Opportunity to Help: Community Christmas of Oglethorpe County

You can help local children have a merry Christmas. We are collecting new toys and fun items for kids from birth to age 18, and also collecting money to help families with their bills. I represent Community Christmas of Oglethorpe County, Inc., a local non-profit. We've been helping families for nearly 30 years. With help from many of you and other neighbors, last year we served 366 children from 157 households. Parents were able to pick 3 nice gifts, several stocking stuffers, and books for each child from the gifts that were donated. In addition, each family received $200-$800 towards their rent, electric bill, etc. (amount depends on the family size). We hope to do that again this year. The need is greater than ever, and we help families year round. Our organization is also now co-sponsoring a monthly food distribution and bi-monthly diaper bank for local families.  

How to help: 

  • Donate funds on our website www.CommunityChristmasOglethorpe.org 

  • or mail a check to 143 Bowen Farm Road, Crawford, GA 30630 (monetary donations are welcome at any time!)

  • Bring toys or other gifts to church and leave marked for Community Christmas

  • Teen items are always great, too. All fun items are due December 14 or 15.

We'll have a "free yard sale" with clean, very gently used clothes, coats, toys, baby items, etc. We would like to get these on December 14 or 15.  

Please contact me at 706-201-7241 or cbdrewry@gmail.com 

With hope, peace, joy, and love,
Catherine Bowen Drewry

Ride Ministry Request

Two of our parishioners at Terra Bella Senior Living on Epps Bridge Pkwy (who do not drive) have voiced a desire to attend Sunday School at 9:15 am. Currently there are drivers that can bring them to the 10:30 church service but not to Sunday School. Alternatively, they would be willing to come to the 8:00 service and stay through Sunday School. Please contact Tammy Bowman at 706-296-8876 (voice/text) or via email if you could be part of a team of drivers to assist with this. Thanks!

Family Promise—Help Needed!

Family Promise reports that they are currently experiencing more requests for assistance than they can meet. They have requested grocery gift cards from either Kroger or Walmart. If you would like to help, you can give cards or money for cards to Annette Bates or leave them with Kendall in the office. Thank you for your continued generosity!

Family Promise is an organization dedicated to helping families experiencing homelessness achieve independence. For more information, please visit their website at https://www.familypromiseathens.org/.

Annual Council Service Project

The Diocesan Youth Commission and our parish EYC invites you to take part in this year’s Annual Council Service Project: “We Will, With God’s Help.” In partnership with El Refugio, this project supports immigrant families impacted by detention, poverty, and displacement.

You can participate by donating gift cards and supplies and/or writing notes of encouragement.

Delegates will work with the Youth Commission to assemble supplies at Annual Council (Nov

7-8). Donations and notes of encouragement can be mailed ot the Cathedral of St Philip or dropped off at St Greg's to be delivered by our parish delegation. The donation deadline is November 1. Learn more and get involved at eycdioatl.org/service-project.

Family Promise, October 5-11

Our next and last Family Promise commitment for 2025 is October 5-11. Here's what we need help with: 

1) dinner preparation Weds Oct 8, delivered by 6:30 p.m., more details to follow

2) help at the day center Sat Oct 11, 1:00-5:00 p.m., have one helper, need one more for all or part of the time

3) donation of hygiene supplies like laundry detergent, Clorox wipes, and women's hygiene supplies; boxes in the narthex and parish hall buildings.

If you can help, please contact Annette at bateskannette@gmail.com or 706-255-5839. Thanks so much!

Barnett Shoals Elementary School Clothing Drive: October 1-November 2

Every Fall, St. Gregory’s sponsors a parish-wide clothing drive to support our neighbor, Barnett Shoals Elementary School. Again this year, school personnel have devoted extra time to reviewing prioritized clothing needs for the schools’ clothes closets. Your contributions of any of the following items will make a difference:

DESPERATELY NEEDED: boys’ and girls’ pants and shorts - All sizes, but especially youth sizes 4-10. Need easy to wear, elastic waist shorts, pants and girls’ leggings.

ALWAYS NEEDED: girls’ underwear, especially sizes 4/5 and 8-16, S-XL; boys’ underwear, sizes 4-16, XS-XL.

NEW REQUESTS: New or lightly-used, closed-toe kids’ shoes. Boys’ and girls’ sizes 10/10.5-3 (younger kids) and 3.5-7 (older kids). Unopened toiletry items (toothbrushes, toothpaste, hand soap, deodorant, shampoo, etc.).

NOTE: Socks and shirts are not needed this year. We have done a great job of supplying those in previous years.

Donations will be collected from Wednesday, October 1 through Sunday, November 2 in the boxes located in the lobby of the Parrish Hall. If you have any questions, please contact Gail Eilers, eilersgail@gmail.com, or Jane Sheridan, jsheridan@friendlycity.net. Thank you, in advance, for your support.