The following
outreach ministries are long-lived traditions at St.
Alban's, some longer than others. They are all
projects where anyone and everyone can and sometimes
does get involved. Each is a highly rewarding
program with a win-win outcome.
The recipients are fulfilled in many ways, and our
parishioners are certainly fulfilled as well.
Bridging the Gap
Bridging the Gap is
an intergenerational outreach ministry
for the children of St. Alban's. The children from each
parish family, accompanied by at least one parent, visit
residents in the Skilled Care units at Dunwoody Village,
White Horse Village and The Quadrangle several times a
year. Young and old meet in the Activities Room for
interaction and exchange, learning and sharing. The
youngsters often make special crafts in Sunday School to
take to their friends when they visit. The Activities
Directors usually plan craft projects in which all can
participate. Sometimes the children provide special
entertainment for the residents. Everyone enjoys
refreshments together before departure.
Christmas
Project
This annual holiday
tradition is one in which St. Alban's parishioners,
friends and families have participated for many years,
by generously providing gifts to the needy. We are
provided lists by Episcopal Community Services, the
human service agency of the Episcopal Diocese of PA, of
homebound elders and homeless children. St. Alban'sChristmas
Project gives
many of us an opportunity during this special season of
the year to put a smile on the face of a child, a teen,
or perhaps a bedridden elder who has received a pretty
new robe.
Connect by Night
Connect by Night is
one of several programs sponsored by the Mental Health
Association of Southeastern Pennsylvania. During the
month of August each year St. Alban's provides overnight
shelter to approximately 40 homeless individuals from
the SE Pennsylvania area, transported to us by van. They
sleep on the floor of our air-conditioned parish hall on
bed rolls provided through the CBN program, under the
supervision of CBN personnel. Each evening a team of
parish volunteers comes in and prepares snacks and bag
breakfasts for our "guests," using food that is donated
by local retailers, as well as by parishioners.
Life Center of
Eastern Delaware County
This homeless
rehabilitation center, located at 63rd and Market
Streets in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, aids clients in
their search for dignity and independence. The Center is
available to all persons who, through a myriad of
personal circumstances, find themselves homeless and who
have at some point in the immediate past lived in
Delaware County. St. Alban's provides a complete dinner
and bag lunches three times a year for the Life
Center. A group of parishioners, sometimes with help
of friends and family, will prepare a meal of their
choice to feed 200 (taking into account seconds and
thirds). Local retailers are always generous with
donations toward the meals. We also prepare 120 bag
lunches, which are given to the clients after dinner to
take with them for late-night snacks.
Martha
Ministries
Martha Ministries is
a parish inreach ministry
to provide meals to families upon the death of a loved
one who are laden with grief and funeral preparations,
to those who are recuperating from long-term illness, or
to those who have just come out of the hospital after
surgery or illness.
People's
Emergency Center
St. Alban's sponsors an Adopt-a-Room program
at PEC in West Philadelphia. We pay a rental fee for the
room out of an outreach endowment fund to cover upkeep
and utilities. St. Alban's parishioners donate all of
the contents of the Welcome
Kit for
new occupants (mother and child[ren]) to help them set
up "housekeeping." Then we continue donating what they
need in the way of clothing and toiletries -- or make
cash donations so these items can be purchased -- until
they are able to move on to greater independence and
self-sufficiency. Meanwhile, parishioners continue
dropping items in the PEC bin for the next Welcome
Kit.
Facility
Usage
For a very nominal
fee, St. Alban's provides meeting space to a number
of community self-help/support groups, as listed
below with their meeting days and times. Feel free
to call the church office for contact information
for a particular organization (610-356-0459).
Alcoholics
Anonymous Monday
8:00 p.m.
Alcoholics
Anonymous - STEP Wednesday
8:00 p.m.
Debtors
Anonymous Wednesday
7:30 p.m.
Narcotics
Anonymous Friday
7:30 p.m.
The Seniors of
Newtown Square, a
large local community group, meets at St. Alban's on
the second and fourth Mondays of each month at 1:30
p.m., again for a nominal fee. St. Alban's Quilters,
who welcome community participants, meet
every Friday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. St.
Alban's Model Railroaders (StARR),
whose ministry continues to grow, meet every
Thursday at 7:30 p.m. Again, feel free to call the
church office for information about any of these
groups (610-356-0459).
The Yaerim
Presbyterian Church meets every Sunday from 1-5:00
p.m., for worship, Sunday School classes, adult
education, and various and sundry other activities
during those four hours. St. Alban's is pleased to
be able to give Pastor Yong Sun Park and his Korean
congregation a church home each Sunday afternoon.
For information, call Pastor Park at 610-734-0865 or
on his cell phone, 610-931-9431.
The Valley Forge
Chorus, a chapter of Sweet Adelines International,
rehearses at St. Alban's every Tuesday evening and
some Saturdays. For information on this group of
all-female voices who sing strictly a cappella, you
may email the president Gail Allebach: gballebach@verizon.net.
