Social ActionIntroducing the Social Action
Ministry Team.
In 2006, Trinity Church members organized to form the Social
Action Ministry Team. We sought to educate, challenge, encourage, and provide
opportunities for the congregation to demonstrate Christ's response to social
needs and injustices, and thus move people toward Christ. Social Action Ministry
(SAM) was organized as an "umbrella group," providing flexibility for
persons to pursue their own interests and to recruit others to help. It also
serves as a clearinghouse–a general knowledge base that congregation members
with ideas for service can approach for support.
In keeping with its mission, and with leadership and support
from the congregation, SAM involves the Church in projects such as Habitat for
Humanity, Winnie's Place, and ELCA's "Good Gifts" fair, as well as
continues its involvement with Prison Ministry, Adult Education, and various
food raising programs. SAM's subcommittee, Earth Keepers, continues its
partnership with St. John's with environmental issues. Earth Keepers instituted
a recycle program, contributes articles for the Visitor, and provides guidance
for worship and liturgy.
We invite Trinity members to participate in the Social Action
Ministry Team for either short term or long-term projects, and we encourage your
ideas for new projects and input on current projects.
The Social Action Ministry Team meets the
first Tuesday of each month at 7:00 pm.
Hunger
Ministry
Churches United Meal sites
In 2010 Trinity has served over 250 meals at two
Churches United meal sites in the Quad Cities: the Salvation Army in Davenport
and Hope UCC in Moline. Our next meal site dates are June 13 at the Hope UCC
and July 6 at the Salvation Army. If you are interested in serving on either
of these dates, please contact Theresa Scott.
Christian Friendliness Food Pantry
Non perishable food items can be brought to the church
and left in the grocery cart in Founders Hall at any time. The food is taken to
the Christian Friendliness Food Pantry in Moline.
Christian Friendliness provided food to 257 families during March. Thank
you for your support!
ELCA World Hunger Appeal
Members of Trinity Lutheran have donated over $3,075 to
the ELCA World Hunger Appeal so far this year! Giving to the ELCA World Hunger
program is an effective way to provide nourishment and education to the hungry
around the world and in our country. The
program seeks to address the root causes of hunger and poverty by providing
relief, education and development programs. ELCA World Hunger envelopes are
mailed with your Visitor or are available in the pew racks. Please keep using
those envelopes.
KIDS AGAINST HUNGER
JOIN US!
Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Join Hands Day Project
Saturday,
June 19th, 9 AM to 12 NOON
Augustana
College, Pepsico Center
We need
your help to package meals and to financially support this event. Thrivent
Financial for Lutherans (East Rock Island County) has contributed $550 to this
event, but more funds are needed to help feed many more children and families
locally and globally.
It costs
Kids Against Hunger - Your Quad Cities about 25˘ to buy the ingredients,
packaging, and shipping for each meal. That means when a cargo container
(285,120 meals) is shipped to a country, it includes $71,280 worth of food. As a
nonprofit organization Kids Against Hunger raises all its funds from the
generosity of individual donors, corporations, churches, synagogues, and
foundations. Put simply, the more money we receive from donors, the more
children we can feed.
A team of
12 volunteers at $32 each, can package 1,500 meals in 45 minutes. The modest $32
donations add up.
Please
contact Robyn Graham 309-269-6500 or the church office 309-762-3624 to make a
monetary donation.
Some
of the Social Action Ministry Team's Past Activities...
In February, 12 folks from Trinity packed meals for
children in Haiti. We had collected $545 so we were able to provide 2000 meals.
Trinity has so far donated $2,750 to the Haitian relief fund.
For adult education, we provided
speakers from Lutheran Social Services of Illinois, Habitat for Humanity, Robert
Young Center, and Winnie's Place. In conjunction with Thrivent Builds, we raised
funds and provided workers and meals for the Habitat for Humanity program. . We
raised
money and supplies for Winnie's Place, the women and children's homeless shelter. We
participated
in Trinity's Advent program that provided blankets for Douglas Park Place, a drug
rehabilitation program in Rock Island. Our Earth Keepers team
continued its involvement with St. John's with environmental issues and facilitated
a recycle program for Trinity. Hosted a Quad City Labyrinth Project
"Peace Walk".
 Along
with congregation members, we continued Trinity's involvement in the Prison Ministry
program (see below).
MINISTRY to INMATESWhat do Karen Zweifel,
Marie Darby, Irma French, Fran Johnson, Betty Peterson, Alice Groene, Judy Dwyer,
Karlene Young, Karen Anderson, Pat Kleinsmith and Kay Allen have in common? Add
to that list some sainted members, Pastor Knapp and Kathy Langholf. All
of these folks have been a part of Trinity's ministry to the inmates at Dixon
since 1994. Some years we have gone once, some twice, but we would like enough
volunteers to make at least three visits. What do we do? The second and
fourth Thursday of the month, we leave Trinity at about 10:30, have lunch, arrive
at the prison at 1:00 and be ready to present to a group of 20-25 wonderful men
at 1:30. We are not searched and are always very comfortable. We do a craft, have
a short devotion, sing, pray, and are on our way home by 2:45. Many of
the volunteers have said, " I get more than I give." LSSI and the Northern
Illinois Synod sponsor this program. Groups from various churches go every second
and fourth Thursday of the month. Many churches have men and women in their groups
and more men from Trinity would be especially valuable. Does this sound
like something for you? We would welcome some new volunteers. Even if you aren't
able to go, helping with a craft project is greatly appreciated. Please contact
the church office (309-762-3624) or speak with Judy Rullman if you feel called
to this ministry.
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