St. John's Mission/Outreach Programs
Many Hearts. Many Voices. One Church.
Our Mission (adopted March 12, 2000): We are a family of many hearts and voices faithfully worshiping God. We encourage one another in our living, learning and growing as God’s people. Led by the Holy Spirit, we joyfully promise to serve others as we share the love and hope of Jesus Christ.

St. John's has a longstanding reputation in Vincennes of community outreach and service. We are also part of many local, regional, nationwide and global efforts through the UCC's OCWM program. There are three local missions (B.A.B.E., Kids Hope USA and Loaves & Fishes) that our congregation supports with a little extra effort. These projects require significant contributions of time, talent and treasure from the entire congregation. We believe these three missions enable us to fulfill our mission of serving others in the spirit of our Lord. However, volunteering for any of our missions or outreach groups is a great way to get involved, enjoy fellowship with others, and serve the Lord.

B.A.B.E. (Beds And Britches, Etc.)
Mission: Through collaboration among agencies and networks, B.A.B.E.'s mission is to meet the basic material needs of pregnant women and families with children ages newborn through 3 years, with a voucher system that promotes preventive health care (physical and emotional) in a safe and nurturing environment.

The B.A.B.E. store is open to Knox County residents only, and all donations come from Knox County people and churches. St. John's UCC has donated the space for the store and commits benevolence monies throughout the year. B.A.B.E. has no paid staff; St. John's provides 97% of the volunteer staff in the store at this time.

For more information about the store, or to volunteer in some way, write PO Box 608, Vincennes, IN 47591, or call the church office (812-882-2720) and leave a message for B.A.B.E.
L.A.M. (Life After Meth)
 Support group for women recovering from substance abuse. Meets Thursdays at 5 PM.

Outside Groups
 St. John's serves as the meeting place for many community groups throughout the year, such as Delts, Habitat For Humanity, Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, Sewing Group, Beta Sigma Phi, Big Brothers/Big Sisters.
KIDS HOPE USA
Mission: To build caring relationships via one child, one hour, one church, one school

Adult mentors from our St. John's congregation have committed to spending one hour each week with one child at Riley Elementary School doing tutoring and self esteem building. Each mentor and child team is supported by a prayer partner from the church.

For more information about how you can help St. John's make a difference in the life of a child, contact the church office (812-882-2720). St. John's KIDS HOPE coordinator Betty Lankford would be happy to share her enthusiasm with you.

For information about KIDS HOPE USA, visit the website at http://kidshopeusa.org.


Loaves and Fishes
St. John's UCC is one of several area churches that provide nutritious, hot meals to local residents. Volunteers from our congregation prepare and serve a Thursday evening meal on a regular rotation (every six weeks). Whether it's food preparation, set-up, serving, or clean-up, this is a great way to get involved and make a real difference.
Our Church's Wider Mission (OCWM)
Disaster Relief, Missionary Support, Heifer Project International, One Great Hour of Sharing, Women's Shelters, Habitat For Humanity, School Nurse Programs, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Blanket Sunday, Knox County Food Pantry, Relay For Life, Merom Conference Center, Hoyleton, CUE-- Mid America Seminaries, Back Bay Mission, United Care Shelters, Brooklawn, Veterans of the Cross, Headstart, Altenheim Community, Crossroads, Emmause Home, Good Samaritan Home.