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Southside Ministries |
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Whoever welcomes you welcomes me. — Jesus (Matthew 10:40) |
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Southside Ministries not only provides a way for members to put their faith into action, but also provides the groundwork for bridge building among denominations and across ethnic groups Our ministries, all volunteer-intensive, work in conjunction with many other ecumenical groups to provide services to our community. |
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What We Do |
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The Better Buy Thrift Shop provides low-cost clothing to a diverse community population. Staffed by volunteers and located at the Cathedral Church of the Nativity, our shop also gives away almost $10,000 in free clothing to individuals and families. |
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Better Buy Thrift Shop
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Southside Ministries supports the Fourth Street Meal Center, which began in one of the member churches. It is now housed at the New Bethany Building and serves over 17.000 free lunches yearly. Over 26 churches send volunteer teams Monday through Friday to provide nutritious meals to families and individuals in crisis. |
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Fourth Street Meal Center |
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Southside Ministries supports the Food Bank located at the South Bethlehem Neighborhood Center, 700 Evans Street, which supplies emergency groceries to residents of the South Bethlehem. All food is donated or purchased through cash contributions. SSM churches have regular food offerings to keep the food bank shelves regularly stocked. |
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Food Bank |
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The Youth Ministry Program provides a variety of activities and much more for the middle and high school youth. For the elementary age children (kindergarten through sixth grade), crafts and other special activities are offered throughout the year. |
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Youth Ministry Program |
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Each Thanksgiving Eve (Wednesday evening), one of the six member churches hosts an ecumenical worship service at 7:00 PM. SSM “KIDS” are sometimes featured singing a selection from their summer performance. We ask that each person bring a non-perishable food item for the Food Bank at South Bethlehem Neighborhood Center. |
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Thanksgiving Eve Service |
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SSM “KIDS”, a two-week summer ecumenical Vacation Bible School for children, culminates in a Christian musical performance. Housed at Cathedral Church of the Nativity, “KIDS” offers to children from four years old through sixth grade lessons from the Bible, crafts, singing, and dance. The program is two weeks in July and concludes with a performance at 7:30 PM the final Friday evening. |
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SSM “KIDS” |
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Each year a Saturday in August is selected for SSM’s Family Community Festival at Martin Luther King, Jr. Park next to Holy Ghost Church. This event provides an evening of caricature drawings, face painting, a cakewalk, pizza, snacks, story telling, and more for residents of Southside Bethlehem.. |
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Community Festival |
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Southside Ministries 321 Wyandotte Street Bethlehem, PA 18015 |
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To contact us: |
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SSM Office: 610-865-9405 Better Buy Thrift Shop: 610-867-6764 4th Street Meal Center: 610-691-5602 Food Bank: 610-865-2791 E-mail: barbara_taylor@ssmbethlehem.org |
