Serve the Community
The Goal
Why serving the community matters
In Matthew 25, Jesus uses a parable to teach His followers that in serving the people of their community, they are serving Him. Jesus cares deeply about the poor, the hurting, and the needy in the community, and He has given us the opportunity to serve them, and to serve Him.
Knights of Columbus
Knights of Columbus is a Catholic family fraternal service organization. Knights are Catholic men, 18 years of age and older, who are committed to making their community a better place, while supporting their Church. Through their work in the service areas of faith, community, family, youth, and fellowship – they truly make a difference. Being a Knight is more than camaraderie; it is being involved with your community; it is supporting your local Catholic Church, while enhancing your own faith; it is about protecting and enhancing your family life.
Are you interested in strengthening your bonds as a family, deepening your faith in the Catholic Church, and working with like-minded men to help support your parish and community? If so, please consider joining the Knights of Columbus. For more information:
MHM
Our mental health ministry exists to serve individuals and families experiencing mental illness by offering God’s hope and love through spiritual accompaniment.
It is our mission is to ensure no one feels alone in their struggle with mental illness or their role as a caretaker. This is not group therapy, but a ministry in which members support others during their time of need and to grow spiritually in their relationship with God. One does not need to be Catholic to participate, but Catholic prayers and devotions will be used.
You will gain:
- Spiritual Companionship - Mental health ministry team members lead small groups that offer spiritual support to those with lived experience of mental health struggles and their families or caregivers.
- Practical Support - Ministry members are familiar with the many public and private support services available to families in their local communities and will share a list of resources that may help those who are needing additional support. They stay in touch with those families using community services to see if they are receiving the help they need.
- Education - The ministry team provides mental health educational opportunities for the larger parish community on a regular basis.
To learn more,
Hillcrest
Hillcrest Transitional Housing is just that; a transitional housing program providing a Christian environment that helps homeless families become self-supportive, self-reliant contributors to society. Primary programs focus on moving families from homelessness to self-sufficiency within 90 days. In exchange for rent/utility-free housing, residents are required by written agreement to work full time, obey the program guidelines, and attend volunteer taught classes in life skills, employment, community living, and budgeting. In addition to housing and life-skills counseling Hillcrest provides the following through a network of community support: auto repair/donation, food pantry, medical assistance, dental work, GED classes, haircuts, glasses, school clothes, work uniforms, etc.
Although Hillcrest Transitional Housing provides a supportive Christian environment, it places no religious requirement on any resident, and no volunteer, resident, or donor is discriminated against because of race, creed, ethnicity, or religion.
St. Mark’s Parish sponsors an apartment at Hillcrest Transitional Housing at Sugar Creek Campus, Apt # C. Our Hillcrest ministry is charged with the upkeep of this apartment as well as funding the cost of the sponsorship. The upkeep requirements are to stock the apartment with food and kitchen items, clean the apartment after the resident has vacated, and replace any furnishings that have been taken. We need cleaners and strong volunteers to move furnishings when needed. We look for volunteers in three different types of areas; 1) to fully clean the apartment 2) to stock the apartment with groceries, appliances were needed and various other items and 3) be a part of the “Welcome” group that will cook the first meal for the family and welcome them to their new home. We will also immerse ourselves in the care of our residents after they have graduated from the program. This type of caring can be to provide help in Holiday gifts and meal.
The ministry is charged with providing the funds needed to sponsor the apartment. The cost of the apartment is $5000 a year. For us to raise the money, we host an annual Chili Dinner and Horse Races fundraiser in late October of each year in the Parish Hall. Many hours of planning go into this, and we look to parishioners for help in sponsoring a Horse or Horse Race and of course, attend the event. It is a fun evening and approximately $5000 is raised to help pay the rent. Many volunteers are needed for this event, so if you are interested in helping us, please contact Hilda Beck. We meet on occasion for meetings that will be scheduled ahead of time. Try us out, we think you will find it rewarding.
St. Joseph's Table
The St. Joseph Table origins are from an old Sicilian tradition and a deep devotion to St. Joseph, the patron of those in need. The people of Sicily prayed to St. Joseph for relief from the famine that gripped the island. At last, the skies opened, sending down the life-giving water. The people rejoiced. To show their gratitude, they prepared a table with a special assortment of foods they had harvested. After paying honor to St. Joseph, they distributed the food to the less fortunate. After many centuries, the St. Joseph Table still serves as a reminder that those who have enjoyed some measure of good fortune must share it with those who have less.
Preparation of the St. Joseph Table begins in February with the baking of artistic quality breads, cookies and pastries. All the baking and preparing of the Spaghetti dinner take approximately 5 weeks. Then, in March, a Sunday close to the Feast of St. Joseph, the event is celebrated with a dinner and sale of baked goods, Altar table goods and a big raffle where you can win wonderful prizes. All proceeds from the St. Joseph table are given to the St. Vincent de Paul Ministry which helps the disenfranchised of our parish and Independence community. If you are interested in helping us, please contact Hilda Beck. You don’t have to know how to bake, you just come and enjoy some fellowship.
St. Mary's Mission Food Drive
Our St. Mary’s Food collections are on the third weekend of every month after all Masses. Non-perishable items can be dropped off at the parish during regular office hours or bring your donation before mass and place them on the blue covered tables in the North Alcove. St. Mary’s Mission center provides food, toiletries and can help with utilities to many families in need in our community.
St. Mary's Food Pantry is always looking for volunteers of all ages to help sort and stock food. They will take volunteers on Tuesday's and Friday's from 8:30 to 4:00pm. Please contact Marie Hennigh at 816-252-8649 to sign up. You can also talk to Marie about helping on Wednesday's and Thursday's when the Food Pantry is open to the community.
To learn more,
St. Vincent de Paul Ministry
The St. Vincent de Paul Ministry provides direct aid to those who suffer, and to help individuals reduce the causes of their suffering. Inspired by Gospel values, St. Vincent de Paul provides services that range from meeting basic needs to helping persons improve their quality of life and reach their fullest potential. St. Vincent de Paul seeks to maximize volunteer involvement, as it recognizes the personal and spiritual growth that occurs when individuals become personally involved in helping others. In all that it does, St. Vincent de Paul builds a sense of community, advocates for those it serves, encourages personal responsibility, fosters hope, and promotes dignity and self-worth. St. Vincent de Paul serves all people, as it sees God's living presence in every person.
Our mission statement is as follows: Our mission is to serve the community of St. Mark’s and the Independence community, and when possible, the surrounding communities with emergency assistance to help alleviate the burdens of poverty. We will consistently strive to renew and adapt ourselves to the economic changes and conditions of our times. We follow the policy rules as written with the understanding that those rules can and will vary at any given time to accommodate the changing financial times of the year.
St. Vincent de Paul does not and will not discriminate anyone because of Race, Status, Color or Gender. Our main objective is to aid those in need. All are God’s children.
To learn more,
Anapra Mission Program
Our mission program has changed throughout the years, and you will find that we are providing different programs for the people of Anapra. We have created the “Food for Love Program” to help feed the elderly of the most impoverished areas of Anapra. We continue with our educational program, and we have expanded on your food basket program called Despensas.
Our mission program is sponsored through the generosity of St. Mark's parishioners through the Blue Envelope that you receive in your bimonthly packets. With that Blue Envelope we provide food baskets for 100 families, we provide extra assistance for students who do not have a Sponsor, and we serve 120 elderly people with a nice hot meal.
Our first important program is the educational assistance program called Anapra Scholarships. These scholarships are given to children in elementary through university level students. Each student is provided with tuition, supplies, uniforms, shoes, transportation and computers, when necessary, to continue their education. Students connect with their sponsor through letters that they write regularly to keep their sponsor updated on their educational progress. Sponsors can provide a Christmas gift or Easter gift if they wish to their student. Each student is extremely grateful for the opportunity to receive a valuable education and be lifted out of poverty.
Our second most important program is the food assistance program, otherwise known as a "Despensa" which serves 100 families. The basket contains items such as rice, pasta, beans, eggs, toilet paper, soap, oil and sugar. At Christmas, our Despensa is expanded to include ham, candies, milk cans, Masa for tamales and many other little items that change from year to year.
The blue envelope in your monthly parish packet assists the mission in providing these much-needed programs to the people of Anapra. Your continued support of our Mission program is appreciated.
The mission also sells Mission trash bags; Yellow bags at $12.00 a roll or White bags at $11.00 a roll. Every trash bag sale helps a family in need. You can purchase a bag from the parish office during working hours.