Welcome to Church to the Epiphany

OUTREACH MINISTRIES

Thank you for visiting this website. For information about any of the Outreach Ministries, contact Dana Zambrano, Outreach Coordinator, 794-0222, ext. 12, or fill out the Outreach Ministry Interest Form.

Mission of Outreach Ministries

“We resolve to…INCREASE awareness among community members of the need to respond generously to any of God’s people who are suffering, whether it be from physical or emotional illness, deprivation of basic needs, loss of dignity, or separation from meaningful relationships.”

 

CARITAS Furniture Bank

CARITAS Furniture Bank is a regional warehouse for donated furniture and household items, to assist those moving from transitional housing into a permanent home. Volunteer to be a personal shopper, donation sorter or furniture fixer. Pots, pans, dishes, tableware, lamps and other household essentials are always needed for the 25 individuals and families that receive assistance each week. Do you have furniture to donate? Visit caritasva.org for more information. 

CARITAS Meals Program

The CARITAS Center is now housed in a new facility that brings all the solutions for breaking the cycles of homelessness and substance use under one roof. Epiphany currently supports the Center by providing meals, one day per month, to the men and women housed at the Healing Place. Watch the bulletin for opportunities to provide items for the monthly meal. Visit caritasva.org for more information. 

CCHASM Thanksgiving Meals

Chesterfield Colonial Heights Alliance for Social Ministry provides many services to people in need throughout the year. The Thanksgiving meal program assists over 3,000 families with everything needed for a traditional meal. Opportunities to donate and deliver food items for this event occur in October/November. Visit https://www.cchasm.org for more information.

Commonwealth Catholic Charities CCC

Commonwealth Catholic Charities (CCC) provides life-changing human services to vulnerable individuals and families throughout the Diocese of Richmond. Serving in the name of the local Catholic community, CCC offers quality and compassionate care to all people, regardless of their faith. Throughout the year, Epiphany partners with CCC by providing regular contributions of time, talent, & resources to the individuals & families served by the agency, including the hungry (through donating to the Dibert Food Pantry), the stranger (through support for CCC’s Refugee Resettlement Program), the elderly (by volunteering with CCC’s Independence for Seniors Program), the mother (by supporting CCC’s Seton Housing & Pregnancy Counseling Programs), and the child (by spreading the word about CCC’s Adoption, Foster Care, & Children’s Shelter Programs). To learn more about CCC & all their services, or to volunteer, please visit www.cccofva.org.

Fair Trade

Fair Trade is a ministry of awareness and support for fairly traded goods, including coffee, tea, and chocolate. Items are offered for sale in the Commons on the first full weekend of each month. Also, handcrafted items from around the world are offered for sale during our Fair-Trade Bazaar, in November. If you would like to be part of the team that prepares for the Bazaar or for weekend coffee sales, please join us. There are no meetings to attend and the time commitment is limited. If you have a few minutes to spare before and after Mass, once a month, then this ministry may be for you. To learn more, visit serrv.org or Equal Exchange.

Gateway Homes

Gateway Homes is a residential facility in Chesterfield County offering supportive services for adults suffering from chronic mental illness. Ministry members host three parties a year at the Gateway campus. Visit http://gatewayhomes.org  for more information. 

Gifts from the Manger

At Christmas, in partnership with local organizations, parishioners provide gift cards to families in need. Planners, table-staffers before/after Mass, gift-givers and delivery drivers are needed.

Habitat for Humanity

Epiphany is part of Bon Air Friends, an ecumenical group of religious congregations organized to build homes for low-income families under the guidance of Powhatan Habitat. Volunteer opportunities include working on a new home or providing maintenance on older homes. Visit https://habitatpowhatan.org for more information.

JustFaith

JustFaith offers study and formation programs, informed by scripture and the vision of Catholic Social Teaching, related to concern for those who are poor and marginalized. Programs are offered on Racial Justice, Civil Dialogue, Eco-Justice, Spirituality, Advocacy, Migration, and more. Groups are formed and topics are chosen as requested.    

Legislative Advocacy

The Virginia Catholic Conference, VCC, is a Diocesan effort to provide information and advocacy on social justice issues. Signup to receive email alerts about pending legislation, to learn the church’s position, and then to discern how you will respond to your elected officials. Make your voice heard. Additional information is available at vacatholic.org and usccb.org.

The Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy, VICPP, engages people of faith and goodwill in advocating economic, racial, and social justice in Virginia’s policies and practices through education, prayer and action. Epiphany supports VICPP by learning about issues that affect the marginalized, praying for more justice in Virginia, and acting through legislative advocacy and other opportunities. Learn more and sign up at virginiainterfaithcenter.org.

Outreach Sunday

This parish ministry collects food and special requests in the Commons, throughout each month. Donations are distributed to area organizations. Volunteers are needed to sort and deliver the donations once a month.

Prison Ministry: OAR, KAIROS, State Farm Correctional Facility

There are three different ways to “visit the prisoner” at Epiphany. Participants are needed for each ministry.

Prison and Justice Ministry members visit State Farm Prison on Tuesday afternoons to lead Communion prayer services for incarcerated men. As additional members join the ministry and receive clearance from the prison facility, people at other facilities may be evangelized. In addition, ministry members strive to accompany men who are re-entering society.

Working with OAR, Opportunity, Alliance, Restoration, Epiphany aids offenders, their families, and/or children, through our Gifts from the Manger program at Christmas.

KAIROS Prison Ministry is an ecumenical retreat ministry for incarcerated men. 100s of dozens of homemade cookies are needed for two retreats each year.

Respect Life

One of the central themes of Catholic Social Teaching is “Life and Dignity of the Human Person”.  Human life is sacred and always more important than things. Opportunities are offered that promote a consistent ethic for life, from womb to tomb. Some activities have included petitioning for an end to the death penalty, raising awareness about the horrors of solitary confinement, supporting those living with mental illness, raising funds for Mary’s Choice RVA, a Christ-centered program of guidance and support for women facing a crisis during pregnancy, participating in the Walk for Life sponsored by the Pregnancy Resource Center of Metro Richmond which supports mothers and fathers facing unplanned pregnancies, and so much more. Look for Respect Life opportunities throughout the year.

Rise Against Hunger RAH

Rise Against Hunger is an international hunger relief organization that distributes food and life-changing aid to the world’s most vulnerable, mobilizing the necessary resources to end hunger by 2030. Volunteer opportunities are available at the RAH warehouse. Look for a meal-packaging event at Epiphany during Lent. Visit www.riseagainsthunger.org for more information.

Sacred Heart Center SHC

Sacred Heart Center, a hub for the Latino community, is located in the Bainbridge area. Educational and support programs of all types serve men, women, and children of all ages. SHC receives food donations from Epiphany six times per year. In addition, Epiphany supports other outreach projects as requested by SHC. Visit shcrichmond.org for more information.

Saint Francis - Manchester

This facility is an adult home in the Bainbridge area that serves low-income elderly and disabled residents. In addition, several “private-pay” rooms are available at a rate that is often much lower than other comparable facilities. Volunteers are needed to offer friendship and activities. Items from a specific list, in the Commons, are also collected for the residents and delivered weekly. For more information, visit saintfrancisrva.org.

Saint Teresa Ministry

St. Teresa Learning Centre was started with the help of the parents, teachers and children from Kassunga, Uganda to provide quality education to local children. We strive to build a firm foundation for the successful future of the child who attends St. Teresa Learning Centre. Mission trips usually occur in August. Follow Kassunga Mission Initiative, KMI, on Facebook or at kassungamission.org.

Salvation Army Meals Program

Epiphany provides home-cooked meals and drivers to transport food to the homeless feeding site five days per month. Needs are for cooks to prepare a meal one time per month, from a prescribed menu, and drivers to deliver the meals.

Other Opportunities

There are many ways to serve. Suggestions of new projects and events are always considered when opportunities arise. Some previous activities include Tuesday Conversations (dinner speakers to raise awareness about timely topics), Book Discussion Groups (Racial Justice and the Catholic Church), Dinner and Movie Discussion Nights (Just Mercy), field trips (Black History Museum), Leap Year Party, Let’s Have Lunch Together (Tuesday at noon), and gifts of appreciation (St. Francis Hospital care packages for hospital staff during COVID). Do you have an idea? Please share it with the staff person and let’s try to make it happen!

 

Human Concerns Ministry Information Request


 
 

 

Are You Still Working?

Your time to complete the form is about to expire due to inactivity. Please click "Continue Working" to complete the form and submit, otherwise your changes will be lost.

Your session will expire in 60 seconds.

Your session has expired

Your time to complete the form has expired due to inactivity. Please click the button below or refresh the page with your browser and try again.