OUTREACH
Advent / Christmas Outreach
Each year, our parish sponsors an outreach project. In recent years, we sponsored families, purchasing new coats, clothing, gift cards and toys for each member of both families.
Alcoholics Anonymous
St. John's provides a meeting room in the parish hall each week for a 12 step AA meeting, which is held at 7:30 pm each Thursday evening. There is also an AA Big Book meeting at 7:00 pm each Sunday, also in the parish hall.
Church Periodical Club
A penny jar for loose change is available in the rear of the church. Proceeds go to the Church Periodical Club for the purchase of books for those in need.
Church School Outreach
Our Church School is involved in several Outreach programs, such as the Wish Tree Project at Christmas, which collects gifts for less fortunate children, and the Lenten Project, which raises money for Episcopal Relief and Development. The Church School has collected back-to-school items and sponsored clothing drives for the homeless.
Episcopal Church Women (ECW)
The dedicated members of ECW at St. John's meet regularly on the first Monday of each month for fellowship and for the good and welfare of our church, locally, the Diocese, and even world-wide. They hold fund raisers during the year to benefit the parish and encourage parish-wide contributions to the United Thank Offering, Mission Outreach, and Student Service awards. They have ongoing outreach projects such as the Caring and Sharing food collection, delivered once a month to the county distribution food pantry. They collected toiletries for needy people, and school supplies for needy students locally and outside our parish. The ECW is an important, dynamic force at St. John’s.
Homeless Outreach
St. John’s provides clothing and meals to the needy at St. Paul’s Church in Camden every 4th Sunday of the month with five weeks. Our Sunday School also collects shoeboxes, filled with toiletries for a man, a woman or a child.
Tools for Schools
Each summer, we ask parish members to buy a school backpack and fill it with school supplies for a child of any age. Filled backpacks and supplies are given to be distributed to area schools and shelters, where they are given to needy children.
Pet Outreach
Homeless pets need help, too! Donations of food, litter, sheets, blankets and towels, as well as pet carriers and toys, are collected throughout the year and given to local animal shelters.
Senior Citizens United Community Services (SCUCS)
St. John's posts a list of canned meat, vegetables, fruit and other items needed. Cash donations are accepted, as well. Everything collected is given to SCUCS to help stock food packages and to enable staff to purchase extras for senior citizens in need.
The Unforgotten Haven is a South Jersey non-profit organization whose mission is to help the less fortunate. This help takes many forms—feeding the homeless, assisting victims of house fires, collecting supplies for veterans and much more. The Unforgotten Haven is 100% supported by donations. There is a bulletin board in the parish hall updated with on going projects.