Warm Heart
MISSION:
To live out our faith by partnering with people in communities worldwide to help them achieve a healthier quality of life. Warm Heart International is a community of Christian compassion raising funds and awareness for freshwater access and sanitation, medical care, orphan care and education, and youth-to-youth relationships in communities worldwide.
OUR STORY:
In 1980, James Tengatenga left his home country of Malawi for Austin, Texas, and the Seminary of the Southwest. He soon found a church home at St. David’s Episcopal Church and became an active and well-loved member of the parish. He and his wife, Josie, were married at St. David’s. When this extraordinary seminarian returned to Malawi in 1984, he took part of our heart with him. Since then St. David’s relationship with James, Josie, and the people of the Diocese of Southern Malawi has flourished.
In 1992, Mark Mitchell and Donnie Hungerford formed the Southern Malawi Outreach Committee at St. David’s under the direction of The Rev. Jim Bethell. The committee’s purpose was to foster our oneness with Bishop Tengatenga and the people he serves and to express this oneness through action.
Our first priority was to help Josie Tengatenga complete her seminary training. From 2001 to 2003 we raised around $12,000 to help with her education expenses. After Josie graduated in May 2003, our efforts were redirected toward helping to build and furnish a diocesan school. We raised $4,300 for the school and other needs through the St. David’s Pecan Street BBQ booth. In 2003-04 we also raised $670 for the Diocese of Southern Malawi through the St. David’s Simple Gifts program.
In December 2004, Bishop James and the Rev. Harry Chisale visited Austin for a week-long event called Sharing of Missions Abroad (SOMA). The conference gave us a deeper understanding and appreciation of God’s work in Malawi and generated a wave of excitement that would transform our ministry. Mark Mitchell asked James how we might best foster St. David’s relationship with the Diocese of Southern Malawi. James’ answer was direct: he asked us to come see and experience God’s love in Malawi—its culture, hospitality, faith, history, traditions, passions, joys, sufferings, sorrows, loss, poverty, disease, and natural resources, as well as the dramatic growth of the Church and the Christian faith in the Malawian people. On the last day of James and Harry’s visit, St. David’s presented them with a check for $4,300 raised from the Fall Pecan Street Festival BBQ booth. This gift enabled our brothers and sisters in Christ to purchase a badly needed Nissan pickup truck. The truck is being used to transport workers, run errands, and handle many other tasks. According to Bishop Tengatenga, “Everyone is happy about this!” In 2004, St. David’s raised an additional $1,535 for the Diocese of Southern Malawi.
As we continued to raise funds for our Malawian brothers and sisters, we began planning to accept James’ invitation to visit in July of 2005. With the support of The Rev. Titus Presler, Dean of the Seminary of the Southwest, the Rev. David Boyd, Rector of St. David’s, and the St. David’s vestry, we prepared for our pilgrimage by raising funds, learning about our host culture, and meeting regularly to bond as a team.
From June 30 through July 17, 2005, fourteen Texas mission delegates from St. David’s traveled to Malawi. We were overwhelmed by our welcome, by the faith and joy of the people we met, and by the suffering we saw around us. We returned from Malawi changed and rendered unfit to resume life as we have known it – no more indifference, flippancies, and presumptions based on our own cultural biases and prejudice.
Our Malawi team consisted of six youth and eight adult delegates. Youth delegates included Christina Mitchell, Catie Hungerford, Lara Case, Jordan Yarbrough, Ginny Belanger, and Caitlin Gorman. Mark Mitchell, Tom Gebhard, Geoff Connor, Lee Livingston (youth director), Vance Tilton, Teresa Turner, Nancy Parish and Jennifer Reese were the adult delegates. These are a few of our Malawi pilgrims’ stories. They recount experiences that opened our eyes to a greater understanding of the overwhelming possibilities of God’s kingdom here on “this fragile earth, our island home” and what it may mean to be our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers in Malawi, in the world abroad, and in Austin, Texas, USA.
Next to New
Are you looking for a way to help Austin, all of Austin?
Are you looking for a unique way to volunteer your time and have fun doing it?
Please consider volunteering once a week for three hours at the Next-to-New shop. We sell consigned, donated and estate merchandise and need volunteers to help in all aspects of a retail operation.
1. Come shop and purchase quality china, jewelry, housewares, furniture, and antiques.
2. Put quality items on consignment. You receive 50% of the sale price.
3. Donate items to the Shop for re-sale.
4. Let us handle your estate sale, moving sale or downsizing sale.
From 1989 to 2003, more than $1.3 million of Next-To-New’s proceeds were donated to LOCAL charities. Proceeds also support the restoration of the Historic Sanctuary. The Sanctuary has been in constant service since 1854.
Location: 5435 Burnet Rd., Austin, TX 78756
Store Hours:
Monday - Friday: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Saturday: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Outreach Overview
St. David’s has a long history of helping people who are experiencing poverty, homelessness or other crises. Our commitment to bear witness loving one another as Jesus loved us takes many forms. We support programs and ministries in the community through grants and volunteers. Our current list of outreach ministries include the following:
• Trinity Center – a ministry to assist our downtown neighbors who are experiencing homelessness.
• Next to New – a thrift shop that serves as a resource for used household goods and clothing. Half of the profits ofthis shop is a major funding source for our grants ministry.
• Grants – A number of grants are awarded to local service organizations.
• Habitat for Humanity - we participate with other Austin Episcopal parishes in building a home every year.
• Angel Tree – we collect presents for children who have a parent in prison.
• Faith In Action – West Austin Caregivers – we support this ministry through our volunteers who help elderly people remain independent and through membership.
• Stand Down – We help people to acquire identification documents during this annual event.
• Simple Gifts – The Mission Committee of St. David’s Episcopal Church is inviting nominations from the congregation for organizations to be included in the 2008 Simple Gifts ministry. The Simple Gifts ministry allows parishioners to purchase gifts of charity for loved ones at Christmas, rather than commercial gifts. The Simple Gifts ministry also meets needs in our community that are important to our parishioners. This is an opportunity to raise awareness for smaller groups that provide services directly to those who need them most, and for whom a contribution of any size makes a big difference. Please return your nominations to the church office c/o Alison Riemersma, Simple Gifts Coordinator, by August 1, 2008. Organizations will be chosen by the Mission Committee on August 13, 2008. The names of organizations chosen will be posted on the St. David’s Website and Simple Gifts sales will kickoff with the Simple Gifts Fair on November 23, 2008.
• Disaster Response – We are developing this ministry to help our neighbors, locally or in other areas, who suffer from the effects of natural disasters.
• Warm Heart International – we also support the global community through this ministry to our neighbors in Southern Malawi.
• Food, clothing, and other collection drives – we participate in a variety of drives to collect items that will help our neighbors.
HANDS-ON OUTREACH COMMITTEE (HOOC): The Hands-On Outreach Committee is a standing committee of St. David’s Episcopal Church created by the Vestry to encourage and nurture participation within the parish on behalf of the outreach mission of the church. Through the works of this committee the parish manifests its commitment to our Baptismal Covenant to bear witness of the love of Jesus, and to the Great Commandment to love one another as God has loved us. We are working to create a community of compassion, praying for the discernment and wisdom to allow God to accomplish His will through us by supporting and building programs that respond to the needs of the poor and the dispirited, feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, relieve human suffering, and work for justice and compassion for all the members of our community, especially for those who are powerless, voiceless, and unprotected.
GRANTS COMMITTEE FOR COMMUNITY OUTREACH (GCCO): The Grants Committee for Community Outreach is a standing committee of St. David’s Episcopal Church created by the Vestry to distribute money on behalf of the outreach mission of the church.
Process for 2008 St. David’s Grants:
St. David’s Episcopal Church has a long history of helping the poor and those in need in the Austin community. For many years, the church awarded multiple small grants for up to $5,000 to area nonprofit organizations.
The Vestry has decided that for 2008, grant levels will be raised to $10,000 to enable organizations to serve more people and/or increase the impact of grant funds.
The 2008 Grant committee consists of Chair Rebecca Powers, Vice Chair Cathryn Dorsey, Secretary Paul Brownell and members: Cynthia Cannon, Amy Case, Elizabeth Fitzgerald, Robyn Hargrove, Marsha Jensen, Scott Jones, Beth Krueger, Jerry McCulley, Marilyn Smolinsky, and Aldo Waker. The Vestry representative is Donnie Hungerford.
In January, the committee received 17 grant proposals from area nonprofits and charities. Nine of these proposals will receive in-depth analysis by review teams. In May, the committee will make final recommendations to the Vestry.
Trinity Center
Trinity Center is a faith-based organization conducting programs that improve the spiritual, mental, and physical well-being of the poor and homeless in inner-city Austin.
Trinity Center achieves its mission through
• volunteer opportunities that foster compassion, understanding, and acceptance of God’s people who are homeless and poor
• neighborly hospitality in a caring environment
• collaboration with similarly-focused agencies, faith-based organizations, service providers, and partner congregations
• the responsible use of space provided by St. David’s Episcopal Church
Some of the Team Players:
Mary Rychlik became the Executive Director of Trinity Center in February of 2006. Mary is a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) and a graduate of The University of Texas at Austin School of Social Work. She has worked in homeless services for ten years.
Mary provides support to the Board of Directors and focuses on program development and evaluation, community relations, community planning, personnel, and policies and procedures.
Mary enjoys cooking, reading, dancing, playing with her cats, and spending time with family and friends.
Brian Lofgren began serving as a volunteer with Trinity Center in August of 2005. He was hired as the Center Administrator in April of 2006. Brian earned a BS in Recreation, Park, and Tourism Sciences from Texas A&M University and an MBA from the University of Houston—Clear Lake. His prior work experience is in Parks and Recreation Departments, coordinating athletics, aquatics and special events.
Brian serves as a liaison to St. David’s staff, and he focuses on finances, fund development, spiritual programming, and weekend programming.
Brian likes to spend time training for triathlons, barbecuing, teaching swimming lessons, and growing in his spirituality.
Melanie Behrends began working as the Program Coordinator in May 2007. Melanie is a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) and a graduate of The University of Texas with a BS in Public Relations and an MSSW in Social Work. She has worked in the issue areas of homelessness, poverty, medical social work, and community relations.
Melanie focuses on operating the Center, delivering programs, coordinating and training volunteers, and collaborating with other community organizations.
Melanie enjoys going to see live music in Austin, spending time with her family and friends and dogs, running, and traveling.
Justin Schmidt is an AmeriCorps Member who began working at Trinity Center in September 2007. Justin attended Augsburg College in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where he graduated with a degree in Business Management. Justin joined AmeriCorps in order to gain a greater life perspective and to help people who are homeless or in poverty. Justin moved to Texas from Wisconsin. He enjoys watching films, listening to music, spending time with friends and playing sports.
