Jubilee Ministry is an initiative of the Episcopal Church to engage congregations in the important work of empowering people to change their lives.
Discover the some of the great work being done by parishes in New Jersey!
When a church becomes a Jubilee Center, it joins a network of hundreds of churches throughout the Episcopal Church.
A Jubilee Center joins in the fight against poverty and inequity and works to build up strong and empowered communities. Sharing resources, ideas, and connections makes a church’s efforts even more effective.
The Jubilee Center designation honors the hard work of many at the church, particularly their outreach team and vestry, who enable and empower the parish to become a place of service and advocacy for the poor and the oppressed.
There are more than 600 Jubilee Centers, spread across all dioceses of the Episcopal Church. Many provide direct services, such as food, shelter, or health care. Others advocate on issues of human rights. Many do both, but all focus on empowering their congregations and communities.
In short, Jubilee Ministry is faith in action.
It’s a way of loving God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength, by loving our neighbors as ourselves. Jubilee Ministry connects these two important dynamics of the spiritual journey, enabling God’s reconciling work to be seen through us.
In our diocese there are over 30 Jubilee Centers. These ministries encompass an enormous range of initiatives, services, programs, and people, and provide aid and support to a diverse collection of communities.
To become a Jubilee Center, contact Canon Clara Gregory. Learn more about the work Canon Gregory has done in the diocese here.
Learn more:
We invite you to read more about The Episcopal Church’s domestic poverty ministries, which include Jubilee ministries and a collection of powerful stories of these ministries in action.
Please visit the Jubilee Ministry Facebook page for up-to-date information about what’s happening across the country.
“Resolved, the House of Deputies concurring that, the 78th General Convention affirm the work and projects being carried out across the church in food ministry, including food pantries, feeding programs, community gardens, educational programs, and advocacy for programs that provide healthy, culturally appropriate food…” (Resolution A091)
This resolution encourages all Episcopalians to regard our call as Christians to feed the hungry, by engaging in direct action and advocacy, as we are able. Wherever we are located, and whatever our ministries, promoting food justice is as simple as individual donations to a local food bank, or initiatives to provide nourishment and instruction about nutrition and food systems through our parishes.
In our diocese, Jubilee Ministries focuses on the fight against hunger, a key component of domestic poverty in a state where food insecurity affects every 1 in 7 people. Feeding the hungry not only is a compassionate response to those in a time of vulnerability and need, but also allows us to witness through eyes grounded in abundant life how blessings are shared and received (Prov. 22:9).
Take a look at the many Jubilee Sites and parishes around the diocese that have already been supporting tenets of this resolution for many years:
Toms River Community Garden
Christ Church, Toms River
Soles for the Harvest 5K Fun Run
For more information on Resolution A091 and Jubilee Ministries:
http://www.generalconvention.org/gc/2015-resolutions/A091/current_english_text