St. Andrew's supports several causes in its local community. Two of them are hightlighted below.
Around 1999 Len Brown, then Senior Warden, entered into discussion with Linda Soucy as to how St. Andrew's could help people and programs in the Arlington neighborhood. A partnership was begun.
The church asked how we could help families in need of food and was given a list of items that families could use.
The members of St. Andrew's were given the challenge to provide the food and have done so ever since. People bring food items to the church and each week a bag of food is given to six families in need. The directors at MANN decide who receives the food so many families are helped over a period of time. Parishioners contribute through donations of non-perishables and cash donations. For the past few years proceeds from the St. Patrick's Day dinner have gone to the fund for the food pantry. These monies are used if items need to be purchased.
Over the years there have been "wars" in Sunday School classes to see who can bring in the most food. One young parishioner has asked for food donations in lieu of gifts on his birthday. Vacation Bible School has attendees bring donations as "admissions" each night. These activities all help to fill the closet and feed the six families we're committed to.
After Len passed away his wife Beverly took over and now runs the food pantry. With the continued support of St. Andrew's parishioners we should be able to continue assisting those less fortunate in our neighborhood.
The Friday Night Dance Group started in 1975 and was originally organized by Mrs. Gertrude C. Bowes and her daughter Joanna Bowes, in order to provide a social activity for adults with disabilities. They had found there was no such thing for John A. Bowes, Gertrude's son and Joanna's brother. The dances started at St. Augustine's Episcopal Church in Lawrence because Mrs. Bowes and her family where members of the church.
In 1999 Mrs. Bowes retired to Florida and asked her daughter Gertrude (Trudi) and Trudi's husband, George Driscoll, if they, together with Joanna, could carry on and keep the dances going.
St. Augustine's parish hall was only accessible by stairs, which meant that not everyone who wanted to attend the dances was able to. Being members of St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in Methuen, Trudi & George knew that St. Andrew's parish hall was handicapped accessible through the use of an elevator and that handicapped accessible bathrooms were being built. This meant accessibility for people who could not navigate the stairs at St. Augustine's, including wheelchair accessibility for those requiring it.
At their request the vestry of St. Andrew's granted them permission to hold the dances in the parish hall of St. Andrew's, starting in September 2000. Every year they renew their request and create a schedule for the upcoming season that does not conflict with church events.
St. Andrew's provides the parish hall, including heat & light, at no cost as part of its community outreach. By asking for a $2 donation per attendee the dance group is self supporting, covering their other expenses, at a no profit level.
The dances are held every 1st and 3rd Friday evening of every month from September through the 1st Friday in June. The dances are attended by people who are disabled, developmentally or intellectually challenged, range in age from 18 into their 80's and come from all over the Merrimack Valley.
It takes a crew of volunteers to run the dance and with the loss of some faithful volunteers the group is looking for additional people to volunteer. For more detailed information, including their current schedule and contacts, please visit the Friday Night Dance Group's website: www.fridaynightspecials.com