HOPE Warming Center – A shelter for homeless adults located on Baldwin Road in Pontiac. HOPE envisions a community where all have the opportunity to move from homelessness to safe housing, gain access to resources, and develop the skills to enhance their quality of life.
HOPE Recuperative Center – HOPE Recuperative Center is the only place in southeast Michigan where homeless individuals can receive proper post hospital care until they recover their strength. This specialty shelter offers up to 15 guests a safe and supportive environment, as well as meals, oversight of their medical treatment, follow-up care, connection with community mental health programs, legal clinic, helping people secure vital identity documents and connection with housing options.
Every year in January, Christ the Redeemer hosts HOPE for one week. Each evening volunteers go and prepare a meal for the clients at both the warming center and the recuperative center and assist with other client needs. All food ingredients for meals, toiletries and socks/underwear/t-shirts are donated by parishioners.
For when I was hungry, you gave me food; when I was thirsty, you gave me drink; when I was homeless, you gave me a welcome. Matthew 25:35
Love in the Name of Christ (Love INC) is a non-profit cooperative effort that links churches, volunteers and service agencies with our neighbors in need. Contact the clearinghouse M-Th 9a-4pm at 248-693-4357.
Love INC Ministry:
Clothes Closet, Oxford Free Methodist Church, 790 S. Lapeer Road, Oxford. Donations accepted Wednesdays and Saturdays, 9am-12noon.
Financial Support:
Our very first St. Nicholas Project was December 7th, 2013. This project was inspired by a Catholic Parish in Cleveland who every year, spend an entire day doing community outreach as part of their Advent Preparation. As Father Joe liked to say….”We do Christmas for others before we do Christmas for ourselves.” Last year over 750 volunteers either worked at various non-profits agencies in and around the Detroit Metro area, or worked on projects at church. However, during this unprecedented time of pandemic, we are searching for new and creative ways to continue the work of St. Nicholas. Many of the projects this year, will be spaced out over the first week in December, and may look very different. We will also have projects for families to do together at home. Our priority is to keep families safe, but still ministering to those in need. Details will be in our bulletin later this fall.
Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. Peter 4:10
A non-profit organization that’s mission is providing decent, safe and affordable housing. Christ the Redeemer has participated in the building or renovating of homes since 1996. Christ the Redeemer continues to be active on helping with construction on homes. Watch the bulletin for details on projects that are in need of help.
For there is no other base for the building but that which has been put down, which is Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 3:11
Adopt-a-Family
Christ the Redeemer “adopts” families from the community during the holidays to provide food and appropriate gifts.
How it works: Your group decides what size family you might be able to support, and decide whether you want to purchase food, or gifts, or both for this family. You then contact Karen or Lisa in the parish office and arrange to adopt that family. We will give you a wish list with sizes and needs…you shop with a light and generous heart…and return the food and/or wrapped gifts to us prior to the holiday.
Thanksgiving Adopt a Family:
Christmas Adopt a Family:
Nancy C. coordinates that program.
Easter Adopt a Family:
Thank you for helping us “Make A Difference” during the holidays.
Lent is a season of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. The Service Commission and Social Justice Committee offer several simple Lenten meals of homemade soup and bread, throughout the Lenten Season. The meals are often accompanied by a guest speaker affiliated with a CTR outreach program. These soup suppers also provide a wonderful way to meet others in the parish around the dinner table. Plan now to walk through Lent, “sipping” soup with others in the parish!
Each year in May, Christ the Redeemer hosts the Oxford/Orion CROP Walk uniting with other area churches in a common goal of providing for those in need across the world. Funds raised support long term needs such as water and agricultural development, and short term disaster relief. Twenty percent of donations benefit Oxford/Orion FISH and Love, INC.
In the past, the six mile walk has started at Christ the Redeemer, meandered through Orion Oaks Park and ended back at Christ the Redeemer. A 1.5 mile walk is also available. Please contribute, or better yet walk with your family, friends, and a few hundred of your neighbors! Watch for details in the bulletin each spring.
Not Your Ordinary Food Drive
Each month in the vestibule, you will see donation tags on the Not Your Ordinary Food Drive board which ask for specific items needed for a particular organization supported by Christ the Redeemer (see below). We try to keep the number of tags to a minimum and the cost is approximately $10-15 dollars for each item. We are grateful for your generosity and these items we collect are an enormous gift to the agencies and recipients involved. Your gifts of time, talent, and monetary donations are all part of our baptismal call as children of God to share with those in greatest need.
Each year the parish sponsors 3 blood drives for with Versiti Blood Center. Please check the Parish Calendar for dates and sign-up information. Questions? Call Lynn or Karen in the Parish office at 248-391-1621 ext 117.
Warm Up America is a group of parishioners who crochet and knit afghans, prayer shawls, hats, mittens, and anything that help keep someone warm. Please stop in and check them out, they will teach you to crochet or knit! Watch the Parish calendar for their schedule.
Questions? Call Lynn or Karen in the Parish office at 248-391-1621 ext 117.
