This Saturday, March 22, is World Water Day. What a perfect time to support our Lenten effort to fund water filters! The children learned about this on Buddy Sunday when they received and decorated their mite boxes. Consider buying a water filter through our outreach partner Education Equals Hope to help a family drink disease-free water and say a prayer that we all may have clean water.  

Our outreach ministry will provide dinner for 180 men at the CARITAS Men's Healing Place on Tuesday, March 25. Please visit this sign-up link to find out how you can donate food, cook the meal in the St. Mary's kitchen on Monday, March 24, and Tuesday, March 25, and serve dinner at the Healing Place on Tuesday, March 25.  

Our St. Mary's mission team had a wonderful time working with Education Equals Hope in Quito, Ecuador, and afield for a week last month. The group will speak to the Adult Forum at 10 a.m. on Sunday, April 6, and share a slideshow. Don't miss it!

St. Andrew's is a K-5 Episcopal elementary school in Oregon Hill, just north of Hollywood Cemetery. St. Andrews was founded in 1894 by Grace Arents, an heir of Lewis Ginter. Near capacity with 93 students currently enrolled, St. Andrew's recently purchased a building across the street. Every student starts learning Spanish in kindergarten. Reading classes are grouped by ability with emphasis on getting every student reading at their grade level, especially after a fall-off during the pandemic shutdown. Every student also plays the violin.

On Wednesdays the students go next door to St. Andrew's Episcopal Church for a 20-minute devotional service, followed by an assembly where students are recognized for following one or more of the school's GRACE maxims:

Grow your brain.

Respond with kindness.

Accept differences.

Care for the community.

Exercise self-control.

The school’s annual budget is $2.4 million, of which $1.4 must be raised through fund development. St. Mary’s has supported St. Andrew's Episcopal School since 2017 with both grants and school supplies. See below to volunteer!

We are still collecting toothpaste and deodorant for GoochlandCares through this Sunday, March 23. Please drop off your items in the box in the church office. Thank you!

Do you need to clear out furniture, clothes, knickknacks, TVs, frames, books and even clean mattresses? Liberation Church in Midlothian will come to your house and pick up your donation, which will help to support Liberation Veteran Services (LVS) programs. Contact Katherine Rucker at 804-230-4144 to arrange your pick-up. (Excludes stoves, items that run on gas, china cabinets, lamps, exercise equipment.)

Join us for a hard-hat tour of the new Liberation Veteran's Village on Thursday, April 17 at 1 p.m. Learn more about this important project on site! We will meet at Liberation Center, 5501 Midlothian Turnpike. Parishioner Tracey Ragsdale will be there to greet everyone. Please wear closed-toe shoes.

Beyond what we do at St. Mary's to provide for our partners with donations, projects, and prayers, there are opportunities to participate directly at their sites. Below is a list of contacts and a brief description for you to consider for hands-on participation. On our website you can also find committee member emails if you want to reach out to them for more information.

• CARITAS: caritas.volunteerlocal.com/volunteer/
• CrossOver Healthcare Ministry: Opportunities available for clinical volunteers (doctors, nurses, dentists, pharmacists), office assistance, or Spanish interpreters at the 8600 Quioccasin Rd. or 108 Cowardin Ave. offices. Contact Sharon Drennan (804-655-2794).
• GoochlandCares: Contact Dominic Alexander, Volunteer Engagement Director (804-556-0400), or learn more here.
• GoochlandCares Clothes Closet sorting happens on the second Sunday of the month. Meet St. Mary's team leader Dick Thomas at the back of the GoochlandCares building (2999 River Rd. West) at 12:30 p.m. If you have questions, contact Dick. Our next sorting day is Sunday, Feb. 9.
• Peter Paul RVA: Opportunities available Mon.-Thurs. 4-5 p.m. for you to be a reading or math buddy, tutoring or classroom assistance at the Coleman Promise Center, 1708 N.22nd St., Richmond. Contact Daiyonna Tretina (804-634-5100).
• Peter Paul needs food distribution volunteers on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month to help stock their food pantry. Meet at Feed More at 12:30 p.m. to load food into the van before heading back to Peter Paul to unload and sort the food. Volunteers are also needed the 1st and 3rd Wednesday to help set up and assist clients with food selection at Peter Paul, 8:30-11 a.m. This is an ongoing need. Please Contact Daiyonna Tretina (804-634-5100) if you are interested! 
• St. Andrew's School: Opportunities for lunch buddy, kitchen assistant, classroom assistant, tutoring, or office assistant for 2024-25 school year at 227 South Cherry St., Richmond. Weekly commitment for the duration of the school year (Sept. - May); volunteers may choose the day of the week that works best for them; times needed will vary. Contact Brittney Dandridge (804.648.4545, ext. 124) or complete this volunteer application.

St. Mary's Episcopal Church • 12291 River Road, Richmond, VA 23238

• (804) 784-5678 • www.stmarysgoochland.org