Outreach at St. Mary's: Our Mission

The mission of the St. Mary's Outreach Committee is to be the Body of Christ in a hurting world.  Many opportunities are provided through the St. Mary's community to deliver help to our neighbors in need. The Outreach Committee should strive to discern knowledge of God's will for us, while advancing God's work on earth, through prayer, examination, education, activity, consensus and cooperation, faithful stewardship and a sharing of talents and resources. St. Mary's has a strong commitment to building relationships beyond the parish with those in need.

Outreach assistance at St. Mary's may take many forms, including spiritual, financial, material or physical aid. The Outreach Committee acts as facilitator for individuals and the St. Mary's community in performing daily Christian ministry, avoiding replication of, and providing enhancement for, existing services.

The St. Mary's Outreach Committee is an advisory committee to the Vestry, it includes both voting and non-voting members. All parishioners are invited to attend Outreach Committee meetings that are listed in the church calendar and announced in advance in the Sunday bulletin. Additional information is posted on the bulletin board in the Paca Parish Hall.

In thanksgiving for all of God's gifts, 14% of our annual income is designated for outreach ministry. Another 11% of our annual income is designated for the support of the ministries of the Diocese of Virginia and the Episcopal Church. As individuals and as a congregation we seek to share our gifts and talents with those around us. A very active Outreach Committee that seeks to support all parishioners by reaching out in corporate and individual ways guides St. Mary’s outreach programs. 

Outreach at St. Mary's: Our Prayer 

Lord, tell us what we are called to be.  We want to heed your call to go out into the world and help our neighbors, but which ones - now, today - should it be?  Let us be motivated by love, not by guilt.  And let us not rest in that shallow place, thinking of ourselves as good people doing worthy projects, but let us strike out for new ground often.  It is right that we should get people excited about your work and it is right that we should be prepared to be uncomfortable, at least some of the time.  But save us from the vanity of project management.  Teach our hearts to know that it is in service and in friendship with others that we carry out your mission.  Let us be drawn into long term commitments that take more from us than our money and our time and our cleverness - and into that which will change us utterly.  We wish to draw closer to you, O Father.  Show us this day the hidden ways to You, and to the work that will not happen without us.  Let us be patient and trust in you.  Amen.
                                                                                                                            A Prayer for Outreach by Jonathan Barton