Outreach & Mission Ministries
As Christians, we believe that God is calling all people and all things back to himself ("reconciliation"). The Holy Spirit is calling us into that work—work that is already occurring all around us. We have the privileged of participating in that already-occurring work. And that is why one of our core values is Mission/Outreach.
The list of ministries below are ones in which Holy Trinity has felt called to participate. We recognize that it is not our "work" to accomplish God's ends, but God's work in which we get the distinct privileged of participating.
We hope that you might pray for these ministries and see for yourself what God is calling you to.
We proclaim the Good New's of God's grace to everyone; these are just a few of the ways.
Kitchen Of Hope (KOH)
Kitchen of Hope (KOH) Pantry at a ministry of St. Thomas Episcopal Church, Glassboro, NJ. KOH is an outreach of love and compassion, providing free food, school supplies and winter coats, hats and gloves for needy families. Members of Holy Trinity bring in non-perishable foods for distribution at the Kitchen of Hope.
On the second Friday and second Saturday of the month, Holy Trinity members deliver food to St. Thomas and help pack bags. Many members volunteer their time to help with the set-up of the food for distribution; unpacking the food from the Food Bank of South Jersey when it is delivered; packing the bags of groceries for distribution and helping with the distribution of the food. The pantry’s food giveaway is usually the 2nd Saturday of each month.
KOH came into existence as food insecurity among the elderly, children and working poor in Gloucester County became a greater problem. About 66% of the recipients are children, 10 % are elderly, and 3% are homeless. All of the adults have incomes below the national poverty level. Many of the households using the Kitchen of Hope subsist on Supplemental Social Security (SSI), Social Security Disability (SSD), the federal food stamp program (SNAP), Aid to Women, Children and Infants (WIC), Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) or low paying jobs. All of the guests are below the poverty level.
This ministry is an important way to participate in God's mission in Gloucester County. We recognize that under similar circumstances all of us could be in the same situation, and that KOH offers us a way to show God's grace to those in need. As Jesus commanded, "As you do for the least of these brothers and sisters, so you do for me."
For more information, contact Gar Miller.
Family Promise
Holy Trinity partners with Family Promise – Interfaith Hospitality Network (IHN) of Gloucester County. IHN is a national program that aides families experiencing homelessness).
By volunteering to be a host site for IHN's overnight guests program, Holy Trinity helps offer a temporary home for families in need.
Volunteering with IHN includes providing meals and other needs, offering fellowship and company to the families, providing rides to-and-from Family Promise offices, as well as being a host site for up to four families.other assistance, but always at other host sites.
Holy Trinity has been partnering with Family Promise for over four years, and has been a host site for the last two. It is an important way that we participate in God's mission to those in need.
We host IHN families four times a year. The dates for this year are:
February 26 to March 4
May 21-27
August 20-26
December 10-16
We are always looking for volunteers to make meals, stay overnight with our guests, drive in the morning, drive in the evening, and fellowship with the families at night.
If you are interested in volunteering or would like more information about Family Promise, contact Sean Garvin, our Rector. or visit the Family Promise website.