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Our approach to outreach flows from our inspire value. St. Andrew's is a place where the Holy Spirit inspires us for service to the community and the world. We believe that Jesus will give us a heart of compassion, and then inspire us to step out in faith to reach out in service and in witness. Social transformation has been a major part of our identity as a church from the very beginning. One of our earliest projects was a gasoline outreach, where we donated 25 cents for every gallon of gas purchased at a RaceTrac gas station to the Red Cross after Hurricane Katrina. Since then, St. Andrew's has: - Started the first "Besom" in North America. The Besom helps people give their time, money and things to people who are in need. Working with local agencies like Head Start, Communities in Schools, Hope's Door, Samaritan Inn, the Collin County Committee on Aging, and more, the Besom has provided appliances, furniture, clothing, and bedding to many families in McKinney. You can read more about the Besom on this website, or on its website, www.besommckinney.org.
- Launched the Believe! Run benefitting Holy Family School. This race, led and staffed largely by St. Andrew's members, is held at the Dickens of a Christmas weekend in McKinney. Started in 2006, the race goes through historic downtown McKinney and is already a McKinney tradition. What's more, all the proceeds from the race go to Holy Family School's scholarship fund, an Episcopal childcare facility in east McKinney. For more information on Believe! check out www.believemckinney.org.
- Held a "Blessing of the Animals" to benefit the Collin County SPCA. In addition to the traditional "Blessing of the Animals" event held on St. Francis' Day, St. Andrew's has linked up with the SPCA to do major fundraising events at PetsMart and Market Street. At these events, you can not only get your pet blessed, but get your photo taken with your pet. Donations are given to the SPCA. What's more, the SPCA brings adoption vans out to this event and many animals get adopted!
- Provided several "Free Family Photo" booths at city events. You've seen us at Dickens of a Christmas, "Scare on the Square", the Ice-Cream Crank off, Round Up at the Range, and many other events. Look for St. Andrew's at city festivals: we'll be there with a shiny blue balloon for the children and smile at the booth, and many times, with a camera to take your picture! We have a presence at these events not just to show a friendly face to the community, but to help the many great causes in our city.
- Given money for children's medicine through the Matthew's Fund. Started in memory of a child of one of our members, Matthew's Fund has now given over $1000 to McKinney ISD school children who need medicine. Partnering with a local pharmacy, social workers at Communities in Schools can use our fund to directly help a child who needs medicine. Matthew's Fund recently helped a child get needed diabetes medicine and helped put down a lice outbreak at a local elementary school.
In a place of amazing blessing and resources like Collin County, what sense does it make that a child should be sleeping on the floor and going without medicine? We believe our calling as a church is to be a source of light, help and blessing, and we have accomplished a lot in our short history as a church. Are you looking for a church that gives an authentic Christian witness? Are you looking for a church that is active in addressing the problems in the local community? St. Andrew's is for you!
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