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's
Christmas 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.
