St. John's State and National Outreach
Judea
1. Epiphany Ministry, Inc.
2. Epworth Children’s Home
3. Kairos of South Carolina
4. Salkehatchie (PeeDee and Santee)
5. Tigers Go
6.Shirley Townsend-Jones
Judea
1. Epiphany
Information: Epiphany Ministry, Inc. is an ecumenical Christian Ministry for young men and women who are in the custody of Juvenile Justice Facilities. The weekend models on which it is based are: Chrysalis, Cross, Cursillo, Happening, Kairos Prisn Ministry, Tres Dias, Vida Nueva and Walk to Emmaus. Their purpose is to manifest God's Love to incarcerated youth, known as "Stars" through a three day short course in Christianity and an on-going follow-up program. Each Epiphany weekend involves a team of adults and youth from the Christian community who work together to show the Love of God to those attending.
God's Love has been revealed throughout history, especially in the life and atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ. In church history, Epiphany is traditionally celebrated on January 6th marking the arrival of the Magi in search of the Christ child. "Epiphany" is a Greek word meaning "appearance". The coming of the Magi marks the time when God is manifested on Earth to the entire world through Jesus Christ.
How St. John’s is Involved with Epiphany: Members of St. John's have been regular participants in trips with Epiphany Ministry. We also provide some funding through the Faith Promise funds to aid in carrying out the Epiphany Ministry mission.
Interested in Volunteering: Epiphany Ministry is always looking for volunteers to participate in Epiphany activities. Contact St. John’s member Jackie Hyche (648-9106) for answers to most questions regarding volunteering.
Contact: Call the Epiphany Ministry office at 478-962-0794 for more information or to talk to a Volunteer Coordinator. You may also visit their website at www.epiphanyministry.org
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2. Epworth Children’s Home
Information: Epworth Children's Home is a licensed and accredited non-profit organization in Columbia, SC that provides group residential care for children and youth from all over South Carolina. They provide child care, counseling and related services to families and children without regard to race, religion, national origin or ability to pay. The mission of Epworth Children's Home is to serve children, youth and families through a caring, accepting and safe Christian community, where hurts are healed; hope is nurtured; and faith in God, self and others is developed. The goal is to break the destructive cycle of abuse, neglect and shame and replace it with an opportunity for each child to live a life of self-respect, responsibility and productivity.
Epworth Orphanage (the original name) was established in 1895 by the South Carolina Annual Conference of the Methodist Church on land that was originally the Congaree Racetrack. Although originally an orphanage, by the end of WWII most of the children were not orphans, but came from families which were broken and in conflict. The name “Epworth Children’s Home” was adopted in 1951. In 1996 Epworth celebrated its 100th birthday. The campus is still on the original location at 2900 Millwood Avenue and spans 38 acres.
Epworth serves 153 children, youth and young adults. There are 80 residents on the ECH campus ages 4-18 and five young adults in college. Epworth’s staff consists of 78 employees. Children come to Epworth because of abuse, abandonment, neglect or a breakdown of the family situation. On average, 75% of the children are placed by the SC Department of Social Services and the remaining 25% are placed privately. The children attend public schools in Columbia. A Higher Education Program helps students identify scholarships as well as provides any needed funding for tuition, housing and books. Participants attend colleges and universities across the state and still call Epworth home.
Epworth Children’s Home receives only about 5% of their annual budget from government sources. The remaining 95% of funding comes from private donations.
How St. John’s is Involved with Epworth Children’s Home: St. John’s has been a strong partner and supporter of Epworth Children’s Home for many years. We participate in Campus Work Days and school visits as well as provide funding through two annual collections—Mothers’ Day in May and the Campus Work Day in September.
Interested in Volunteering: Call St. John’s member Maureen Bernard (221-9635) for more information on volunteering opportunities.
Contact: You may call Laura Bundrick, Epworth’s Development Officer, at 803-256-7394 to learn more about giving programs and how you can get involved in the work of Epworth. You may also visit their web site: www.epworthchildrenshome.org/
3. Kairos of South Carolina
Information: The purpose of KAIROS is to establish a strong Christian community among the residents of correctional institutions. This is done by the presentation of a 3-day short course in Christianity. It is presented by an interdenominational team of about 55 persons for a group of 42 residents. The chaplain carefully selects the inmates from the prison population. The ideal recruits are those residents who are presently the leaders in the institution. There, they become Christ’s agents for change in their environment that ultimately can bring about change in the attitude and quality of life for the entire institution.
The primary goal of the KAIROS ministry is to teach those who attend the weekend to become part of a share and prayer group. This allows them to share their lives on deep spiritual level and pray for one another. Many times, the members of these groups find their peers who have not been through a KAIROS program coming to them and saying, "I don’t know what it is you’ve got, but I want it!" ... and then they introduce their friend to Christ.
How St. John’s is Involved with Kairos: Members of St. John's have been regular participants in trips with Karios. We also provide some funding through the Faith Promise funds to aid in carrying out the Kairos mission. Many St. John’s men visit with the inmates during Kairos visitation weekends, but other men and women participate by helping to prepare meals for the visitors as well as the inmates.
Interested in Volunteering: KAIROS is always looking for volunteers to participate in their activities. Contact St. John’s members Jim Holly (221-4276) or Dave Kelly (295-7143) for answers to most questions regarding volunteering.
Contact: You may visit their website at www.kairossc.org or, for the international organization, www.kairosprisonministry.org
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4. Salkehatchie: (PeeDee & Santee)
Information: Salkehatchie Summer Service is a pioneering servant ministry at selected sites in South Carolina involving high school and college age youth, adult community leaders and persons of different cultures in upgrading housing, motivating community cooperative efforts by helping persons to help themselves, and providing all participants with opportunities for personal growth and service.
Who: Salkehatchie Summer Service is for high school and college age youth drawn primarily from the South Carolina United Methodist Conference. Participants must be at least 14 years old by the beginning of the camp they attend. Adult leaders are also needed to offer guidance and support. There will be more than 2900 participants involved in 2008.
What: This program of the South Carolina Conference Board of Global Ministries consists of a number of work camps for United Methodist Youth in South Carolina. During the week participants physically improve homes of needy families and reach out to these families and one another in friendship.
Where: There are forty-eight camps. The Salkehatchie Steering Committee establishes camps where need, opportunity, personnel and facilities meet. St. John’s members typically participate in the PeeDee and Santee camps.
When: Each camp runs from Saturday to Saturday. Camps are offered from May through August.
Why: Many of our neighbors in South Carolina live in homes needing repair and Jesus has called us to love our neighbor (Luke 10:29-37). South Carolina United Methodist Youth need to experience Christian servanthood. “And he said to all, ‘If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.’ ” (Luke 9:23)
How Much? There is a $200 fee per person. Each volunteer participates fully in the experience of serving, growing, learning and sharing together.
How Can You Help?
· Volunteer - Youth willing to work and adults with skills to share are needed.
· Donate Supplies - Lumber, paint, caulking, plywood, linoleum, paneling, nails, etc. may be brought to individual camps.
· Financial Support - Cash contributions are needed and appreciated. Registration fees and conference benevolences do not cover all of our costs.
How St. John’s is Involved with Salkehatchie: The youth of St. John’s, along with adult participants, have been participating in Salkehatchie trips for many years, most notably the Pee Dee, Santee, and Sand River camps.
Interested in Volunteering: Salkehatchie is always looking for volunteers to participate in their activities. Contact Gene Aiken at the church office (648-6891) or email him at gene.aiken@stjohns-umc.org for answers to most questions regarding volunteering.
Contact: You may visit their website at www.salkehatchie.org for more information.
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5. Tigers Go
Information: Tigers Go exists to help others in need by following the Way of Jesus. They serve primarily in the communities of Upstate South Carolina and in St. Bernard Parish and the Lower 9th Ward of New Orleans. There are hundreds of places in the world where need is present and serving is needed, but these are the places God has called them to be right now. Tigers Go has established Camp Collide, a program in which they seek to spread light unto a darkened world and showed the love of God in places where the faith in God had been lost. Tigers Go is looking to establish a second Camp Collide in the upstate portion of South Carolina in the near future.
How St. John’s is Involved with Tigers Go: Members of St. John's, particularly our youth along with chaperones, have been on mission trips with Tigers Go to assist with home repairs in New Orleans. These trips typically occur during Spring Break Week, as well as certain weeks during the summer months. We have continued to assist in funding Tigers Go as well as pray for their efforts in establishing a second Camp Collide in the South Carolina Upstate.
Interested in Volunteering: Tigers Go is always looking for energetic volunteers, skilled craftsmen, or anyone with a desire to help. Gene Aiken of the St. John’s UMC staff can answer most questions regarding volunteering. Gene can be reached at 648-6891 or gene.aiken@stjohns-umc.org
Contact: Call the Tigers Go office at 864-643-1275 for more information or talk to a Volunteer Coordinator. Email them at info@tigersgo.org or visit their website: www.tigersgo.org.
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6. Shirley Townsend-Jones
Information: Shirley Townsend-Jones is a missionary with the General Board of Global Ministries of the United Methodist Church serving as a Church and Community Worker with the Bennettsville-Cheraw Area Cooperative Ministry, in Bennettsville, South Carolina. She coordinates, implements, and supervises programs as a part of the Cooperative's ministry that meets the spiritual, social, ecumenical and educational needs of the member churches and community. This includes ten sites of Vacation Bible School, SBC Resource Center, educational and spiritual leadership training, summer camps, after school tutorial, scouting, mission fairs, health fairs, Strengthening Families for Renewal life programs, Shalom programs, and housing, food distribution and transportation for the ten rural churches that comprise the cooperative ministry. This cooperative is the first rural ministry to become involved in the Communities of Shalom.
How St. John’s is Involved with Shirley Townsend-Jones: St. John’s has a long history of financially supporting Shirley and her work through the Board of Global Ministries of the UMC. With the assistance of ACTS, we are currently working with her to help establish an ACTS-like mission in the Bennettsville area.
Interested in Volunteering: Contact any member of GOLT to discuss volunteer opportunities.
Contact: You may visit Shirley’s website at www.gbgm-umc.org and search for her by name for more information.
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