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Outreach & Justice Ministries

St. Michael's was named as a Jubilee Center by the Episcopal Church in 1997 in recognition of our work of empowering parishioners to "do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly" with God. (Micah 6:8). In addition, St. Michael's is committed in working toward the Millennium Development Goals by committing time and resources to eliminate extreme poverty in our world.

The Outreach and Justice Council
The Outreach & Justice Council provides oversight to St. Michael's many outreach programs, provides leadership in social justice advocacy, and makes outreach budget recommendations to the vestry. At. St. Michael's, we believe that worship and action go hand-in-hand as two sides of the same coin. In Holy Baptism we make solemn vows to "seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving our neighbors as ourselves" and to "strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being."

The Outreach & Justice Council works in conjunction with the Episcopal Public Policy Network in advocating for issues and concerns identified by General Convention as priorities for the entire church. Additionally, the Outreach & Justice Council creatively advocates for peace, human rights, and immigration rights.

The primary local outreach ministries at St. Michael's include the following:

The Community Meal
The Community Meal is served on the last Saturday of the month, when there’s “more month than money” for many of our low-income neighbors. Many hands are needed for setting up, preparing the meal, serving, and cleaning up. A crew gathers to make meatballs and do other prep on Friday. On Saturday help is needed from 8:00 a.m. to about 2:00 p.m.

Daybreak Shelter Network
The Daybreak Shelter is an overnight shelter ministry for homeless families operated under the auspices of Human Solutions. Approximately every 9 weeks, St. Michael’s shares hosting responsibilities with Parkrose United Methodist Church. During our hosting week, volunteers are needed to provide a meal, stay overnight, or drive the shelter van to and from the Day Center.

English as a Second Language Tutoring
Volunteer tutors assist students from other countries gain the confidence they need for speaking English in everyday situations. Tutor training is available through Oregon Literacy. Tutoring commitment is 10 Tuesday evenings (when classes are in session at Oregon colleges and universities), from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m., although we also welcome tutors who can “drop in” to serve as substitute tutors.

Environmental Stewardship The Environmental Stewardship Team helps us to be more aware of the need to care for “this fragile earth, our island home.” In addition to educational opportunities, the Environmental Stewardship team provides twice annual ingathering of hazardous wastes and Styrofoam and works closely with Oregon Interfaith Power & Light and the Global Warming Steering Committee with Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon and with the Environmental Commission of the Diocese of Oregon. For more information about this ministry click here.

Episcopal Peace Fellowship
The Episcopal Peace Fellowship meets at 7:00 p.m. on the fourth Thursday of each month at Trinity Cathedral, 147 NW 19th Ave., Portland. Volunteers assist with the newsletter, hosting information tables, peace education, and being present at peace gatherings.

Fair Trade Coffee
Feel good about drinking coffee! Volunteers help set up and staff the sales table on Sunday mornings to sell organic, fair-trade coffee, tea, cocoa, and chocolate bars from Equal Exchange. The Youth of the Parish are currently taking the lead in this ministry on the first and third Sunday mornings of each month. There is always room for volunteers on the other Sundays of the month. Volunteers are also needed to grind the whole beans purchased for use by St. Michael’s for coffee hour and other activities.

Greenhouse Ministry
The Greenhouse Ministry provides a meal to the Janus Youth Street Light Shelter on the Third Friday of each month. Volunteers are needed to prepare fried or baked chicken (18 pieces) or provide fruit, milk, juice, cereal, cookies, canned corn or instant mashed potatoes, to be delivered to St. Michael’s by 3:00 p.m. on third Fridays.

Loaves & Fishes
Volunteers at Loaves & Fishes help serve lunch to senior citizens and others at Rose City Park Presbyterian Church, NE 44th Ave. & Sandy Blvd. The St. Michael’s team serves on the fourth Thursday morning. Volunteer drivers are also needed for the Meals on Wheels Program to deliver prepared meals to homebound persons.

Rahab's Sisters
Rahab’s Sisters is a ministry with homeless women and female sex workers on 82nd Ave. The ministry operates on Friday evenings, from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m., offering hospitality, a light meal, clothing and conversation. Volunteers (women only, please) are needed on Fridays for this ministry of presence. (This ministry is provided at Sts. Peter & Paul Episcopal Church, 8147 SE Pine St., Portland.) click here.

Trader Joe's Food Transfer Program
Volunteers from St. Michael’s pick up donations from Trader Joe’s Tuesday through Saturday at 6:30 a.m. Donations are taken to the Harbor Light Center in Old Town. Both regular and back-up drivers are needed. A van, pickup truck, or station wagon works best for this ministry.

Ministries to other part of the world include

El Porvenir
Since 2001 we have sent an annual work team to Nicaragua with El Porvenir. The mission of El Porvenir is to make it possible for poor people in rural Nicaragua to improve their health, environment, and standard of living with sustainable self-help in potable water, sanitation, health education and reforestation. St. Michael’s sends work teams on two-week mission trips during the winter to help with the construction of bathing stalls, community laundry centers, wells, and latrines.

Bread for the World
Bread for the World’s is a faith- based organization whose purpose is to aid churches and other groups in focusing on public policy advocacy as a way to fight poverty and world hunger. This ministry offers the opportunity for St. Michaels to be involved in advocacy through activities such as an offering of letters to governmental representatives on pending legislation supportive of the Millennium Development Goals.

Getting Involved:
To learn more about opportunities to get involved in any of these Parish Outreach and Justice Ministries, please contact "Ministry Development" via Contact Page.