Small Church Serves Poor and Homeless

How can a small church serve the poor and the homeless? Through small programs, of course! All Saints’, Sacramento makes an effort to be open and hospitable to all.

We have a homeless friend named Bucky who sleeps on the church grounds. We would like to make him a parishioner, but he’s still a bit leery about becoming a member. He is treated with respect and dignity, and he reciprocates by keeping an eye on the property for us. More than once, he has scared off people at night who do not respect our grounds.

We also make food bags for people in need who drop by during the week. These bags contain nutritious food for 1-3 days. Marie Duff is pictured here preparing the bags. Marie is one of several parishioners who serve at the River City Food Bank, a charitable organization that All Saints’ supports with weekly donations of food that children bring to the altar during the Sunday Eucharist.

We are all called to ministry, and we can all serve in large and small ways.

Posted on Tue, April 1, 2014 by Elsa Dooling filed under

2 comments (Add your own)

1. (The Rev. Canon) Tina Campbell wrote:: Virginia, thank you for highlighting this ministry at All Saints. I am so glad you are settling in well at you new church home.
Thu, April 10, 2014 @ 10:58 AM
2. Patricia Modlin wrote:: This article, brings back fond memories. When my children were small, and we were seeking a church, we came to All Saints at the suggestion of a friend. The moment we entered, we knew we were at home. Father Brooks was there at the time, and we had the blessing of baptism for my three children, their father, and myself. I still remember many of the words of wisdom he gave in his sermons. We attended All Saints for several years, then moved to Fair Oaks and attended St. Francis, under Father Methven, where the children were confirmed. Years later, Father Terry was a God send when our son became ill, The support of the Church gave us the strength we needed to work through the grief and loss. Pastor Marcia was also a blessing to us. The spirit of outreach still lives at All Saints, and throughout the Episcopal Church. Thank you for this article, and for the blessings All Saints bestowed on us.
Thu, April 10, 2014 @ 11:18 AM

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Small Church Serves Poor and Homeless - The Episcopal Diocese of Northern California