Epiphany Church has three primary themes in its outreach efforts - hunger, shelter, and youth. A variety of projects and programs serve us well in striving to make an impact in these areas.
From November through March, the Loaves and Fishes program at Epiphany prepares and brings soup, sandwiches and winter clothing, along with fruit, dessert and coffee, on a Saturday evening each month to about 250 homeless people. Using the St. Ignatius van, members of Epiphany Episcopal Church distribute this Saturday evening meal at the St. Vincent DePaul Mission, City Hall, Federal Hill, Fells Point, Light Street, Cross Street Market, the Block, the Oasis Shelter, as well as to individuals huddled in the doorways of shops and office buildings throughout downtown Baltimore.
Funds for this invaluable service to the poor are provided by the Jessie Ball Dupont Foundation. As important as the food truly is, both the homeless on the street and the people who participate feel that their face-to-face meeting matter even more. Epiphany is just one of several churches supporting this all-volunteer outreach ministry.
There are multiple ways for youth and adults in the parish to participate in Loaves and Fishes. If you want to help prepare sandwiches and/or ride in the van and serve the food one Saturday evening, there is a sign-up sheet posted in the Narthex, or speak directly to Margaret or John Fries. If you would like to contribute cold weather clothing, especially socks, gloves, hats and outerwear, or blankets, you can place them in the Narthex entranceway. And, if you would like to help with the cost of the food, you can send an offering designated "For Loaves and Fishes" to the Parish Office (it costs $160 to buy material for 250 hearty meat and cheese sandwiches and $40 to make a 7 gallon container of nourishing hot soup).
ACTC sponsors a wide variety of programs. Towson area residents are aided by provisions of food, emergency shelter, rent assistance, clothing, medicine, transportation and utility costs. Epiphany supports this work with money from the PIN Grant, through our successful July food drive (we restock their food pantry shelves) and again through giving Thanksgiving Baskets to those less fortunate. Our contact person is Carol Troia.
ACTC operates an emergency food pantry. They provide food for approximately 500-600 individuals a month. Each family receives a 3-5 day supply of food and a coupon for perishables for use at one of the participating area grocery stores.
It has been a tradition at Epiphany to make nourishing casseroles for those in need. For twenty years our casseroles went to Sharp Street Memorial United Methodist Church at Dolphin and Etting Streets. Since March 2004 we have been taking our casseroles to Helpmg Up Mission on East Baltimore Street. The Mission feeds around 300 residents and homeless men (and a few women) every day of the year. The men look forward to 'home cooking' and our tasty casseroles are greatly appreciated and enjoyed.
HUM has the best drug addiction program in Maryland. The success rate is around 70%. Men's lives are transformed. The best way to find out about the Mission is to join a small tour.
We aim to supply between 20 and 30 casseroles each month. There is a repertoire of seven easy to make casserole recipes to choose from. Copies are to be found in the narthex.
If you would like to participate in this important outreach ministry, contact the Casserole Coordinator, Janet Fawcett on 410-453-0879 or at jrfaw@qis.net. For more information on HUM, go to www.helpingupmission.org.
The Ark is a day care program for Baltimore City children 2 1/2 to 5 years of age who come from families living in shelters for the homeless or whose mother may be in a drug treatment program. We provide financial aid and collect paper products, cleaning materials, clothing etc. that we deliver to the Ark each month.
The Ark is located on E Fayette St. in the GBMC outpatient facility.
If you have any questions, please contact Jim Gibbs.
Episcopal Housing Corporation (EHC) EHC was formed in 1995 for the purpose of providing decent, affordable housing for families and individuals with low incomes or other special needs. Epiphany was a significant partner in its formation. Members of our parish who are presently members of its board of directors are Kathryn Wajda, Alan Brock and Arch Fort. Its mission is "to respond to God's call to establish justice for those most in need by building affordable housing and creating the foundations for healthy and sustainable communities".
EHC's specific goals are:
(a) to provide decent, affordable housing for individuals and families with low incomes or other special needs;
(b) to support faith-based community development efforts as a vital component of housing projects and other initiatives; and
(c) to construct housing for seniors with low incomes in locations which allow the residents in these facilities to remain near their previous homes, families and friends.
Epiphany's direct financial contributions to EHC in 2005 totaled $7,600. Also, our EHC board members and others in our parish contributed to its annual support campaign.
For more information go to www.ehc.ang-md.org.
Arden Courts is an assisted living facility for Alzheimer's patients in Ruxton, MD. On the second and fourth Friday of each month, Peggy Hardin, Betty and Jim Gibbs, and Kathryn Wajda meet at Arden Courts at 2:00 p.m. to have a service of communion with the residents. Peggy plays the piano as all of us sing hymns. We say the 23rd psalm, pray the Lord's Prayer, tell the story of the last supper, share bread and wine and do laying on of hands for wholeness and healing. It is a challenging and wonderful ministry of caring and sharing God's message of love.
The Episcopal Church of the Guardian Angel has been on the corner of Huntingdon Avenue and 27th Street for 100 years. It is a small church doing a big ministry in this inner city community. In the summer of 2004 Epiphany joined a partnership of other churches, the Episcopal Housing Corporation, and neighbor organizations to help Guardian Angel increase its ability to do community building in Remington. Epiphany delivers dinner to the homework club on the second Tuesday of the month and takes part in the toy store for Remington parents for Christmas. We collect food for the food pantry, which serves 45 people each week. One of our members helps those seeking to buy their homes.
During September and October 2005 we participated in the Operation Starfish program to raise awareness of extreme poverty in our neighbors and to raise money to build a house for a family in Haiti. The various aspects of poverty were studied in Church School and we raised $2160, enough for a house with money to spare for school supplies. Every small act of compassion makes a difference.
Collections at the entrance of the church receive strong support from parishioners. These donations of used clothing and blankets support the Thrift Shop at Church of the Guardian Angel in Remington, Loaves and Fishes, The Ark and the Helping Up Mission.