At St. Cornelius, we don’t use the word “outreach.” We call it Relational Mission, because our call is not to reach out from a distance, but to come close. Every partnership we nurture is rooted in personal connection. We only support organizations where we have real relationships and mutual trust.
Our mission work is about presence, not performance. It’s how we embody the healing and justice of Christ: by walking alongside those who are hungry, scared, grieving, incarcerated, unhoused, or displaced; those harmed by systems of injustice, including Indigenous communities seeking repair and recognition.
Being part of this church means participating in that healing. Not as charity. Not as saviors. But as kin, committed to the long, sacred work of repair, reconciliation, and restoration.
At St. Cornelius Episcopal Church, mission is not something that happens only “out there.” It is a living expression of who we are, woven into the heart of our worship, our fellowship, our neighborhood, and our daily lives. Rooted in the Episcopal tradition, we hold the deep conviction that our faith must be lived both within and beyond the church.
We practice our mission internally through:
● Worship and Eucharist-centered community
● Fellowship that fosters belonging
● Ministry teams and leadership structures that equip the body for service
Every act of internal care prepares us to be bearers of Christ’s light in the world.
Our outreach team and strategic growth efforts help us step outside our walls to:
● Share our story with our community
● Build bridges of healing and relationship
● Invite others into our story of liberation and belonging
As we grow, our parish expression, St. Cornelius, and our emerging extension ministry, The Haven Collective, both embody different entry points into the same mission: to be a haven for all.
Our partnerships are an extension of our identity. Some reflect local, relational responsiveness; others are
rooted in long-term diocesan or national collaborations. These partnerships:
● Engage members at varying levels of capacity
● Support both direct service and systemic transformation
● Extend our call to be the church in the world
We also highlight personal mission through Ministry Stories, a May storytelling series where members share
how they embody faith in daily life: at the fire department, in medical care, through prison ministry, and more.
“Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice... to share your bread with the hungry?”
In partnership with Clarissa Martinez, Director of Circle of Support, we:
● Conduct monthly donation drives
● Integrate offerings into worship (prayer over donations on the last Sunday)
● Support students facing food insecurity and barriers to education
“Defend the orphan, plead for the widow.”
Through their liaison, Lauren McBee, we:
● Assist with specialized and urgent needs (e.g., domestic violence resettlement)
● Participate in seasonal drives like the Christmas toy sorting event
● Act as a responsive partner for vulnerable families and children
“I was in prison and you visited me.”
Several members of our congregation are actively involved in this ministry and go into the prison system twice
a year for multi-day spiritual revival events. As a church body, we:
● Support them by baking cookies, creating placemats, and writing prayer chains in the weeks leading up
to each event
● Offer these gifts so that those inside can sense the love of Christ and know they are not forgotten
● Pray over the entire effort as a direct response to Jesus’ call to visit and set the captives free
These acts of presence and prayer affirm the dignity and belovedness of incarcerated individuals, serving as a
sacred bridge between our gathered worship and the healing work of God behind prison walls.
“Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice... to share your bread with the hungry?”
In partnership with Clarissa Martinez, Director of Circle of Support, we:
● Conduct monthly donation drives
● Integrate offerings into worship (prayer over donations on the last Sunday)
● Support students facing food insecurity and barriers to education
“Defend the orphan, plead for the widow.”
Through their liaison, Lauren McBee, we:
● Assist with specialized and urgent needs (e.g., domestic violence resettlement)
● Participate in seasonal drives like the Christmas toy sorting event
● Act as a responsive partner for vulnerable families and children
“I was in prison and you visited me.”
Several members of our congregation are actively involved in this ministry and go into the prison system twice
a year for multi-day spiritual revival events. As a church body, we:
● Support them by baking cookies, creating placemats, and writing prayer chains in the weeks leading up
to each event
● Offer these gifts so that those inside can sense the love of Christ and know they are not forgotten
● Pray over the entire effort as a direct response to Jesus’ call to visit and set the captives free
These acts of presence and prayer affirm the dignity and belovedness of incarcerated individuals, serving as a
sacred bridge between our gathered worship and the healing work of God behind prison walls.
Through The Haven Collective, we:
● Engage in educational and justice-rooted work to confront the legacy of colonization
● Partner through national networks with Indigenous leaders and advocates
● Connect this to our work of spiritual formation, creation care, and reparative discipleship
This partnership began with our vicar’s 2017 immersion on Rocky Boy Reservation and has deepened through seminary connections and mutual discernment.
The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it.”
Open our eyes to see your hand at work in the world about us.
(e.g., food, housing, volunteer service)
(e.g. prayer ministries, shared diocesan projects)
(e.g., racial healing, border justice, Indigenous solidarity)
