MERCY Ministries Committee – What is that all about??

Through the recent mission ministry meetings at St. Michael’s, a Mercy Ministries committee was organized. The facilitators of this committee include Mary Kay Gamage, Linda Wells and Jim Wangbickler. MERCY is an acronym for “May Everyone Receive Christ from You” and is a team that is developing opportunities for our church family to reach out and be Christ’s hands and feet to people in need. Sometimes the best way to tell others about Christ is not through words, but by showing them His love through our actions.

Some of the programs to help others are already underway. We participated in the Crop Walk of Peoria, established and support the Homework Café at Hines School, collect quarters for Heifer International (the collection tube is in the narthex in the back of the church), and have begun collecting travel-size toiletries to donate to the South Side Mission. (Look for the Rubbermaid tub in the parish hall.) Are you taking a vacation and staying at a hotel? Bring back the toiletries the hotel gives that you don’t use and put them in the bin at church, or buy school supplies to help teachers in our schools.

Throughout the year we will be collecting various items to support those in need in the community and worldwide. These are opportunities for you to help in a simple way. You may be able to donate to all of these programs, which is great, but maybe you can only support a couple of our programs, the choice is yours. We just ask for “you” to actively support the programs that you wish to support. We will continue to have ongoing opportunities that do not require you to purchase items, but instead donate time and talents.

Keep your eye out for information on a new Mercy ministry program called Sole Hope. This program will use old, ready to throw away jeans, a pair of scissors and your talents to help children living in Africa. We have many ideas for helping those in need, some of our programs are as simple as saving empty soda cans to help the Bradford Boy Scout Troop (put in the trash can specially marked in the parish hall), or getting rid of your spare quarters for Heifer International. These quarters go to buy animals for the impoverished, worldwide. Heifer International’s website says “This Is No Ordinary Gift. Giving an animal is like giving someone a small business, providing wool, milk, eggs and more. Animal donations can provide families a hand up, increasing access to medicine, school, food and a sustainable livelihood.” Each time the Heifer tube is full, it is enough for a fourth of the purchase of a heifer, or enough to buy a sheep.

Starting July 17 we are collecting school supplies for Hines School. Not every child shows up for school with the needed supplies. Teachers often use their own resources to fill in the gaps. Shopping for your child? Pick up a couple extra bargains for Hines. We can help by collecting any of the following items: 24 pack Crayons, Ticonderoga #2 pencils, Glue Sticks, Black dry eraser markers, Clorox wipes, washable markers, pink erasers, Wide Rule notebooks, pencil pouches, and hand sanitizer. Bring them to church and we will get them to Hines!

Thanks for your Support!

Make a commitment TODAY to be part of St. Michael’s MERCY Ministry and “May Everyone Receive Christ from You”