Social Ministry

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Last Updated on Tuesday, 12 July 2011 10:46

Social Ministry (Hal Larkin)  The Social Ministry Team seeks to involve POP members and friends of all ages in helping to reduce world problems through education, personal involvement and funding.  Responsibilities are to determine actions that can be taken and to plan ways for involving POP in these actions.  This team meets monthly for 1.5 to 2 hours.  Our activities include:

1.   Articles are placed in Faith Works and in Connections to educate POP members and friends about local and world needs and needed actions.

2.   The team conducts fund raisers, as appropriate, for World Hunger Relief, Disaster Relief and Local Needs.  For example, Disaster Relief funds raised in 2010 for the Haiti earthquake were $7000 and for the one in Chile were $4000.  Possible new methods are reviewed and sometimes tested.

3.   The major fund raiser (our December Matching Funds Challenge) usually raises more than $5000 for local needy persons, although funds raised in 2008 were $3000 and in 2009 were $4000.  The team allocates these funds to worthy support organizations in Clifton Park, Albany, Schenectady and Troy.

4.   Clothing drives for local and world wide needy are conducted every three years.  Many POP members sort and pack clothing at the drive,

5.   A summary of funds provided by Members for local and world needs, as well as how these funds are distributed, is provided annually in November and December Faith Works and Connections or in the Annual Report.

6.   The team endeavors to give POP members and friends opportunities to interact with people being helped.  In 2009 and 2010, POP staffed two of the summer feeding stations sponsored by Schenectady Inner City Ministries for needy children.

Social Ministry is recruiting two new members.  In addition, anyone seeing a need and willing to work to meet that need can become a member of the team.  POP members and friends are invited to help with specific short-term activities when needed.

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