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Episcopal Church Bringing People Together |
April 2009
Dear Members of St. Christopher’s,
While many of Miriam’s sermons provoke thoughtful introspection and challenge us to be better at our most difficult job (living a life everyday based upon Christian values and principles), one particular sermon has been the inspiration for the activities of a new ad hoc committee, identified simply as .St. Christopher’s List.
The impact of uncertain times has been felt in ways many of our members never expected to see. Miriam has noticed a concurrent increase in the appeals made to her for advice, practical assistance, and of course, prayer. Although we would like to solve every problem, it is apparent that our resources are not sufficient by themselves to handle this crisis-driven growth in community needs.
To address this problem, Miriam invited parishioners who could come to an initial meeting for the purpose of discussing how we should respond as a church community. This meeting set a general direction and established modest goals that the group is continuing to work on in subsequent meetings. What you see posted now on the website as "St. Christopher’s List" is the first fruit of the committee’s labors. Through this compilation it is now much easier to direct parishioners in need to suitable, helpful resources or simply provide them with contact information.
- St. Christopher’s List is a wonderful tool created and compiled with great care for those people in these troubled times for whom it is painful enough just being in need, let alone not knowing where to turn for help.
Concurrently, the committee has reached out to key contacts at a few specific organizations, most notably Rockingham Community Action (RCA), in order to better understand their processes and how best to utilize the benefits they offer to qualified individuals. Their response has been terrific and supportive, and we expect that this cooperation will lead to more, better, and faster help for those in need.
In closing, we want to underscore the fact that parishioners reaching out to our Vicar for help of any kind are guaranteed strict confidentiality.
St. Christopher’s List is just a start, but we think it’s a good way to begin strengthening our bonds as a church community in tough times.
Respectfully,
St. Christopher’s List Committee
"St.Christopher's List" Book View
