Evangelism and Outreach

WE ARE COMMITTED TO OUTREACH IN OUR COMMUNITY

Our Annual Charity Oyster roast is a major event at St. George’s. It is a tradition and the backbone of our Outreach Ministry

Our church family believes in community involvement, and that’s why we do this. We also like to have fun while serving the community and you can look around you and see the evidence: aren’t all these folks- including the workers- having a good time? But more than that, we do this out of love: love for our fellow man, love for our church, love for each other, and our steadfast love for the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Our leaders in Outreach are the vestry:  Jim Barnes, senior warden; Danny Parker, junior warden; Gwen Davis, Carey Murphy, Nancy Chapman, Alma Saylor, and Bill Sanchez.  These folks love the church and want to see it grow.

If you have suggestions for outreach, call the church at 864-224-1104.

 

 

The Oyster Roast is probably the most visible event connected to the parish of St. George’s. But we are so much more. St. George’s is a family church with a commitment to many things: spiritual and family enrichment, the promotion of involvement in the community and world, service to the Church and the growth and development of our parish.

Every year, in January we host a fund-raising event: we wash and roast approximately 4 tons of oysters, prepare gallons and gallons of chili and feed large crowds of people at the Anderson Farmers’ market. In January, 2011 we had over 500 ticket holders to our event, and raised over $10,000, which was donated to local, regional and international charities. We have raised over $143,000 since we started doing this in 1989. This is a fun, family-style event, with live music, delicious food and good fellowship. Everyone in the church gets involved, in one way or another, and even folks who aren’t members of St. George’s often volunteer to help! Last year we split 100% of the proceeds among 17 charities.

Some of these organizations came to our Sunday service to thank us and tell us where and how the funds were used.

The busy guy in the green shirt is Leo Smith our Treasurer who does a great job of making sure that everyone gets what they want when they raise their hand for MORE

PARISH KIDS, THEIR FRIENDS AND HELPERS KEPT THE “BUCKET BRIGADE” BUSY RUNNING HOT SUPPLIES OF THE STEAMED TREATS TO THE HUNGRY FOLKS WAVING THEIR HANDS FOR MORE ST GEORGE’S OYSTERS

This shows 2 of the 6 tables that were filled from opening to closing. The feast was opened with a ‘white table cloth” special limited to 120 people that included boiled shrimp and their choice of wine and beer.

This shows representatives from many of the organizations who come to thank us and explain how the funds were utilized.


We are a family that worships together, has fun together and serves the community together.  Our church began in 1988.  We met in the downtown YMCA until our present building was completed the following year. We have held our Oyster Roast every year since 1989

A pervasive theme in the Fr. David Bridforth’s sermons is that we are the hands of Jesus in the world.  St. George’s members have a big impact on the community as volunteers.  Our diverse congregation includes doctors, coaches, hospital auxiliary members, teachers,a free clinic helper, a rape counselor and mentors to disadvantaged children….. and a lot of folks like you.

Newcomers are welcomed at worship and discussion by the greeter’s ministry.   Members invite people they meet to attend our church; recently, one member invited her nurse at the hospital while she was a patient.

St. George’s outreach includes gifts to the Cange Mission in Haiti; four members of the church took part in a trip there in 2001.  We also contributed to a recent mission trip to help the tornado victims in Alabama.  Our charities we contributed to and supported this year include Anderson County Animal Shelter, Anderson County Humane Society, Anderson Free Clinic, Anderson Interfaith Ministries, Anderson Soup Kitchen, Calvary Home for Children, Cancer Association of Anderson, Clean Start, Hospice of the Upstate, Kairos of South Carolina, Lights of Hope, Meals on Wheels, Men at Work, New Foundation Children and Family Services, Cystic Fibrosis Reaching Out Foundation,  Westside Community Center, and the Good Neighbor Cupboard

The church vestibule has baskets where members place food for the needy. Each month these baskets are taken to the altar during the offertory and blessed by Father David. The food is then taken to the Soup Kitchen on Franklin Street. The Soup Kitchen furnishes lunch to those less fortunate, which for some is the only meal of the day. Items needed are any variety of canned vegetables, preferably in the large institutional size.