St. John's Episcopal Church

The Share A Meal Service, better known as the SAMS Pantry, is a food assistance ministry for Midland residents.  SAMS Pantry is St. John’s largest local outreach ministry, operating in the community since October 1, 1984.  In fall of 2012, SAMS moved its operations off the main church grounds and into leased space about a half mile away at 503 S. Saginaw Rd.  Our food pantry operates six days a week and regularly serves about 100 families a month.  Clients are assigned an appointment time and allowed to make their own selections based on their household needs for a week.

SAMS is one of eight member food pantries in the Midland County Emergency Food Pantry Network.  The Network, or EFPN, is responsible for setting appointment times and determining best pantry location for those seeking assistance.  While SAMS Pantry has regular hours, we can only serve by appointments scheduled through the EFPN.  If you live in the Midland area and need assistance, contact St. John's with your your name and the best telephone number at which to reach you and we'll pass it along to the EFPN.  Their turn-around time for scheduling appointments is typically 1-2 business days.

SAMS VOLUNTEERS:  Staffing, stocking, collecting and purchasing for a six-day-a-week food pantry takes lots of human resources.  SAMS is fortunate to have the ecumenical efforts of 60-70 dedicated volunteers from St. John’s Episcopal Church and several other Midland churches as well as folks who get connected to serving through the EFPN. SAMS and our clients are also very grateful for the area churches whose food collections are regularly donated to and distributed through our pantry.

Our Samaritan Fund primarily helps with rent and home utilities (heat & electricity; propane; phone; water & sewer). We also consider some medical needs if vetted and referred to us by Mid-MI Health's social workers. The Samaritan Fund does not help with gasoline. Needs outside of these areas would be considered with care and discretion of Samaritan Fund volunteers and might not fall under our guidelines for approving assistance. Any need, regardless of its nature, requires clear documentation/ verification: an eviction notice, a utility shut-off notice, etc. Clients must be residents of Midland County and can only be helped once every two years.

Samaritan Fund volunteers make themselves available on Tuesday mornings (10am-11am) to talk in person with those asking to St. John’s for assistance.  The volunteer listens, prays with the client and determines if financial help is warranted/ possible.  High need cases are referred to Midland Area Homes.

This ecumenical group meets the 2nd and 4th Thursday  of the month, 10am-12pm in our parish hall, Williams Hall.  If you can iron, cut, sew, quilt or give donations of fabric (appropriate for children and teens), you can help!  Over 100 quilts are made each year so there’s always room for help.  Quilts are mailed or delivered to C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital, Ann Arbor, MI.

Prayer shawls, preemie baby caps, bridal shawl, scarfs and hats are made with intentions prayed into every stitch.  Items are blessed and given to those in need of comfort as well as in celebration and joy.  The group meets weekly on Tuesday in our parish hall, Williams Hall, from 1-3 pm - even through the summer!

St. Andrew’s, Flint- Every fifth Sunday (4x/ year), volunteers deliver clothes donated by St. John’s parishioners and help serve breakfast to those in the Flint and St. Andrew’s community.

St. Paul’s, Saginaw Feeding Program- Twice a year, volunteers either prepare a dish, travel to St. Paul’s to help serve that food following their worship or do both! 

Answering God’s call to be ministers, we can be His hands and feet in the world.  We can be Christ caring for people through people.  We can get out to give care.

Many at St. John’s care for their church friends and family in informal ways as diverse as the people themselves.  The ministries below are St. John’s formal pastoral care efforts. Orientation/ training is provided to volunteers as needed.

In addition to clergy visits, pastoral care at St. John’s is a ‘member to member’ ministry.  Volunteers provide care to our congregation members as we experience all kinds of life needs and circumstances.  Welcoming newcomers, visiting the sick, comforting those in need, sharing the Eucharist with those unable to come to church – these are acts of loving neighbors.

PASTORAL CARE COMMITTEE

This committee receives professional assistance from clergy regarding preparation for pastoral counseling and educational events.  Recently, those parishioners visited regularly by members of this committee have numbered about 20 and those visits have taken place in 15 different institutions and homes.

(LAY) EUCHARISTIC VISITING MINISTERS

Clergy and lay members of the congregation work together to carry the Eucharist from our altar to those of the congregation who are unable to be physically present with us for any period of time. *Participation as a Eucharistic Visiting Minister is limited to those who are baptized.

FUNERAL RECEPTIONS AND LUNCHEONS

Volunteer your donations of prepared or purchased food or your time to serve the day of the service.  Leadership of this ministry rotates every 3 months.

DAUGHTERS OF THE KING 

This group of women are committed to a life-long program of daily prayer, service and evangelism and are dedicated to the spread of Christ’s kingdom and the strengthening of spiritual life of our congregation.  Our DOK chapter meets monthly to maintain a confidential prayer list; pray for the church, the clergy and others in need; make prayer beads to share with those in need of prayer; and to prepare approximately 500 stamped Christmas cards for the clients of SAMS Pantry to use.  They also coordinate an emergency prayer chain for any members of St. John’s who are in need.  Last year, the Daughters sponsored a workshop on Centering Prayer which led to the formation of a Centering Prayer group that continues to meet monthly.