Matthew 25 Ministry
CURRENT AND UPCOMING MATTHEW25 MINISTRY PROJECTS
“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
