Christian Action/Community Service (CA/CS) Department

The Christian Action/Community Service (CA/CS) Department coordinates activities and events to assist the Church in expressing Christian concern for the needy in Topeka and surrounding communities. We encourages members to take action in the name of Christ and the Church.

The following community agencies and organizations have received help from this Ministry.

  • Doorstep
  • Breakthrough House
  • Topeka Rescue Mission
  • The Florence Crittenden Home
  • Cornerstone
  • Let's Help
  • Battered Women's Task Force
  • Mother to Mother
  • The Christmas Bureau
  • Community Action
  • Christmas in April
  • Crisis Pregnancy Outreach
  • Faith in Action
  • First Apartments (pantry)
  • Local Elementary Schools
  • Red Cross
  • Ronald McDonald House
  • Crisis Pregnancy Outreach
  • Rebuilding Together
 

In addition to volunteering at these agencies, supplies and other items needed by them, for which they have no funds, are purchased and donated. These donations are totally funded from profits from the department's "Loaves and Fishes" program.

The "Loaves and Fishes" program allows the church to purchase grocery gift cards from Dillon's and Hy-Vee at a discounted rate. The gift cards are then sold to church members (and non-members) each Sunday and weekday morning in the church office. The gift cards may be used the same as cash at participating grocery stores.

Did you know that in this past year 47 families purchased $93,500 in Dillon’s and HyVee grocery cards through our Loaves and Fishes program? This generated $5,525 in funds donated to 13 different social service agencies in our local community. These grocery cards can be used like a cash/credit card at the store. They’re sold each Sunday morning before and after services and in the church office during the week, in amounts of $100, $50, $25, and $10. To those of you who faithfully purchase these grocery cards, THANK YOU!

Help People Feel Better About Themselves

Do you have travel shampoos, lotions, toothpaste, and toothbrushes sitting in a closet? There’s a need for toiletries of all sizes in our community. When money is tight, it usually goes for housing, food, and utilities. Clean hair, clean teeth, a good shave--all can help someone in a difficult situation feel better about themselves. Please leave your donations in the basket in the church office.

Doorstep

Remember when you do your grocery shopping!! Bring your items to the church. Needs include pinto beans, canned fruit, tuna, cold and hot breakfast cereals, egg noodles, jelly, spaghetti sauce, macaroni & cheese, chicken noodle soup, tomato sauce, fruit juices and dry and canned milk. OCTOBER is the month that FCC is responsible for helping to restock the food pantry but they need donations year around!

Fair Trade Coffee

We are selling Fair Trade Coffee from El Salvador. Regular is $7.00 a pound and DeCaf is $8.00 a pound. Coffee beans sell for the same prices listed above but you only receive 12 ounces of beans. Buy your coffee from the church office or contact Linda Kemp.

Box Tops for Education

Susan Bernhardt is collecting Box Tops for Education for her class you may bring them to the church office.

Pop Tabs

CA/CS collects pop tabs for Ronald McDonald House. There was a box in the office and Narthex.

Empty Computer Ink Cartridges

Williams Magnet school recycles empty computer ink cartridges. There is a box in the office to put them in.

Recycle Cell Phones

The Battered Women’s Task Force takes used cell phones, programs them to dial 911 and gives them to women who seek asylum from violent situations. If you would like to donate your old cell phone to this service, please drop them by the church office and they will be delivered to the BWTF office.