Christ Church Outreach News: January 11, 2024
Disabled Young Adults and Children Enjoy a Christmas Party at Philip’s House in Kampala, Uganda, and Anticipate Care in a New Clinic
Christ Church continues to support Philip’s House, which last month held a Christmas celebration for its disabled residents. The home for young adults and several children in Kampala, Uganda, operates on a tight budget. And that means that, without you, the fun, face-painting, cake, and gifts would have been impossible.
The Outreach Commission voted at its November meeting to send $800 of Vestry-approved funds, of which $300 was intended for the Christmas celebration and $500 for an in-house clinic at Philip’s House. It will be set up by a pharmacist whom founder Jan Smart had sponsored from childhood through his completion of higher education.
The Philip’s House founder is a friend and colleague of parishioners Teddy and Sonni Aribiah. Jan established the home as a memorial to her late brother, Philip, who was disabled. It is located on the grounds of an orphanage where Teddy grew up and that she and Jan each visit periodically.
Previously Christ Church donated a total of $1,000 in 2022 and 2021 and made a strategic contribution of $1,770 the year before. It was the Summer of 2020 when the coronavirus pandemic threatened a reliable food supply. Staff members used our funds to build a sturdy garden fence. As a result, they no longer feared losing their home-grown produce to theft or animals.
Jan continues to update the Outreach Commission about progress at Philip’s House, whose operations are overseen on her behalf by the Hoffman Family Foundation. Thanks to one and all for making that progress possible.
Christ Church Provides Warm Coats for Kids at St. Luke's Youth Center
Last month two representatives of Christ Church attended Christmas festivities for St. Luke’s Youth Center (SLYC), whose leaders shared the harsh fact that many children lacked suitable coats as winter approached.
The Outreach Commission responded by committing to supply the West Baltimore youth with about 40 coats, ranging in size from Toddler to Men’s X-Large. We faced a quick turnaround, given the need to outfit SLYC students by the time they returned from their holiday break. A couple of Outreach members volunteered to shop local thrift stores and others donated gently-used coats or arranged donations.
On Jan. 4, Diane Phillips LaGuerre and Michon Semon delivered nearly four dozen coats to SLYC, whose families converged to help their youngsters pick out just the right one. And all this was accomplished before the arrival of winter storms. The total cost of $318 was drawn from parishioners’ contributions to General Outreach at Christ Church. Thanks for your generosity!
SLYC is a collaborative of West Baltimore families who together provide youth with critical resources, life-enriching experiences, and a safety net of support. Read about the results in SLYC’s Fiscal 2023 Impact Report. Please consider volunteering as a tutor on weekdays during the “SLYC After School” program. For information, including a map showing the current location at St. James Episcopal Church, 1020 W. Lafayette Ave., Baltimore, MD 21217, go to SYLC’s “Contact Us” page.
The Episcopal Diocese of Maryland is a partner, and its reparations task force awarded a grant to SYLC in 2022. Christ Church supports SLYC monetarily, as described in the June 15, 2023 Outreach Blog. SLYC Executive Director Amanda Gardner Talbot delivered the Aug. 7 sermon last year during a SLYC group’s visit to Christ Church.
It's January... so it's "Souper Bowl" Time!
Each year youth groups across the country participate in "Souper Bowl" Sunday, collecting canned goods and monetary donations for local charities. Last year groups brought in more than $4 million to support local causes! We invite you to contribute this year by placing your donation in the CEC Youth Group soup pot after each service this Sunday, and please continue to until February 11th. 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.
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 on the breezeway between Old Brick and Parish Hall. The neighbors you help give thanks for all you do in their support.
DreamBuilders: Save the Date!
DreamBuilders will be having its General Meeting on Sunday, February 4th from 3-5 p.m. at Temple Isaiah in Fulton. We will be talking about our upcoming Kentucky trip this June, when we hope to "blitz build" THREE Houses in one week! It’s going to be great fun, and we’ve got lots of pictures from last summer’s trip to show you at the meeting, so mark your calendars - see you there!
Dorsey Center Delivery Success
Christ Church serves DRC’s hot midday meal on the second Monday of each month, which next falls on Monday, February 12th. In a slight variation of the usual practices, we shared the duties this month with volunteers from Mission BBQ. We are always looking for more assistance so if you want to help, speak with Shahra, Dione, or Patricia, or email outreach@christchurchcolumbia.org
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.
