MISSION STATEMENT of ST. BARTHOLOMEW
PEACE AND JUSTICE MINISTRY
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The Peace and Justice Ministry recognizes the Church as the Body of Christ.
- The goal of Peace and Justice Ministry is to provide leadership to St. Bartholomew parishioners to help them witness the Good News of Jesus Christ.
- Through education, prayer, reflection and direct communication, it helps parishioners to be effective in communities at local, national, and international levels, thereby enabling them to achieve meaningful and effective social action.
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May 2020 Upcoming Events and Opportunities
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Please watch for announcements at this time regarding public meetings. All dates and meetings are currently subject to change. Be safe and be well!
MEETING SCHEDULE AND PUBLICATION SCHEDULE
- Peace and Justice Meetings are the third Wednesday of each month, and as always all are welcome to attend. We meet in a lower level meeting room at St. Bartholomew.
- Peace and Justice Newsletter will be published monthly, reflecting ministry news and reports from the meetings and presentations.
May 20 Peace & Justice general and team meetings 7 PM
- St. Bartholomew Church Lower Level
- Meetings are otherwise scheduled for Third Wednesday of the month
- Teams: Programming, Communications, Finance and Grants
- All are welcome to attend and become involved!
May 16/17 Fair Trade Sales
temporarily suspended, refer to electronic church bulletin
- coffee, tea, chocolate
- after all four Masses
- benefits after-school tutoring at St. Anne Parish, teacher salaries and snacks.
Sundays Weekly Hot Meal Site 4 - 6 pm, Meal Site Teams -
meals are grab-and-go, volunteers needed
Sundays Women's Jail Ministry visits 1 - 3 pm, classes 6 - 8 pm
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Themes of Catholic Social Teachings by The United States Conference
of Catholic Bishops:
Option for the Poor and Vulnerable
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Catholic Social Teaching (CST) is an important part of our Catholic faith, and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops states "A basic moral test is how our most vulnerable members are faring. In a society marred by deepening divisions between rich and poor, our tradition recalls the story of the Last Judgment (
Mt 25:31-46
) and instructs us to put the needs of the poor and vulnerable first."
Further, this teaching is intended to fulfill the promise of a community of believers, not to categorize people into classes of relative riches or poverty;
"
The primary purpose of this special commitment to the poor is to enable them to become active participants in the life of society. It is to enable all persons to share in and contribute to the common good. The "option for the poor," therefore, is not an adversarial slogan that pits one group or class against another. Rather it states that the deprivation and powerlessness of the poor wounds the whole community. The extent of their suffering is a measure of how far we are from being a true community of persons. These wounds will be healed only by greater solidarity with the poor and among the poor themselves. (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops,
Economic Justice for All
, no. 88)
In this spirit, we are called upon by faith to assist globally and locally, with local needs at a particular high at this time. Please see where your time, talents, and treasures may help. All who can spare a few hours or $5 will find great benefit in the services of Love Chapel, our focus this month.
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Life is an opportunity,
benefit from it.
Life is beauty, admire it.
Life is a dream, realize it.
Life is a challenge, meet it.
Life is a duty, complete it.
Life is a game, play it.
Life is a promise, fulfill it.
Life is sorrow, overcome it.
Life is a song, sing it.
Life is a struggle, accept it.
Life is a tragedy, confront it.
Life is an adventure, dare it.
Life is luck, make it.
Life is life, fight for it."
Mother Teresa
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The Peace and Justice Ministry actively and financially supports the Ecumenical Assembly of Bartholomew County Churches and its outreach agency Love Chapel. In these very challenging and difficult times for individuals and families, we ask that you assist in some way for the first time, or add to your continuing generosity.
Love Chapel provides:
- Monthly Pantry Visits
- Monthly Mobile Pantries
- Weekly Care Packages with Sustainable Food
- Nightly Hot Meals
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TOP TEN ACTIONS IN SUPPORT OF LOVE CHAPEL
DURING THE PANDEMIC CRISIS
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- Prayers and daily intentions truly do help! Thank you!
- A friendly phone call to those in need, and those who are alone, can make a big difference in someone's life in isolation.
- Contribute food during the Food Parade Friday, May 16. Donate anywhere along the parade route! Route and details coming soon.
- Volunteer to pack food boxes inside Love Chapel, daily shifts available.
- Volunteer to make home deliveries to the shut-ins.
- Contribute to the special collection being gathered daily at the St. Bartholomew Church Office.
- Help The Hungry – One Meal at a Time: see below
- Contribute staple foods and needed cleaning supplies to The Blessings Box, a donation station located at First Christian Church Youth Center.
- Step up, go above and beyond, when the second collection in August is intended for Ecumenical Assembly and Love Chapel. The need will extend for many months, and their reserves will need to be replenished.
- And importantly, engage your friends, family, coworkers and neighbors in this all-important work to support our whole community.
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Have you ever experienced true hunger—not being hungry, but going days without eating?
Would it bother you to hear that there are families right here in Bartholomew County who go days without eating?
Did you know that:
$5
can provide a meal for a family of four?
$20
can feed a family of four for two full days?
$75
can feed a family of four for a week?
$300
can feed a family of four for a month?
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Help the Hungry—One Meal at a Time
"FOR I WAS HUNGRY AND YOU GAVE ME SOMETHING TO EAT…..."
The COVID-19 virus has been a physically destructive agent, causing illness, and sometimes death. But just as assuredly, this virus has been financially destructive as well. Today in Bartholomew County, there are individuals who have nothing to eat, and no way to get food. People with no safety net, no food, and no money.
Love Chapel serves these families through monthly pantry visits, weekly Cares packs, Mobile Pantries, Daily Hot Meals, and meals for the Homeless. The demand is soaring and we are seeing many new families who have no where else to turn. Many families who will go unfed without your help.
Would you consider a gift to Help Feed the Hungry—we need your help to continue this vital mission. The need is growing and we will see record numbers of hungry families over the next year. Please click on the Donate Button on our website and select “Help the Hungry.” Your gift is tax deductible and will be used to provide food resources to the many who are struggling in our community.
Mother Teresa once said: “If you can’t feed a hundred people, then just feed one.”
You can make the difference for someone today.
Send checks to
LOVE CHAPEL, 311 Center Street, Columbus, IN 47201
Or go to :https://lovechapel-bartholomew.org/ to donate!
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Friends of Haiti
Follow the group that recently visited Haiti on a mission trip:
Stay tuned for word of the annual Hotter Than Haiti ride in July.
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Follow the latest news from Brighter Days, Love Chapel, volunteer opportunities, and the status of procuring life-sustaining supplies at the food pantry on the Facebook Page:
https://lovechapel-bartholomew.org/
Phone 812.372.9421
Email:
executivedirector@columbuslovechapel.com
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We Are The Peace & Justice Ministry
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- Chairperson Donna Keogh
- Programming Team: Steve Audretch
- Grants & Finance Team: David Harpenau
- Communications Team: Jan Banister
- Blood Drive: Greg Scherschel, coordinator
- Next drive Fall 2020
- Voter Registration: Steve Audretch coordinator
- Next drive late Spring 2020
- Ecumenical Assembly: Theresa Baugh
- Pro-Life: Kelley Snoddy
- Giving Tree: Theresa Westerfeld, coordinator
- Meal Site: Susan Chandler,
- Sundays 4-6 PM
- Friends of Haiti: Judy Harpenau, liaison
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- Bread for the World Offering of Letters: Rachel Rice coordinator
- Next campaign April/May 2020.
- Bread for the World, Fr. Marty Peter, Convener
- Second Tuesdays 7 PM at First Presbyterian Church
- Indiana Abolition Coalition: Donna Keogh, liaison
- St. Vincent de Paul: David and Hilary Baker, liaisons
- Women's Jail Ministry: Nancy Audretch, liaison
- Family Self Sufficiency: Jan Banister coordinator, plans for 2020 underway
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St. Bartholomew Hot Meal Site
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There is a hot meal provided in our community through Ecumenical Assembly each evening. On Sunday evenings the meal site is Saint Bartholomew School cafeteria.
The meal site coordinator for our parish, Susan Chandler, is hopeful that more teams and individuals will consider assisting with meals. Info here:
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Sun 5pm-6pm
- SAINT BARTHOLOMEW CATHOLIC CHURCH
Mon 5pm-6pm
- FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
Mon 5pm-6pm
Tues 5pm-6pm
Wed 5pm-6pm
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Thurs 4:30pm-5pm
Fri 5pm-6pm
- FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
4th Fri 6pm-7pm
Sat 4pm-5pm (excluding the 3rd Sat)
2nd Sat 11:30am-12:30pm
- OGILVILLE CHRISTIAN CHURCH
3rd Sat 4pm-5pm
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