Saint Bartholomew's Episcopal Church, Livermore, CA

St. Bartholomew's Ministries

As the membership of the church has steadily grown over these past years, the members of the Vestry felt that it was essential for the Rector to devote herself primarily to the spiritual, pastoral needs of the congregation.

In January 2009, members were invited to join ministry teams led by the Vestry. Each team was assigned specific responsibilities within the church.

The team responsible for the administrative, physical tasks necessary for the smooth functioning of the church is led by Carolyn Maiden. She oversees the financial health of the church; assists with the preparation of monthly reports; spearheads the annual Stewardship efforts. Volunteers who support her efforts manage the parish office on Mondays and Wednesdays. Jo Anne Arakel coordinates the usage of the spacious parish hall. Ann Butcher with visionary zeal is gradually reshaping the garden. A group of enthusiastic volunteers led by Dave Rettinger and Dave Ruzicka devote a work-day a month to give the church it's inviting look.

The members of the Hospitality ministry led by Jenny Moy, host the fellowship hour between Sunday services. Volunteers take turns to greet newcomers and invite them for coffee and treats in the parish lounge. A gala event in the spring or autumn serves as the annual fundraiser.

The Worship ministry led by Kip West forms the altar guild, trains acolytes and participates in the duties of lay ministers. Music is an integral part of the worship services.

The Education ministry led by Carol Purcell organizes Bible Study for adults, Sunday School for children, and has lively discussions at the weekly Book Club.

The Outreach ministry team publishes the Half Circle and the Full Circle newsletters. The collective voice of the church community is also heard on the web site, ably managed by webmaster Mike Atkin. The church member directory is published at the beginning of the year. Jennifer Nelson coordinates the sale of jewelry for the African Team Ministries. The Backpack project (provides school supplies and shoes to children in need) and the Holiday Baskets (supplies groceries to families in need) are annual community events.

Our buildings are in constant use by the community; almost every day of the year there are meetings, rehearsals, classes etc. as the greater community avails themselves of our excellent facilities.

Each of these ministries builds stronger, closer relationships within the St. Bartholomew's community and to the larger community of Livermore. As we move through the first year, Vestry members strive for balance within these intertwined relationships and towards the goal of fulfilling the Great Commission.

Interfaith Sharing - Food Pantry

St Bartholomew’s is home to the food pantry operated by Interfaith Sharing, Inc. Several mornings a week, drivers collect perishable foods, such as produce, bread and dairy products, from local stores and bring them to the pantry where more volunteers provide patrons a selection of fresh and nonperishable staple foods. Anyone is welcome, no questions are asked. Approximately 1,000 people a month are served, including working families, seniors and the homeless.

Interfaith Sharing is a coalition of local religious congregations, run entirely by volunteers and supported by the community with food and cash donations. Monetary donations are used to purchase staple foods from the Alameda County Community Food Bank, and to maintain the indispensable cargo van.

Hours of the pantry are: 8am to 9am Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday mornings. If you need food, you are welcome to come during those hours. If you are interested in volunteering please call the church at (925) 447-3289 and leave a message. Donations are always welcome, please use our on-line donation link and designate the payment for the food pantry.