Kathy Garrett
The mission of St. Mark’s Outreach is to be of service, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to the wider community in which we find ourselves, using the time, talents, and treasure with which God has blessed us. To accomplish this mission, we agree to seek out those in need in the community around us to make those needs known and to touch those in need with God’s love and compassion by enlisting the support and involvement of the entire parish family. We take our mission from Matthew 25: 31-46.
We try, as a commission, to keep our eyes, ears, and hearts open to needs of families in our local community. The Outreach Commission members feel blessed to be part of such a giving congregation that is extremely generous and supportive of our various outreach projects.
In 2021, some of our projects were:
Kelly Shelter: Meals were provided at least once a month in a cooperative effort of the Outreach Commission, Food Pantry, and more.
Sock-It-To-Me Sunday: Over 1200 pairs of socks were collected for Maslow Project. Additionally Outreach sent a $200 check for the purchase of blankets.
Diaper Bags: 50 diaper bags were assembled for the clients of the Jackson County Public Health nurses, which included newborn supplies of all types.
Thanksgiving Bags: Bags of supplies for Thanksgiving dinners, including turkeys and all the fixings, were provided for 320 families. These were distributed through the elementary schools, Family Nurturing Center (FNC), the Public Health Clinic, and St. Mark’s Food Pantry clients.
FNC Christmas: Cookies, chocolate, and marshmallows and craft kits were donated for the Family Tradition Bags created by FNC for almost 300 families.
