Okay, by 99 we actually mean 100. And we’re not talking about beer here. This year during Lent, St. John’s is partnering with a local organization called H.I.S. Restoration Ministries to meet the needs of homeless and pregnant women in our community through baby bottles. H.I.S.R.M. has outfitted us with a supply of empty bottles that is needing to be filled, but not with formula. By raising money for H.I.S.R.M.’s Maternity Shelter, with your spare change, these bottles will nourish needy babies.
Starting March 9th, 100 of these empty bottles will grace our Community Room and our goal as a congregation is to find a ways to fill every single one by the end of Lent. To participate, head to the Community Room once Lent begins and pick up one, two or however many bottles you like. Inside each bottle you’ll find a green dollar bill. Before you leave with your bottle(s), pull out that dollar and stick it in the appropriate category on the large baby bottle poster on the wall. We’ll use this paper bottle as a meter of how close we are to reaching our goal of filling 100 bottles to the brim. Once you put your dollar on the wall, you are committing that throughout the 40 days of Lent, you will fill your bottle with coins, cash or checks and bring it back to St. John’s on Palm Sunday when we’ll celebrate our progress. Feel free to pass bottles on to family members or friends, set them up at work, bring them to school or go door to door to your neighbors collecting change. Check out our St. John’s Episcopal Church Facebook page and share with us your clever ideas on how you’re going to help us get more than 99 bottles of cash on the wall!