Barbara McCreary, Vestry Liaison
Opportunities for Involvement and a Reason to Rejoice in the
Work We Do
Holy Comforter has a long and distinguished history of work focusing outside our walls, and into the community and world. We have engaged in many types of activities through the years, such as refugee resettlement, building a Habitat for Humanity house for our Centennial project, and mission trips to Native American reservations. It is appealing to many to have a chance to put faith into works that help build a better world. We strive to have hands-on ministry as well as advocacy and financial support.
Holy Comforter shows its commitment to Outreach in many ways. We are a designated ONE congregation, which means we set aside 0.7% of our budget to address the United Nations 8 Millennium Development Goals to eradicate extreme poverty internationally. Many of the projects that we support address these issues as well.
Below is an overview of the current outreach ministries that are a part of our work. There is room for many more people to join in these projects.
ONE Sunday
You could hear it in the snaps of the prayers. You could see it in the black T-Shirts worn by Outreach Committee members. You could feel it in the air as HoCo's congregation came together as one to celebrate ONE Sunday. On September 17th, The Reverend Adam Phillips, Senior Manager for Faith Mobilization at ONE and an ordained pastor in the Evangelical Covenant Church, was the guest preacher. Using the lectionary as a foundation, he spoke of the world's needs and our response to those needs as our Christian calling, inspiring us to contribute. What a joy it is to be able to help the Episcopal Relief Development be able to reach its eight Millennium Development Goals! Thank you, Adam, for sharing your passion with us.
Millennium Goal # 1: End Poverty and Hunger
High Hopes-We provide financial support to this program which provides advocacy in housing for handicapped persons and maintains a residential facility, Independence House.
Food Closet-Our food closet provides food to families in need on a set schedule of distribution. The pantry is stocked by donations brought in by members of the parish and by other churches who partner with us, as well as by food purchased by us from the Central Virginia Foodbank.
Millennium Goal # 6: HIV/AIDS
ROSMY and the Tanzanian ministries both address these important issues, as do the health centers we support.
Millennium Goal # 7: Environmental Sustainability
Our seed program is adding plants grown from seeds by our parish to food being given out by our food closet so that the families can begin to grow some of their own food.
The Outreach Committee meeting is the second Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. in the Parish House. Anyone is welcome to attend.
AA and other support /recovery groups meet in our facilities.
Millennium Goal # 2: Universal Education
Overseas Mission-We provide financial support to two congregations in Tanzania, East Africa, and a portion of those funds help with education costs of children in those parishes, many of whom have been orphaned by AIDS. Some of our Christ Families are helped with educational access and barriers through this program.
ROSMY (Richmond Organization of Sexual Minority Youth)-We provide financial support, advocacy, and direct ministry to youth struggling with gender issues.
Millennium Goal #'s 4 and 5: Child and Maternal
Health
Cross Over Health Care Center and Fan Free Clinic-financial support assists these two agencies in providing health care to low income and high risk clients. In-reach and Rector's Discretionary Funds-Assist with medical costs to maintain optimal health in some situations.
Millennium Goal #8: Global Partnership
Episcopal Relief and Development Fund-On going contributions from the parish and individual members have far reaching impact worldwide.
ONE is a grassroots campaign and advocacy organization backed by more than 2 million people who are committed to the fight against extreme poverty and preventable disease, particularly in Africa. Cofounded by Bono and other campaigners, ONE is nonpartisan and works closely with African policy makers and activists.
Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy
Additional Outreach Efforts
Prison Ministry-Epiphany/Kairos and Monthly Beaumont Church Service provide spiritual enrichment and socialization to these men and women who are incarcerated. We also have served as advocates for programs benefiting incarcerated youth.