|
The Pumpkin Patch
Since October of 1996, our congregation has hosted a pumpkin patch where we
sell not only pumpkins, but also Indian corn and various types of gourds.
The pumpkins are brought to Spartanburg by truck from the Navaho Indians in New
Mexico, and all of the profit is donated to various local, state, and national
charities. The workers of the Pumpkin Patch are volunteers from the
congregation, and each year everyone is amazed at the popularity of our pumpkin
patch. The entire Spartanburg community likes supporting this outreach
program and continues to come back each year. Tens of thousands of
dollars have been donated to outreach and mission as a result of this project.
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving dinner is provided for needy families each year. DSS helps
us by providing the names of families who would best benefit from this
outreach.
Christmas Families
Each year posters go up and people at St. Matthew’s sign up to buy presents for
those who would otherwise not have gifts for Christmas. Everyone enjoys
buying for others, especially the children. Presents are delivered prior
to Christmas each year.
Arcadia
Our church reaches out to school-age children in the Arcadia area who need help
in many ways. As the school year begins each year, we have bought
clothing and school supplies, as well as new, warmer clothing when the weather
gets colder. There are some St. Matthew’s Church members who tutor
students who need help with their studies and who go to have lunch with the
students at Arcadia Elementary School.
In the summer of 2002, we helped with a summer program based at Arcadia United
Methodist Church. It was conducted as a day camp, and its participants
included many young people from the growing Hispanic community in Arcadia.
NA (Narcotics Anonymous) and Nar-Anon
This organization meets at St. Matthew’s on Sunday and Monday nights at 8:00 PM
each week. Our priest functions as a liaison and contact person.
Spinal Cord Injury Support Group
This organization meets monthly at St. Matthew’s. For additional
information, please contact the church office.
Cheyenne River Episcopal Mission
In 2004, St. Matthew’s began supporting the efforts of the Episcopal Church in
White Horse, South Dakota. White Horse is located on the Cheyenne River
Reservation, home of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, in central and
northwestern South Dakota. We have assisted with school supplies and
Christmas gifts for the children of the village and a group of our sewers made
lap blankets for the elderly. In the summer of 2005 we sent a mission
team to White Horse and put on a Vacation Bible School for the community.
Ecuador
St. Matthew’s supports with prayer and funding the missionary efforts of
Cameron Graham, an Episcopal missionary in Quito, Ecuador. She trains
youth ministers, hosts work teams from the United States, and is a principal
founder of El Rio, a contemporary house church ministry for young adults.
Cameron visits St. Matthew’s annually and keeps in regular touch with many
members of our parish.
The Children’s Shelter
A list of items needed by the Children’s Shelter is published each month in the
newsletter. The collection of those items takes place on the second
Sunday of each month. Then those items are delivered to the shelter or
picked up by a representative from the shelter.
|
