Backpack Program
Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church and St John the Evangelist Catholic Church cooperate to provide backpacks filled with food to children from low-income families who attend William Perry Elementary School. Food provided by the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank is prepared in sufficient quantities to last the weekend and sent home with the children each Friday during the academic year.
Christmas Giving Tree
Pick an ornament from the Christmas Trees in church. Each ornament has the name of a gift. All gifts are distributed to those in need.
CROP Walk
The CROP Walk, held in the early fall, is an ecumenical endeavor to provide funds to combat world hunger. The enthusiastic volunteer walkers from St. John the Evangelist Church ask for pledges after masses the week before the walk, which is overwhelmingly supported by our parishioners. As noted in the bulletin following the CROP Walk, St John’s has been a leader in raising money for the past several years.
Disciple’s Kitchen
Volunteers from the parish serve a hot meal for the needy of the community at Second Presbyterian Church as scheduled. Volunteers are always welcome.
Haiti Ministry
St John supporters, by prayers and donations, the St Anthony House Food Program in Pointe-Raquette, Saint Louis King of France parish in Haiti
Click Here for more Haiti Info
Prison Ministry & Kairos
We visit the Augusta Correctional Center in Craigsville, VA on Thursday afternoons, usually 2-3 times a month for 1.5 hours. We have a Communion Service with Breaking Open the Word. Together with the inmates, we discuss the Scripture readings for the upcoming Sunday, pray the petitions, recite the Creed and the Our Father, share a sign of peace, sing hymns, and receive Communion. It is a joy filled experience in a relaxed environment. We average 8-12 men per session.
We share this ministry with volunteers from St. Francis. When their pastor is able to come, he has Mass and Sacraments. Every Thursday is covered by one of the Parishes.
Volunteers must fill out a VA state prison application, be open to a background check, and be finger-printed before receiving volunteer status.
Several parishioners also support Kairos which is an Ecumenical Christian Ministry, designed to be presented in Medium and Maximum Security prisons. Kairos is an outgrowth of the Cursillo and Walk to Emmaus Christian movements. The purpose of Kairos is to build a Christian community within the darkness of the prison, among the inmates. The team enters the prison as servants of Christ — not preaching, not judging, not giving advice — but reflecting the love of Christ. Kairos is a ministry to the lost and forgotten. It truly is a mission field in a foreign land — a land of lost souls. Kairos motto is: Listen, Listen, Love, Love
Sewing Ministry
Meet the first and third Tuesday of each month. They serve our community by making quilts, adult bibs, lap quilts, bags, and masks.
WARM Shelter