Stewardship Campaign 2016: Prayer & Voices

Stewardship 2016

As we conclude our Stewardship Campaign for 2016, we would like to leave you with this lovely compilation of all of the parishioners who shared their reflections over the course of the campaign.  Each week, during the campaign, we had the opportunity to listen in on a St. Edward’s parishioner sharing their story about what the ministry of St. Edward’s has meant to them.  We encourage you to meditate on these precious words and stories shared, and pray the prayers for stewardship that were provided each week by the spirituality ministry. Go back and listen to the complete posts that were shared throughout the campaign and share and like them on Facebook and other social media outlets, and email the links to your friends.

Stewardship Prayer for the week of September 8th:

Heavenly Father, open our eyes to the needy individual close by, to those groups serving the needy  in our communities and the poverty stricken in our world.  Direct us how and where to share our time and treasure with them.  Amen.

Community Aid Donation Bin Update

COMMUNITY AID PA – This spring, we installed a donation bin for “Community Aid.”  Why does St. Edward’s have a bin in their lot?  For all clothing and shoes donations that we collect in the bin, we will receive 4 cents/pound. Recently, we received our first collection disbursement check for all of the clothing from the bin for the 2nd quarter.  Believe it or not, we received $203 for those 3 months!  Imagine the funds we could raise if we had more donations to the bin.

This organization, established in 2009 is a faith-based 501 (c) 3, non-profit organization, whose primary focus is to raise funds for distribution to local schools, churches, synagogues, and nonprofit charitable organizations.  By partnering with Community Aid, we are able to help the wider community through our collections in two ways:  By supplying their centers with goods to sell and our partnership enables us to receive “Care Cards” that allow the church to help those in need, with clothing and shoes needs, at the Community Aid stores.  In addition to these features, after one year of partnership, St. Edward’s will be allowed to apply for a grant, up to $5,000 for a service project within our community of faith, the wider community, or for a need we may have.  The Community Aid partnership seems to have successfully found a way to involve the entire community in a full circle approach to making a difference in our community with the bin for donations, collection by their support team of donated goods that go to the centers (there is one on Good Drive/Columbia Avenue), to the re-dispersing of profits back into the community, and the non-profit organizations that partner with them, all in the spirit of community support.

Please consider, when you come to church on Sunday’s, to donate your clothing and shoes to the bin in the St. Edward’s lot.  It will enable us to help the community and it is an excellent way to add to our fundraising each year and it will enable us to consider seeking a grant opportunity for St. Edward’s in the future.