Wise County has residents who are in need of assistance with food during the month. Along with W.A.R.M., Wise County now has a mobile food bank that comes once a month (third Saturday) to provide food and some other necessities for those in need.
As our June Mission of the month we provide cases of water to be distributed as needed. Below is a picture of Bruce Outland.
Yay! Summertime. All kids love summer–no school, sleep late, play with friends–fun times! Right? Yes; that’s right for many children, but some have to leave their homes due to domestic violence or sexual abuse.
The Wise Hope Shelter and Crisis Center was our May Mission of the Month. A call was made to the shelter asking what our focus should be because we wanted to concentrate on collecting what they needed most. We were told they would appreciate whatever we wanted to donate; however, the one thing the shelter does not buy is snack foods of any kind. Because school would be out and children would be with their mothers at the shelter, they wouldn’t have any kind of snack food. Also, they would welcome 100% fruit juice in small bottles or cans and flip flops for the women because they are not allowed to go barefoot at the shelter.
We had such a good time shopping for snacks. We also bought a lot of juice, flip flops, and some paper products, and filled up the back of an SUV. Someone even bought bubbles for the kids to play with while at the shelter. As one woman put it, “What kid doesn’t like bubbles?” Here are several pictures of the goodies we collected.
Wise Hope Shelter & Crisis Center
24 Hour Crisis Hotline – 940-626-4855
P.O. Box 569 • 608 North Business 81-287 • Decatur, TX 76234
Tel: 940-626-4855 • Fax: 940-626-4117
The Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth supports the refugee families in North Texas and we, as a congregation, agreed to collect items needed during the month of April. We gathered gently used or new sheets and comforters, new towels, wash cloths, clothes hangers, small trash cans, toothbrush holders, toothbrushes, toothpaste, and soap and soap dishes–basically anything for the bathroom or bedroom. The refugees fleeing from peril come here with nothing and have to start from scratch. It is our hope that we have made a difference.
Below is a picture of the things we gathered:
March was a very busy month for us. Beginning on Ash Wednesday, March 1, we partnered with our friends from United Methodist Church, Decatur, and offered Ashes-to-Go for those wishing to receive them before work. We had quite a few folks drive or walk up to receive their ashes. Below are pictures of some of the “customers.” Also, a call was received from Wise Health System asking if someone would come to the hospital to impose ashes for patients and staff wishing to receive. It was a wonderful beginning of the Lenten Season.
During March we focused on two different missions. The Wise County Health Fair was held at the Decatur Civic Center on March 25. In support of the Health Fair and Carter Blood Care, members thought that donating blood would be a good mission. So between 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. several of us donated.
If you wish to donate at any time please call Carter Blood Care (817) 412-5370
Angie Whitley and Fr. Tony Hiatt Ellen Whitley Jeromy TraskWe also supported 4Saints Food Pantry in Fort Worth.
4 Saints Episcopal Food Pantry is a new Episcopal food bank at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, located in the Meadowbrook neighborhood of east Fort Worth, a food desert. The pantry board has members from the Fort Worth East Deanery, which includes St Stephen’s, St Martin-in-the-Fields, St Luke’s, and St Alban’s. Annabelle Sauer, a Girl Scout from Troop 3012, also serves on the board. Through Sauer’s efforts, 4 Saints Food Pantry received a $500 grant from a local utility company.
Our congregation gathered items throughout the month; below are a few pictures of items collected.
Items donated Angie Whitley, Jill McClendon, Sarah Walker, and Clydie WalkerWe set aside February to focus on one of our own. Fred Dery was diagnosed with colon cancer. What is so amazing is that if he didn’t have the insurance he had, he would never have gotten the colonoscopy which found the cancer. Because it was found early, the mass was removed successfully and no chemo was needed. Friends and family organized a fundraiser to help the family while Fred was not able to work.
It is our hope that everyone gets a routine colonoscopy as often as your doctor feels is necessary.
Above is the flier and a few pictures of those who came out to have a good meal and bid on items donated for auction.
During the month of January our congregation decided to take a step back and pray about what we would like to do next for our community.
More Missions of the Month soon.
Reconciliation: to reconcile; to make friendly again; to settle differences; to bring harmony; to make content
Lent or Advent is a great time for Confession because both seasons are times for preparation and self examination.
Those of us in the Episcopal Church don’t think much about Reconciliation (or Confession). But, Confession is indeed available to us as one of the Sacraments of the church. The Reconciliation of a Penitent is on page 447 – Forms I & II, of the Book of Common Prayer.
I would like to share with you my very first Confession around age 45 or 46. I didn’t even know how to go about it. I was working for my church as their secretary–so the priest was not only my boss, but my spiritual advisor and friend.
He told me to pray about my Confession and to write down anything that preyed on my mind…things I had done in the past, if I had any ill feelings, unforgiven acts, etc. He told me to work on the list for a week or so and when I was satisfied that it was complete, I would then make my appointment for Confession.
My time was set and as the hour grew closer, I began to tremble. The priest had a chair setting diagonally in front of the railing facing the altar so I could still see his face from my kneeling position behind the railing, but he could not see me. We began the service and when the part that says that I have sinned and to list them, I took out my two-pages and read them off. My voice was shaky as each sin was stated. When I was through the priest talked with me about some of them and gave me advice as to how I may grow in the experience. He also gave me two or three psalms to read after he left and to think about the list, rereading it.
The really moving and very emotional part was when he told me after rereading my list, I was to tear it up and place it on the altar as I left because I was forgiven. When I tore up those pieces of paper a heavy weight was lifted from me. It was one of the most moving services I have ever attended.
I asked him how he could feel the same about people after he hears their confessions. He said, “No one sin is greater than another. Sin is sin and sin removes US from God’s presence. God doesn’t remove Himself from us.” Then he said that God has a special way of making priests forget about what they have heard–like He wipes it from their minds. I thought that was cool.
Nothing that is worthwhile is ever easy and Confession is worthwhile. If you have ever entertained the thought of making a Confession, believe me, you will not be sorry for doing so.
Think back! Think back to when you were a young child and the excitement you felt in your tummy as you thought about Christmas. Most of us tried to be good so Santa would come and leave us goodies in our stockings as well as presents under the tree. Think about the big eyes and the wide grins on faces of children when they wake up to see things under the Christmas tree. My mama always said on Christmas morning, “I bet there are a lot of excited kids this morning!”
Now think about some children whose lives have been disrupted by abuse or abandonment. Families broken apart that do not have the funds to purchase fun things for deserving kids. The Wise Hope Shelter and Crisis Center, Decatur, TX, has an Angel Tree with the names of children of clients of the past year. These are needy, one-parent households who are not eligible for other gift-giving charities.
Our little congregation took ten angels off their tree this year. We had children from 3 to 15 and all of us had such a great time shopping for these kids. I know we couldn’t take all the angels off the tree, but we tried to do what we could.
Don’t you wish you could peek in the children’s windows on Christmas morning and witness the precious looks on their faces as they take in everything Santa had brought them? I would love to see their big eyes as the excitement of the day fills their hearts.
Thank you to all our members for giving to families who need a little extra help at Christmas time. Below are pictures of the things we donated.
Wise Hope Shelter & Crisis Center
24 Hour Crisis Hotline – 940-626-4855
P.O. Box 569 • 608 North Business 81-287 • Decatur, TX 76234
Tel: 940-626-4855 • Fax: 940-626-4117
Because we have been blessed with more than we really need, we don’t always think about where our next meal will come from. There are children in our schools who go home on Friday and don’t have much, if anything, to eat throughout the weekend. And, if there is a long holiday, it is even harder.
Our outreach Mission to the Eagle Food Pantry at McCarroll Middle School in Decatur has been extremely successful and rewarding. This program provides easy-to-fix foods that children can put in their backpacks and take home for the weekend or holidays.
As you can see we have collected numerous items for the children and it is our hope that we will be able to help them again. Thanks everyone for your generosity.
I know that not all people have pets, but I believe that most people have had contact with a four-legged critter at some point in their lives. A beagle was my first encounter with a dog and I fell in love instantly. Bootsie lived to be a ripe old age and I was sad when she left. There have been many of God’s creatures in our home–hamsters, rabbits, guinea pig, cats, dogs, and now we have mama cows on the farm.
Anyone who does own a pet knows that the love they give is so complete, so pure, that they will love you until it is time for them to leave. We pet owners realize that our pets are 100% dependent on us and that our caring for them and giving them a good home is a privilege we offer for their unconditional love.
Not all of God’s creatures have the benefit of warm beds, good food, or clean water. That is why our church members picked the Wise County Animal Shelter for our October Mission of the Month. What little we can offer is so much more than these neglected and unwanted animals have. We hope that more people will be willing to give to their local shelters and will look into adoption of these precious animals.
Here is a picture of the things we gathered this month.
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