Inreach / Outreach

St. Bartholomew’s has a rich history in outreach and social justice. Together, we are a parish called to act. A parish called to pray, reflect, discuss, and grow. We are called to worship in joyful togetherness. Called to love our neighbors and called to give to those in need.

The Outreach and Social Justice ministries at St. Bartholomew’s provide opportunities for each of us to love and act like Jesus by doing more for those in need, however big or small. And to manifest our love beyond the walls of our church.

Our ministries serve our local neighbors through programs like Toco Hills Community Alliance and our Community Food Garden. We also reach out to our brothers and sisters around the world through efforts like our Haiti ministry and our work for Episcopal Relief & Development.

Please join us in choosing to be a parish of action. A parish united in service. A parish walking with Jesus to help the poor, stand up for the oppressed, and speak for the voiceless.

LEGACY MINISTRIES AND MISSIONS

The Legacy Ministries of St. Bartholomew’s are our parish’s footprints from walking as Jesus’ disciples serving the poor, the oppressed, the voiceless for over five decades. Nicholas House, Jerusalem House, Project Open Hand were started and incubated at St. Bart’s. Over the years, organizations like Villa International, Friends of L’Arche Atlanta, and Kid4Peace have captured parishioners’ passion for service. Today, the St. Bartholomew’s legacy of service lives as our parishioners serve on the boards or donate time and funds to many of these ministries.

A “legacy ministry” that remains deeply embedded in St. Bartholomew’s DNA is social justice activism. Beginning with our first rector, Austin Ford’s, leading parishioners to march in for civil rights in the 60s through today — whether standing for LGBTQ rights, the environment, gun violence, refugee rights, racial justice, against the death penalty — St. Bartholomew’s parishioners organize and walk their faith in the streets, on the phone. and with their pens and prayers for justice.

GLOBAL OUTREACH

Haiti

Since 2006, we have supported our sister congregation, St. Marc’s in Bois Blanc, where the current focus of our work is with the school, contributing to teacher salaries, lunch program, uniforms and school supplies. In addition to the school partnership, regular medical mission teams visit Haiti to provide medical care to the congregation. For more information, contact Carol Lyle at carolalyle@gmail.com.

Honduras Medical Mission

During the week-long mission trip, medical and non-medical personnel travel to the southern part of Honduras in the department of Choluteca where 1500 people are served for medical, dental and vision problems. Our Rector, Mac, and several parishioners have joined the mission team as the parish raises money for the purchase of vitamins and other medications for distribution during the visits. For more information, please contact Lynn Tesh 404-735-6256 lynntesh@gmail.com.

Episcopal Relief & Development (ERD)

ERD is an international relief and development agency on behalf of The Episcopal Church. St. Bartholomew’s supports ERD through participation in Nets For Life and Kids4Peace programs. For more information, visit the ERD website, episcopalrelief.org, or contact Page Love Smith at 912-308-5590, or PageLoveHanson@comcast.net.

Kids4Peace

Founded in Jerusalem in 2002, KIDS4PEACE is a global movement of Jewish, Christian & Muslim youth, dedicated to ending conflict and  inspiring hope in divided societies around the world.- Page Love Smith at 912-308-5590, or PageLoveHanson@comcast.net.

Inreach

OTHER PASTORAL CARE MINISTRIES
Prayer Chain – Alice Davidson
Care Notes – Kay Kuck
Elder Ministry – Marsha Bond
Funeral Reception Committee – Dan Niccum
Transportation – Marsha Bond

PASTORAL CARE MINISTRIES

Inreach ministries provide us with intentional ways to ‘reach in’ to our Parish family offering support – physically, emotionally and spiritually. These ministries also give us organized methods to tend to our building and grounds with the same care.

CARE-GIVER SUPPORT GROUP

An informal group that gathers monthly over a brown-bag lunch in a spiritual setting to offer and receive encouragement supporting those who are care-givers to family members. All conversations are confidential. Group meets on the third Tuesday of each month from 12:30pm to 1:30pm.  For more information, contact the church office at 404-634-3336.

SUNFLOWER CONNECTION

Named for the flower symbol of our patron saint, this ministry is a group of compassionate parishioners who have been trained to be good listeners. This support is available to anyone who needs it as they offer confidential, non-judgmental, prayerful company and can only do so with your invitation. For more information contact the church office at 404-634-3336, or program coordinator, Kaaren Nowicki or at 404-371-0990.

FOOD MINISTRY

This ministry provides meals to parishioners who are in a state of temporary need due to life altering circumstances. Providing meals at these times is a tangible expression of the love and concern the members of our parish family have for one another. We have a group of 30 parishioners who prepare and deliver the meals. For more information or to reach out for meals, please contact Linda Dacey-Caban or at 404 634-9539.

Emmanuel Center

St. Bartholomew’s Emmanuel Center for Pastoral Counseling (ECPC) offers psychotherapy, pastoral counseling and spiritual direction to individuals, couples, groups and families. Our therapists also offer pre-marital counseling. The Emmanuel Center was officially incorporated in 1994. Our offices are inside the main church facility. Services are available to parishioners and non-parishioners, those of faith and those of no stated faith.

  • Our services are strictly confidential.
  •  Counselors also offer educational workshops and seminars.
  • ECPC keeps several appointment slots available for clients on a sliding scale fee structure based on need.
  • The Emmanuel Center offers spiritually sensitive care and our counselors consider themselves to be spiritually multilingual.
  • Our counselors are trained in many modalities and offer services based on client need.
  • Our counselors offer Spiritual Direction.

OUR GOALS

On average, the Emmanuel Center provides approximately 472 hours of Mental Health Outreach out of a total of 1,908 hours of counseling to the Church and the community at large. Many of the non-MHO hours were provided on a sliding scale, making it possible for a wider range of people to draw on our resources. The Emmanuel Center gratefully acknowledges the personal and financial support provided by the members of St. Bartholomew’s to make this ministry possible. While many private and public organizations offer programs geared toward alleviating the pressures of financial difficulties, disability, displacement, under-employment, and unemployment, the negative psychological and spiritual effects of these crises frequently go untreated. At the same time, even people with regular incomes and health insurance now face shrinking and restrictive benefits for mental health. These difficulties may exacerbate a common reluctance to seek therapy in times of need. The result is a gap in the continuum of care offered to the neediest members of our community, to those caught in the midst of disruptive life transitions, and to those whose needs are not well met by a medically oriented managed care model. Because clients often report that pastoral counseling offers a less intimidating psychotherapeutic environment than other more bureaucratic or medically driven settings, the Emmanuel Center can provide accessible, affordable, and spiritually sensitive care.

PASTORAL COUNSELORS