Faith In Action

Many churches talk a great deal about “loving your neighbor,” but at St. Andrew’s, making our neighborhood, city, and world more kind, loving, and just has always been at the very core of who we are. We believe that reaching out to the world in loving service and kindness is not about making us “feel good,” but rather is an essential moral duty and at the heart of our calling and responsibility as Christians. Our job, as scripture teaches, is to be “ministers of reconciliation.” That’s what we try to practice every day, in ways big and small. Below are some recent examples of what we - as a community - have been up to around Spokane!

BUILDING COMMUNITY WITH OUR NEIgHBOrs

Over the years, we have partnered with West Central Abbey to help provide free weekly community meals in one of Spokane’s most underserved neighborhoods. Several of our members have actively volunteered, and have enjoyed serving meals and building relationships with neighbors experiencing homelessness. Others have given time cleaning up and organizing the space, wrapping gifts for the Christmas Dinner Table event, or serving on the Abbey’s leadership committees. St. Andrew’s raised $4,000 in 2018 for the Abbey as part of our Lenten fundraising drive and we were proud to fill up three and half tables at at the Empty Bowls fundraiser and forum at St. John’s Cathedral that year, which benefitted the Abbey’s work.

In 2022, our members contributed over $1,300 for our on-site mini food pantry, which serves neighbors in need in Emerson Garfield. In January 2023, several of our members joined with the community for the Martin Luther King Jr. Day Unity Rally & March through the streets of Downtown Spokane.

Spreading Kindness and fighting hunger

In 2018, we installed a free food pantry on our church grounds with the help of our partners at Caritas Outreach Ministries. The message on the outside of the pantry reads, “take what you need, give what you can!” Church members and neighbors fill the pantry with soup, rice, and other foods, which are free and open to anyone in need. Caritas is a collaborative effort of fourteen churches in Northwest Spokane demonstrating Christ’s love by assisting those in need in our part of town. The partnership includes efforts to address local hunger as well as and assistance with energy and utility bills. Caritas is comprised of partner congregations from numerous denominations, including Lutheran, Catholic, Orthodox, Quaker, and Presbyterian churches, among others. We are thrilled to be working together with other people of good will as we strive put our faith into action in ways that truly make a difference in people’s lives.

Our passion for sharing food and meals has manifested in many ways - in 2021, we hosted a 2nd Harvest Mobile Food Bank in our church parking lot. During the summer, we have traditionally co-sponsored a free food and activities program for children called Stone Soup Cafe! The program has recently been housed at West Central Abbey and has served thousands of meals to folks in central Spokane. Our Mission Administrator Tracey discussed Stone Soup Cafe on KXLY news in the summer of 2022.

Comforting The families of prisoners

St. Andrew’s provides volunteers for Kairos Outside, a ministry supporting the families of those community members who are facing incarceration. Kairos is based on the idea that when an individual is in jail or prison for whatever reason, that experience can have significant impacts on spouses, parents and relatives. Kairos exists to provide love, support, and kindness to those family members who are suffering while their loved one is away.

Our members give time and energy to charitable and civic causes in countless other ways, both outside the church and within it. We are always exploring new avenues for activism, outreach, and social justice. If you have a new ministry idea you think our church should consider, don’t hesitate to let us know!