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Mission
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MISSION STATEMENT: We "Draw the Circle Wide" by affirming our call by Jesus Christ to share the Gospel and be instruments of compassion, social justice and systemic change. |
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Works Camps: A Way For CSA To Be A Good Neighbor Lending a neighbor a hand with yard work, painting or repair is a value of the congregation. Being a good neighbor build community and partnerships, that's why we host and sponsor work camps in the community. In 2008 the youth from the Presbytery through Mission madness were hosted by CSA at a site on Henrietta Street. The youth assisted a woman who had been diagnosed with cancer. Yard work, scrapping pealing paint from her garage, moving her to the first floor were part of being good neighbors. Last year in January we hosted a youth group from Buffalo who assisted in a project with the South Avenue Recreation Center. The group made a meal for youth and adults at the center, baked cookies with the smaller children and built relationships of trust through joint activities. We''ve also partnered with the South Wedge Planning Committee Inc. to identify neighbors in need and to couple the funds from the work camp church with those of city grants to extend the available resources for a project. Contact us at staff@calvarystandews.org if you know a neighbor in need. We're Building Blocks of Neighbors and Friends If you have neighbors in need in the South Wedge contact us at 325-4950 or staff@calvarystandrews.org. |
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Emergency Food Cupboard Jesus' mandate to feed the hungry is one which we gladly accept. Calvary St. Andrew's Emergency Food Cupboard serves the South Wedge section of Rochester, New York. We also serve people referred by Lifeline, non-profit agencies and service based organizations. Jan. FIGURE FOR SERVICE: 114 households, 140 people In the last 12 months Calvary St. Andrew's Emergency Food Cupboard served 1123 households. A total of 1886 individuals were given 3 meals a day, for 3 days, for a total of 16,974 meals. Our cupboard feeds not only the poor, disabled and the elderly, but also the working poor, the newly unemployed and families in crisis. |
The Emergency Food Cupboard is solely run by volunteers.
Hours of Operation
Monday-Thursday 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
Friday 9:00 a.m.-Noon
To Qualify- Participants must be income eligible and provide a Photo I.D and proof of address
(RGE bill or mail to prove address). Participants are allowed to utilize the pantry once every three months.
SUGGESTED FOOD ITEMS NEEDED
- Pasta
- Peanut Butter
- Toilet Paper
- Tuna Fish
- Beef Stew or Hash
- Canned Beans
- Canned Fruit
- Canned Pasta
- Canned Soups
- Crackers
FOODLINK
Every Tuesday volunteers bring goods from Foodlink that includes fresh vegetables, breads, cheese and other items. Through the New York State HAPNA grant food is purchased in bulk through Foodlink. Volunteers pick and store on shelves all items.
Bread Ministry
For over 28 years the Monks at the Abbey of the Genesee have sent fresh bread from their bakery into the city. Calvary St. Andrews has been a recipient of the bread that is then given to families and individuals in the neighborhood. Each week the Abbey of the Genesee delivers us 60 loaves of Monks Bread to be distributed to our neighbors in the South Wedge. Residents primarily elderly and low-income venture into our chapel to receive this blessing of bread by the monks. We give God thanks for the long, faithful partnership we have had with the Monks at the Abbey of the Genesee. Brother Ross has been a faithful deliverer of that bread for most of our partnership years.
Robert Lauterbach Coordinator of the Food Ministry
United Way Donor Option
The Emergency Food Cupboard receives major financial support through the United Way Donor Option. These funds go to purchase additional food not available through Food Link. Our number is 1620 when you are filling our your United Way Pledge. OR YOU CAN DONATE DIRECTLY TO THE FOOD MINISTRY THOUGH THIS WEBSITE. GO TO THE DONOR OPTION.
Food Acquisition: We purchase about three-quarters of the food from Food Link using the NY State Hunger Prevention and Nutrition Assistance Program grant. The remainder comes from generous donations from individuals and organizations:
Calvary St. Andrew's members and supporters
Boy Scout / Girl Scout Food Drive
USPS Workers Food Drives
Abbey of the Genesee: Each Wednesday, Brother Ross brings bread fromt he Abbey
Pittsford Presbyterian Church
Mendon Presbyterian Church
St. Joseph’s Neighborhood Center
United Way Donor Option #1620
Rochester Children's Nursery
Brighton United Church of Christ
St. Alban's-St. Cecilia Guild Christ Episcopal Church
Webster Presbyterian Church
St. John Fisher Students with a Vision
Joan Hendericks prepares for the Tuesday recipents of food.
Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas Baskets
At Easter, 25 deserving families identified through the food cupboard received Holiday Baskets. Continuing this year was our Thanksgiving basket program. Thanks to a $1000 grant from the Masonic Lodge last spring in the name of former Emergency Food Cupboard Director – Karl Reich Jr., we were able to provide turkeys or hams to 60 families.
Christmas basket program focused on donating food to 58 families that have used the Emergency Food Cupboard. Many thanks go to Barbara Mitchell who coordinated all of the holiday basket programs. It is very time consuming to gather the names and insure qualified people come at the right time to pick up their holiday basket. She even wraps the boxes with holiday paper to make them more festive.
These projects would not be possible without donations from supporters and the shoppers, callers, sorters, lifters, wrappers and packers from the CSA Emergency Food Cupboard volunteer staff and other members of the CSA.
Pat Soule and Barbara Mitchell gathered for for 58 Thanksgivng baskets that fed over 150 people
Seven year old Tajahnae Jones helped pack baskets for deserving families.
FRESH VEGETABLES AND MEAT
Every week volunteers staff the Food Ministry by buying food through Food Link and uploading hundreds of pounds of food, packing bags and stocking shelves. Because so many people volunteer to serrve Christ we are able to give food to deserving families. We are Christ's hands and heart in the world.
FOOD CRISIS
Great thanks goes to the Postal Workers and also First American Mortgage Services for their food drives which ended Tuesday. The Postal Worker's drive fell well short of last year since they were unable to print the postcards explaining that the drive was taking place. We received 73 tubes of food compared to 252 last year...down over 70%. The Postal Workers felt bad about the poor results, so they also contributed a check that will enable the food cupboard to buy about a month's supply of soup. Sean Ryan the church's postman, dropped off the final tubes of food.
First American Mortgage Services spent the month of May collecting can goods for Calvary St. Andrew's food cupboard. The Henrietta company has about 180 employees that deals with mortgages in 8 states. Keri Neadom's idea was to collect 700 can goods during the month, and that goal was accomplished. They also sorted the food to make it easier to put on the shelves.
The First American group Priscilla Jedrich, Keri Neadom and Henry Hall Jr. dropped off the boxes of can goods. Today, the St. Joseph Villa kids and others will sort the food and stock the shelves. With these two food drives, the food cupboard should be in a good position for this Summer's expected higher demand for food.
Thanks to all who helped.
Robert Lauterbach, Coordinator of the Food Ministry
Sean Ryan, Postal worker Priscilla Jedrich, Keri Neadom and Henry Hall Jr.
American First food drive
John Mc Corry hands out meat Elaine Mc Corry watches over the salads and vegetables.
Volunteers Joan Hendrick, Phil Stukas, Sharon Hoffman, Diane Szczerbacki
Crisis Intervention and Referrals
Often emergency food is not the only need for participants that come to the Food Cupboard. Many come needing help with clothing, health care, drug treatment, housing, assistance with Social Services, Social Security or unemployment. Our Food Cupboard is an important link in the community of caring and we receive referrals from many (40+) non-profit agencies and service based organizations. We regularly serve people outside the 14620 zip code area who have referrals and then provide them with information about services within their area.
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GIVE GENROUSLY TO THE HEIFER FUND. YOU CAN CHANGE A FAMILY'S LIFE. |
Heifer Fund (www.heifer.org ) is a special fund whereby people donate their spare change throughout the year. They do this in the “Cow Jar” that is often on the altar. Over the past year $500 was collected. The money was donated to Heifer International, a non-profit organization that works to end world hunger and save the earth through the gift of farm animals and training and a COW was purchased. The Sunday school children decide which projects to donate the money, so this fund covers all generations in the church. It takes $500 to buy a cow…hence the name Cow Jar.
In December we send "Shawanda" the cow to a deserving family through the Heifer project. By now Shawnada should be producing milk for the family and eventually she will have her own calf. The capacity for the family's livelihood will be expanded. Donate through our website to the cow fund or drop in money to the cow jar on Sundays.
The North Star has been used for centuries to guide travelers on foot, over the ocean and in the air. Stars give brightness to the night time sky. Members of our congregation live in residential facilities in the community and are specially challenged. They names themselves the "Star Group". They bring brightness and light into the lives of the CSA community. Loden Lane is a residential facility in Henrietta that serves as home for several of our CSA members, as is Hinchey Road and private homes. Our ministry has spaned over 30 years. We have learned more about who God is through the eyes, ears and hearts of our brothers and sister. The Star Group attends weekly worship, assists in coffee hours, as greeters and at special functions. God's joy is known through our friends.
A highlight in worship was a service in honor of the Star Group and of the annual Christmas party at Loden Lane. The face of Jesus comes to us in a variety of ways--the Star Group has given us direction in knowing some aspects of who jesus is in our midst.
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CSA has two groups that worship with us and more that visit. |
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Calvary St. Andrew's Presbyterian Parish is a More Light Church and partners with other More Light Congregations throughout the PCUSA to support the full inclusion of gay and lesbian and transgender people in the life of the PCUSA. Through study and Biblical reflection CSA has committed to being a welcoming and affirming congregation for gay and lesbians. As part of the More Light Network and in partnership with That All May Freely Serve. CSA has co-sponsored several overtures to the General Assembly to remove any prohibition to the offices of ordination for the Minister of Word and Sacrament, Deacon or Elder. God calls people into leadership and the local church and Presbytery are asked to discern God's call for an individual. Our primary emphasis in leadership in the local church is a person's relationship with Jesus Christ. As a progressive Presbyterian church, gay and lesbians, find an open welcoming congregation in which to search and claim faith. Interfaith Advocates is a community sponsored coaliation that has pressed for equal rights in marriage for gay and lesbians.CSA supports the Marriage Equality Act which gives equal rights to gay, lesbian an transgender people to have their marriages recognized legally by the state.
Education: Calvary St. Andrerw's is partnering with Third Presbyterian Church, St. Luke' St. Simon, Lake Avenue baptist and Colgate Rochester Divinity School in sponsoring community educational events for the larger Rochester Community. Bishop Eugene Robinson will be hosted by St. Luke's and St. Simon on April 29th, 2010 for an educational discussion.
AND
The Bible and the LGBT Experience: Beginning the Conversation
Sunday, March 14, 2010
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
East Avenue and Westminster Road
4:00 p.m. Lenten Choral Evensong
5:00 p.m. Lecture and Discussion
<!--[if supportFields]> SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1<![endif]--><!--[if supportFields]><![endif]-->H. Darrell Lance
Professor Emeritus of Old Testament Interpretation
Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School
Sponsored by Christian Faith and the LGBT Experience… a consortium of congregations who, with CRCDS, offer community forums which articulate some aspect of the welcoming and affirming theology of the Christian tradition toward lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender persons. For further information, visit cfle.groupsite.com
Bob Day serves as CSA's overutre advocate to General Assembly.
Draw the circle wide
MORE LIGHT STATEMENT
We, the people of Calvary St. Andrews Presbyterian Parish humbly, prayerfully, boldly and faithfully declare ourselves to be a More Light congregation.
We cherish our Congregation's tradition of enlarging the community of faith by “drawing the circle wide”. We welcome all persons of faith, embrace differences of racial or ethnic background, gender, age, physical and mental ability, sexual orientation, and socio-economic status. We celebrate the total identity of each person as a child of God, created in the image of God, and reflecting God’s holiness.
We affirm that all human beings are members of the body of Christ. The exclusion of persons who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgendered from the fellowship of the church breaks our covenant with God and wounds the body of Christ. We believe that the Holy Spirit moves among us, liberates us, stretches us, and inspires our passions for peace and justice. Calvary St. Andrews Presbyterian Parish challenges oppression, works for justice and peace and strives to eliminate prejudice. By declaring ourselves a More Light Congregation, we covenant to continue our rich history and tradition by working towards ending ignorance, fear, hatred, prejudice and discrimination against our brothers and sisters in Christ.
(Adopted 1980, Revised April 2008)
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Caring for the Earth Stewardship of the Earth is one of God's callings for us as Christians. Investment in community gardens, sustainable agriculture, preservation of open space, and healthy growing of food within the city plots are topics of discussion in our congregation. We are called to be caretakers of the earth, so recycling, reducing our carbon footprint and going green are core values of the community.
Our "Still Going Green" slogan says it all--we've been earth friendly for a long time. We do not use styrofoam, we've replaced light bulbs, exit signs, installed a new roof, and weatherized our church in an effort to go green. Plant community gardens--several members have led efforts to plant community gardens. And our own Alison Clarke has been a leader in the state in Sustainable Agriculture. interested in sustainable agriculture.
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South Avenue Recreation
Nazareth College Department of Social Work For Systemic Change partnered with local churches, community organizations and service providers to conduct several focus groups after a youth man was killed in the neighborhood. As a result of the meetings and focus groups the community organization SEAC, SWPC, Calvary St. Andrew's, South Avenue Recreation Center, Pathways To Peace, and Center For Youth Services have met monthly to share resources, programs and identify ways to support positive activities and gatherings for youth.
In conjunction with several members and friends of CSA developed a computer center at South Avenue to be used by the youth and adults. Several individuals donated computers and printers.
Cathy Hall teaches a child how to make cookies.
Youth from Buffalo lend support.
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For over 17 years CSA has been involved with Christian Based Communities in The Dominican Republic. Missionary Joanna Petersen has been establishing base communities in several villages in the Dominican Republic. Several delegations of parishioners have spent time in the DR learning about Chrisitan Based organizing.
Burrows loaded with coffee beans, bananas and beans are frequent sights along the way. The countryside is dotted with small wooden homes with yards filled with chickens, and pigs. The groups stay in family homes and at the mission. The Hondo Valle economy is based on subsistence farming of coffee, beans and bananas. The Base Communities are teaching new techniques such as drying coffee beans on tarps and washing the beans in large tubs to improve the quality of what the farmers sell. Plowing by oxen is the normal method; no tractors were even a possibility. Weighing malnourished babies, sorting hundreds of eye glasses for the eye clinic, understanding seed silos and participation in the Christian Based Communities are all part of the learning experience. Sustainable agriculture involves fish farming, the growing of avocado trees, and builidng hooplas. DONATE TO THE DOMINICAN MINISTRY THROUGH OUR WEBSITE. |
Elder Sue Porter is the Director of the judical Process Commission, an organization dedicated to assisting people to re-establish themselves in the community after being incarcerated. Job readiness, counseling, group discussions are among the services provided. CSA is a partner with JPC in supporting the re-entry program and has had mentors trained to assist.
CSA supports two neighborhood block clubs through the use of space in our facility and in co-sponsoring events. Hickory Nuts and Averill Block Clubs provide a mechanism for neighbors to join together to make a difference in the neighborhood. Garage sales, planting flowers in visible locations,fellowship meals and organizing on key issues are among the ways neighbors support neighbors.
With the eleven Presbyterian Urban congregations in the city of Rochester, CSA partners to address issues that concern the city. Pastors meet monthly for support, education and strategy. In January 2009 Phil Tom, Coordinator of the National Presbyterian Church Office of Urban Ministry led a retreat for pastors and laity. For 2009 the eleven churches covenanted to build ways to know one another, and to let the Spirit of God discern within us how to address the key issues of poverty, housing education and city life. Calvary St. Andrew's, New Life, Third, Parsells, South, Laurelton, Lakeside, Dowtown, Trinity Emmanuel, Brighton and Dewy Avenue comprise the urban consortium.
On October 24 UPT had a "Boots On The Street" in an all day work camp at Cameron Community Ministries. Painting of office, bathroom repair, organization of files, the clothing closet, preparation of food for 100 people were among the gifts given by UPT to Cameron.
On October 27th from 6:30-9:00 p.m. the Urban Ministry Team led a syposim for 70 urban elders . This event was the first time our urban church leaders had an opportunity to gather and network. Lisette Maginn and Sam Picard did a great job organizing the event. 
Presbyterian Urban Ministry Vision and Strategy 2009
Support the urban congregations in Presbytery of Genesee Valley
Provide spiritual and strategic assistance
Provide opportunities for joint mission and ministry
Support pastoral and lay leadership in urban congregations
Regular gatherings for pastors and laity
Provide joint training opportunities (Elders, deacons, other)
Work with presbytery entities (COM, Trustees, Congregational Ministries, etc.) in vision and strategy
at times of leadership transition
at times of crisis – financial, facility, demographic, membership, etc.
at times when congregations are seeking long range vision/planning
To provide a Presbyterian voice in public and ecumenical/interfaith conversations
To ensure the survival of urban churches
To gain a better over-all sense of the city and its issues
NATIONAL CHURCH VISIT
Phil Tom, Coordinator of the Urban Ministry Office in the PCUSA and Bert Tom, former Associate Executive of San Francisco Presbytery made a visit to CSA as part of the research on the book Vital Church Signs. Several CSA members met in groups with the Phil and Bert.
PITTSFORD PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH WORK CAMP AT CSA
Our partnership church First Presbyterian Church in Pittsofrd gave CSA a boost throughout our property. Volunteers fixed a major bubble in our wooden floor, caulked windows, stained the Narthex door, painted the shed, installed ceiling tiles upstairs, and leveled the sidewalk. The project was coordinated by Dick Sprenkle.
