Love in Action
The mission of the Service, Justice, and Peace (SJP) Ministry is two-fold:
- To assist parishioners in our gospel mission to serve the poor, the widow and the outcast.
- To work for justice and peace in our country and our world – to transform society – to help the reign of God come.
The Service, Justice, Peace Ministry at St. Agnes includes a variety of projects and committees focused on the areas of justice, peace, and human development. Some are annual projects, occurring at specific times throughout the year, and others are ongoing committees.
We are always looking for leaders, members, and volunteers for the individual projects and committees, in addition to support and leadership coordinators for the SJP Ministry that oversees everything within. Take a look what we currently have going on at the local, national, and global level and consider lending a hand.
Contact us with any questions or for additional information.
SJP Ministry Coordinator: Louise Fitzgerald – sanibelbum22@gmail.com or 304.707.1701
List of individual committee/project contacts
Detailed information about some of our key projects, activities, and sub-committees are outlined below.
Book Discussion Group
The Book Discussion Group meets on the third Friday of each month (except August) to discuss a book selected by the group. Our choices are eclectic, ranging from theology to novels. All are welcome to attend any or all discussions.
View a complete list of books being discussed.
Facilitator: Eileen Dooley
Email: dooleywoods@comcast.net
Racial Justice Initiative
The Racial Justice Initiative was formed in 2021 after the murder of George Floyd and the many Black Lives Matter demonstrations. The goal of the committee is to increase awareness about the role and impact race has on our local community and beyond. We do this through a number of educational opportunities and activities, including our Racial Justice Lending Library (located in the Church Narthex), bulletin articles, and participation in events such as our 2023 Juneteenth celebration.
New members are always welcome. We meet monthly online via Zoom. See the St. Agnes event calendar for details.
Chair: Tom Ruhf
Email: theruhfs@yahoo.com
Kolofata Girls Education Project
The project to educate girls from Kolofata, Cameroon started from the collaboration of 90 year old St. Agnes parishioner, Joe Talago, who had come to the realization that the best way to promote the development of any society is to educate its girls and women, and Ellen Einterz, MD (Life and Death in Kolofata, Indiana Press) who had spent 24 years striving to bring better health to the people of Kolofata. This rural, semi-arid, subtropical, subsistence farming region is in the northern tip of Cameroon adjacent to eastern Nigeria. Joe wanted to sponsor the education of a girl from a developing country. Ellen showed Joe how he could sponsor the education of 6 girls for the cost of educating one girl in the US. So was born the Kolofata Scholarship Project. From the beginning this project has been full of surprises and some disappointments. Before Joe died he asked St. Agnes to continue this effort.
For more information and to donate to the Kolofata Scholarship fund, read Dr. Einterz’s summary of the background of the project and hopes for its continuance.
Ugly Sleeping Bag Ministry
Ugly Sleeping Bag Ministry is a group of sewers and non-sewers that gather monthly to make sleeping bags for the homeless. Sleeping bags are assembled from donated queen/king sheets, blankets, comforters, and men’s ties; they are then distributed to two agencies serving the homeless in Jefferson and Berkeley Counties.
If you can sew or want to learn, join the Ugly Sleeping Bag Ministry.
Chair: Barbara Mueller
Email: bamueller1@frontiernet.net
Phone: 304.876.3388
Outreach Partners
Catholic Charities of WV (CCWV), Eastern Regional Office
Catholic Charities of WV provides a variety of services to low-income families in Berkeley, Jefferson, and Morgan Counties. The focus is on stabilization and case management programs, along with financial assistance in case by case situations. The office maintains a personal care closet, which distributes hygiene and cleaning products to clients in need of such items.
Drop us an email or give us a call if you’d like to learn more.
304.267.8837
information@ccwva.org
To access assistance with Migration and Refugee Services, call 304.267.3071
Knights of Columbus, St. Agnes Council
Knights of Columbus is a world-wide fraternal organization with over 13,000 councils. The St. Agnes Council focuses on six areas: Church, Community, Council, Family, Youth, and Pro-life.
The Knights sponsor a number of activities and programs, including youth basketball free-throw contest, collecting funds for local autism programs through their annual Tootsie Roll drive, Coats for Kids program, and providing assistance for parish events and activities throughout the year.
Monthly meetings are open to all adult men age 18 or older in the parish.
Contact: Stan Nelson
raymond.nelson.jr@gmail.com
St. Vincent de Paul Society (SVdP)
St. Vincent de Paul provides direct financial assistance to needy parishioners and residents of Jefferson County, to include assistance with rent, utilities, medical bills and other similar expenses.
The St. Agnes SVdP works on a referral basis, through St. Agnes parishioners and referrals from Catholic Charities WV, Martinsburg and Jefferson County Community Ministries (JCCM).
Once referred, information is gathered by a 2-person team that visits the applicant in their home at a mutually agreed time and date. Funding is primarily provided through donations from St. Agnes parishioners.
St. Vincent de Paul is always looking for additional volunteers, so let them know if you’re interested in becoming a member.
President: John Stollery
svdp@stagnesshepherdstown.org
