Mission

THANK YOU, to everyone who gave so generously this past Christmas season, for all your gifts to those in need through our Covenant to Care and Dove programs.

I had the pleasure of delivering to our social worker the numerous pairs of new pajamas that many parish families so kindly purchased, for Covenant to Care boys and girls in need. What a delight to see super hero, flamingo, puppy dogs, flowers and lace, adorned pajamas filling gift bags. We added a warm fleece blanket to accompany each set of pajamas for extra snuggles. And the youngest child, a newborn girl, received a huge gift bag filled with infant accessories and diapers in addition to new pajamas.
With the delivery of pajamas, I took over a couple of other holiday gifts donated by two parish families. One parishioner donated some gently used winter coats for men and boys. And one parish family made a most compassionate and generous financial donation to the Covenant to Care family with an autistic daughter. If you remember, the autistic girl "Lillian" was one of five children in a hard working family. This special financial donation was meant to provide for a family gift to brighten their Christmas.I also passed on $250 worth of Stop & Shop Gift Cards for our Social Worker to distribute to families in need.

Our second Christmas Mission project was the Dove Program through Redding Social Services. Thank you to Mary Ellen Ryder and Janice Meehan for chairing this project again for us this year, and organizing it all so well. Mary Ellen and Janice had lots of wrapped gifts to deliver to Social Worker Gail Shiron. Ms. Shiron shared this comment, "I had one single parent reluctantly ask for help with Christmas. She told me that it had come to deciding between paying the heat and light bills or being able to buy Christmas presents for her children." Thank you to all who purchased a Dove Project Christmas gift or two, your kindness was most appreciated and brought many smiles to those in need on Christmas morning.

Changing the subject, Mission has been researching possible Outreach "Hands-On" projects for the new year ahead. A few parishioners have voiced a request to reach beyond and try some larger projects. We reviewed information given to us from AmeriCares, but regretfully have to share that our congregation doesn't have the necessary skilled personnel and manpower needed to participate in their day of caring program. We hope to be able to grow towards that event in the future.

In February of 2008 ten parishioners traveled to Mississippi to aid in reconstructing houses destroyed by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. They learned all sorts of new skills and had a very good time in service to others. Stay tuned for other mission opportunities.
- Catherine Keating

First, the Mission Committee would like to thank all the parishioners who so generously supported our African Team Ministries Craft Sale on October 16. Once again, the quantity, quality and variety of craft items and jewelry on sale were excellent and very appealing. We had great success with total sales of $1,305.50 for African Team Ministries! We hope you all enjoy your purchases.

African Team Ministries is an intermediary ministry between African and American churches of the Episcopal and Anglican denominations providing funds for orphans, refugee relief and missions in East Africa. They currently have children registered for sponsorship in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda. As per their mission statement, “Support is sent directly to each Bishop to provide school fees, tuition, books and uniforms, ensuring that the children receive education and a measure of stability needed to rebuild their minds."

Our Mission Committee also met in early October to plan for the year ahead. We look forward to having our new Social Worker from "Covenant to Care for Children" visiting us in the near future, at Christ Church, to renew and sign our contract with the CT Department of Children and Family Services. At a recent Covenant to Care Regional meeting in Danbury, church liaisons and social workers shared concerns, ideas, and explored new ways to improve the program. At this meeting we were given Ms. Betty Tompkins as our Social Worker. We also learned that this year, CT Governor Jody Rell declared September 22nd as "State Covenant to Care for Children Day", honoring care for children.

As the holiday season approaches, you may see new donation requests and programs for Mission Committee printed in our church bulletin and posted on our Parish Hall bulletin board.

Also, anyone interested in joining the Mission Committee is most welcome.

Catherine Keating