Essex Churches Together
" Essex Churches Together is an ecumenical Christian group united in partnership to fulfill the mission of learning the needs of the community and communicating and supporting resources to meet those needs."
In 2003 Tappahannock Presbyterian Church hosted a seminar of leaders in the community from the schools, Council on Aging, law enforcement and the court system, and social services to determine where best to use the resources of this small congregation. The needs of the citizens of Essex county were over-whelming and obviously not to be met by any one small group. In May of 2004 Presbyterian Church representatives Kathy Hughes and Alice Roye invited all churches in Essex County to send representatives to a meeting to discuss how the many small churches in this area could coordinate to meet some of the needs.
From that meeting this consortium of representatives from different races and denominations has met monthly to share information, host speakers, and support each other in individual church missions. Every church in Essex County is invited to send a representative to the meetings which occur on the 4th Tuesday of the month at 7:30 PM at the Beale Courthouse, 202 Church Lane (formerly Beale Memorial Church). Periodic newsletters are sent to pastors and administrators of every church telling of the activities and projects of ECT and encouraging participation from all.
In addition to serving the community through volunteerism and information sharing, Essex Churches Together has had a noticeable, if intangible, effect on relationships within the community. Churches of different races and denominations are worshipping together and doing community service together. Individuals are meeting people they would not have had the opportunity to meet before. Each ECT meeting beginning with a devotion may in part account for the camaraderie and caring spirit for one another.
ECT has supported the development of the Free Health Clinic by soliciting volunteers and letting needs for financial and office supplies and space be known to the churches. ECT has supported the establishment of a Red Cross Chapter, and the role of the church in community disaster preparation has been a focus. The Purple Pride thrift shop, The Hanger, and positive reinforcement program in the high school are activities ECT has supported specifically for young people. Churches are informed of particular needs for the food pantries at the food banks at the Seventh-day Adventist Community Services food bank, Antioch Baptist, and First Baptist, Tappahannock. Community agencies and organizations that provide services are highlighted at each ECT meeting so that citizens can be informed through their churches about resources that are available.
Beginning in 2008 ECT has sponsored an annual one-day mission blitz in Essex County called Operation Inasmuch, patterned after the national Operation Inasmuch movement (www.operationinasmuch.com ). In 2011 over 800 volunteers served well over 1000 citizens in the county by home repair and special gifts. The number of participating churches has grown to 35.
Fund-raising for Operation Inasmuch expenses has been through corporate and individual donations. It has become necessary to augment those donations with fund-raising events through-out the year. Administrative costs for Essex Churches Together are minimal at the present time due to the generosity of volunteers but as the organization grows more funds are needed. ECT is incorporated in Virginia. Tax exempt status is pending.
Prayer for Essex County
Dear God, we give you thanks for the beauty of our surroundings and for all of your people who live and work in our community. We ask your blessing for our highways and byways, that you would keep us safe and strong and prayerful as we go about our daily tasks.
We pray that you will keep us ever mindful of your grace, and that we will always look to you first in all that we undertake. We ask all this for Essex County, in the name of your son, Jesus, our Lord. Amen
Contacts:
780 Hunter Lane
Center Cross, VA 22437
804-443-2198
petbarn@crosslink.net
128 Prince Street, #28
Tappahannock, VA 22560
804-443-9977
alicer2@verizon.net
Download
Newsletter - October 2010
Newsletter - November 2009
Newsletter - December 2007
Newsletter - September 2007
Newsletter - April 2006
Press Release - March 2006
Newsletter - August 2005
Newsletter - April 2005
Newsletter - January 2005
Newsletter - October 2003
Web page last updated: October 14, 2011
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