Christian Service Ministry
Blessed Sacrament Parish has a long-standing history of helping parishioners and neighbors in need. A portion of our Sunday collection is tithed each month. Currently, we earmark 10% for Christian Service ministry which encompasses Christian Service Funding, Emergency Assistance, and Special Assistance.
The Christian Service Funding Committee is made up of six to eight parishioners who review the applications submitted by local and global organizations requesting funding for the projects they are undertaking to help the poor and needy. Each year we receive between 45 and 55 applications. Organizations receiving funding get from $800 to $5,000 and the overall total we award is $125,000 annually. Christian Service Funding has been in existence for over 40 years and has awarded over $3 million.
Our Emergency Assistance requests come through 211, Social Service Agencies in Midland and Gladwin counties, and from local people in our community. We provide about $25,000 annually in emergency assistance for rent, utilities (Consumers, water bills, propane), car repairs, and medical and dental care needs. Over the last 7 years, we paid out a total of ~$190,000 of which 50% was for rent assistance. We have two very dedicated parishioners and have added three more volunteers who follow up with these assistance requests to see how the parish can help them. We are very proud to be among the local churches in Midland that offer this support to our sisters and brothers in need.
Special Assistance is for local emergencies, such as floods, fires, and natural disasters. During the recent floods, Blessed Sacrament Parish worked with Open Door and other local churches to make lunches for Flood Victims. Many parishioners donated food and supplies. Parishioners volunteered to come to the Parish Center to make sandwiches and package fruit, snacks, sweets, and drinks. All the lunches went to Open Door for families and volunteers. We provided a space for the St. Vincent DePaul Society to come and meet with flood victims and see how they could help. Blessed Sacrament Parish helped many flood damage families with donations toward the cost of cleanup. The High School and Adult Outreach Teams also jumped into action and helped families empty their flooded homes and basements.
Over the past 7 years, we gave $995,000 + countless hours from our parishioners & staff!
Blessed Sacrament Parish partners with American Red Cross and serves as an emergency shelter provider. We also partner with Midland Public Schools in the event that an additional location is needed during an emergency evacuation.
Blessed Sacrament’s Christian Service Ministry seeks to serve those according to the corporal works of mercy:
- Feed the hungry/ give drink to the thirsty
- Clothe the naked
- Shelter the homeless
- Visit the sick
- Visit the imprisoned
- Bury the dead
*Blessed Sacrament also serves those organizations who champion life through the consistent ethic of life according to the Seamless Garment, which promotes the life and dignity of the human person at all ages and stages of life.
