World Mission

Greetings St. George’s,

One of the invitations of Christian living is that we are made to look outside of ourselves. We put our trust in God; we lean on others in the church; and we seek to ever widen the circle of belonging and grace. Fundamental to this is to be in service of Christ on behalf of one another.

Each year we are reminded of this constitutive act of discipleship when we gather in the Nave for Rally for Service Sunday (September 8). I’d like to invite you to join a project team by registering here. So that we can plan for and accommodate everyone, please sign up by Friday, August 30. You can learn more about the projects we will be working on and the organizations we’ll be supporting below. Please sign-up to join us for this annual day of deepening our faith and friendships in service!

Rally for Service Sunday Timeline:

• 10 am: Worship inside the Nave
• 11 am – 1:00 pm: Community Service at Project Sites (various locations)
• Lunch in Sydnor Hall

Onsite Projects (Sydnor Hall)

St George’s Afghan Allies

Project: “Welcome Packs”
Volunteers will sort and assemble kits of household and hygiene essentials for newly arriving Afghan refugee families. Catholic Charities, the regions recognized resettlement agency, continues to resettle over 200 refugees annually. fleeing the ongoing political oppression in Afghanistan. With our help, these families who arrive with nothing, are able to transition immediately into housing with the supplies they need to get started.Healthy

Families of the Rappahannock Area (RACSB)

Project: Baby Supplies Gift Baskets
It takes a village to raise a child is more than just an adage at Healthy Families of the Rappahannock Area. And, as they often remind folks, babies don’t come with a how-to guide! This program is the region’s perinatal home visitation program that helps new parents connect with resources; build positive parent-child relationships; understand their child’s development; and have that village. Volunteers will assemble gift baskets for new mothers to have what they need to care for their babies. We will be collecting DONATIONS of diapers, wipes, and bottles to assemble gift baskets for the parents in this program! (you can bring items to donate to the church in advance or on Rally for Service Sunday)

Lunch Team

Project: prepare and serve lunch
Following work at our various service sites around the area St. Georgians will return to Sydnor Hall to enjoy lunch and fellowship.

Offsite Projects (Locations throughout Fredericksburg)

SAWs Virginia
(601 Lafayette Blvd, Fredericksburg, VA 22401)

Project: Accessibility ramp pre-build
Incubated right here at St. George’s, SAWs Virginia is a nonprofit that builds custom designed, ADA standard wheelchair ramps for people of all ages with long-term, ambulatory disabilities who cannot afford one on their own. Through these no cost ramps, SAWs seeks to help clients restore their freedom, independence, and dignity allowing them to access medical services more easily, improve the safety of their home, reconnect with their community and age-in-place. We will support this work by preparing the materials for a site build. This will include manufacturing the wood to size, pre-drilling, and loading materials with the assistance of SAWs build team. No prior construction experience is required.

Micah-Hospitality Center & Respite House
(1013 Princess Anne St, Fredericksburg, VA 22401 / 1512 Princess Anne St, Fredericksburg, VA 2240)

Project: Facilities cleaning and organizing
Micah Ecumenical Ministries is an integral part our lived Christian identity at St. George’s. This cooperative ministry is the primary way our community cares for our neighbors who are living on the streets. Part of our care for our neighbors includes care for the facilities that support their wellbeing. This team will divide our efforts to deep clean and organize the Hospitality Center and the Respite House. The Hospitality Center (sometimes called the “Day Center”) is the primary point of connection for Micah’s clients. There they receive basic services, check their mailbox, and even get a shower or haircut. Respite House provides a place of short-term healing and recovery for residents who have been recently hospitalized and need extra medical attention. Here they can receive treatment like medication management and visits from a home health aide in a safe and supportive environment to reduce the risk of rehospitalization. With your care these facilities can remain clean, comfortable, and hospitable spaces.

St George’s Afghan Allies
(620B Cobblestone Blvd, Fredericksburg, VA 22401)

Project: Furniture Donation Moving
Since 2021 St George’s has collected and stored furniture items to deliver to arriving refugee families in our area. As social services organizations transition to voucher programs with local non-profit resale stores we no longer have need for the items and can transition them to a partnering retailer. The voucher program allows recipients to exercise greater autonomy as they have choice over which furniture items best suit their family’s needs and tastes. It is a great way to get people the furniture they need while increasing the dignity of the shopping experience. We’ve got the truck, but we need your help to haul these heavy items!

Healthy Generations Area Agency on Aging
(location TBD based on need)

Project: Residential Housekeeping
Healthy Generations provides home and community based services to support the continued independence, safety, and health and wellness of our senior population. Among their many programs (which also include Senior Café, Long-term care ombudsman, and emergency assistance) Healthy Generations coordinates homemaker support for seniors to remain in their homes and age in place. Based on the needs of a client St Georgians will tend to the residence of a senior with light housekeeping and yard work. Each year 4.1 million Americans turn 65 in what has been referred to as the “silver tsunami”. The shadow side of this aging boom is that senior citizens are the fastest growing demographic of persons experiencing homelessness. Partnering with Healthy Generations is one way that we are ensuring our seniors can age with safety and dignity in their homes.