The Outreach Ministry at All Saints aims to serve Christ in all Riverside residents, especially where there is suffering, unfairness, or a lack of respect. Participation in community service events can help all to deepen their faith, through service to their neighbors.
Path of Life is supported locally by this parish (see below). Through the outreach ministry, All Saints members also:
- participate in Riverside’s Love Your Neighbor program on homelessness
- participate in the annual Walk to End Homelessness
- learn about and worship with other Christian and non-Christian faith communities
- advocate for best practices by Riverside police
- build bridges with the Riverside black community
- respond to the needs of refugees
- are beginning a relationship with RCC, our-across-the-street neighbors
- advocate for the reduction of gun violence
- work with elected and appointed city and county officials, and with peace builders of all kinds.
An important partner in this work is the Downtown/Magnolia/Brockton pastors’ group.
Upcoming Outreach Events and Opportunities
A weekly calendar of upcoming events and opportunities is published in Sunday’s weekly bulletin, to allow parishioners to participate in this ministry through awareness of where they might be called to support God’s children next. Spearheading this mission is Andrea Briggs, our Minister of Outreach. Please contact her (andreabriggs1@yahoo.com) if you have any questions or suggestions.
Current Ongoing Opportunities
- Taize Meditative Worship: This program is an interfaith approach to worship that uses silence, repetitive chanting, and short readings to encourage a deep reflective experience of the presence of God. Four Riverside churches take turns providing Taize to the community on the second Monday of every month, rotating locations. For more information, contact Bob Davis at bobdavis1@prodigy.net. Check calendar for details.
- Gun Violence: In response to recent gun violence,
- pray to discern God’s will
- Consider connecting on Facebook with the local chapter of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence
- Review the resources of the Episcopal Peace Fellowship (http://epfnational.org/) and its Gun Violence Prevention Action Group
- Participate in upcoming rallies intended to motivate meaningful public action
Path of Life Ministries
Path of Life Ministries operates the family emergency homeless shelter, the men’s and women’s emergency homeless shelter, and the cold-weather shelter. Path of Life also has a rapid rehousing program, permanent supportive housing, and many ancillary services to help people who are getting back on their feet. All Saints helps Path of Life in its work in several ways:
- We provide dinner on two nights each month at the family emergency homeless shelter. For information, please contact Christina Miller (christinawmiller@gmail.com), or Jane Carney (janecarney@gmail.com). We provide Christmas gifts to families being assisted by Path of Life (see The Giving Tree, under Advent activities). To participate, see Paul Johnson (noyyguy2011@gmail.com) or Jim Boyer ( jboyerii@yahoo.com).
- From time to time we contribute clothing, furniture, and household goods to persons moving into permanent housing. To contribute household furniture or furnishings, please contact Lori LaCasse at Path of Life (llacasse@thepathoflife.com). To contribute clothing, please see Jane Carney (janewcarney@gmail.com). When Path of Life cannot take any additional clothing donations, the clothing is given to the Community Settlement House, Arlanza Elementary School, or Goodwill.
There are many types of volunteer opportunities available through Path of Life Ministries. More information is available on their website: thepathoflife.com.
All Saints began a food distribution program starting in June 2020. Food is now being distributed at St Micheal’s Episcopal Church located at 4070 Jackson St. in Riverside, right off Magnolia Ave. This is a weekly event, it is held on Thursdays at 8:30 a.m. Distribution is done by volunteers from the All Saints community and the St. Micheal’s community in the church parking lot. Andrea Briggs explains the program below: