Outreach

The most fundamental calling of our Episcopal faith ask that we take responsibility for those who are in need, who suffer from poverty of mind, body or spirit. The Lord Jesus himself, who came not to be served but to serve, calls us to do this. 

The following is only a sampling of ways the people of Trinity Church are responding to our calling. And yet we realize there is so much more we are called to do.

The Dayspring Dinner Project
Teams of at least five volunteers plan, prepare and serve dinner to the residents of the Dayspring Center one Sunday a month. From its inception in June 2005 through June 2007, volunteers have served dinner to 875 residents. We continue to serve the residents of Dayspring each month.

Tutoring  
For the last four years, Trinity volunteers have been tutoring third-grade students and providing classroom supplies and book bags for kindergarten students at IPS #60, located at 34th and Pennsylvania St. This fall the partnership will expand: Trinity volunteer tutors will be trained using the IPS Pacer Guide (the standards to learn to read and write). The goal is to improve reading proficiency skills of students prior to completion of the third grade.

Gleaners Food Bank  
Hunger is increasing as a community problem.  In the most recent USDA Economic Research Service annual survey of food security (2006), Indiana had a 46 percent increase in its hunger rate - the seventh highest increase among all states and the District of Columbia. 

To help alleviate the need for food in the Mapleton Fall Creek community, Trinity's neighborhood, the church began a partnership with Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana. Gleaners brings its mobile food pantry (sponsored by Trinity) loaded with several thousand tons of food and critical grocery products to the courtyard of St. Richard's School where it is unloaded and placed on tables for display. Clients are then able to select food. Trinity Church has run nine food distributions since 2005 serving 1,779 people with the help of 275 volunteers. This ministry will continue with three additional distributions scheduled for 2007and two planned for 2008. 

Find the next date for Gleaners distribution at Trinity.

Widening Our Embrace
Two subcommittees of the Outreach Committee were formed this past spring in response to a call for action outlined by the Outreach visioning team, clergy and vestry of Trinity. The focus of the subcommittees was: a) to study food insecurity and hunger relief and b) explore ways to raise the level of academic achievement for elementary students at IPS#60, giving special attention to reading proficiency skills of third grade students. Two new ministries have evolved out of those studies. Both will concentrate on the Mapleton-Fall Creek area. For more, view the 2007 Vision Detail, page 6. 

For More Information
2 Corinthians 9 states that God will always make us rich enough to be generous at all times, so that many will thank God for our gifts. For more information about Trinity Outreach projects, please direct your inquiry to:

The Rev. Karen L. King
Associate Rector for Mission and Outreach
Trinity Episcopal Church
3243 North Meridian Street
Indianapolis, IN  46208
(317) 926-1346 Ext. 403