Outreach
Looking beyond our church community to help those in need is a priority at St. Andrew’s. This may take the form of financial support or through loving action. The outreach commission coordinates and promotes parish activities which care and support those in need.
Outreach Initiatives
Loaves and Fishes got its start in the basement of St. Andrew’s in 1983. When the organization outgrew the space it made several moves until it found its permanent home in Devens. With support from area churches and community leaders, this organization now provides those in need in the town of Ayer and other surrounding communities with food and temporary services.
Weekly activities: St. Andrews regularly collects food items for Loaves and Fishes at its weekly services. From time to time our Outreach efforts also include collections of toiletries and other non-food items.
Annual activities: St. Andrews conducts an annual drive to collect school supplies and backpacks for the Loaves and Fishes’ Backpack Drive each summer. Another fun activity for gardeners includes planting a “Row (or a pot) for the Hungry.” While Loaves and Fishes regularly receives plenty of canned goods, and other non-perishable foods, it is great to be able to offer fresh veggies whenever possible.
Spring Outreach Concert
This event is organized and hosted by St. Andrews and held at St. John’s Chapel, Groton School. Performances have included parishioners of St. Andrews and musicians from the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Proceeds of this concert are distributed to various organizations within our local community and sometimes farther reaching.
Esperanza Academy is a 100% tuition free school located in Lawrence, MA. It serves 60 girls in grades 5 through 8 and is taught in the “Episcopal tradition.” Based on the needs of the school, St. Andrews has provided students water bottles, tights and socks as well as financial support.
This Episcopal order of nuns at the Society of Saint Margaret maintains their Mother House in Duxbury where they welcome visitors for retreat and spiritual hospitality. The Sisters also work in Dorchester with inner-city children and youth; in New York City at Trinity Church, Wall Street; and in Port au Prince, Haiti. Our donations are generally directed towards support in Haiti to help with the renovation of the Sisters’ campus of buildings including a convent, vocational schools and the Foyer Notre Dame, a home for elderly, indigent women. The Sisters sell Haitian handcrafts at our Christmas Fair each year.
Summer Camp Scholarships – Barbara C. Harris Camp & Conference Center – Greenfield, NH
Camp scholarships for the Barbara C. Harris Camp and Conference Center are offered to St. Andrew’s parishioners. The Camp is a hospitality ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts, helping people grow in faith and community. It has been welcoming campers of all faiths and traditions since 2003. There are a number of available summer camp program options.
Habitat for Humanity
St. Andrews has had the opportunity to support the construction of a two-family Habitat home locally in Ayer where a group of parishioners volunteered at the site.
CityReach is an overnight urban outreach program which gives these young people the opportunity to learn first hand about homelessness from people who have experienced it. During the 20 hour session, participants join CityReach staff in street ministry and offer hospitality, food and clothing, as well as engage in times of sharing and reflection. In March 2023, St. Andrew's youth participated alongside youth from Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church and UCC Groton.