Assistance to the Needy:
We provide financial aid to the needy for shelter,
power, food, and medical care, in cooperation with the Salvation
Army.
Cary
Adult Home Christmas Party: Abingdon
volunteers provide the residents of the Carey home with a Christmas
Party including party favors, sweets and beverages, and choruses of
Christmas Carols.
Cary
Adult Home Ice Cream Social: Periodically,
Abingdon Outreach provides parties or other social activities for
local organizations. One such event was the Ice Cream Social
in June 2010.
Christmas
is Everyday: Throughout
the year, the parishioners at Abingdon support and share God's
love with our military service members by sending Christmas
wrapped packages to military members deployed around the
globe. Abingdon volunteers obtain,
Christmas wrap, and mail packages containing personal hygiene,
recreation, and daily use items to service members deployed to
places such as Iraq,
Afghanistan & the Horn of Africa. Our
hope is that this little glimpse of the love we all share at
Christmas time will remind our brave military men and women how
much we love, respect, and honor them and the sacrifices they
make.
Fellowship
Gatherings: We participate in numerous
fellowship gatherings that involve us coming together as a community
of worship. All of these gatherings are open to
attendance by visitors and guests. Examples of these special
activities and events are the annual Fall Oyster Roast, the Spring
Pig Roast, Lenten Soup suppers, Sunday Coffee Hour, Potato Bars
after Sunday worship, meetings of our youth, men's group, and many
more. In other words, we strive to make fellowship within our
church and our community a principal part of our lives. (This
ministry is also shown on our Internal
Ministries web page.)
Gloucester-Mathews Free
Clinic: A non-profit, volunteer organization
of medical professionals and support volunteers serving the medical
needs of community members who could not otherwise obtain medical
services. Abingdon was in on the "ground floor" in
this in starting this clinic. We continue to support its
operation and many parishioners continue to work as
volunteers. We are pleased to say that in the short time its
doors have been opened, the clinic has grown tremendously in
capability and number of local patients served.
Meals-on-Wheels Support:
Members of our parish actively support the
Meals-on-wheels program for Gloucester in the roles of coordinators,
meal preparers, and delivery drivers. This ministry provides
support during the holidays of Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor
Day, and Thanksgiving Day. As part of this holiday ministry,
we also provide food to the residents of the Laurel Shelter.
Nursing Home
Ministries: Each month, we provide Eucharist
services for the residents of local nursing homes. In
addition, we visit these local facilities on many holidays
throughout the year. We have taken on this 'challenge'
because we understand how important it is for all people to have the
opportunity to share in God's Love through recurring worship
services and fellowship. We truly believe that we receive far
more from the residents that we could ever give them. (This
ministry is also shown on our Internal
Ministries web page.)
Red
Cross Blood Drives: Throughout the year,
Abingdon hosts the local American Red Cross (ARC) bloodmobile.
We wholeheartedly support the ARC's dedication to "give the
gift of life."
Thanksgiving Dinner:
Each Thanksgiving, Abingdon Episcopal Church opens its
doors to everyone in the community for a delicious and completely
free Thanksgiving Day
dinner. Members of our congregation donate turkeys, hams, and
large amounts of side dishes and desserts. We typical serve
over 150 people in our parish hall and deliver about 100 meals to the
homes of area residents. In addition, we provide a
Thanksgiving meal to the residents of the Laurel Shelter.
