The Christian Community at The Shrine of St. Joseph

The Christian Community
[ An Intentional Eucharistic Community ]
at
The Shrine of St. Joseph

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Community Outreach Ministries

[ Spiritual | Education | Social | Service ]

Outreach ministries (also called Social Action ministries) provide community members with many ways, working individually or with other community members, to put their faith into action by helping others who are less fortunate.

Christmas for St. Columba's Parish
In what has become a Community tradition for almost 25 years, individual families, groups of families, as well as individual Community members and groups of Community members volunteer to "sponsor" a St. Columba's parish (Newark) family by purchasing food for their Christmas Day meal and a gift for each member of the family. Due to the size of some of St. Columba's families, Community members often share in sponsoring them. The list of families is available in late November, and the donations are collected a few days prior to Christmas.

Habitat For Humanity
Community Members volunteer their time to work, usually on Saturdays, on building homes in NJ for Habitat For Humanity, an ecumenical organization dedicated to eliminating poverty housing. Construction skills are helpful, but not necessary; a desire to help others make a home for themselves is the only requirement. Work along with the family who will occupy the home and put your faith into action with Habitat For Humanity. See the Community's Habitat For Humanity coordinator for further details.

Help Feed The Hungry
Individuals and families from the Community donate nonperishable food items and household supplies (such as disposable diapers) each Sunday. The collected Food Pantry items are then delivered to the St. Joseph Social Services Center in Elizabeth NJ, which distributes the food to families in emergency situations whose only alternative is hunger.

Interfaith Hospitality Network
The objective of the Interfaith Hospitality Network is to share hospitality with families who are homeless, and to provide shelter and food for them for one week, three to four times a year. Community members convert the auditorium into living quarters, setting up bedrooms and living space, making beds, cooking meals and interacting with our guests from 5 pm to 7 am during the week. On the weekend, our guests spend the day with us. At the close of the week, we take down the temporary rooms, wash bedding, and restore the auditorium to its original state. The Community shares this ministry with St. Vincent de Paul parish and The First Presbyterian Church , both of Stirling.

Adopt A Family
Adopt A Family is an adjunct ministry in which some Community members volunteer to contribute money and/or time to help individuals from the Interfaith Hospitality Network establish themselves in a home and job.

Service Auction
The Annual Service Auction is a Community fundraiser, held (usually) the second Saturday of March, that provides scholarship money for education. Its mission is to assist in providing the opportunity of a Catholic high-school education for inner-city grade-school students. Currently, our two beneficiary schools are Immaculate Conception High School, Montclair, NJ, and Paterson Catholic Regional High School, Paterson, NJ. This auction is also one of the major Community social events of the year, complete with a different theme each year--with music, decorations, and Community members in theme-related costume adding to the wonderful energy and spirit of the event. Community members get to know one another better through the selling and buying of services from one another (examples: Hosting a dinner party, baby-sitting, or leading a day hike in a state park).

Members of the volunteer Service Auction Committee choose a theme, publicize the auction, solicit services to be donated, publish a services booklet, advertise within the Community, provide decorations, and prepare and serve food at the auction. The Committee's first meeting is held in January each year.

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