Announcements

NEXT OUTREACH MEETING Sunday, November 2, following the service. Anyone with an interest in Outreach is invited and encouraged to attend; grab a coffee and come to the Bidwell Room!
 
News from St. Stephen's After School Program. During the month of September, we kept this program in our prayers. It provides meals, homework help, tutoring, trips to museums and sports and friendship to inner city kids, beginning in the first grade. Last year, the attendance rate was 88%. With a return rate of 90%, the program will again serve approximately 90 kids. The program also provides much needed jobs for over 25 high school students, who are trained as counselors. The high school students "grew up" in the program, and so have been a part of the St. Stephen's family for much of their life.
 
I would like to relate to you a recent incident which emphasizes the importance of this program to children living in the inner city. Two of the counselors were on their way to St. Stephen's when they found themselves caught in the middle of a drug related shooting, bullets literally flying past their heads as they approached Mass Ave between Roxbury and the South End. We found out that despite the danger, they helped a young mother get her child, in a stroller, across the street, before proceeding, understandably traumatized, to St. Stephen's. Despite the trauma, they were concerned that the younger children not find out what had happened to them because they were concerned how much it would scare these young kids. Thus, in the course of a few traumatic moments, these two young adults showed poise and leadership as well as real compassion and empathy for others. In discussions between Tim Crellin, the Priest at St. Stephens, and a policeman who came to the scene, the policeman told him: "this is why your afterschool program is so important to this community". What might have become of these two young people had they not been brought into the St. Stephen's program at an early age? How different their lives might have been! 
 
I relate this to you just to simply remind you that your generous support of programs through your outreach giving, like the St. Stephen's Afterschool Program, really does change lives. Thank you.

Thanksgiving Baskets and OxFam Fast and fundraiser Thursday, November 20: This year we will again be preparing Thanksgiving Baskets for needy families in Waltham. A number of you have already indicated interest in participating, and we invite more of you to participate. Please let us know if you are interested, and/or if you or a group of you would like to prepare breads, pies, etc. to go into the baskets. Please contact Judy Campos (judy.campos@comcast.net) or any other member of your Outreach committee for more information. And, thanks to those who have already volunteered to participate!

Please also join us in celebrating a fast in support of OxFam (www.oxfamamerica.org). As we enter the Thanksgiving season, it is important that we remember those less fortunate. The task is simple: skip a meal or two (or a favorite part of a meal) to remember the more than 850 million people who are hungry. Then come to St. Peter's for a simple meal to break the fast, and contribute the money you saved to OxFam. After the meal we will prepare the baskets.

More information will follow.