The Mission and Extended Ministries Committee (MEMC)

This committee coordinates mission and outreach efforts at Emmanuel. All outreach grants are given in the name of Emmanuel Church, and all work is done in the name of Emmanuel Church. The MEMC reports to the Rector and the Vestry and works in collaboration with them. The committee makes funding recommendations to the Vestry, but final approval for funding, as per Canon, rests with the Vestry. The Committee has five primary functions.

1. To discover, create and lead opportunities for hands-on outreach activities.
2. To create and fund new outreach programs for the parish.
3. To recommend allocations of outreach dollars to outside agencies / organizations through a formal grant application process. That process is described on the Grants Application page which can be reached by way of the menu on the left of your screen or via this link.
4. To coordinate outreach and mission efforts with various partners in Athens and the wider world which support our outreach priorities.
5. To be careful but generous stewards of our financial resources dedicated to outreach and extended ministries.

The MEMC attends to both short range work and long range planning, all focused on the outreach priorities set by the Vestry.

Mission Statement for the Mission and Extended Ministries Committee:

To give and receive Christ’s love with intention by serving the poor, the hungry, the sick, the marginalized, the oppressed, and the outcast within our community, the nation, and the world.

Members of the MEMC:

Ex officio, non-voting, members include Fr. Robert, Naomi Norman as Senior Warden, and Vince Howard and Lisa Yarn as chairs of the Extended Ministries Commission. Appointed, voting, members are the following: Terrie Seward, chairperson, Rena McEntyre, Mary Moore, Jay Staines, Carol Bowles, Michele Lease, Sandy Jarrett, and Chrissy Marlowe. You can email Terrie Seward via this link: .

Emmanuel’s Priorities for Outreach:

During 2007, the Vestry established priorities for mission and extended ministries work in the name of Emmanuel Church. To set these priorities, the Vestry listened to the parish at the Outreach Summit and to the responses to the surveys on outreach that were disseminated before the Summit. As a result of these deliberations, the Vestry set the following priorities for the mission and extended ministries work for Emmanuel Church.

1. Children—their health, education, well-being and family support.
2. The homeless—here in our local community and around the globe.
3. Other outreach concerns and programs as they arise and capture the interest of the parish.

These priorities guide our mission and extended ministries work at this time. The Vestry also commits itself to discuss outreach on a regular basis, to revisit these priorities and, as desired, change them.

The Vestry has directed the MEMC to act on local, national and global levels.

The Vestry has directed the MEMC, when acting nationally or internationally, to work directly, whenever possible, with ecclesiastical partners, e.g., to work church to church or church to diocese etc. Exceptions should be discussed in advance with the Rector and Vestry.

The Vestry has directed the MEMC to create opportunities for hands-on outreach and mission work for our parishioners and to facilitate training for these activities. The MEMC will want to work with the Youth and the Director of Youth Ministry to support their mission and outreach work.

The Vestry has directed the MEMC to communicate regularly and openly with the parish about Emmanuel’s mission and extended ministries funding and hands-on activities. Reports and up to date information will be published on the website in the Tower and in e-letters.

ONE Episcopalian

In December 2007 the Vestry voted to become a ONE Episcopalian Parish. The ONE campaign is an ecumenical effort that calls on the U.S. government to spend an additional 1% of its budget to alleviate national and global poverty and to work to achieve the U.N. Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Being a ONE Episcopalian parish represents a spiritual and educational commitment towards the MDGs. Blue Wood is the Emmanuel liaison with the ONE Episcopalian campaign.

Episcopal Relief and Development (ERD)

In December 2007 the Vestry voted ) to contribute 0.7% of our pledge income to Episcopal Relief and Development, as recommended by the 75th General Convention of the national church. ERD is the official response of the Episcopal church to the MDGs, both nationally and internationally, and our pledge represents our commitment to expanding our outreach in areas of extreme poverty and catastrophic need. Blue Wood is also our liaison with ERD.