Trinity Episcopal Church


Justice and Outreach Council
Monthly Digest

April 2021
Welcome to the Justice and Outreach Council's monthly newsletter: a place to find all the happenings of this active ministry at Trinity.
National Farmworkers Awareness Week

We extend our deepest thanks to all of the essential farmworkers who work hard to provide Santa Barbara County with fresh produce. While they ensure we have healthy food on our table, they often cannot afford to provide nutritious food for their own families. Here's a story from one mother who benefitted from food provided by the Santa Barbara Foodbank:

"Even before Covid-19, I had a difficult time feeding my five sons. My husband and I both had our hours of work in the fields cut in half and now can no longer afford to feed our growing boys. The food we receive at the pick-up has helped ensure my family doesn’t have to skip meals anymore. My boys love the chicken!"
-Maria

You can provide nutritious food to farmworker families facing hunger in our community during this difficult time. Donate today to bring fresh fruits and veggies to hungry children, seniors and families through the Santa Barbara Foodbank.

How the Biden Administration and Congress Can Help Farm Workers
Molly Kellogg and Laurinda Marshall from JOC wrote an article about how President Biden can help farmworkers, based on a webinar from the Economic Policy Institute. To view, click HERE
Opportunities for Involvement

Ways to get involved in our community, at Trinity, and in the world.
Immediate Need

  • Drivers are needed to help transport immigrants to get their vaccines, especially in north county! Contact Molly Kellogg molly@foodhuntermark.com

  • Showers of Blessing needs 3 more volunteers to help with laundry. Each volunteer would help once a month. Please reply to Sally Hamilton at sallyshamilton@gmail.com if you are able to help.
Showers of Blessing Needs
New Board Members

The organization is especially seeking people with legal or financial expertise, under age 60, with ethnic, racial, or sexual orientation diversity, and with donor and outreach capacity. Read MORE about Showers of Blessing.
JOC Liaisons Needed!

At our last JOC meeting in February, we discussed the need for liaisons to organizations we have recently funded and hold in high regard. Since the list is longer than the number of our Council members, we would like to invite parishioners to become liaisons to some of these groups which we feel will offer them both volunteer opportunities and a chance to get to know the Council’s work. For more information please contact Kathryn Dean at kcdean@sbceo.org. To see the list, click here
News from Churches for Middle East Peace

Recently, a letter was sent to President Biden from the Churches for Middle East Peace. It was signed by heads of most Christian churches in the United States, including the Episcopal Church.

Click here to read the letter.
Stories of Volunteerism

Every month we publish a story about volunteerism from a Trinity parishioner. Here’s an excerpt from this month's story by Anna Kokotovic.

"I could not resist Trinity because of the beautiful music and the emphasis on social justice.  Jennifer expertly described Trinity’s focus on Social Justice in her praise of Jean Davis.  I was part of the team that reviewed grant applications before JOC existed and supported the establishment of the four pillars of justice.  I became a member of JOC when it was created."

Read her full story here.
Celebrate and Support Justice

The Justice and Outreach Council (JOC) has continued its important work while Trinity has been in diaspora. Funding for the JOC comes from your pledges and Celebration offerings. The JOC’s funding is part of our annual Operating Budget where five percent (5%) of all pledges received during the year is put in the JOC account. As pledge income has remained steady this year, these funds continue to be set aside for justice work.

However, with in-person church services suspended, we no longer have “Celebration Sundays”, and we are informed that when we resume gathering at Trinity we will not be allowed to have envelopes (as well as other materials) in the pews.

But be not dismayed! There are two ways you can continue to celebrate and support our justice work in addition to your pledges both now and in the future. You can send in a check made out to Trinity and simply note “Justice” in the memo line and provide the names of the persons or occasion you want to celebrate. You can also donate via Trinity’s PayPal account by visiting our website or by clicking here, and under “special instructions” designate your donation for JOC and provide the names of the persons or occasion you want to celebrate.

Thank you for supporting our justice work through your pledges, donations, prayers, and most of all, the work you do in your lives to make this a more loving, peaceful, and just world.

Kathryn Dean, JOC
Michael Dean, Treasurer
1500 State St, Santa Barbara, CA, 93101 | 805-965-7419 | office@trinitysb.org