TOH2007

“And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” Colossians 3:17

This verse of Holy Scripture is printed at the top of the application agencies use for requesting Christ Church funds made possible from its proceeds from the Savannah Tour of Homes and Gardens. Each year the Christ Church Tour of Homes Ministries Committee is charged with distributing these funds which this year totaled $83,700.

In prior years the Committee has held back a small portion of funds, a practice resulting in an accumulation of additional funds. This year the Committee reevaluated this practice and determined to distribute these additional funds in addition to the 2007 proceeds. The bulk of the accumulated funds were given to United Ministries of Savannah for the operation of Emmaus House.

With the concurrence of the vestry, the following list of agencies and missions received funding:

Barnabas Center for Counseling	$8,000
Community Healthcare Center/Savannah Health Mission	$5,000
Good News Jail & Prison Ministry	$4,000
Coastal Empire Habitat for Humanity	$5,000
The Bona Bella Bear Club	$6,000
The Living Vine	$13,000
United Ministries of Savannah (Emmaus House)	$35,000
Young Life	$5,000
Diocese of Soroti, Youth Centre, Church of Uganda	$6,000
The Navigators (Henry and Wendy Clay)	$5,000
The Church Mission Society (Jason & Louise Mehl)	$10,000
Partners in Progress (Belize)	$8,000
Christ Church Children’s School	$14,000
Christ Church Clothes Closet (for Emmaus guests)	$4,000

TOTAL	$128,000

The Committee further decided that in the future the Tour of Homes Ministries Committee will not entertain applications from mission groups, but instead recommends to ECW allocating up to 25% of the Tour proceeds to the Christ Church Missions Committee for distribution to mission applicants. This decision was made in order to streamline the process for mission applicants, insure a more informed decision concerning this category of applications, and eliminate duplication of effort of church volunteers. The mission applicants are being notified of this change.

If you have questions, please call Beth Glass, 927-2777. Committee members are: Bridget Gardner, Gordon Denney, Kacey Ratterree, Debbie Keeney, Mary Jane Dennison, Anna Sisk, Dottie Courington, Mary Sprague, Del Muller, Sarah Petersen, Ginger Benton and Father Layne Hansen.