Clinton Ministerial Association
Outreach to our neighbors and greater community is overseen by the vestry. Donations to Clinton’s Information, Referral & Assistance program are made regularly throughout the year.
The Clinton Ministerial Association meets on the first Tuesday of the month, September through May, in the Christ Church parish hall. This group of congregations works together to support the community by providing volunteering opportunities, local speakers, and combining efforts to raise funds for organizations such as MyGEAR Outreach, which directly supports children placed in foster care.
Northend Outreach Ministries
Northend Outreach Ministry has disbanded. Half of our remaining funds were donated to Information and Referral. The remaining funds will be donated to Information and Referral in early December.
Northend Outreach Ministries Memories
Christ Episcopal, Lyons Methodist, Community Congregational, First Congregational, First Baptist and the Sisters of Saint Francis. The sponsoring 501(c)3 non-profit, under which it operates, is Community Congregational UCC.
Thank you to our awesome volunteers!
Food Boxes:
Christ Church is grateful to be the site of Northend Outreach Ministries’ food box distributions.
Food boxes are prepared to assist families over the Spring break, Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.
Summer Lunch Program:
The summer lunch program is open to children 18 years or younger. Activities and books are also available to the children and families who participate in the program.
Pizza Ranch Community Impact Fundraiser
Members of Christ Church served at the Clinton Pizza Ranch, earning 10% of the evening’s proceeds, plus tips. The Vestry voted to donate the entire amount earned to Information & Referral Services, in response to immediate needs in the community.
PLARNING – Crocheting or Knitting Plastic Mats for the Homeless
PLARN (plastic yarn project) in Clinton
In collaboration with the Sisters of St Francis and Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP), members of Christ Episcopal Church have supported the PLARN (plastic yarn project) in Clinton. The Share Our Sandwich program which the Sisters initiated in 2014 has grown to offer personal supplies, coats and hats to those in need.
Last year, a woman in Fulton dropped off a mat made of re-purposed plastic grocery bags to one of the sandwich sites. She taught others to make these mats which are 3×6 feet, knit or crocheted, for laying between the ground and sleeping bags.
Clean plastic bags are used. Volunteers fold and cut bags and make “plarn” which is rolled into balls for knitters and crocheters.
Helping the Salvation Army
United Music Ministry with Christ Church members Carolyn Brown and Nancy Malli perform for Salvation Army Christmas Kettles at Paul’s Discount.
Monarch butterflies
About 10 years ago several of our parishioners became aware of the threat of extinction of one of God’s loveliest of creations, the Monarch Butterfly. Because of the use of pesticides in farming practices as well as in private gardens, milkweed which once grew profusely across our country, and on which Monarchs must lay their eggs and feed during the caterpillar stage, is now scarce. Couple that with extensive logging of trees in Central America on which the butterflies overwinter, as well as extreme weather such as freezes and tornadoes during their migration northward in the spring, their numbers are rapidly dwindling by approximately 80%.
As people become educated about the plight of these beautiful harbingers of summer, Monarch stations in private and public gardens, classrooms, arboretums and homes can be found in states throughout the migratory flight patterns. Iowa is on such a path, and we at Christ Church joined the “army” of Monarch Mavens.
If you are interested joining the Monarch recovery story, go to Monarch Watch for complete information and instructions.
CHRIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH 