Outreach
St. Peter's Mission Statement is "Sharing the love of Jesus; Caring for all". Outreach is definitely a very large part of the life of St. Peter's. A few years ago, an assessment was done to look at our outreach projects and to discover what they had in common. It was very definite that helping children and feeding the hungry were the two main activities that we had been doing for years.
Not only adults but also children and youth are encouraged to participate in one of our many opportunities for community engagement especially in our food security projects, Mobile food pantry, Brenham Housing Authority weekly food pantry and our emergency pantry at our church.
Mobile Drive Through Food Delivery
The Brazos Valley Food Bank brings non-perishable items plus fresh vegetables, fruit and bread on the first Friday of the month to St. Peter's parking lot. With help from St. Peter's volunteers, this food is packaged and distributed to eligible people from 10:30 - noon.
St. Peter's Food Pantry
There is an in-house Emergency Food Pantry to serve people on Monday, Wednesday and Friday who need to supplement their groceries. We turn away no one. Parishioners furnish non-perishable food items to the pantry weekly as a part of their weekly offering in church. When available, we also help pay rent and utility bills through the Rector's discretionary funds.
Brenham Housing Authority Food Pantry
Through a request by the BHA's board, St. Peter's volunteers help to furnish and man a Saturday morning weekly pantry at their Community Center. This pantry is for BHA residents only and they can select the food they need. In the first five weeks it was open, 82 different households were served.
Washington County Food Security Initiative
Carol Peterson, Deacon at St. Peter's, led the organizing of the Brenham Food Security Initiative. A group of mission-minded individuals from various churches, Brenham Independent School District, Bread Partners, and service organizations in Washington County gather monthly to address hunger issues. A need was recognized that although many children qualify for free breakfasts and lunches during the school year, they may not have access to good, healthy food during the summer months. Thirteen churches and other organizations came together on a rotating basis to provide 713 child meals and 118 adult meals during the summer of 2017.
In addition, Friday backpack programs through the Brazos Valley Food Bank (BVFB) were encouraged by the Brenham Food Security Initiative by helping complete paperwork. Currently, all three elementary schools in Brenham now send food home with up to 30 children each week. Since middle schools are not included in the BVFB backpack program, the Food Initiative have furnished 15 meals weekly to Brenham Middle School Friday backpacks there.
Mobile Drive Through Food Delivery
The Brazos Valley Food Bank brings non-perishable items plus fresh vegetables, fruit and bread on the first Friday of the month to St. Peter's parking lot. With help from St. Peter's volunteers, this food is packaged and distributed to eligible people from 10:30 - noon.
Food Pantries
St. Peter's Food Pantry
There is an in-house Emergency Food Pantry to serve people on Monday, Wednesday and Friday who need to supplement their groceries. We turn away no one. Parishioners furnish non-perishable food items to the pantry weekly as a part of their weekly offering in church. When available, we also help pay rent and utility bills through the Rector's discretionary funds.
Brenham Housing Authority Food Pantry
Through a request by the BHA's board, St. Peter's volunteers help to furnish and man a Saturday morning weekly pantry at their Community Center. This pantry is for BHA residents only and they can select the food they need. In the first five weeks it was open, 82 different households were served.
Washington County Food Security Initiative
Carol Peterson, Deacon at St. Peter's, led the organizing of the Brenham Food Security Initiative. A group of mission-minded individuals from various churches, Brenham Independent School District, Bread Partners, and service organizations in Washington County gather monthly to address hunger issues. A need was recognized that although many children qualify for free breakfasts and lunches during the school year, they may not have access to good, healthy food during the summer months. Thirteen churches and other organizations came together on a rotating basis to provide 713 child meals and 118 adult meals during the summer of 2017.
In addition, Friday backpack programs through the Brazos Valley Food Bank (BVFB) were encouraged by the Brenham Food Security Initiative by helping complete paperwork. Currently, all three elementary schools in Brenham now send food home with up to 30 children each week. Since middle schools are not included in the BVFB backpack program, the Food Initiative have furnished 15 meals weekly to Brenham Middle School Friday backpacks there.
Pumpkin and Pizza Party
Right before Halloween, St. Peter's volunteers help provide a pumpkin carving party to the kids who attend the SMART after-school tutoring program at Faith Mission. With additional help from Prairie View A&M students, each child gets a pumpkin to carve and take home. All who are involved find the smiles on the children are contagious and worth every minute of the afternoon.
Thanksgiving Dinner Baskets
Through contributions of food and money from St. Peter's members, around 30 baskets containing turkeys and all the fixings for a Thanksgiving dinner are collected. The baskets are delivered to families who need help providing a meal for Thanksgiving.
Ministry Sunday
Occasionally, St. Peter's members will spend a Sunday not IN church but OUT of church and into the community providing help to various organizations. Examples are providing "Laundry Love" by paying for washing clothes for people who are at a local washateria or helping to build sidewalks at an historical home.
Angel Tree Project
This Christmas project provides presents to children in foster homes. A few weeks before Christmas, members purchase gifts for the children and they are delivered to Child Protective Services.