St. Martin’s has deeply embedded within its culture a long history of commitment to social justice and outreach, including an annual donation of church funds that is distributed according to Matthew 25:35-36:
“For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.”
This annual distribution of funds has been part of the fabric of St. Martin’s since 1967.
The Social Justice & Outreach Committee promotes justice, peace, and love in the St. Martin’s community and beyond through a combination of advocacy, direct service, and financial support.
The Social Justice and Outreach Committee provides opportunities for all at St. Martin’s to live out our faith by being Christ’s hands and heart in the world. In our role as a Jubilee Parish, we strive to help “the least of these.”
We work to discern how best to serve those in need through financial and in-kind support, and by building connections between our parish and community organizations. In addition, our members work with and support a number of community and Diocesan organizations.
If you have questions about social justice and outreach at St. Martin’s, or would like to join our efforts, please reach out to the office at info@churchofstmartin.org.
Looking for a way to help?
The Social Justice and Outreach Committee would like to remind you of our long-standing program at St. Martin’s to help three local food closets on a rotating basis: STEAC (located on our campus), Dixon Family Services, and the UC Davis Pantry. We ask that you bring a non-perishable food item each week when you come to church. The collection basket is in the narthex. Your donations help us put our faith into action and are greatly appreciated!
An overview of SJ&O in 2025
The goals and work of the Social Justice and Outreach Committee are guided by the basic tenets of Matthew 25. This past year offered several opportunities for living into these tenets by supporting local families and individuals in need, as well as community nonprofits that serve the unhoused and food insecure.
The 2025 highlights are outlined below. I encourage everyone to read this report as much of what was accomplished would not have been possible without your generosity and support. St. Martin’s parishioners are extraordinary in their commitment to social justice issues and outreach to those who live on the margins. Thank you, everyone, for contributing so much to this ministry.
The committee structure remained largely intact. Bob Polkinghorn served as Chair of the Committee. Molly Hillis served as our note taker and clerk. We also appreciate the service of Maria Acuna Feldman who served as the Vestry liaison to the committee, and Janet Lane who provided invaluable administrative assistance, as well as service on the committee.
Regular committee members include: Tim Williams, Diana Glick, Lynn Zender, Jerry Hulbert, Neil Willits, Janet Lane, Deb Kimokeo, Deacon Margaret Grayden, Maria Acuna Feldman, Bob Polkinghorn, Juliane Bryan, Dawn Preisler, and Molly Hillis (currently on leave from the committee). DeSay Judd may be joining in February.
The following is a summary of key activities undertaken in 2025:
Direct Support
Belfry Remodel
The major effort for the committee in 2025 was organizing, working on, and completing a partial remodel at the Belfry. As many know, the Belfry is a joint campus ministry (UCD) of the Sierra Pacific Synod of the ELCA and the Episcopal Diocese of Northern California. St. Martin’s Church is a key sponsor and partner. Many Belfry-affiliated students participate regularly in St. Martin’s services and ministries, and provide an always welcome vibrancy to the parish as a whole. The Belfry has been serving students for over 55 years. It moved into its current location on A Street in 1989 but by 2025 the building was crying out for upgrades, some of which were safety and health related.
Working with Rev. Portia Hopkins, the Belfry chaplain and frequent preacher and presider at St. Martin’s, SJO organized and supported several efforts to raise funds from parishioners and other sources to support new flooring for the kitchen and two additional rooms, as well as a new stovetop, oven, and hood fan/ light. Sounds straightforward, right? Not so fast. The logistics, including permits from the city, electrical, venting, etc., actually required a good deal of expertise, time and effort to manage and implement. Tim Williams from SJO spearheaded the entire effort and brought considerable engineering, mechanical, and logistical expertise to the effort – start to finish. He also negotiated excellent discounts for materials. The labor for installing the floors was all done by SJO members, individual volunteers from our parish, and UCD students affiliated with the Belfry.
The remodel was successfully completed this past summer and the Belfry hosted an open house in the fall that showcased the remodel and new kitchen equipment. The committee was blessed, once again, by the generosity of our St. Martin’s parishioners, the willingness of many to roll up their sleeves, and Tim Williams’s leadership and commitment.
Thanksgiving Project
A second significant effort this past year was the annual Christine Blanchard Thanksgiving Project. This project, led by SJO Committee members Diana Glick and Jerry Hulbert, has long been a part of the SJO portfolio and has a strong tradition at St. Martin’s. In years past, parishioner donations went towards the purchase of grocery gift cards, which in turn were distributed to a long established list of individuals and families in need. For the past two years, the Committee agreed to distribute the gift cards to organizations in the community (e.g., DCMH, Davis Unified School District) that the committee felt were in closer touch with individuals and families in need than we are at St. Martin’s. This change has been well-received by the key stakeholders and the parish once again gave generously. The project was able to distribute over $8,000 in grocery store gift cards to nonprofit organizations supporting families with school-age children, elderly community members in need, and undocumented students affiliated with UC Davis. Diana’s and Jerry’s leadership, organization and passion for this work were keys, as was the generosity of the parish.
Project (Re)Start II
Many parishioners remember the 2023 initiative called Project (Re)Start. This diocesan coordinated effort called on parishes to fill bins with emergency supplies for families experiencing hardship and displacement due to natural disasters. Our first set of bins were filled in 2023 and subsequently deployed in 2024. With this, SJO launched a second Project (Re)Start during spring 2025. Again, the goal was to fill 10 bins with pre-determined sets of about 20 bathroom items. Parishioners responded with their usual generosity and the committee was able to pack the bins on Sunday morning, June 1. The bins were blessed and placed in an on-campus storage area. They are ready for distribution when the need arises. Special thanks go to Diana Glick who flawlessly coordinated the entire effort and to the many SJO members (Molly, Tim, Neil, Deb, Jerry, Janet, and Dawn) and parishioners (Joannie, Kimo, Lindsay, Emi, John, Carole, Bob) who provided lots of much-needed help. A team effort all the way!!
Other Efforts
Individual Committee members continued to support the “Every Person…Every Week…One Item of Food,” ministry, which distributes food weekly to Dixon Family Services, the STEAC food closet, and the UCD Pantry. Committee members also contributed to the presence of St. Martin’s Meal Representatives for weekly meals at the Parish Hall offered by Davis Community Meals and Housing (DCMH)
Grants and Fundraising
SJO Committee members, once again, provided leadership for the Linda H. Frost grant program that supports local agencies serving individuals and families in need. This was done in collaboration with representatives from the Vestry and the parish at-large.
For those who are not aware, several years ago, former parishioner, Linda Hoff Frost bequeathed a substantial amount of money to our church to support St. Martin’s outreach efforts in our diocese and, to a lesser extent, outside the diocese. The interest generated by the investment of the Frost principal provides the primary basis for St. Martin’s annual outreach grants. This amount is typically in the range of $9,000 to $10,000 per year.
This year, the committee included : Tim Williams, chair, and Molly Hillis (SJO), Stan Forbes and Maria Acuna Feldman (Vestry) and Bruce Marrow and Sandy Granett (congregation at-large). After much deliberation, the committee recommended a total allocation of $13,000 to: Community Harvest of Davis – $6,000, World Central Kitchen, Jamaica Melissa Hurricane Relief – $1,000, and Fourth and Hope (Walters House) – $6,000. The Vestry approved the committee’s recommendation and funds were allocated in mid-December.
The Committee also coordinated the Special Plate Committees for Easter and Christmas. Representatives from SJO, the Vestry and the parish at-large were full partners in these efforts.
Finally, and with special thanks to Molly, the committee learned much more about the Undocumented Student Center at UCD and explored ways in which our parish might support these students (in addition to the Thanksgiving Project grocery cards). This is an on-going discussion.
Looking Ahead
Shrove Sunday Pancake Breakfast
In the immediate future – three weeks from our Annual Meeting (February 15) – SJO will offer a delicious Shrove Sunday Pancake Breakfast. This breakfast represents a revival of what was an annual tradition at St. Martin’s. Tim Williams is organizing this event with fellow SJO members, volunteer parishioners, and the youth of our parish to benefit local nonprofits that do so much for the food insecure in our community. The breakfast, which will include: pancakes (regular and gluten free), bacon, orange slices, scrambled eggs, etc. will be offered between services and perhaps after the 10 AM service. It is a donation only event – no tickets required. All are welcome and encouraged to attend. Bring your appetite and enjoy a great breakfast on your last Sunday before Lent.
The Year Ahead
This coming year we plan to continue many of our longstanding efforts and projects. We will also listen for God’s invitation to explore new opportunities to serve and support those who live on the margins. One possibility includes exploring a prison ministry. We’re not at all sure at this point what this would involve, but we may explore the possibilities.
As always, we welcome new members to our committee. If you are interested in learning more about our committee and what it might hold for you in terms of your faith journey, please let me know or reach out to any of our members. Also, any ideas you may have for supporting community members in need and/or nonprofits serving those in need are most welcome.
In faith, and on behalf of St. Martin’s SJO Committee members,
Bob Polkinghorn
Chair, Social Justice and Outreach Committee
