The way of Jesus is a way characterized by service. St. David’s is actively engaged in a variety of ways to serve those in need in our community, the nation, and the world. Many of our efforts focus on children. But we also have a history of actively supporting the homeless and those seeking recovery from addiction. Below is a description of our current outreach efforts.
There are also opportunities to serve the church itself: visiting sick or homebound members, caring for the property, providing opportunities for food and fellowship, working on special events, and administrative and financial oversight.
Partnership with Lancaster School
In the spring of 2018, the parish made a commitment to support one of our local elementary schools. In partnership with the principal, teachers, and parents, we are working to help provide quality education, opportunities for growth, and seeking the well-being of every child.
Some of our goals for this year are:
- to provide teachers and staff with supplies they feel will enhance the educational experience of their students
- to provide backpacks and school supplies to low-income students.
- to “adopt” classrooms on a rotating basis by providing the teachers with one or more supplies that they feel will enhance the educational experience of their class.
- to pray for all the staff individually each week during our worship.
- to participate in PTA meetings and provide some volunteer services.
Dave Hall Fund
The Dave Hall Fund was established in 2008 to support area foster children. It was later expanded to include those who are homeless or housing insecure.
Funds are used to:
- Purchase items to facilitate safe transport and settlement of a child into a new home.
- To purchase items needed by foster/homeless children that neither families nor the state are able to provide.
- To provide opportunities or services that reduce the trauma of relocation, or that would enhance the life experience of the child.
Over the years, the parish has provided beds, bicycles, scholarship funds for school trips and summer camp, gas to enable visits with biological parents, clothing, etc.
Isaiah 58 Ministries
Isaiah 58 Ministries is a charitable non-profit working with the homeless and housing insecure in western Rockingham County.
It provides case management services, referrals, moral and spiritual support, and advocacy. In addition to a drop-in center in Hampstead, there is a distribution center where clothing, furniture, and household supplies are received and given to those in need at no charge. St. David’s provides financial support and volunteer services at the distribution center.
Chips
For over 30 years, the Episcopal Church of New Hampshire has provided Christmas gifts and books to children of incarcerated parents.
Each October the members of St. David’s purchase and donate toys and books. The parents pick out the presents, wrap, and give them to their children during a large festive party in the prison.
The church also collects throughout the year greeting cards for every occasion that the prison chaplains give to prisoners to help enable them to keep meaningful ties to their families.
AA Meetings
The first AA meeting established in Salem took place at St. David’s. That meeting still continues and many more have been started since that time. In addition to providing space, the church expresses its appreciation for the work of AA in helping people find and maintain recovery by providing a cookout lunch each year. If St. David’s can provide spiritual support for your recovery, we are here for you!
| Sunday | 7:30-9:00 PM | 11th Step Meeting | upper hall |
| Monday | no meeting | upper hall | |
| Tuesday | 6:45-8:00 PM | “How it Works” | upper hall |
| Wednesday | 5:30-6:30 PM | 12 Step Group | upper hall |
| Wednesday | 7:00-8:00 PM | Big Book | upper hall |
| 3rd Thursday | 7:00 PM | District Planning Meeting | small coffee room |
| Friday | 7:00-8:30 PM | Young People’s “Unity Group” | lower hall |
| Saturday | 10:30 AM-12:00 PM | Salem Saturday Open Meeting | lower hall |
Local and National Support
Financial contributions or donations are regularly made to many charitable organizations including Lazarus House Ministries, AIDS Action, Episcopal Relief and Development, United Thank Offering, and Salem Boys and Girls Club. Food is collected each week for The Bread of Life Food Pantry. The clergy discretionary fund also is used to help those in need.
International Support
Every year, St. David’s looks beyond its local community to support children who are living in extreme poverty across the world. Various charitable organizations have been supported. Through these organizations, St. David’s has provided items such as mosquito nets, “school bags” for children in refugee camps, funds to support schools in Afghanistan and South Africa and those on Native American reservations. The church has also helped provide relief for refugees in Syria, and to install a well and an irrigation system in a small Mexican village.