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St. Alban’s reinvigorates outreach ministry by inviting members to share their passions

Richard Huelbig and Jeanne Sylvester, with their dog Daisy.
By: 
The Rev. Kathryn King and Jeanne Sylvester

St. Alban’s in Oakland/Franklin Lakes has a long tradition of Outreach Ministry, but as the congregation has evolved and new members have joined us, we were finding that, to some extent, we were trying to recruit volunteers to carry on the ministries that had been important to the parish in a different time of its life.

It’s hard to say, “That ministry has run its course here and it is time to let others take it up while we move on to different ministries.” To support the transition, as well as to help people claim as ministry the causes they are involved in outside the “umbrella” of St. Alban’s, we have been encouraging folks to “put a face” on their causes by telling their stories, sharing their experiences and passions, and inviting others to participate.

St. Alban’s member Jeanne Sylvester, who serves on the board of the animal support group God’s Creatures Ministry, put a face on that local cause by writing about it for St. Alban’s newsletter and arranging for several other members of the group to join her in making a presentation to the congregation on St. Francis Sunday.

Along with the presentation, we took up a collection to support God’s Creatures Ministry’s Hope for Strays program, which provides food and medical care for stray cats in managed colonies. In addition, Youth Missioner Megan Kendall also hosted a dog treat baking party to raise funds for this program.

We have done this with other members’ causes as well. One example is Table of Friends, which hosts a luncheon for developmentally disabled adults who live in residential care. It was started by long-time members Paula Hoffman and her daughter Stefanie. Stefanie lives at Spectrum for Living, a residential community for adults with varies disabilities with centers throughout Northern NJ. Table of Friends is now a huge success, bringing 60 or so adults and their staff and caregivers to St. Alban’s and involving close to thirty St. Alban’s members, both children and adults. We offer lunch, activities, fellowship and music in a three-hour event held after the main service on three or four Sundays throughout the year.

Another example is the congregation’s support of the work of member Dr. Cindy Steele, a pediatric hematologist who co-founded a medical mission. Each year the mission goes to a different country to teach techniques to the local doctors, and brings instruments to leave with them so they can continue to offer the procedures. A couple years ago, Dr. Steele made a presentation at St. Alban’s before her trip; we raised money for some instruments, and then had a blessing of the instruments and a commissioning of Dr. Steele in church. When Dr. Steele returned from the trip, she gave a follow-up presentation.

Donations of cat food continue to be accepted at St. Alban’s for God’s Creatures Ministry. In addition, St. Alban’s will host its largest fundraiser for the year, a “Gentle Thanksgiving Dinner” on Saturday, November 21. This vegetarian dinner will be prepared by a professional chef, with the youth group doing set up and clean up.