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Outreach
Called to community
with all God's people, we seek to care for God's broken and needy
world through a variety of ministries.
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Atlanta's homeless number in the thousands; each night between 100 and 500 men sleep at a former car dealership at the corner of Peachtree and Pine streets known as the Peachtree Pine Shelter. Sponsored by the Task Force for the Homeless, this shelter can only provide meals when volunteers prepare and bring them. Epiphany serves dinner on the third Friday of each month, an effort that requires shoppers, cooks, food deliverers, servers and a clean-up crew. The rewards of this ministry are great.
Epiphany participates in a similar ministry at Hagar's House. This is a much smaller shelter for women and their children sponsored by Decatur Cooperative Ministry. Several weeks each year, Epiphany provides a good supper for the thirty guests, and other parishioners volunteer as overnight hosts, trainers, and resource guides.
In addition to these ministries, Epiphany participates in several ongoing avenues of service. The Decatur Emergency Assistance Ministry (DEAM), open weekdays, provides food, utility assistance, and guidance to walk-in clients. Volunteers sort and distribute food, answer phones, and serve clients. Epiphany contributes food, household products and volunteers year-round to this important part of the local community safety net for individuals and families. The Decatur Cooperative Ministry, (DCM), is a consortium of more than thirty churches that sponsors a variety of ministries of service, worship, and education. Volunteers serve as trainers, baby-sitters, and teachers to help the homeless get back on their feet. The Initiative for Affordable Housing (IAH) provides long term housing for families through the purchase and management of apartment complexes in the metropolitan area. Beginning with the Katrina Relief efforts, Epiphany assisted several displaced families in the Fall, 2005 and continues a strong relationship with IAH, today. Epiphany works with Emmaus House in their established Family Christmas Campaign, to contribute, organize, and participate in delivering gifts to needy families.
Assistance is provided to Refugee Families, including delivery of donated items, language tutoring, job search, transportation and general help as needed. New families are sponsored as we are able to provide funds, furnishings, and guidance. Annual Mission Trips give teams from Epiphany the chance to learn new skills and make new friends in construction service projects in Latin America and in the life recovery work of Episcopal Relief & Development and Lutheran/Episcopal Services in Mississippi at Camp Coast Care in Long Beach, MS.
If you would like to learn more about OR participate in one of these ministries, look for sign up sheets in the Gallery, or contact vestry member, Sherry Wallace or the parish office at 404.373.8338. |
