Global Outreach Ministry to Liberia

OUTREACH TO THE CHURCH AND PEOPLE OF LIBERIA, WEST AFRICA

"Go ye into all the world and make disciples..."

St. James Episcopal Church, Bradley Beach & St. Michael the Archangel, Wall Township  

EPISCOPAL DIOCESE OF NEW JERSEY

By: The Rev. Dr. James T. Yarsiah

The affiliated parishes of St. James Episcopal Church, Bradley Beach and St. Michael the Archangel Episcopal Church, Wall Township have embarked on a new ministry, “The Global Outreach Ministry to Liberia.” This new ministry is an expansion of the current Mission and Outreach at both parishes. In May 2021, the Rev. Dr. James T. Yarsiah, Priest-In-Charge of the affiliated parishes, launched this new ministry.  The global outreach effort is the first of its kind in the Diocese of New Jersey and is expected to continue. In an effort to give back, James and Ophelia, his wife, led an initiative in 2006 that engaged several churches, institutions and friends in the Diocese of South Carolina and beyond, in donating materials and relief supplies that were shipped to Liberia by the “Global Outreach Ministry to Liberia;” to assist women, children, the elderly, schools, orphanages, churches, etc. The current shipment brings to ten the total number of containers shipped from the USA to Liberia since the Global Outreach Ministry was founded. The Liberian church and people suffered terrible losses during the 14-year brutal Liberian civil war (1989-2003) that destroyed lives and properties.

On August 7th, 2021, we loaded a forty-foot shipping container with donated materials and relief supplies, bound for the Freeport of Monrovia, Liberia. According to the shippers, Missionary Expediters, the relief container is expected to arrive at the end of September or early October. The monetary value of the contents is estimated at more than $25,000 United States Dollars.

Contents of  the container include, but are not limited to, several boxes of school and office supplies, PPE’s (disinfecting wipes, face masks, hand sanitizers and gloves), back packs, children’s books, science textbooks, educational games, toys, balls (basket, soccer and volley), flip-flops, hygienic materials, Rita Rolls and sleeping bags, wheel chairs, walkers, metal chairs, college math books, Bibles, theological books, used clergy vestments, choir and acolyte robes, church linens and ornaments, used Prayer Books, and a drum set. Others include relief materials, dry food items, clothes, shoes, socks, beddings, blankets and assorted materials. This shipment as well as previous shipments have been a community effort.

Donations were received from parishioners of our affiliated parishes of St. James and St. Michael’s. Several Episcopal churches including Trinity Episcopal Church, Woodbridge, New Jersey, St. Philip’s Chapel, Voorhees College, Denmark, South Carolina, the St. Andrew’s Mission Church, West Ashley, Charleston, SC and the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, Summerville, SC, made donations. The Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge (SPCK/USA), located in Cowan, Tennessee, donated church materials and theological books. Several boxes of sleeping bags were donated by Mr. and Mrs. Loui Broockfor of Charleston, SC, and Dr. Joel Cunningham, former Vice Chancellor of the University of the South, Sewanee, Tennessee, donated college math books. Other donations came from personal friends in other parts of the US.  Friends at Christ Church Cathedral (Episcopal) in Nashville, Tennessee collaborated with our affiliated parishes to help defray the cost for trucking and shipping. Individuals, who asked to remain anonymous, donated their time and trucks to pick up many of the items from different locations. Parishioners from our affiliated parishes helped to pack and load boxes of donated materials. Our affiliated parishes thank all donors and assure them that their donations will make a huge difference in the lives of people in the churches, schools, orphanages, and communities in Liberia.

A partial list of targeted beneficiaries includes, the St. James Episcopal Church and School, Hoffman Station, Harper, Maryland County - Southeastern Liberia, St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church and Outreach School, SKT, Bong County – Central Liberia, the Episcopal Elementary and High School (Fr. Yarsiahs' alma mater), Robertsport, Cape Mt. County – Northwestern Liberia, the Cuttington University (Episcopal), Suacoco, Bong County – Central Liberia, and the Seth C. Edwards Memorial Theological Institute, located in Monrovia, the Capital City of Liberia. Other beneficiaries will include the Foundation for the Rights of Women and Girls, orphanages, Episcopal and non-Episcopal schools, churches and the Liberian Group of 77 (a Government of Liberia institution for the crippled and lamed).

In preparation for our next shipment in 2022/23, our affiliated parishes have received donated textbooks from the Wall Township School District and are opened to other donations. Parishes and Mission churches in the Diocese of New Jersey are encouraged to donate used Prayer Books, 1982 and/or 1982 Hymnals, clergy vestments, clerical shirts, robes, church materials and ornaments, etc, that they may not need, but can be used elsewhere. Those interested in helping may contact Fr. James T. Yarsiah at jtyarsiah@gmail.com or call 732-681-1863/stmichaelnj@gmail.com  (St. Michael’s) or 732-775-5414/saintjamesbb@gmail.com (St. James). Donations can be shipped or dropped off at St. Michael’s Episcopal Church, 2015 Allenwood Road, NJ 07719. A detailed list of needed items is posted on our websites, at www.saintjamesbb.com and www.stmichaelswall.com. 

The Reverend Canon Dr. James T. Yarsiah

Priest-in-Charge

The Reverend Fr. Paul S. Chalakani

Priest Assistant

Together, We Serve God and people

The Global Outreach Ministry to Liberia

INFORMATION

WHAT IS THIS MINISTRY?

The Global Outreach Ministry to Liberia is an expansion of the Mission and Outreach Ministry at the affiliated Parishes of St. James Episcopal Church, Bradley Beach and the St. Michael the Archangel Episcopal Church, Wall Township, Diocese of New Jersey. 

GOAL: to provide material and relief assistance that will help to rebuild and empower the Episcopal Church of Liberia (ECL), its schools and institutions, and other needy Liberians. This Charitable and humanitarian venture is a practical statement of God’s love in action and the transforming power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

TARGET BENEFICIARIES: Target beneficiaries include, but are not limited to the most vulnerable, under-served, and marginalized children, low-income women, students, orphans, the elderly, the physically challenged, churches, clergy, seminaries, colleges, schools, etc. From December 1989 to October 2003, Liberia experienced a bitter civil war that took 250,000 lives and displaced more than 350,000 people. Most of the infrastructures were destroyed and /or badly damaged during the civil war. To date, the rebuilding process continues. Churches and religious, institutions were also affected.

PLANNED SHIPMENT TO LIBERIA IN SPRING 2024: We are preparing to ship a 40-foot container with donated materials, school, church, medical equipment and relief supplies to the Diocese and people of Liberia. The container is expected to be loaded in late spring or early summer at the St. Michael’s Episcopal Church, 2015 Allenwood Road, Wall Township, ship from the Port of New York to the Freeport of Monrovia, Liberia.

COST OF SHIPMENT:    $4,675

 donation received:    $2000

    balance:    $2,675  

Currently, the Global Outreach Ministry has received several donations from approximately fourteen parishes in the Diocese of New Jersey. Some items received include, a piano, vestments, robes, church ornaments, shoes, medical equipment, school supplies, etc. Bishop Sally French and the Diocese of NJ donated church ornaments from churches that were closed in the past

PARTNERSHIPS:

1.   Diocese of New Jersey

2.   St. James Memorial Church, Eatontown     - Medical Ministry

In the past, the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge (SPCK/USA), Christ Church Cathedral, Nashville, Tennessee, Episcopal and non-Episcopal churches, organizations, institutions and individuals, etcetera, have partnered with the Global Outreach Ministry. In 2021, we received a grant from the Diocese of New Jersey to build the current shed/storage, located on the campus of St. Michael’s in Wall Township.    

BRIEF HISTORY: Former slaves from the United States founded Liberia in the early 1800s. Liberia was coined from the word “liberty,” which means freedom. It is a constitutional democracy with a capitalist economy. Monrovia, capitol of Liberia, was named after U.S.  President James Monroe. The Episcopal Church of Liberia was established by the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society (DFMS) of the Protestant Episcopal Church USA in 1836. From 1836 to 1982, the Episcopal Church of Liberia remained a missionary district of The Episcopal Church USA. On March 18, 1982, the Diocese of Liberia joined the Church of the Province of West Africa. Currently, there is a Covenant relationship between The Episcopal Church USA and the Episcopal Church of Liberia.

 “For the love of Christ urges us on, …” 2 Cor. 5:14a

FOUNDERS: The Rev. Canon Dr. James T. Yarsiah and Mrs. Ophelia NG Yarsiah are founders of the Global Outreach Ministry, started in 2006, at the St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, Charleston, the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina.

Thanks to all our donors and would-be donors. Your donations will help improve the lives of Liberians, in both church and state. 

Financial assistance to help defray the cost of shipping the 40ft freight container to Liberia is highly appreciated. 

Checks may be written and mailed to: 

St. Michael’s Episcopal Church

2015 Allenwood Road,

Wall Township, NJ 07719

Compiled by:

The Rev. Canon Dr. James T. Yarsiah, PIC

The affiliated Parishes of St. James, Bradley Beach, and

St. Michael the Archangel, Wall Township

jtyarsiah@gmail.com, mobile: 843-810-3500

Email: saintjamesbb@gmail.com or stmichaelnj@gmail.com