Christ Church Episcopal

Family Promise of Summit County (previously known as Interfaith Hospitality Network) is "a consolidation of faith congregations caring for families in need of shelter, meals, and compassionate assistance that leads them to secure a stable home environment." Homeless families make up 40% of all homeless people, but there are no shelters organized to keep families intact during their homelessness. Typically, men end up in men's shelters while women and young children go to women's shelters, placing an additional stress on a family already facing a difficult situation. Family Promise works with host churches which provide food and overnight shelter to families who have been accepted into their program. During their time in the program, the families are assisted by professional social workers who guide them on a path to employment, if needed, and housing. This work is done in the Family Center in Akron, a space that provides shower and laundry facilities, a nursery and kitchen, and telephones and computers to aid in the search for jobs and housing. 

For the past four years, members of our parish, including the youth, have volunteered their time to help families sponsored by Family Promise. Our neighbor, Hudson Congregational Church, is a host church to these families, providing services several times a year for one week at a time. We support their efforts. The services include transportation, meals, lodging, fellowship, and homework assistance.

Only an hour or two of volunteer time during a host week can make a difference in the lives of the homeless people we serve. And we only have to go next door to do this!  Please call or e-mail Pam Zuhl zuhlfamily@aol.com if you are interested in volunteering or for more information

Christ Church collects food on the second Sunday of each month by the chapel and rear entrance to the church where there is a white wooden box in the coat room where you may leave items. The food collected goes to the Hudson Food Pantry which has been run by the Hudson  Community Service Association since 1944. The Food Pantry is located at Rejoice Lutheran at 7855 Stow Road and is open for distribution the fourth Saturday of every month from 1 - 2:30pm for residents within the district that meet the poverty level, or are on the school lunch program or Ohio food assistance program. A huge thanks to Ethel and Bob Bush who deliver our donations to the Hudson Food Pantry every month! If you would like to help with this ministry contact them.

We accept all non-perishable food items, as well as dish & clothing detergents and paper products like toilet paper and paper towels. Here is a list of items we use to complete our menus: Canned vegetables, canned fruit, soups, canned pasta, beans, beef stews, mac & cheese, tomato products, pasta, canned tuna or chicken, tuna helper, hamburger helper, rice, cereal & breakfast products, peanut butter and jelly. We ask that donors check donated items for stale-date, or "Best Used by Dates". Also, check all cans or boxes for dents or perforations. We cannot accept these items. Also, we CANNOT accept any medicines, alcohol, or other similar related drugs; e.g. aspirin, Tylenol, cough medicines, cold & flu remedies, etc. 

Each year, Christ Church continues it’s tradition of Christmas giving through The Giving Tree Program. This project allows parish members to help those families in need right here in our own community. Necessities such as clothing and household items are detailed on decorative tags which hang on two Christmas trees located in both the Parish Hall and the Narthex at the entrance to the sanctuary. Please sign out a tag (or two!), purchase the item on the tag and return this much needed gift to a nice spot under the tree wrapped with tag attached to the outside. These gifts are a wonderful way to share our blessings and help our neighbors to have a Merry Christmas! Thank you for your generosity! 

If you have questions regarding The Giving Tree, please contact Janet Greer. 

As an active member of the Hudson Coalition, Christ Church Episcopal helps build a new home for a Summit County family every year. We share the cost of sponsorship of a house, and we typically have four to five workday opportunities during the build cycle. Thus far, we helped put in the floors on both stories of this house at 1093 Berwin St. in Akron. 
http://www.hfhsummitcounty.org

If you’d like to share in helping provide safe, affordable housing to a local family in need, call Len Harrison for more information.  No experience or tools required. 

On Sunday, Feb. 21, Rev. Allan Belton blessed the latest products from our group of busy knitters, crocheters, and quilters. Many personal items were delivered to Knitting for Those in Need in Kent. There were 51 scarves, 14 caps, 2 pairs of mittens, and 2 beautiful afghans. In addition, 5 quilted sleeping mats will be sent to a camp for AIDS orphans in Swaziland.

Sacred Ground is dialogue series on race, grounded in faith. Small groups are invited to walk through chapters of America’s history of race, racism, and whiteness while weaving in threads of family story, economic class, and political and regional identity. The 10-part series is built around a powerful online curriculum of documentary films and readings that focus on Indigenous, Black, Latino, and Asian/Pacific American histories as they intersect with European American histories.

Sacred Ground is a resource coming out of Becoming Beloved Community, The Episcopal Church’s long-term commitment to racial healing, reconciliation, and justice in our personal lives, our ministries, and our society. This series is especially designed to help white people talk with other white people, while being open to all racial/ethnic groups. Participants are invited to peel away the layers that have contributed to the challenges and divides of the present day – all while grounded in our call to faith, hope and love.