Outreach
While we try to keep the information here up to date, things are changing all the time. If you're interested in participating or learning more about any of these programs, please contact us.
Angel tree
Each year, St. Augustine's Church, its members, and friends join together to bring the spirit of Christmas to a group of local children identified as being economically disadvantaged and in need of our prayers. We do this by providing each of these children with a Christmas gift consisting of an article of clothing and a toy.
Anyone and everyone is encouraged to participate in this ministry. During Advent, volunteers place a Christmas tree in the chapel. The tree is decorated with paper angels that have each been inscribed with the name, sex, and age of a particular child. Simply remove an angel of your choosing from the tree, find the clipboard on which to write your name and the name of your "angel," shop for your angel's gift, and return the wrapped gift to church by the given deadline.
An Angel Tree instruction sheet will be available with gift-giving guidelines and deadlines. It will also include a recommended minimum/maximum dollar value for the gift so that each child receives equally.
Anyone and everyone is encouraged to participate in this ministry. During Advent, volunteers place a Christmas tree in the chapel. The tree is decorated with paper angels that have each been inscribed with the name, sex, and age of a particular child. Simply remove an angel of your choosing from the tree, find the clipboard on which to write your name and the name of your "angel," shop for your angel's gift, and return the wrapped gift to church by the given deadline.
An Angel Tree instruction sheet will be available with gift-giving guidelines and deadlines. It will also include a recommended minimum/maximum dollar value for the gift so that each child receives equally.
angola prison ministry
Every month, a group of people, including retired Deacon Michael Hackett, travel to Angola Prison to minister to the incarcerated men and celebrate the Eucharist at four locations within the prison.
Volunteers for this important ministry are always welcomed, but must first obtain security clearance and undergo special training which is conducted four times a year in Baton Rouge.
Volunteers for this important ministry are always welcomed, but must first obtain security clearance and undergo special training which is conducted four times a year in Baton Rouge.
Food Bags/Second Harvest
St. Augustine's supports Second Harvest, the food bank that provides food access, education, and advocacy for the hungry throughout south Louisiana. Keeping in mind that a $1.00 donation can provide four meals, jars are placed on each table for Breakfast Sunday for donations. Food donations are also accepted on the first Sunday and delivered to Second Harvest. In addition, the Youth Group prepares bags containing two days' worth of nutrition by way of non-perishables like potted meat, canned or dried fruit, granola, and bottled water for any homeless people visiting the church for help.
Hope Lodge
The Patrick F. Taylor Hope Lodge provides a warm, nurturing and supportive environment and no-cost accommodation for patients who are away from home and receiving cancer treatment in New Orleans. Hope Lodge is run by the American Cancer Society.
St. Augustine's Volunteers provide dinner once per quarter to the patients at Hope Lodge. Different groups of volunteers are needed to donate the ingredients of the selected meal, to prepare the meal, to deliver the meal, and to serve the meal. New volunteers for this outreach ministry are always needed and appreciated.
St. Augustine's Volunteers provide dinner once per quarter to the patients at Hope Lodge. Different groups of volunteers are needed to donate the ingredients of the selected meal, to prepare the meal, to deliver the meal, and to serve the meal. New volunteers for this outreach ministry are always needed and appreciated.
Maundy Thursday SOcks
St. Augustine's church members are asked to bring clean, new, white socks to the Maundy Thursday service to be collected during the service. The clean new socks are delivered to the Ozanam Inn homeless shelter for their clients.
The clean, new socks are given to the poor and homeless as our demonstration of and reflection upon Jesus' humble service in washing the feet of his disciples at the Last Supper and command to care for one another.
The clean, new socks are given to the poor and homeless as our demonstration of and reflection upon Jesus' humble service in washing the feet of his disciples at the Last Supper and command to care for one another.
Preschool
St. Augustine's offers a wonderful preschool staffed by professionals for children between the ages of two and four years old. The mission of St. Augustine's School is to provide a nurturing, Christian environment that encourages each child to develop important social skills, to express his or her creativity, to discover his or her talents, and to build a positive self-image while learning the academic curriculum that will make his or her transition to elementary school a success. St. Augustine's Episcopal School is a member of the National Association of Episcopal Schools.
The school provides half day, full day, and extended day programs as well as a fun-filled summer camp. Information on the different programs, registration fees, and tuition are available upstairs in the business office, and you can visit the preschool website here.
The school provides half day, full day, and extended day programs as well as a fun-filled summer camp. Information on the different programs, registration fees, and tuition are available upstairs in the business office, and you can visit the preschool website here.
Honduras Partnership
St. Augustine's Church has a "sister" church in economically depressed Tela, Honduras, Church of the Holy Spirit (Iglesia Episcopal Espiritu Santo).
Mission trip
St. Augustine's Church has organized several mission trips to Honduras, usually taking place the third week in June. The mission team teaches Sunday School for the children, and past projects have included making repairs to the Church of the Holy Spirit and building stoves for the people of Tela.
Members of St. Augustine's Church, family members, and friends are all welcome to participate in the mission trip. This is a pay-your-own-way trip and costs vary from year to year. Planning meetings have typically been held in early spring, and people interested in the mission trip can obtain further information on costs and planned projects at that time.
Members of St. Augustine's Church, family members, and friends are all welcome to participate in the mission trip. This is a pay-your-own-way trip and costs vary from year to year. Planning meetings have typically been held in early spring, and people interested in the mission trip can obtain further information on costs and planned projects at that time.
Shoebox ministry
Each Christmas, the Christmas shoebox ministry elves of St. Augustine's Episcopal Church send about 100 individually-wrapped shoeboxes fully stuffed with gifts to the children of our sister church in Tela, Honduras, The Church of the Holy Spirit. Each box is designated a girl or boy of a particular age group. We include toys, personal items, and school supplies.