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Outreach Committee
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The Outreach Committee was created in 1989 to oversee St. John s various outreach efforts on behalf of all members of the Church. The Committee seeks to support persons, organizations and situations in demonstrable need and to express the Parish s uniquely Christian role in the community. Every event at St. John s contributes a portion of its net profit to the efforts of the Outreach Committee in wider to widen the scope and strength of the Church s outreach.
Established along with the Committee was the St. John s Fund, administered by the Town of Washington Social Worker, to offer financial assistance to Washington residents faced with an emergency.
In 2009, St. John s Outreach mission was expanded to include the Judea Garden, founded by members of the Parish. St. John s Church continues to support the Judea Garden, providing it with management and administrative services and financial support as well as volunteer workers and gardeners from among its parishioners.
In addition to its annual sustaining support of the St. John s Fund and the Judea Garden, the Outreach Committee, individually and collectively, regularly contributes to many local organizations, including the food pantries in Torrington and Waterbury, Connecticut, and Waterbury Child and Family Services.
For I was hungry, and ye gave me meat:
I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink:
I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
Naked and ye clothed me:
I was in prison and ye came unto me.
St. Matthew xv: 35-36
JUDEA GARDEN was founded in 2009, by parishioners of St. John s seeking to expand their outreach to the community in these difficult economic times. A quote from Jonathan Winthrop, one of the pilgrim fathers, spoken upon landing at Plymouth, was their inspiration.
We must delight in each other,
make others conditions our own,
rejoyce together , labour and suffer together,
always having before our eyes our community
as members of the same body.
The goal was to provide fresh produce for members of our community with limited financial resources, and also to give volunteers an opportunity to assist their neighbors during hard times.
The original garden, measuring 65 feet x 125 feet, has grown into two gardens, Judea Garden at Macricostas Preserve and one on private land. Judea Garden has literally blossomed as a result of donations of time and equipment, and the adoption of crops by more than 100 individuals, schools, churches, civic organizations and businesses under the superb management of Denise Arturi, the Master Gardener.
In the two growing seasons since 2009, nearly four tons of produce has been given to over 150 families in Washington, New Milford and surrounding communities. With community help, the garden will continue to grow.
THE HAITI PROJECT
Answering the call for every Parish to contribute to the effort of rebuilding the Trinity Cathedral complex in Port au Prince, including a medical facility, college, school, convent and Diocesan House and bishop s residence, as well as Trinity Cathedral itself, St. John s partnered with the Vassar Haiti Project for a three-day Auction and Sale of Haitian Art and Crafts.
Following on the success of thateffort,the Outreach Committee plans to continue its collaboration with the Vassar project and is planning a hands on working visit to Haiti in 2012.
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