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Updated 02/03/2010

Church Under the Bridge: Highland Lakes resident, Grant Barkey, began this ministry.  Each week Grant prepares a home-cooked meal and takes it to the I-35 Bridge near 6^th Street in downtown Austin.  The homeless population of Austin gathers for a worship service and warm meal.  St. Peter’s contributes to this ministry by making 350-400 servings of desserts on the third Sunday of each month.  Youth and adults also regularly travel to Austin on Sundays to assist Grant in serving the meal and interact with the congregation.

Helping Center: The Marble Falls Helping Center assists those in need by providing a food pantry to local residents.  The Helping Center gives assistance to 200 families each month.  St. Peter’s collects non-perishable food items four times per year (on the 5^th Sunday of each month).  This provides for an ongoing influx of food and is especially helpful at times when the pantry lacks certain food items. 

Habitat for Humanity:  Habitat for Humanity International is a nonprofit, ecumenical Christian organization dedicated to eliminating substandard housing and homelessness worldwide and to making adequate, affordable shelter a matter of conscience and action. Habitat is founded on the conviction that every man, woman and child should have a simple, decent, affordable place to live in dignity and safety.  The Highland Lakes Chapter assists up to two families per year in owning their own home.  St. Peter’s supports this ministry of our community through clerical work and low-skill level building projects such as clearing brush or painting.

 Lutheran World Relief: LWR is a non-governmental organization founded in 1945 to respond to the needs of communities devastated by World War II. Since then, it has evolved into an agency that works with partners worldwide to respond to emergencies, seek lasting solutions to rural poverty, and work for peace and justice for all. St Peter’s supports LWR through special offerings (Tsunami and Hurricane Katrina Relief) as well as through year-round projects including quilts and health kits.  Each year St. Peter’s Women of the ELCA make 80-90 quilts to be shipped to refugees and others in need around the world.  Each year St. Peter’s Lutheran Church and St. Peter’s Lutheran School collect and assemble health kits consisting of basic necessities such as toothpaste and shampoo to be sent around the world.

 Goats of Joy – Uganda: The ELCA World Hunger Appeal fights to stop hunger locally and abroad.  Through the Goats of Joy program, women are given a goat, learn to breed it, return the first offspring to the program, and then continue to use the goat for breeding and milk production. During the Lenten season of 2006 St. Peter’s contributed to this appeal through a special synodical offering.  The congregation collected over $11,000 (or 225 goats) to assist women and girls in the country of Uganda.