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Foundation Grants Funds for Assistance to Homeless and Distressed Households
A foundation has awarded Saint John's Cathedral a $50,000 grant to help provide food, shelter, and emergency assistance to those who are struggling to survive during the economic downturn.
In turn, the cathedral has reserved $15,000 of that grant as a challenge to St. Clare's Ministries to expand its weekly ministry of providing food to the homeless and disadvantaged. This diocesan-sponsored feeding program, supported by a number of metro-area congregations, is housed at the Church of St. Peter and St. Mary in Denver.
The remainder of the grant will be used to provide direct emergency aid to households in financial distress, a portion of which is being made available to Episcopal parishes throughout Colorado. These funds will help parishioners or other households struggling to meet a mortgage, rental, utility or medical bill or purchase food.
We're delighted that Saint John's has been able to partner with a major benefactor in this way to help fulfill our mission of assisting the disadvantaged in the parish and the community, said the Very Rev. Peter Eaton, dean of the cathedral, when news of the grant was received in late November. This cathedral is committed to being an anchor in the community, and to serving the needs of all. We are especially pleased that we're able to provide this assistance to St. Clare's because it serves a very vulnerable population in the heart of the city, and it engages people in an active and visible ministry of service to their neighbors. It's a real testimony of faith.
St. Clare's is a Tuesday evening ministry primarily for the homeless and working poor in the Baker neighborhood near downtown Denver where the Church of St. Peter and St. Mary is located. What began in 1982 as an informal sharing of doughnuts and coffee with the homeless men who frequented the area has grown over the years. Today, the all-volunteer ministry provides a hot, home-cooked meal to an average of 150 people each week, as well as supplying them with toiletries and clothing from the downstairs clothing closet.
Volunteers come from churches around the metro area including Saint John's Cathedral, Christ the King in Arvada, Good Shepherd in Centennial, St. Martin-in-the-Fields and St. Stephen's in Aurora, Christ Church in Castle Rock, and St. Luke's and Ascension in Denver to shop, cook, serve the meal, clean up and staff the clothing closet.
In 2003, some of the dinner guests asked the Rev. Michele Quinn-Miscall, then-rector at St. Peter & St. Mary's, if she would offer a brief church service for them before the dinner. Now, as many as 80-90 worshippers pack the small church each Tuesday for the 5 p.m. service, and several have been trained to serve as lectors and acolytes. Volunteer priests from around the diocese take turns acting as celebrant for the service, and volunteer singers provide special music at the service once a month. One constant presence is Deacon Melanie Christopher, who last year took over responsibility for the day-to-day administration of St. Clare's. She is assisted by Deacon Becky Jones and Cynthia Obermeyer, assistant managers for the ministry.
We have served over 4,500 meals per year, hosted dozens of personal prayers, witnessed hundreds of smiles and felt the warmth from thousands of deserving hearts, says Christopher. That's what keeps me coming back every Tuesday.
I have seen many lives changed, she says. I have seen some coming off the streets and getting subsidized housing, others getting jobs, and keeping them. But we must realize that this is not the norm in this population. So we must adjust to the fact that we at St. Clare's Ministries are not there to change their lives, but just to offer them respite, worship, food, clothes and a caring heart.
Last summer, St. Clare's became an independent 501(c)3 non-profit organization, with its own board of directors, so it could more easily accept financial and other donations. The Standing Committee of the diocese recently voted to make St. Clare's a diocesan-sponsored institution, joining the St. Francis Center, the 32nd Avenue Jubilee Center and St. Benedict's Health and Healing Ministry. St. Clare's is also one of 24 Jubilee Ministries in Colorado.
Greg Movesian, canon steward of Saint John's and the person primarily responsible for administering the grant, said the funds will be awarded to St. Clare's on a matching basis, to encourage additional fund-raising. For every dollar the ministry can raise on its own, it will receive $1 in matching funds, up to $15,000.
Christopher said she hopes supporters of St. Clare's will consider sponsoring a meal. A gift of $75 would draw another $75 in matching funds, and that's enough to feed 150 people, since the cost of each meal averages $150. For information on sponsoring a meal or volunteering at St. Clare's, contact Christopher at mellenchris@comcast.net.
The remaining $35,000 from the grant will be used for emergency direct aid to households in financial crisis. We'll devote this to helping people pay their mortgages, rent, utilities, medical bills and buy food. It will be one-time-only assistance to any household that can bring a critical need to our attention, says Movesian.
Applications for emergency assistance should be made to the dean, one of the canons or the curate. The funds will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, Movesian said, on the recognizance and of the pastoral care-giver.
Guidelines for receiving emergency financial assistance from the Cathedral
Parish households are here notified of the guidelines for receiving emergency financial assistance from the Cathedral:
•Assistance is open to all – there are no requirements regarding parish membership or profession of the Christian faith.
•Individuals in need should speak with a member of the Chapter (Dean Eaton, Canon Crummey, Canon Movesian and Canon Van Culin), or the Curate, Fr. Bret Hays, regarding their need for emergency assistance.
•Payment is to be made to the creditor (ie: landlord, mortgage holder, medical office, utility company). We gladly provide grocery store gift cards to cover food and other expenses.
•Payments are generally for rent, mortgages, utilities, food, medical expenses, transportation & auto repairs or similar needs. We do not usually pay credit card debt, bank over drafts or pay day loans.
Saint John's is thanked for raising money for the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem
Thank you for the money raised for the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem from the Colorado Episcopal Foundation.
The Colorado Episcopal Foundation has sent a letter of gratitude to Saint John's Cathedral for the contribution that the congregation made to More Than A Match of $1,436.25.
"On behalf of the men, women and children served by the health ministries of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem, we would like to thank you for your generous gift to support the Millennium Development Goals (MDG's) matching grant project in Colorado known as More-than-a-Match," the Colorado Episcopal Foundation wrote.
Volunteer Opportunities
If you've been thinking of service work for Lent, the Urban and Social Concerns Commission has learned of many interesting and worthwhile volunteer opportunities. Some of the group offerings would make for very meaningful family time together. The mission of USCC is 'to be a tangible witness to the living power and presence of God among us. Through the grace and guidance of the Holy Spirit, we seek to be Christ's agents of reconciliation using our gifts and talents in a caring ministry to our neighbors throughout the city and the world." If you want to know more about the Urban and Social Concerns Commission, please contact Amy Davis at 303 904 0299 or
How to volunteer - Faith in Action
Faith in Action - Volunteer Opportunities
In response to requests from parishioners of all ages, we have initiated efforts to inform our parish and solicit volunteers for regularly scheduled volunteer projects. This will include opportunities to support outside agencies to whom we provide support as well as for internal needs.
Current Opportunities:
To RSVP on line, email volunteers@sjcathedral.org and indicate which project you wish to be involved with and how many members of your family will participate (adults and children).
We look forward to working with you to support our mission "to be a tangible witness to the living power and presence of God among us . . . in a caring ministry to our neighbors throughout the city and the world."
If you have volunteer opportunities and need volunteers, please contact Bret Hays, Curate, at Bret@sjcathedral.org. If you would like to have your name added to receive emails about volunteer opportunities, contact Bret.
Helping Others
Throughout Saint John's rich history, its leaders and members have been advocates for Denver's marginalized, through efforts such as founding the United Way and working for civil rights. Our outreach work continues under the leadership of the Urban and Social Concerns Commission (USCC), a group of volunteers which meets regularly to oversee agency grants, plan educational events and organize service opportunities. Members at Saint John's are active in Habitat for Humanity, and many more organizations in our city. To get involved with the work of the commission contact Canon Crummey.
Caring for One Another
In addition to reaching out to others, we also care for each other at Saint John's Cathedral. All the clergy are actively involved in the pastoral care of our members. Please feel free to make an appointment to meet with one of the clergy about a pastoral need. Contact us anytime in cases of emergency such as a hospitalization or death. We love to meet and bless brand new babies, too.
It is not only the clergy who care for our congregation; the people of Saint John's reach out to one another by visiting the home-bound, by helping our seniors, and by caring for the grieving.
Habitat for Humanity
Volunteers helped build a new home in August. Saint John's Cathedral is part of the Habitat on the Hill interfaith coalition which is joining forces with the Denver Alliance for Interfaith Action to help build a home for the Avitia family.
Susana Avitia and her three children will have a permanent place to call home. It will be wonderful to have the children have more stability in their lives and be able to stay in the same school, Suzy says.
"Home ownership will mean a lot to me."