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Introduction

Getting Involved

There are many avenues for involvement in outreach at St. Mark's, whether you have an hour, a day, or an evening to give. You can prepare sandwiches or chop vegetables for the homeless, mentor a youth, work with other parishioners to discuss and confront racism, provide meals or stay overnight during the annual Congregational-Based Shelter Project.

To become involved and make a difference in your community’s life and your own see the links on the right.

The Outreach Board celebrates and gives thanks for the relationships, contributions, and hard work that make our Outreach efforts possible. We challenge you to question and act. Every day ask yourself: "What can I do to reach out?" Then do it!! We are here to help you reach out.

You are invited to contact the Outreach Board members for their personal perspectives and experiences. For more general information or to explore ways to become involved, please talk with co-chairs Christine Farrell, (christine.farrell@verizon.net), and Jack Burton (jburton39@gmail.com) or Board members Beryl Lillaston, Jack Richards, Ray Murray, and Grace O'Neil.

Recent Projects

Kids on an Inner City Outing Here's a sampling of the great outreach work our parish has done.

Thank you all for your time, energy and support!

  • St. Mark's hosted the Capitol Hill Group Ministry Congregation-based Shelter Project in July. Members of the parish contributed to offer housing, hospitality and home-cooked, family-style meals, to three homeless families. We maintain a strong relationship with one of the families, through dance scholarships and regular conversation. Special thanks to Stephanie Deutsch for her leadership.

  • Cash support to Capitol Hill Group Ministry helped sustain emergency assistance and support programs for area families in need.

  • Our Salvation Army Grate Patrol effort prepared food that helped the Salvation Army feed the homeless of our city. Special thanks to Eric and Heather Burneson for their leadership.

  • Our Samaritan Ministries team continued a long tradition of weekly food collection and resume coaching. Food collected from the St. Mark's altar baskets helped to feed 80-100 needy participants in the Samaritan Ministry's Next Step program in Anacostia. Participants are seeking to improve their lives by taking one or two steps at a time pursuant to one-on-one consultation with a caseworker. Access to food and toiletries helps them survive the difficult transition to a better life. A cash pledge from the parish also provides critical support to these programs. Special thanks to Charlie Brodhead and Bill Flanders for their leadership.

  • We continued to furnish our adopted apartment at Partner Arms II this year; the 3-bedroom apartment will house a family in need for two years. Two years after leaving Partner Arms, 86% of the families are self-sufficient, employed and in permanent housing. St. Marks parishioners collected all of the household goods and furnishings for our sponsored three-bedroom apartment. We provided fresh food and kitchen staples for the family. Special thanks to Jack Burton for his leadership.

  • The Soup Kitchen had another very successful year in 2007, with an average of 22 casseroles per month, for a total of 255 donations. The kitchen averaged 5 volunteers per month, whether chopping vegetables for soup or, during the summer months, making meat and cheese sandwiches; both activities are at the nearby Church of the Brethren. Volunteers each month spend one hour or less preparing food or otherwise assisting the Co-Chairs, Jack Richards, Mary Leey Watts or Jim Shelar. The demands of the time are small but the rewards are very great.

  • Annually, on Christmas Day, St. Mark’s parishioners and members of other faiths walk through the wards of Sibley Hospital, singing carols, sharing stories, offering cards and providing homemade cookies to the patients and staff. The hospital is located in Northwest DC. The visit program is under the leadership of Dail Doucette and Raiford Gaffney.

  • Parish Lenten Mite Box contributions sponsored local and international efforts.

  • Outreach on your Own -- Parishioners took on many, many other outreach efforts, some initiated by St. Mark’s recommendations and others responding to community needs in parishioners’ home neighborhoods. These quiet everyday efforts are a core part of St. Mark’s outreach efforts. Thanks to every one of you that reaches out -- walking in the Homeless walkathon, tutoring at the SEED School, mentoring a young person, coaching a neighborhood team, and investing your time and money in other community efforts. Let us know if you need suggestions for finding a way to help your community!