OUTREACH Ministry – September 2023
Our members include Chris Kollen as lead, Carol Buuck, Phyllis Teager, Patty Clymer, and Laurie Acker.
We would like to welcome Laurie to the Outreach team! She started attending Lord of Grace about a year ago. Laurie is married with three grown kids and a very active puppy named Pesto! We’re looking forward to Laurie joining Outreach!
We are planning new and exciting projects this coming year. If you’d like more information about becoming a member of Outreach, contact Chris Kollen at lizzykollen@comcast.net or at 520-419-7475.
Marana Community Food Bank
The Marana Resource Center would like to request that we collect peanut butter, jam, canned tomato sauce, canned tuna/chicken, mac & cheese, and canned fruits.
The food bank is experiencing a 20% increase in demand over this time last year. Our neighbors are really in need. Let’s be there to give them a hand up, put a smile on their face and show God’s love.
Donated food can be placed in the wooden cabinet located in the Narthex. Please remember that the food bank cannot accept any food items that have been opened/used or expired. Also, please, no glass containers. If you prefer to make cash donations, they are always welcome, and can be mailed to Marana Food Bank, 11134 West Grier Road, Marana, AZ 85653.
Your monetary gift goes a long way. Every $10 helps provide 50 meals.
Hunger Walk 2023
The Community Food Bank is sponsoring 2023 Hunger Walk to raise funds for the food bank. It’s taking place on Saturday September 9th at Kino Sports Complex in Tucson, Quail Creek-Veterans Municipal Park in Sahuarita, or remotely for a 1-mile stroll. For details and to register, go to http://communityfoodbank.org/HungerWalk. There will also be flyers out in the Narthex. Their theme this year is: Get Out, Get Active, and Give Back.
God’s Work/Our Hands Service Projects
Outreach will be offering two projects as part of God’s Work/Our Hands during Rally Day, September 10, 2023. One of the projects is assembling hygiene bags for the homeless. During the month of August, we will be collecting hand wipes, hand sanitizer, socks, toothpaste, toothbrushes, shampoo, disposable razors, sunscreen, small Kleenex packs, band-aids, and lip balm. A flyer on what we are collecting and a collection box has been placed in the Narthex.
The second project will be making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for Sister José Women’s Center. Sister Jose aids and transforms the lives of women experiencing homelessness. Their low-barrier day center provides unaccompanied women who are unhoused with a stable and safe environment to recuperate from the daily struggle of homelessness and extreme poverty. This will be the third year we’ve provided sandwiches for Sister Jose, they are very thankful for the help.
Butler’s Pantry is Open! – A Partnership with Roadrunner Elementary
After a busy spring and summer of sorting and organizing donated clothing, hygiene items, housewares and food, Butler’s Pantry has been opened for business!! Lord of Grace volunteers have spent the last 6 months working with Roadrunner Elementary in the Marana Unified School District to create a wonderful community resource center that is located on the school campus at 16651 Calle Carmella in Marana.
Butler’s Pantry is a very special place as it is named after a dear school employee, Mary Butler. Mary was the Health Aide at Roadrunner for many years and someone who always looked after the needs of Roadrunner students and families. She passed away a couple of years ago and it is in her generous spirit that this new resource center was born!
Butler’s Pantry was opened for the first time on Monday August 21st!
Lord of Grace volunteers are needed to work one Monday evening and one Saturday morning along with two additional school days each month. We will also be collecting specific items that we see are needed as the year moves along. If you are interested in helping volunteer with this ongoing outreach project please give Phyllis Teager a call or email. 520-906-1837 pteager3@comcast.net You can also check out the volunteer sign-up schedule and pictures of the pantry on the bulletin board near the fellowship hall.
Christmas Shoe Boxes 🡪 Lutheran World Relief’s Baby Care Kits
Lord of Grace has participated in Samaritan’s Purse Christmas Shoe Boxes for several years, with Tim and Mary Murphy organizing the drive. Thank you, Tim and Mary! During the strategic planning process, the Outreach team reviewed each organization we partner with to make sure they are in alignment with Lord of Grace values. After discussion and reviewing their website, we decided that Christmas Shoe Boxes is not in alignment with LOG’s values. We have decided to discontinue our partnership with Samaritan’s Purse. We will replace Samaritan’s Purse with another organization and have decided to support Lutheran World Relief, http://www.lwr.org. They have three drives that they sponsor – Baby Care Kits, Personal Care Kits, School Kits, and Fabric Kits. For the month of October, we’ll be collecting items for the Baby Care Kits. The list of what is needed will be available in the October newsletter and as a flyer in the Narthex starting in October.