There is no better way to sing God's praise than by service to others. Grace Church has a rich history of lending a hand to those in need.
Outreach Committee Dick Moss - 345-2800
The Outreach Committee links the needs of the Greater Charleston Community and the talents and ability of Grace Church members who wish to serve. Each year, the Outreach Committee sponsors a variety of outreach projects from small (such as the "Giving Tree" at Christmas) to large (for example, construction of a Habitat for Humanity home with ongoing support for homeowners). Share your talents and let us know of new opportunities to serve.
Canterbury House Fellowship Jean & Chuck Bender, 402-9736
Members of Grace offer a Spring Tea for the residents of Canterbury House each year. In addition, a number of retired nurses from Grace are assisting with the wellness program established at Canterbury House. Plans are under way to form an Advisory Council composed of members of the downtown churches of all denominations to help set in place or encourage the many volunteer programs needed for this Independent Living Community.
Charleston’s Seafarers’ Ministry Tally DaPore - 795-5943
Charleston’s Seafarers’ Ministry, established in the 1820’s, is a non-profit 501C3 ecumenical, Christian organization that exists for the purpose of welcoming and serving the needs of those men and women who make their livelihood in the port or at sea, without regard for nationality, race, ethnicity, politics or religion. Grace supports this ministry through making ship visits, performing administrative functions at the Seafarers’ Center, contributing to the Christmas at Sea Project, supplying Christian and secular literature for seafarers, and making financial contributions to help meet the ministry’s expenses. The anchor in the Grace Church banner represents Grace’s heartfelt commitment to mariners. Visit the Charleston Port and Seafarers' Society website for more information: http://www.seamenschurchcharleston.org/.
Crisis Ministries homeless shelter Dinner:Robert Hughes, - 270-8826 Breakfast: John Blackburn
The Crisis Ministries Shelter provides safe sleeping accommodations for the homeless, as well as a nourishing meal in the evening and in the morning. Grace Church volunteers staff the Shelter on the third Thursday night of each month. Breakfast is served the following morning. Parishioners also bake muffins and cookies to serve at the Dinner Meal.
Lunch at the Soup Kitchen Mary B. Wilson - 853-0903 Susan Cromwell - 588-2420
The Soup Kitchen, a ministry begun at Grace and later transferred to Crisis Ministries, provides a free mid-day meal to the needy at the Crisis Ministries Soup Kitchen on Meeting Street. Grace volunteers prepare and serve lunch on the first Thursday of every month, and the fifth Thursday when there is one.
Episcopal Relief and Development Mary Person - 478-4762
ERD is the primary method Episcopalians use to help people in need, including rebuilding devastated communities and offering long-term program development solutions to fight poverty. In the past, money has been sent for an HIV/AIDS program in Africa and to Haiti for both the political turmoil and the hurricane disasters. In 2005, Grace gave approximately $90,000 to victims of the tsunami in southeast Asia and hurricane victims along the Gulf Coast. Grace continues its diocesan leadership with generous participation in giving more than $7,000 to build a house in the Nicobar Islands, which were devastated by the tsunami in December of 2004. Currently, Grace's giving is focusing on the UN's Millennium Development Goals. For more information, click on the ERD website, www.er-d.org, or call Mary Person.
HALOS (Helping and Lending Outreach Support) Jan Place - 762-3307 / Judy Casey - 766-3411
HALOS stands for Helping and Lending Outreach Support. This non-profit agency consists of a group of partner organizations, including churches, business, and civic groups. Together they seek to assist children who have been placed in foster care because of abuse or neglect. Through HALOS, Grace members can help to provide back-to-school clothes and supplies, summer camp opportunities, tutoring, birthday gifts, Christmas gifts, and more. For more information see the HALOS web site: www.charlestonhalos.org.
Memminger Project Helen Britton - 852-9862 / Melinda Hamilton - 406-0033 / Ellen Muenzen - 216-7829
Memminger School serves children from preschool through Grade 6, nearly all of whom receive free or reduced-price lunches. Grace volunteers work with teachers in a variety of ways, from setting up parties and field trips to reading and visiting in the classrooms. Grace also collects breakfast bars to help students who are dropped off after the school breakfast is served, as well as Kleenex to use in the classrooms. For more information, visit our Memminger page.
Peace Work PeaceWork brings together stitchers to put their talents to work in outreach projects, and to enjoy each other's company and encourage one another in their stitching projects. Find out more at the PeaceWork page.
Tea Room Mary Bradley - 559-9828
During the annual Spoleto Festival in Charleston, late May and early June, Grace Church operates a Tea Room and Gift Shop. Lunch is served Monday through Friday, from 11:30 to 2. The entire parish is involved in the Tea Room with planning and food preparation, publicity, finance, collection and donation of items to sell in the gift shop, making fresh desserts daily, growing flowers for garnish, serving, cleaning up, welcoming others and just being there for support. Proceeds from the Tea Room and Gift Shop are used to support the outreach efforts of the parish. To find out more, visit our Tea Room page.
Hurricane Katrina Recovery Volunteer teams form periodically to help areas devastated by Hurricane Katrina, especially St. Mark's, Gulfport, Mississippi, our "adopted" parish, and through Camp Coast Care helping local residents clean up, repair, renovate and recover. For more information, please contact Mary Person at 478-4762 or mary_person@yahoo.com.
Youth Summer Mission Work(Middle School & High School) Youth Ministry - 723-4575
More than just a week each summer, youth mission work is a journey of discovery. It begins with initial planning in the fall and continues through the year with fund-raising, planning and study. The journey culminates in a week of evangelism the hard way - scraping, painting, nailing and sawing to help individuals whose homes are in need of repair.
Red Wagon Children's Ministries - 723-4575
The Red Wagon is literally that - a child's red wagon in which parishioners, especially children, are encouraged to place particular non-perishable food items, back to school supplies, sundries and warm mittens. These become a part of the offertory at the 9:00 and 11:00 services on Sunday. Donated items are delivered to the Crisis Ministries Program.
