The Annunciation Homeless Ministry
CURRENT AND UPCOMING HOMELESS MINISTRY PROJECTS
Thank you!!! to our bright, curious, and eager-to-learn-and-help Pre-K and K catechism students! They were engaged, asking and answering questions, and joyfully helped fill our last batch of AGAPE bags!
Please be sure to take a bag and share the AGAPE!
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A special message and big shout-out to our 3rd and 4th grades Catechism students:
THANK YOU for sharing your hearts and hands to help fill our AGAPE bags! Not only did you “GIVE ALMS” by helping fill bags, but you also helped by providing a bag filled with AGAPE, prayers, and much-needed essentials so that our church family can continue giving to those who are hungry and thirsty.
Remember, Lent is a good time for all of us to work on our three-legged stools! Let’s keep working!
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We look forward to working with our Pre-K & K class next!
May it be blessed!
Acts of service are important for all of us, from the youngest to the eldest! In addition to other benefits, acts of service help build empathy and compassion and show even the youngest that they can make a difference. Working together with others to do something meaningful helps them improve their social skills, develop a sense of responsibility, encourage community, and can be fun!
This past Sunday, March 1, our “fast and fun” 1st- and 2nd-graders helped fill AGAPE Bags! We talked about Agape—God’s Love and the importance of finding it in our hearts to help others. When encouraged to help those in need by filling more bags, one student wholeheartedly announced:
“I do have it in my heart! It takes up most of my heart!”
Thank you for your helping hands and for keeping AGAPE in your hearts!
May God continue to guide and bless you!
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Our annual “Grab & Go Food” drive for college students experiencing homelessness was a big and helpful success! Thank you to everyone who donated and to our Annunciation Hope/Joy youth group, their advisor, and families who “dove in” to help collect donations! In addition to a variety of quick and easy food items, our delivery included Girl Scout cookies, thanks to our resident Girl Scout Elianna, and “bake at home” Hope’s cookies donated by the A.S.T.E.R.A. Foundation in memory of Antonaki Thomas!
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Agape Bags Project
Dear Father John, MDF youth participants, advisors, families, and supporters: Congratulations on all your hard work and on faithfully and beautifully representing our church family! Our Annunciation Homeless Ministry was humbled and grateful to be a small part of your big weekend!
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Our AGAPE Bag Baskets have been refilled and are ready for you again!
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This past week, our 5th-7th-grade catechism class students took time out of their busy Sunday to discuss homelessness and fill more AGAPE bags!
Together, we talked about various topics related to homelessness, including its causes, why some people experience it, why some people are afraid to stay in shelters, and what we can do, both in our church family and individually, to help those in need.
Food, water, clothing, shelter, and sleep are the 5 needs of people who are homeless. Let’s all do whatever we can, wherever we can, and whenever we can to help!
Ελεημοσύνη/Alms, charitable giving
Great Lent is almost upon us. During Great Lent, we are encouraged to spend forty days preparing ourselves and our families to be spiritually ready and worthy of celebrating and worshiping the Resurrection. We are encouraged to fast, pray more, and practice intentional charity (almsgiving).
Almsgiving is an act of love that can deepen our prayer life and give fasting greater meaning. When we give alms, we make a concrete donation of ourselves through money, time, talent, or service to others. Almsgiving helps us say, in crystal-clear terms: “Here is what I can offer, and I offer it out of love for you and God because I care about your welfare.”
The Homeless Ministry, along with our Catechism students, has once again begun filling our Annunciation “AGAPE” bags. A big shout-out and thank you to our senior class for kick-starting our preparations and, as usual, for “doing it their way” and with compassion!
Please consider making a financial contribution to this drive online through Vanco HERE. Please don't hesitate to contact Angela Godshall with any questions.
Our AGAPE bags will be available throughout Lent for our parishioners to take and give to someone in need!
Blessed Triodion!
Please help us spread love by taking an AGAPE Bag or two, or as many as you'd like to have on hand. Keep some in your car or carry one with you during your commute. When you see someone in need, you can give them this small gift of hope and love.
Consider adding anything that you think would be helpful.
Blessed Lent!
Καλή Σαρακοστή
MISSION
As a ministry of people helping people, our mission is to aid the homeless in our community and across Philadelphia.
We provide food and clothing to those in need who visit the church during the week; we feed college students experiencing food insecurity; we collect and distribute clothing, dry goods, and books to local shelters; and we offer backpacks to local youth in need.
CONTACT
