Mission

General Information:

St. John’s continues to successfully support the annual efforts outlined below on the strength of parishioner’s willingness to contribute money and time to each one. The Episcopal Relief and Development organization coordinates the efforts of Episcopal parishes and individuals for the MDG worldwide. Detailed information is available at their website www.er-d.org. The Episcopal Church provides other opportunities to support the MDG and other broad human needs through the Episcopal Public Policy Network and the ONE Episcopalian Campaign. Detailed information can be found at www.episcopalchurch.org/eppn and www.episcopalchurch.org/ONE. The committee encourages participation and input relative to the mission efforts of St. John’s. Contact any of the following committee members; Scott Russell, Cora Yao, Susan Dunlop, Florianna Blanton, John Jackson or Margaret Johnson.

Ongoing Projects

  • Crop Walk: This is the annual fundraising event sponsored by Church World Service to provide funds for feeding the hungry. 25% of the funds raised stay in Ithaca to support the Kitchen Cupboard organizations while the remainder is distributed nationally and worldwide. Last year the congregation raised approximately $500.
  • Kitchen Cupboard: This is the local program that provides foodstuffs to qualifying families in Tompkins County. Parishioners can either participate by contributing money or dry goods monthly. In addition you can volunteer to distribute the goods to the individual families. St. John’s provides distribution volunteers once a month at the Salvation Army building on Albany Street. In 2015, support for local needs has been enhanced by scheduling contributions of personal hygiene items for the local Catholic Charities agency monthly.
  • Feed My Starving Children:  Individual parishioners support this national program with monetary gifts and volunteer response to a local annual food item pack event.  Items and funds support world hunger.
  • Loaves & Fishes: Thanks to those parishioners who give tirelessly of their time to provide this critical feeding and advocacy service to the Ithaca community.  Parish participation has increased in recent years through a joint “cookie bake” program, shared meals at seasonal and church holidays, and individual participation in the L&F Advocacy Program.  **
  • United Thank Offering: Parishioners responded generously with cash gifts to the annual spring and fall campaigns. Our most recent collection in January provided $458 for Diocesan and Episcopal National and World Help projects.
  • Family Christmas Gifts.  Annually, selected Ithaca Social Agencies respond to our request to identify two to three local families to “adopt” for the Christmas season.  Parishioners provide gifts to support needs identified by the selected families.
  • Special Education: Every Sunday volunteers provide a Sunday School Class for adults with special needs. **
  • Love Knows No Bounds: This is a local not for profit organization that has established a program to solicit donations of “gently” used furniture to be redistributed to families and individuals who are reentering the local community from various hardships or disasters.  The parish participates with furniture donations.  Volunteer opportunities are also available.

**The Episcopal Church has recognized St. John’s as a Jubilee Center for its ministry to adults with special needs and for its mission of hospitality to Loaves and Fishes for over 33 years.