Outreach

Mission Trip to South Africa
Janet and Gary Clarke went on a Mission Trip to South Africa to work in Emasithandane, an orphanage in Cape Town, during November/December 2011. The Clarkes worked at “Emasi” and created a combined medical and personal record for each child to regularly monitor, and manage the children’s health, medications, and medical appointments. Janet taught basic hygiene, first aid, and parenting skills. Through her work with the MACUCC Mission and Justice Commission, Janet, a retired RN, became acquainted with Tremendous Hearts, a faith based non-profit organization based in Arlington, MA, that provides volunteer professionals to work in South African children’s homes and other agencies to care for orphaned or abused and neglected children. For more information about this charity and its volunteers, visit the Tremendous Heartswebsite.

You can also view photos and stories on the Clarke's BLOG, as well as their Final Report.

Mission Outreach

Day of Service
Day of Service is a community volunteer day where we welcome all to come and serve others and our greater community. In the parable of the good samaritan, Jesus teaches us that our neighbors may be different from us, they may not be who we expect. If we are to truly love our neighbors, we must serve them and lift their burden. Often our lives are so busy that it feels impossible to find the time to volunteer. On this Day of Service, we hope that everyone has a chance to use their skills and talents to assist others. South Church has held this annual Day of Service for 11 years. By welcoming the larger community to come and serve with us, we hope to strengthen the bonds between all our neighbors.

Day of Service 2011 Slideshow (with music)

Communities Together
Communities Together is in need of special attention. Let us remember the importance of “Birthday in a Box”. A small monthly event, but an important reflect on what it means to a child who has their Special Day remembered by a caring community. We can only imagine how this party and recognition may shape a child’s life, and by extension their adult role in society. For more information about other caring missions you support through Communities Together please visit their website at: www.communitiestogether.cfsites.org.

Neighbors in Need
Neighbors in Need, a food pantry that also serves the larger Lawrence community, provides food to hundreds of needy folks each week. Bring nutritious foods such as tuna, beef stew, peanut butter and other staple foods to help fill the red wagons in our narthex each Sunday. It is easy to help a little bit. All of us together can make a difference. The demand for food to help the hungry of Greater Lawrence has increased dramatically and supplies are dangerously low. Neighbors In Need is currently feeding well over 500 families every week! New families arrive at our pantries every day. Summer is always a very difficult time for food pantries. Donations often go down…so many of us are on vacation, schools are not doing food drives…and it is very difficult to keep the food coming. Unfortunately, hunger does not take a vacation. Please help us to refill our pantry.

South Church 300th Mission Outreach Project
South Church has a long tradition of mission and service to others, dating back to its strong support of missionaries, training of ministers at Andover Theological Seminary (now Andover Newton), and dozens of local, national and global missions, around the corner and around the world. Today, we directly support financially many programs and missions.

Youth and Adult Mission Trips
The church helps to sponsor mission trips for South Church youth and adults. Past mission trip destinations have included John’s Island, South Carolina, Appalachia, and rural Vermont.

Bread and Roses
Bread and Roses is a local mission in Lawrence where individuals and families come for a meal five nights a week. Volunteers from South Church participate twice a month – the third Saturday and the fourth Thursday. Jobs include shopping, cooking and serving. You would be scheduled to help a few times a year. It is a wonderful way to help the community while meeting others from South Church. We especially need servers and cooks on the fourth Thursday of every month!

Habitat for Humanity Build Days
The focus of our work thus far has centered on the planned Habitat for Humanity ReStore, which will re-sell donated building supplies, materials and appliances. It is located at the corner of Union Street and Island Street in Lawrence, right on the canal.