MISSION STATEMENT of ST. BARTHOLOMEW
PEACE AND JUSTICE MINISTRY
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The Peace and Justice Ministry recognizes the Church as the Body of Christ.
- The goal of Peace and Justice Ministry is to provide leadership to St. Bartholomew parishioners to help them witness the Good News of Jesus Christ.
- Through education, prayer, reflection and direct communication, it helps parishioners to be effective in communities at local, national, and international levels, thereby enabling them to achieve meaningful and effective social action.
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January 2019 Events and Opportunities
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MEETING SCHEDULE AND PUBLICATION SCHEDULE
- Peace and Justice Meetings are the third Wednesday of each month, and as always all are welcome to attend. December 5 was a combined November/December meeting.
- Peace and Justice Newsletter will publish monthly, reflecting ministry news and reports from the meetings and presentations.
January Fair Trade Sales January 19 and 20
February Fair Trade Sales February 16 and 17
- coffee, tea, chocolate
- after all four Masses
- benefits after-school tutoring at St. Anne Parish, teacher salaries and snacks.
Weekend Guests at Mass from Love Chapel: Jan 19 and 20
February 20 Peace & Justice general and team meetings 7 PM church lower level
- Meetings are scheduled for Third Wednesday of the month
- Teams: Programming, Communications, Finance and Grants
- All are welcome to attend and become involved!
Sundays Weekly Hot Meal Site 4 - 6 pm, Meal Site Teams
Sundays Women's Jail Ministry visits 1 - 3 pm, classes 6 - 8 pm
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Option for the Poor and Vulnerable by Rachel Rice and Jan Banister
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Catholic Social Teaching (CST) is a dynamic element of our Catholic faith. The most basic ethical assessment of our society as a whole is to understand how the most vulnerable of our society are surviving. This principle involves an examination of personal, social and political decisions based on efforts to achieve the common good.
The CST principle of Option for the Poor and Vulnerable is one that is apparent in many of our Scripture readings (“You shall not oppress the poor or vulnerable. God will hear their cry” -Exodus 22:20-26; “Speak out in defense of the poor” –Proverbs 31:8-9; “What you do for the least among you, you do for Jesus” -Matthew 25:34-40). It can also be seen in our everyday lives as you give thought to our Spotlight Ministry this month, Ecuemenical Assembly's Hot Meal Site at St. Bartholomew Church..
Through a shared meal we are providing a means for voicing our thoughts and beliefs that support and defend the poor and vulnerable of our country. Pope Paul VI says we need to look beyond charity and address the larger systemic issues that perpetuate poverty in our society, so that those in poverty will not have to live in poverty forever. Providing one nightly hot nutritious meal is a viable way to serve the poor and vulnerable of our world and have an effect on the future of those in need.
"The Church's love for the poor . . . is a part of her constant tradition." This love is inspired by the Gospel of the Beatitudes, of the poverty of Jesus, and of his concern for the poor. . . . "Those who are oppressed by poverty are the object of a preferential love on the part of the Church which, since her origin and in spite of the failings of many of her members, has not ceased to work for their relief, defense, and liberation." (Catechism of the Catholic Church. . . , nos. 2444, 2448, quoting Centisimus annus, no. 57, and Libertatis conscientia, no. 68)
- Who are the most vulnerable in my community?
- Do I put the needs of the poor above the wants of the rich?
- Do I stand up for poor and vulnerable when the rest of society is against them?
- How can I make a greater impact on the lives of the poor and vulnerable in my community?
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Ministry Spotlight on Hot Meal Site by Jennifer Morlok
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Each Sunday evening, unbeknownst to many in our parish, groups of five to ten parishioners descend to the school basement to prepare and serve a hot meal to members of the community. Each year, led by long-standing and tireless coordinator Susan Chandler, 10-13 teams take on the responsibility of covering each meal. Some teams are made up of family members, some are a collection of friends, and others are a combination of individuals who have been placed together to form a group. Regardless of how the groups are comprised, there is no doubt that a bond forms or strengthens through the work they do within this ministry.
As a member of St. Bartholomew meal site for at least a decade, I tended to take this ministry for granted. It wasn’t until I feared we would lose the ability to host meal site on our own church property that I realized the passion I feel for the work our teams do each Sunday. When it comes to putting our Catholic faith into action, I can’t think of a ministry which so directly answers the call to serve others.
One of my favorite hymns that we sing at mass is All Are Welcome. One of the verses of this songs reads:
Let us build a house where love is found
in water, wine and wheat;
a banquet hall on holy ground
where peace and justice meet.
Here the love of God, through Jesus,
is revealed in time and space;
as we share in Christ the feast that frees us.
All are welcome, all are welcome,
all are welcome in this place.
Each week when we open our doors to serve anyone who chooses to come, we are an example of this sentiment. Most of the guests we serve will never attend a mass, but at 5:00 each Sunday, these words echo throughout the school basement as we welcome those in need.
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Hot Meal Site By The Numbers
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- 3,222: Meals served last year at St. Bartholomew, including take-home meals.
- 13: Number of teams at St. Bartholomew.
- 75: Number of volunteers at St. Bartholomew.
- 110: Average number of meals served each Tuesday and Wednesday by Ecumenical Assembly and Love Chapel
- May 17, 1992: first meal served at St. Bartholomew 27years ago.
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The St. Vincent de Paul Society collected 16 boxes of warm coats, which were donated to the homeless guests of Brighter Days shelter. Thank you for your generosity.
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For I was Hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in.
Matthew 25:35
The Ecumenical Assembly of Bartholomew County Churches, also known as Love Chapel, is a Christ-centered, faith based outreach ministry. Many members and participating churches, together with the community at large, support those with emergency needs through Love Chapel. Love Chapel is a year-round support effort that demonstrates to the world that we are brothers and sisters called together by God in both witness and work.
St. Bartholomew and St. Columba were charter members in establishing Love Chapel. Father Gleason, original Pastor of St. Columba, was very instrumental in founding Ecumenical Assembly. From its inception, St. Columba, now St. Bartholomew has provided financial support to the organization as well as assistance in the form of volunteers.
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We Are Your Ministry: Love Chapel Ministries
The Ecumenical Assembly of Bartholomew County Churches – also known as
Love Chapel Ministries has been providing help to those in need since 1967.
In celebration of our
50
th
anniversary
, we are launching a campaign aimed to increase both funding and volunteerism
“50 for 50”.
The objective of our campaign is to
raise
$50,000 and solicit 50 new volunteers
over the next 6 months.
$70,100 Collected!
We are thankful that many of you have given generously over the years in both volunteerism and donations! Our work is not possible without you.
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The Giving Tree at St. Bartholomew
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Final results BY THE NUMBERS:
- 92: St. Bartholomew parishioner children received gifts, which were delivered to their homes.
- 12: Children accepted from the waiting list who were given gifts.
- 43: children and grandchildren from death row inmates were helped, the largest number received in the past 7 years.
- All 43 children were selected from the Giving Tree before and after masses, a first!
- Many of the children previously sponsored have aged out of the program and there seems to be a new generation of little ones.
- 2 of the recipients were babies who were due to be born within the next month.
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We Are The Peace & Justice Ministry
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- Chairperson Donna Keogh
- Programming Team: Steve Audretch
- Grants & Finance Team: David Harpenau
- Communications Team: Jan Banister
- Blood Drive: Greg Scherschel, coordinator
- Next drive Spring 2019
- Voter Registration: Steve Audretch coordinator
- Next drive Spring 2019
- Ecumenical Assembly: Rebecca Reeck
- Pro-Life: Kelley Snoddy
- Giving Tree: Theresa Westerfeld, coordinator
- Meal Site: Susan Chandler,
- Sundays 4-6 PM
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- Friends of Haiti: Judy Harpenau, liaison
- Bread for the World Offering of Letters: Rachel Rice coordinator
- Next campaign April/May 2019.
- Bread for the World, Fr. Marty Peter, Convener
- Second Tuesdays 7 PM at First Presbyterian Church
- Indiana Abolition Coalition: Donna Keogh, liaison
- St. Vincent de Paul: David and Hilary Baker, liaisons
- Women's Jail Ministry: Sevy Badgley, liasion
- Family Self Sufficiency: Jan Banister coordinator, December 14, 2019
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St. Bartholomew Hot Meal Site
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There is a hot meal provided in our community through Ecumenical Assembly each evening. On Sunday evenings the meal site is Saint Bartholomew School cafeteria.
The meal site coordinator for our parish, Susan Chandler, is hopeful that more teams and individuals will consider assisting with meals this fall. Info here:
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Sun 5pm-6pm
- SAINT BARTHOLOMEW CATHOLIC CHURCH
Mon 5pm-6pm
- FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
Mon 5pm-6pm
Tues 5pm-6pm
Wed 5pm-6pm
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Thurs 4:30pm-5pm
Fri 5pm-6pm
- FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
4th Fri 6pm-7pm
Sat 4pm-5pm (excluding the 3rd Sat)
2nd Sat 11:30am-12:30pm
- OGILVILLE CHRISTIAN CHURCH
3rd Sat 4pm-5pm
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