This committee relies on the help of many volunteers throughout the year to ensure the success of our activities designed to help those in our community and the world who are in need of the basics of life, including food, clothing, shelter, and health care.

We ask that you commit to financially support the Social Ministry effort at Holy spirit. Please visit our Stewardship Page for information on how your support enables our ministry.

Many of our social ministry activities are coordinated with Kirkland Interfaith Network.  We are always in need of volunteers and appreciate whenever you can lend a hand—either for a particular project or as a member of the committee who organizes and coordinates the projects. Contact Louise Dressen through the Church Office or look for sign-ups and information in the Sunday bulletins and monthly newsletters.

Tent City 4
Volunteers are needed to provide meals, transport laundry, provide transportation to bus services, and other assistance to the homeless residents of Tent City 4, which rotates among churches on the Eastside.

Community Supper, 2nd Tuesday of the month 5-7pm
This is the month we host the community supper. Volunteers are needed to provide food, help serve and clean up.

KIN Crop Walk
This month we participate in a walk/run in Kirkland that is organized by the Kirkland Interfaith Network to raise hunger awareness and money to support our local food bank as well as hunger concerns around the world. Volunteers are needed to walk, publicize, and recruit more walkers.

Summer Food Drive for Hopelink

Community Supper, 2nd Tuesday of the month 5-7pm
This is the month we host the community supper. Volunteers are needed to provide food, help serve and clean up.

Back-to-School Project
KIN has a large school supply drive during this month. Volunteers can help solicit donations, publicize, sort donations and distribute these to school children in need.

Community Supper, 2nd Tuesday of the month 5-7pm
HSLC hosts the Community Supper to provide a hearty, nutritious meal for needy families in our community. This takes place at our church on the second Tuesday of the month, 5-7pm. Help is needed to provide food, serve, and clean-up.
Opportunities are also available through Kirkland Interfaith Transitions in Housing (KITH) to assist with after-school tutoring, cooking classes, and other support for their clientele.

Thanksgiving Baskets
Volunteers are needed to make phone calls to HSLC members and to sort and pack holiday dinner baskets to families in need in our community. These baskets are distributed to families who are residing in transitional housing while they get back on their feet.

The Giving Tree
Preparation of gift tags and delivery of donated gifts to needy children and senior citizens through Hopelink and the German Retirement Home are areas where volunteers are needed to brighten the Christmas holidays for others.

Community Supper, 2nd Tuesday of the month 5-7pm
HSLC hosts the Community Supper at our church on the second Tuesday of the month, 5-7pm. Help is needed to provide food, serve, and clean-up.

Baby Shower for Eastside Baby Corner
During this month, we collect new and used baby and children’s clothing as well as cash donations for the Eastside Baby Corner in Issaquah, which provides these items to low-income families with small children. Volunteers are needed to help publicize, collect donations, and deliver them to the warehouse in Issaquah.

In February we also participate in Lutheran Advocacy Day in Olympia, at which time, attendees meet with our legislators to discuss pending legislation addressing social justice concerns. Lutheran Advocacy Day is coordinated by the Lutheran Public Policy Office.

From time to time, the Social Ministry Committee organizes special projects such as drives for gently-used coats and mittens, work days at transitional housing apartments, meals for homeless shelters, advocacy on social justice issues, or even building a home through Habitat for Humanity.  Learn about advocacy opportunities in our state from the Lutheran Public Policy Office of Washington State.  National and international advocacy opportunities can be found on the ELCA Advocacy page.

The Disaster Preparedness and Response Planning Team of the Social Ministry Committee has begun work on local disaster preparation efforts, including development of HSLC as a shelter. The team is also expanding that vision to include assisting with disasters across the nation.  We are sending teams to Camp Victor in Mississippi each quarter to assist in Hurricane Katrina rebuilding through Lutheran Disaster Response. 

Every 2-3 years we support our Youth and Family Ministry program to send a team to The Hogar de Niños Tierra Santa.  We also support the Hogar, a home for abandoned children in Honduras, with Christmas boxes, medical supplies, and the opportunity to sponsor a child.  The Global Ministry Planning Team of the Social Ministry Committee is exploring ideas for furthering our global social ministry.  Check out Lutheran World Relief for more information on global issues. 

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The Social Ministry Committee also manages HSLC’s budget for local benevolence, determining which organizations in our community are to receive a portion of the money our church sets aside for this. Each of these organizations also has a continuing need for volunteers to help with their missions. Organizations that we support include:

Cascade Women’s Center

Compass Center

Eastside Domestic Violence Program

Habitat for Humanity 

Holden Village

Hopelink

Kirkland Interfaith Network

Kirkland Interfaith Transitions in Housing

Lutheran Alliance to Create Housing

Lutherwood

Lutheran Community Services Northwest

Morning Light Ministry

Pacific Lutheran University

We invite you to join us is in service to our community and the world!  Look for information in the Sunday bulletins and monthly newsletters on opportunities to get involved.

To comply with State regulations, all adults who participate in youth activities are required to have a current WATCH form on file. Please download, complete and submit one to the church office if you have not done so within the last year.