St. Stephen's & South Oakland Shelter
you are welcome here
Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
1 Peter 4:9-11
Breaking the cycle of homelessness, one person at a time
St. Stephen's supports numerous agencies through Outreach, but we really don’t get the opportunity for so many of us to experience any of them as we do with South Oakland Shelter (SOS). How lucky we are to have as guests those homeless persons and families, each year, who are trying to get their lives back on track. As one of 60 congregations who provide temporary shelter for a week, we have the opportunity to support all of what SOS is doing for the people they serve.
South Oakland Shelter is a moveable homeless shelter for individuals who are seeking work or are currently employed and within weeks or days of having earned their way off the streets. The South Oakland Shelter is sponsored by churches, synagogues and businesses of South Oakland County, Michigan, working together with local service agencies.
SOS opened in 1986 and housed 73 individuals that first year for a total of 126 nights. SOS has broadened its horizons since that time, and in 2001/2002 it provided food, shelter, transportation and counseling to 431 people at 53 different host sites and stayed open all 365 days of the year.
St. Stephen’s was one of the first churches to join the SOS host-site outreach network. We have hosted SOS guests since the late 1980’s. Marge Dillon was instrumental in getting the Vestry and parish to accept SOS as an Outreach ministry, and she served as the SOS coordinator for many years. Marge fondly remembers her outreach to the SOS guests which included:
* Bedding guests in the hallways so that no one was turned away
* Sharing a special Thanksgiving day and dinner
* Seeing a St. Stephen’s family ‘adopt’ a guest and provide help and support for many years
* Sharing the Christmas joy complete with Santa Claus
* Having a former SOS guest return to St. Stephen’s to volunteer his time and talent on behalf of another group of SOS guests
In addition to providing overnight shelter, St. Stephen’s serves breakfast and dinner, packs sack lunches, provides transportation to jobs, launders towels and linens, offers companionship during the evenings, and shows the love of Christ to a group of people working to improve their life situation.
This program requires up to 200 volunteers annually, and, in the course of a week, St. Stephen’s volunteers log over 1200 volunteer hours! We have something for everyone!
* Culinary experts can participate in the preparation and/or serving of delicious appetizers, dinners and snacks for the guests
* Late night enthusiasts can be a part of a night security team running from 9:30 pm to 6 am
* Early risers whip up the finest breakfast in town from 6:00 am to 7:00 am
* For those who yearn for the open road, transportation duty is for you!
* If a little early evening socializing interests you, why not join us for dinner and mingle with the guests?
South Oakland Shelter is a moveable homeless shelter for individuals who are seeking work or are currently employed and within weeks or days of having earned their way off the streets. The South Oakland Shelter is sponsored by churches, synagogues and businesses of South Oakland County, Michigan, working together with local service agencies.
SOS opened in 1986 and housed 73 individuals that first year for a total of 126 nights. SOS has broadened its horizons since that time, and in 2001/2002 it provided food, shelter, transportation and counseling to 431 people at 53 different host sites and stayed open all 365 days of the year.
St. Stephen’s was one of the first churches to join the SOS host-site outreach network. We have hosted SOS guests since the late 1980’s. Marge Dillon was instrumental in getting the Vestry and parish to accept SOS as an Outreach ministry, and she served as the SOS coordinator for many years. Marge fondly remembers her outreach to the SOS guests which included:
* Bedding guests in the hallways so that no one was turned away
* Sharing a special Thanksgiving day and dinner
* Seeing a St. Stephen’s family ‘adopt’ a guest and provide help and support for many years
* Sharing the Christmas joy complete with Santa Claus
* Having a former SOS guest return to St. Stephen’s to volunteer his time and talent on behalf of another group of SOS guests
In addition to providing overnight shelter, St. Stephen’s serves breakfast and dinner, packs sack lunches, provides transportation to jobs, launders towels and linens, offers companionship during the evenings, and shows the love of Christ to a group of people working to improve their life situation.
This program requires up to 200 volunteers annually, and, in the course of a week, St. Stephen’s volunteers log over 1200 volunteer hours! We have something for everyone!
* Culinary experts can participate in the preparation and/or serving of delicious appetizers, dinners and snacks for the guests
* Late night enthusiasts can be a part of a night security team running from 9:30 pm to 6 am
* Early risers whip up the finest breakfast in town from 6:00 am to 7:00 am
* For those who yearn for the open road, transportation duty is for you!
* If a little early evening socializing interests you, why not join us for dinner and mingle with the guests?
SOS 2011
September 25 - October 2
September 25 - October 2
Highlights of the Week
- The strong (and young) J2A kids hauling matresses & moving furniture during the set-up of our classrooms as guest bedrooms
- Norma Ross' chicken and biscuts
- Lots of activities: Yoga instruction, Bingo, choir performance
- Daniel's violin concert
- The impromptu piano entertainment by one of our guests
- The beautiful two week old baby girl
- Dinner service & fellowship with our energetic Youth
- Laundry brigade
- Sharing our multitude of blessings with those undergoing times of trial
- The thank you note from our guests
- A smooth and blessed week