Community Engagement

“And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’”

Matthew 25:40

The parishioners of St. Andrew’s are dedicated to outreach within our broader community through an active lay ministry. Our vocation is to serve in collaboration with other churches and community organizations to bring a little of God’s Kingdom to a world in need.

St. Andrew’s Free Little Library

Come visit our Free Little Library with one section for children and one for adults. We hope to soon have a bench to sit and enjoy yourself! Feel free to visit our Promise Garden across the street…up the stairs and on the left.

  • Backpacks of Love

    Backpacks of Love addresses the problem of child hunger and food insecurity in Haywood County by providing nutritious and easy-to-prepare food to students on weekends and during school vacations. Through benefit fund-raisers, grants, and generous donations Backpacks has been feeding 50-75 children every week. A crew of volunteers from St. Andrew’s, Harris Chapel AME Zion, and Pleasant Grove Baptist churches gather weekly to fill and deliver the food bags to the schools.

  • Holy Smoke

    The Holy Smoke ministry raises funds by smoking and selling barbecue at festivals and other events in the region as well as holding preordered pick-up sales. It was started to raise funds for the extensive renovations completed in 2003. Dedicated members devised a plan to pay off that mortgage "one-butt-at-a-time." When the mortgage was fully paid after just a few years, the Vestry decided to continue the ministry and use the income for outreach in the community. Holy Smoke makes it possible to provide services far beyond what the parish operational budget would allow.

  • Community Kitchen

    On the fourth Monday of every month the Canton Community Kitchen becomes St. Andrew’s Table for neighbors in need of a good hot supper. This is a ministry of cooking, serving, washing, wiping, and sweeping as much as it is for food and fellowship. As one of its founding churches, St. Andrew’s has witnessed the Kitchen’s subsequent development from a small church kitchen to its current full-service building. Holy Smoke makes possible St. Andrew’s monthly Table as well as providing an annual donation for Community Kitchen operations. The Community Kitchen also has a food pantry available to local residents.

  • Pathways

    The Pathways Emergency and Short-term Adult and Family Shelter is located in the Hazelwood Community. Pathways provides a dormitory-style shelter for individuals and families without housing. Since Pathways’ inception in 2014, the evening meal has been prepared and served by local churches and individual families. St. Andrew’s has had a presence at Pathways from the very beginning. Every 5th Friday a team of parishioners prepares, cooks, and serves a hot meal and provides a short devotional. We are blessed as we get to know these individuals and families in crisis. Holy Smoke grants a monthly allocation to Pathways, as well as providing funding for the evening meal.

  • Canton Missional Network

    St. Andrew's is a part of the Canton Missional Network, which is a network of Christian Churches and the Community Kitchen in the Canton area of Haywood County, North Carolina. We meet monthly to discuss and address the needs of the Canton area. We are stronger as we work together in community. Visit us at www.CantonMissional.net

The Walter Headrick Memorial Fund

St. Andrews on-the-Hill Episcopal Church has recently established the Walter Headrick Memorial Fund, created from an endowment of $10,000, which purposes to provide ten grants in the amount of $1000 each to help offset tuition, fees, childcare, or any associated expenses incurred by mothers who want to pursue an educational degree.  A grant may be awarded to a candidate enrolled in either an Associate or Bachelor degree program, or in vocational studies for professional career development.  The educational institutions must be located in Western North Carolina. Applicants do not have to be members of St. Andrews on-the-Hill nor be an Episcopalian.   Applications will be accepted
April 5 - May 15, 2024.