Community Outreach
In keeping with the mission of St. Stephen’s Church, the Service Committee seeks to help individuals in need, locally through Sycamore Collaborative and local schools and agencies, and nationally and throughout the world through Episcopal Relief & Development. Our objective is to put our Christian intentions into action in our community by enlisting the personal effort of our members.
Sycamore Collaborative
Sycamore Collaborative has many areas of service for those in need. Two members of St. Stephen’s serve as delegates to the Sycamore Collaborative assemblies, and our parishioners help regularly at the food pantry. Parishioners are invited to donate food, personal care, cleaning items, children’s books, toiletries, and small household goods each week in a basket located in the nave extension to be distributed to local organizations. Our volunteers also support the Summer Lunch Program.
Crop Walk
The annual Schenectady CROP Walk is held in the early afternoon on the first Sunday of May each year. This is a 5 KM (about 3.1 miles) walk to raise money to relieve hunger. Schenectady’s walk is one of the largest in the state, raising over $50,000 each year.
From the Church World Service website: “CROP Hunger Walks help to support the overall ministry of Church World Service, especially the grassroots, hunger-fighting development efforts of partner agencies in some 80 countries.”
Street Soldiers
Schenectady Street Soldiers serves approximately 100+ people in need each Sunday at 4:00 pm at Zion Lutheran Church. Our parishioners help prepare bagged lunches during coffee hour, after Sunday service for Street Soldiers. Our parishioners have also volunteered at Zion Lutheran to help distribute food.
Episcopal Relief & Development
Episcopal Relief & Development is the compassionate response of The Episcopal Church to human suffering in the world. Hearing God’s call to seek and serve Christ in all persons and to respect the dignity of every human being. Episcopal Relief and Development serves to bring together the generosity of Episcopalians and others with the needs of the world. It provides relief in times of disaster and promotes sustainable development by identifying and addressing the root causes of suffering. St. Stephen’s raises money for Episcopal Relief and Development each year during Advent and Lent, and in response to natural disasters.
Episcopal Relief and Development
MoonBee Project
Our parishioners meet to help create MoonCatcher Kits. MoonCatchers are washable, reusable menstrual pads; they help girls stay in school, get an education and participate fully in their communities.
