After reaching a high number served of 153 in April and dropping in May to 112, we have been steadily increasing the numbers served over the last quarter. June fed 100, July 119 and this month in August rose to 140. We have served 860 people this year which is below 2017 (1,039) but above 2016 (763). See the entire article
Village Harvest
Village Harvest, July 18, 2018
The weather was temperate with temperatures in the mid 80’s under brilliant sunshine. We had a variety of help transporting and organizing the food including visiting priest Luis Garcia and his family from the Dominican Republic. He is our celebrant this Sunday
1,490 pounds of food were distributed which included a wide variety – 588 pounds of fresh produce, 463 pound of grocery items, 322 pounds of meat and 40 pounds of bakery items. While a significant number, it is under average this year’s average of 1,617 pounds. Still it is 121% greater than the same period a year ago. Parishioners are contributing school supplies this month and next.
Food went to 119 families, the largest number since April. The average food received was 12.52 pounds of food with a value of $75
Thanks to Andrea Pogue for the photos.
Now we are 3! The Village Harvest, Nov. 15, 2017
We celebrated our 3 year anniversary of our food ministry, the Village Harvest in a big way by serving 191 people on Nov. 15. What a birthday! This is a new monthly record and up from 170 the month before. This provides even more focus on building financial support, particularly on #Giving Tuesday. We gave out all 1,600+ pounds of food including chicken, peanut butter, tuna. potatoes squash, cabbage and cereal. canned vegetables and grapes.
Through Nov, 2017 after 3 years we have served 4,187 people, 33,934 pounds of food. That’s 8 pounds a person or market value of $48 each month a client comes. FREE!
Link to the article is here.
Village Harvest, July 15, 2015 with the rainbow beans
Rainbow soup made its way from your donation of individual beans to Vacation Bible School’s creation of the mix of beans to the Village Harvest Distribution on July 15. We distributed about 500 pounds of food at the July Village Harvest on July 15 to 81 people. Three families that were expected did not show up. Thanks to Johnny Davis for his work in procuring the fresh produce which included onions, cucumbers, potatoes, and egg plant
Village Harvest, April 15, 2015
We had 77 people to serve , one more than last month. Pounds of produce 500 (sweet potatoes, baking potatoes, and kale), less than last month but we added crackers, peanut butter, ham and eggs for each family.||Comments from those who received 1. “This is a real blessing. Thank you for doing this, it really helps us out.” 2. “Having this food means that I can buy something else I really need.”|||Comments from those working to make this distribution possible 1. “Doing this work is a privilege” 2. “I see this food distribution as a way to bring our community closer together.”
Village Harvest food distribution, March 18, 2015
Village Harvest Food distribution serving 76 people. A beautiful March day at St. Peter’s and along the Rappahannnock
Village Harvest distribution November 19, 2014
In our first food distribution, we gave out food to twenty families for a total of sixty people, 3:30pm to 5pm. We gave out 80 cans of soup, and 300 pounds of fresh produce. (We did 700 pounds in Dec. ) The produce included white potatoes, sweet potatoes, collards, carrots. We also distributed kleenix. Some received chickens (16) and some recipes for collards and carrots. Thanks to all who contributed and worked to create this new ministry. The ECW was instrumental in getting the bags together for the event and working to distribute.
Congregational Meeting, 2025
JANUARY 26, 2025
Sunday a large congregation met at 11am for the Annual Meeting of St. Peters which held during the church service led by Rev. Tom Hughes. Speakers included John Davis ( Sr. Warden), Larry Saylor (Jr. Warden), Ken Pogue (ECM) & Andrea Pogue (ECW).
A Valentine Social Honoring the Ladies of St. Peters -by ECM
The Episcopal Church Men (ECM) would like to cordially invite you to help coordinate, host and pay tribute to the wonderful, hard-working and gracious ladies of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church as well as the blessed ladies in Port Royal and beyond that contribute their time and efforts in support the mission of the church.
Cuisine – Our mission is to provide a heartfelt and joyful experience for our wives and lady attendees that will include a light, picnic style meal of fried chicken, potato salad, macaroni salad, mixed green salad, green beans, baked beans, dinner rolls and dessert; consisting of cherry cheesecake.
Entertainment – Entertainment will consist of a series of randomly, self-selected melodies, popular standards and seasonal favorites; all sung together in “sing-along” fashion, lead and accompanied by the talented Meistro, Lawrence (Larry) Saylor and his guitar (Bessie). It promises to be wildly entertaining, and yes, the words to every song will be readily available for the divas in all of us. Of course there will be beverages; coffee, tea, soda, and wine sufficient enough to loosen the vocal cords of even the most inhibited among us. So let’s sing together and celebrate the ladies in our lives to the glory of His name.
Attire – The preferred attire for gentlemen is Blazer/Sportscoat (No Tie); Ladies – Go for it. We love it when you Show Out!
Gentlemen – Please help us demonstrate our love (your love) and appreciation for the ladies in our lives by donating whatever time you can spare towards the coordination, set-up, errands and the anticipated cleanup duties. Also donations in the amount of $30 are requested to cover the costs for this illustrious event. Please make your contributions payable to St. Peter’s Episcopal Church and write “ECM” on the memo line.
Village Harvest – 6 months 2024
2nd Quarter 2024 was positive for the Village Harvest in almost every category which boosted year to date trends for six months.
For the year St. Peter’s served 575 clients the best in the 4 years, 2021-2024 (compared to 480, 543, and 535 in earlier years. Growth for 6 months in 2024 was 20% compared to (12%) a year ago. Second Quarter 2024, client growth only was 8% (compared to 6% and 3%, previous 2 years.)
Pounds provided grew significantly in the 2nd Quarter. For the year, St. Peter’s has provided 7,539 in 2024 compared to 6,370 in 2023. It is slightly below 2022 and 2021 at 7,590 and 7,664.
2024 growth was 18% compared to a decrease of (16%) in 2023 and (1%) in 2022. If the 2nd quarter only is considered, then 2024 is the best 2nd quarter in pounds provided in the 2021-2024 period.
Pounds per client in 2024 still lags in earlier years. For the 6 month period 2024 pounds per client was 13.1 under last year at 13.3 and the previous 2 years over 14 pounds. If the 2nd quarter only is considered pounds was client 14.4 and the best in the 2021-2024 time period.
Looking at the composition of foods, there is another favorable trend. If we combine produce and grocery, it is up from 79% to 83% from 2023 to 2024 and 65% in 2022. These are basic staples and sustainable foods and exclude meat and drinks.
Costs were the highest over the period at $566 for the 2nd quarter compared to $500 last year. For the year they total to $1,077 compared to $1,004 in 2023. Cost growth was 7%, highter than the previous two years at (4%) 2023, 1% in 2022.
Clients and food relate directly to those receiving food. The issue of costs is significant to an operation like the Village Harvest which runs not off parishioner pledges but restricted or special giving.
Costs are directly related to pounds of food purchased. The actual costs per pound have decreased in 2024. Costs per pound for half year 2024 were $0.14 and lower than $0.16 for 2023. $0.14 is the same for 2022 but above $0.13 in 2021.
Thus, at half year June, 2024, the higher cost relate more to the volume of food purchased and not increasing cost per per pounds.
Village Harvest, June 19, 2024- Food
Tuesday, June 18, 2024, Food brought in from the Healthy Harvest Food Bank, was sorted and bagged and vegetables refrigerated.
Newsletter, June, 2024
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Sunday’s Thoughts, June 2, 2024
A lovely collect this Sunday was a good start – “On this day of rest and gladness, we praise you, God of creation, for the dignity of work and the joy of play, for the challenge of witness and the invitation to delight at your table. Renew our hearts through your sabbath rest, that we might be refreshed to continue in your work of restoring the world to wholeness. Amen”
It is all about energy – work, play, witness, renewal and restoration.
This sense of energy carried through to the blessing-
“May the light of God illumine the heart of our souls.
May the flame of Christ kindle us to love.
May the fire of the Spirit free us to live.
This day, and forever more.”
We had the Rev. Shirley Smith Graham to talk to the congregation about the transition, planning and next steps. Johnny and the Vestry are handling this.
The sermon use the clay pots metaphor to illustrate Paul’s reading from Corinthians – “We have this treasure in clay jars.” In one case light can shine through and another it cannot. This was acted out by three children helpers. It provided examples of how St. Peter’s lets light shine through – the Village Harvest distributing food, the Jamaica project providing educational materials, the work with other organizations in the area including the schools, Sacred Ground providing scholarships.
We had another one coming up this month in June. Some of the best ministries are home grown and we have Shred-It that is a combination of fellowship, ecological goodness and outreach. On June 12, 1:30pm bring your documents to the church to be securely shred. Enjoy the fellowship with neighbors. Make a monetary contribution to St. Peter’s outreach for keeping your documents safe, secure and out of the landfill.
“Only God could give this small church the power to accomplish these things. God’s power works in us so that God’s glory can shine out through us.”
A nod to the transition – We are going to get broken in this life and suffer “big and and little deaths”. But these can be beneficial ” Change cracks us open so that new light and life can flow in and then back out into the world. Churches in transition are in the process of dying to what has been so that they can be open to the new life that will be, new life and light that they can then pour out into the world.”
Paul had the last word in the sermon – “Paul was right. We do have this treasure of God’s light in clay jars. So may we welcome the breaking, the spilling, the hardships, and the changes that life brings to each one of us and to our church. For through us, Jesus is already coming again in glory every time we get broken apart and his light shines and pours out through our brokenness into the world”