Matthew 25 Ministry

 

CURRENT AND UPCOMING MATTHEW25 MINISTRY PROJECTS

March 2025 Update

Kali Sarakosti!

May the renewal of the Lenten season be with you through Easter. Lent is a wonderful time not only to focus on what we are missing but also to appreciate all that we have. Matthew 25 reminds us of how loving and merciful God is to our parish. When we reflect on the season of Lent, we see it as a fresh art canvas. After 48 days, what will your spiritual canvas look like? Will it be vibrant and filled with joy, hope, and generosity? We are given the chance for renewal and transformation. Everyone embarks on a different journey. Will you prioritize the needs of others on your giving canvas? We hope it does. We need your support more than ever this year as we prepare for a meat drive and a larger-than-usual egg donation. Please consider donating so we can purchase these Easter foods for our neighbors. Look for our donation sheet in the bulletin, or consider using Vanco.

Matthew 25 had a very successful community service project on 2/27/25—many thanks to Christine Ferello for organizing this event. We prepared snack bags for Manna on Main in Lansdale. It was an impressive operation. They provide warm meals, snack bags, and pantry goods to their neighboring community. The kitchen was buzzing with chefs and volunteers who generously shared their time and talents. A team of four represented Annunciation and M25. We worked a labor-intensive shift from 12:00 to 3:00 pm. We spread out in the kitchen, preparing meals and filling snack bags. We all left exhausted but incredibly happy to be part of something that helped many people. It was an afternoon that filled us with the fruits of the Holy Spirit. We look forward to planning our next Manna on Main experience.

We await brighter days ahead as the warmer weather and spring's beauty surround us. Thank you again for allowing us to serve our church.

Matthew 25 - LENTEN MEAT ORDER FORM 

YOUR NAME:_________________________________________________ 

Quantity: ____________ x $35 (or more)  = _____________________ 

Please send the form (and check, if not donating through Vanco) to: 

Lisa Trivelis, 31 Trailwood Drive, Holland, PA  18966

Food For Thought:

“The unselfish effort to bring cheer to others will be the beginning of a happier life for ourselves.”

-Helen Keller

 

January 2025 Update 

How many times in January do you start thinking about resolutions and positive changes for the new year? These thoughts have often crossed our minds, but how often do we implement these changes? 2025 is a new year with a sense of renewal and hope. We catch ourselves saying, “This is going to be a great year!” Let’s not just say it but instead act on it. It’s not as difficult as it may seem. If our ministry could be one thing, we’d like to be known as difference makers. We do achieve this every year thanks to the support of our parish. Angel Tree, Turkey Drive, and our Lenten Meat Drive help us pull this off in a big way, but it's also remembering the small stuff like perpetual monthly deliveries and our February service project, which is in the works. We do make a difference and impact so many lives for the better. We just received a thank you card from an Angel Tree recipient. She waited until Christmas to open her gift…because it was her only gift. We received beautiful cards and photos of children opening their gifts as well. Most of them were necessities like coats and sweatshirts that you generously bought. In a busy world with so much sadness shrouding us, this is our reminder that Matthew 25 is a difference maker, shedding light and hope for those who aren’t as blessed as ourselves. If you would like to act on your New Year's resolutions from a charitable perspective, we welcome your help and your donations.

Thank you for giving Matthew 25 the opportunity to continue serving our parish in 2025. We are revving up for deliveries and spring projects. It will be a great year, and we will continue to impact our communities positively. Hopefully, we can increase our giving this year as we continue to fight food insecurity. Together, we can positively impact our world and live with compassion for our less fortunate neighbors.

Happy New Year, and don’t forget to work on those New Year's resolutions!

Contact Sophia Penning at sophiagreekgirl@gmail.com or Lisa Trivelis at oceancitymom1@gmail.com with any questions

Food for thought:  “The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

“May the timeless message of Christmas fill your hearts and homes with joy throughout the coming year.” Blessed Christmas greetings from Matthew 25.

It was a Sunday of joyous chaos as we sorted through a mountain of over 150 successfully distributed gifts. There was such a happy energy as parishioners came by with their gifts and cards. We worked fast and hard to check tags and pile the many gifts our Angel Tree collected. Gifts come from near and far and are part of this enormous distribution. We love the enthusiasm and support that we receive from our parish. We received gift cards from parishioners who were out of the state yet wanted to participate! We couldn’t have gotten through Sunday without the help of our Goyans, aka “Santa's helpers,” Sofia Bougioukas and Barbara Louridas. Special thanks to Gina Giannoumis, who works so hard with her school, and our endless text messages to orchestrate the recipients for her school. We thank Aspira Schools and our Homeless Ministry for their participation. This is truly one of our most gratifying community service projects. When all gifts make it to their designated homes, Matthew 25 sits back and puts our focus on the magnitude of blessings that we reflect on at Christmas.

We end the last bulletin of 2024 with a final thank you! Our hearts are full as we prepare for the Nativity of Our Lord next week.

Food for thought: “God gave His greatest gift to us on that first Christmas Day, and may the wonder of it always guide you in your way. Merry Christmas! ~ unknown

MISSION

Our mission is to share our love of Christ with our needy and poor neighbors. Our message doesn’t change from year to year, and our purpose is to continue to serve our neighbors and live our faith by bringing awareness to our parish of the food insecurities plaguing our local suburbs. 

We work hard to fulfill scripture and maintain consistent perpetual giving to Seeds of Hope and Somerton Interfaith Food Pantry. It remains important to us to be a stable food source for the two pantries that have come to rely on us.

We conduct an annual Thanksgiving Turkey Drive every year, organize an annual "Angel Tree" campaign to distribute its donated gifts to needy local children and families during the holiday season, and coordinate a collection of meats every Lenten season. We prepare cooked meals for local meal delivery programs periodically.

Throughout the year, we are approached by after-school clubs, guidance counselors, and others in a time of need. These are not listed on the calendar as they just happen. We look at our budget, and if there are available funds, we act on helping those with reasonable requests. We provide help only to secure and reputable organizations.

PARTICIPATION

There are numerous ways to get involved! Whether you're interested in delivering to the pantry, preparing meals, or identifying community needs, we welcome your volunteer hands. Contact any of Mathew 25's ministry leaders to learn more about how you can contribute to this essential humanitarian effort.  Check our Weekly Bulletin and Community Calendar for current and upcoming projects.

CONTACTS

Sophia Penning, sophiagreekgirl@gmail.com

Lisa Trivelis, oceancitymom1@gmail.com