Summertime and the livin’ is easy… or is it?

I can just hear the great Ella Fitzgerald’s voice belting out the tune, and in one sense, the pace of Third Church Outreach does slow down to a little easier pace. We have fewer formal organizing meetings, and our tutoring programs in the schools are on vacation for the summer.

But because needs arising from urban poverty don’t go away in the summer, our outreach ministries press on, full steam ahead (temperatures not withstanding!). People are still hungry, and visit the Food Cupboard and Dining Room Ministry. We’ve incorporated a bunch of new volunteers to help meet the summer needs – thanks to all who have stepped up to help!. And the East Avenue Grocery Run planning team is up and running (pun intended) to prepare for a great hunger-fighting run on November 5.

People are still homeless, and we will host another RAIHN rotation of homeless families beginning August 29. Our friends at Temple B’rith Kodesh are joining with us to help provide volunteers. We are so excited about this growing collaboration in service to the community.

We still have a segregated school system, and the work of Great Schools for All and its Breakthrough Schools proposal has gained a great deal of momentum in the last couple of months. You can learn all the latest and offer your support at www.gs4a.org.

And plans are now underway for another trip to New Orleans from October 17-21 to continue the post-Katrina rebuilding. More information will be forthcoming soon!

There’s a way for everyone to contribute to the outreach ministries of Third Church in some way, large or small. Contact me to explore the possibilities!

Lynette Sparks
Associate Pastor
(585) 271-6513 ext. 106
[email protected]