across the miles. FOS helps accomplish that goal by encouraging an exchange of letters and occasional video calls.
Christ Church became a supporter of Sabina Primary School more than a decade ago when parishioners helped establish a library. Since then, several have traveled there, including the Aribiahs whose personal ties go back to Teddy Aribiah’s childhood.
The Outreach Commission continues to support the library. In addition to Sabina’s students, nearby residents have come to rely on it as a resource center. At the March Outreach meeting, members approved spending $2,500 to pay the librarian’s salary, periodical subscriptions, and a portion of internet service. Funds come from the Vestry-approved, 2023 Outreach budget that is derived from your pledges and contributions.
On behalf of Sabina’s students and neighbors, thanks to all! And plan to see the progress for yourself during the Zoom coffee hour later this month.
CCC Seeks Volunteers as Translators and Sorters for Its Pantry Deliveries, Continues to Request Diapers, Personal Care Items
Please continue supporting Columbia Community Care (CCC) by giving essentials and with your time and talent. Look for updates, such as requests for volunteers who can serve as Spanish translators, posted in the CCC Facebook Group or on the “I Can Help” portion of its website.
For example, you’ll find many slots in July remain open on a CCC volunteer signup form for translators. They’re part of a team who arranges home deliveries for those lacking transportation to obtain free groceries. Other volunteers make the deliveries or sort items at the CCC pantry building, 10750 Little Patuxent Parkway in Columbia.
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 Sunday. The Christ Church point of contact is Leigh Smith, who monitors the bins and delivers their contents.
Donate Snacks, Crackers, and Cookies to FISH in Bin on our Breezeway
Organizers for FISH of Howard County continue to ask for cookies, crackers, and snacks to fulfill its shopping lists. Please put items in a basket that has been returned to the altar. Or drop them in the yellow bin on the breezeway between Old Brick and the Parish Hall. Thanks for your contributions to our neighbors in need.
Lake Elkhorn Middle School Supplies
Our parish enjoys an ongoing partnership with Lake Elkhorn Middle School (LEMS). Just over a mile away, LEMS is truly our neighboring school, and at Christ Episcopal Church we believe we should love our neighbors. We established this partnership because many LEMS families are financially stressed.
One measure of whether a student lives in a family that is financially challenged is if they meet the federal guidelines for free and reduced meals (FARMS). In Howard County overall, about 14% of students qualify for free and reduced meals. However, at LEMS over 48.5% of LEMS students qualify for FARMS, the highest percentage amongst the middle schools in the county.
To help alleviate the financial hardship of parents having to buy school-required supplies (at a cost of $50 per child), Christ Church will once again provide school supplies for 125 children for the 2023-2024 school year. The school will distribute the supplies the week of Aug 21st, so we are requesting your generous financial support now to reach this important goal. We also will need your help delivering the supplies that week.
Contributions can be made via check, online, or via text. If you’d like to write a check, please make sure you indicate “LEMS School Supplies” on the memo line. If you’d like to give online, please also write "School Supplies" in the Memo line. If you have questions about our LEMS partnership or would like to help, please contact Cathy Whittaker (catharinewhittaker@gmail.com) or Mary Vail (mevail@verizon.net). Thank you for your support!
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.
