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The mission of St. Alban’s Episcopal Church, Waco, is to proclaim to all, in word and deed, the grace of God in Jesus Christ. The Mission and Outreach Committee of St. Alban’s seeks to fulfill the “deeds” envisioned by the wider parish mission by serving the local and larger community with a focus on vulnerable children, food insecurity, and housing insecurity.
Our ministry vision, inspired by Acts 1:8, is to reach people at home (Jerusalem), next door (Judea), close by (Samaria), and to the ends of the earth.
St. Alban’s members serve our community and world in three main ways: by sharing the space of our Outreach Center and broader campus, by volunteering time and resources to our local mission partners, and by direct giving.
Organizations and individuals can request outreach by completing the form at the bottom of this page.
If you would like to contact the St. Alban’s Mission & Outreach Committee directly, are interested in joining the Committee, or have any other questions about outreach at St. Alban’s, contact the Committee by email.
The St. Alban’s Outreach Center welcomes our outreach partners in ministry into the space formerly used by St. Alban’s Memorial School, as well as our broader campus. For questions, please contact Jesse Lee, our Director of Finance and Operations. From the Outreach Center, we are pleased to minister with and to:
Numerous 12-Step Programs use the Outreach Center and our broader campus for their meetings. For more information, click here. The groups that meet here include:
Al-Anon is a mutual support program for people whose lives have been affected by someone else’s drinking. By sharing common experiences and applying the Al-Anon principles, families and friends of alcoholics can bring positive changes to their individual situations, whether or not the alcoholic admits the existence of a drinking problem or seeks help.
This group meets on Tuesdays and Fridays from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM in the St. Alban’s Library.
For more information, please call or text Victor Galvan at 214-850-7983.
Women’s Adult Children of Alcoholics & Dysfunctional Families
This group meets every Monday from 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM in the St. Alban’s Library.
If you have any questions, please contact Jessie Pontasch by phone at 214-244-8761.
St. Alban’s provides teaching space for the Academy in the Outreach Center for private lessons throughout the week, as well as group lessons, music reading classes, and chamber music classes on Fridays. The Parish Hall is used for larger concerts throughout the year.
For more information, please visit their website or email Amanda Schubert, Director.
The Youth Chorus of Central Texas promotes music literacy and excellence in vocal artistry through the preparation and performance of choral singing. Through YCCT, singers from Central Texas experience sequential, comprehensive choral music education within an environment that instills the values of respect, dignity, kindness, service, individual creativity, and leadership. The chorus is composed of male and female singers in grades 3-12 attending 18 schools and co-ops from 13 ZIP codes in the greater Waco area.
The chorus rehearses Monday afternoons in the St. Alban’s Parish Hall from 4:45 PM to 6:15 PM throughout the school year.
To read their brochure, click here. For more information, please contact them by email.
St. Alban’s maintains partnerships with the following organizations. Please review the information about volunteering and supporting these ministries. If you have questions, contact the St. Alban’s Mission & Outreach Committee.
CarePortal is a technology platform that connects child-serving agencies (ie: CPS) with local churches to meet the tangible needs of families at risk of entering the child welfare system. This helps prevent foster care, supports kinship placements, or helps reunify families. The St. Alban’s team accepts about one case per month and tries to meet the need with gently used items from within the team or purchases the item if necessary. The team then delivers the item with a few extra goodies from our Care Closet.
CURRENT NEEDS: The CarePortal team collects gently used children’s items (up to pre-teen) and items can be placed in the basket inside Higgins Parlor. If large items are being donated (cribs, baby swings), please coordinate with Andrea Zimmerman for delivery directly to the Care Closet. The team is occasionally in need of a Spanish/English translator to assist with coordination and deliveries.
CONTACT: For current needs, how to get involved, and other questions, contact the St. Alban’s liaison to CarePortal, Andrea Zimmerman.
Caritas’ mission is to love our neighbors by providing urgent support to Wacoans in need. Caritas works to provide direct services through its food pantry as well as through advocacy and partnership with other hunger relief programs.
CURRENT NEEDS: Nonperishable food items.
HOW TO GET INVOLVED:
CONTACT: Questions? Contact the St. Alban’s liaisons to Caritas, Lew and Liz Arend.
St. Alban’s partners with one of Waco ISD’s elementary schools, Cedar Ridge Elementary, to offer tutoring, clothing and food drives, and more. We also provide food for certain after-school events.
CURRENT NEEDS: Join us in supporting Cedar Ridge by buying school supplies for children in need! All Waco ISD students are required to have a clear backpack in the fall. The list of items requested by Cedar Ridge can be found by clicking HERE. Once you have selected the item(s) you wish to purchase and proceed to checkout, please select the Gift Registry address under Jeff Humphrey’s name.
CONTACT: For information on how to get involved and other questions, contact the St. Alban’s liaison to Cedar Ridge Elementary, Carol Melis.
The Cove provides a safe environment for youth experiencing homelessness in the Waco area. They need volunteers for various functions, including stocking rooms, providing supplies, and more.
CURRENT NEEDS: The Cove is in need of financial support to purchase a van so they can continue to provide transportation for students participating in The Cove. The Cove also has a recurring need for volunteers and various in-kind donations.
HOW TO GET INVOLVED:
IN-KIND GIVING: All are welcome and encouraged to donate but should first go to this website and access their Amazon Wishlist to confirm what needs they have. The Cove also encourages purchasing vouchers for Shepherd’s Heart or clothing store gift cards ($10-$15) so participants can choose their clothing for homework completion incentives.
CONTACT: If you have questions, contact the St. Alban’s liaison to The Cove, Kelly Atkinson.
Mission Waco’s goal is to provide Christian & relationship-based programs that empower the poor & marginalized. In addition to gathering toys for families in need at Christmas, St. Alban’s members have led a devotional at their men’s homeless shelter, My Brother’s Keeper, and those with medical background regularly volunteer at the Myer’s clinic.
CURRENT NEEDS: Shop monthly at the Jubilee Food Market to help maintain a walkable grocery store located in a food desert.
HOW TO GET INVOLVED:
CONTACT: Questions? Contact the St. Alban’s liaisons to Mission Waco, Sean and Ronda McCarthy.
Mission Waco: Urban Reap has engagement opportunities for people of all ages! While you’re there, you can also shop at the Jubilee Market, grab a meal at World Cup Cafe, and enjoy the other shops in the block.
Caritas: For families with children ages 10+, Caritas welcomes volunteers at their food bank and the Hidden Treasures Thrift Store.
Direct financial support of our local mission partners is always encouraged. To donate to a local mission partner directly, click on the relevant link below:
To financially support outreach efforts at St. Alban’s, click on the blue “Give” button in bottom right corner, and select “Outreach” when asked to designate the funds.
Organizations and individuals interested in requesting outreach can do so by completing the St. Alban’s Partnership Request Form.
Liaisons for our local mission partners are encouraged to use the following resources:
(1) St. Alban’s space: If you would like to request to use St. Alban’s facilities for your organization’s meeting or event, complete the Event Request Form on the St. Alban’s Forms page. Please contact Jesse Lee with any questions.
(2) If you would like to communicate important events with St. Alban’s parishioners to attend or volunteer, please email outreach@stalbanswaco.org.
(3) For eligible purchases, don’t forget to use the Texas Tax exempt certificate (email the St. Alban’s Mission & Outreach Committee).