Serving the World
“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.” Matthew 35-36
We live our faith by serving the world.
St. Mary’s Whitechapel proudly offers Educational Grants each year. The amount of the grants may vary each year and the maximum number of do not exceed 20 recipients. To be eligible, candidate must be a high school senior, community college or vocational school student, or undergraduate college student for the year the award is made and, is a legal resident of Lancaster County or is a child or grandchild of a St. Mary’s Whitechapel parishioner. More at the grants and how to apply are found on this page.
The Upper Lancaster Community Food Pantry provides food to people in our community on the 2nd Thursday of each month. Volunteers from around the Northern Next gather together to provide food for our neighbors in need. We prepare bags and boxes of groceries, fresh produce and frozen meat in the morning, and starting at 12 pm, we distribute them to families waiting in cars. We currently serve around 135 families (over 400 individuals). Even dogs and cats get fed! Volunteers are always welcome. Just show up at Trinity Pavilion between 9 am - 3 pm and we’ll find a spot for you. Come check us out.
Both St Mary’s White Chapel and Trinity collect Tuna Fish and Peanut Butter all month long for the pantry. Bring items to church on Sunday or when you come for chair yoga or line dancing.
Meals on Wheels
In conjunction with Bay Aging and Trinity, we volunteer for two months in the Spring and one month in the Fall to distribute meals to homebound people in our community. It takes only a few hours on a Monday morning, but the clients receive a week of food, which might be the only good meals they have all week.
School Supply Donations
At the start of the school year, and during the year as necessary, we collect school supplies for the local elementary school teachers and students.
Having access to school supplies has a positive impact on children's education. It allows them to fully engage in classroom activities, complete assignments, and participate in various learning experiences. Lack of supplies can hinder a child's ability to learn and participate fully in the educational process.
We collect in July supplies to help students get off to a good start in the school year. Typically we collect
#2 Pencils, Crayons, Dry Erase Markers, Highlighters, Glue sticks, Pocket Folders, Spiral Notebooks - Wide-Ruled, and Backpacks
Please bring your donations to the Parish Hall by the first Sunday in August.
Environmental Stewardship
We are blessed to have 37 wonderful wooded acres. Before the pandemic we wondered what we could offer the wider community. We didn’t have to look any further than our own backyard. In partnership with the community and with support from the Northern Neck Chapter of the Virginia Master Naturalists, we have cleared and maintain walking trails through our property. The flora is being inventoried by a certified master naturalist for use in trail maps and signage. A trail map and walking sticks are located at the entrance near the labyrinth. Borrow a stick for your walk and simply return it to any of the walking stick boxes. The trails and labyrinth are open sunrise to sunset for the community to enjoy.
Please join us in making the world just a little bit better.
