Help for the Guatemalan Families in Salem - Emmanuel has been collecting donations for a few weeks to assist St. Paul Catholic Church in their effort to care for these families. St. Paul is helping in the following ways:
•    They are a location for people to meet with union representatives, attorneys, translators and they are taking legal intake forms.
•    They are getting families to fill out emergency assistance forms, which ask things like, who is your landlord, what is your monthly rent, what are your utility bills, what are your family’s needs?
•    Most of the people detained are expected to be deported, so it is important for the remaining family members to come up with a plan to take care of themselves now and in the future. St. Paul is helping families survive while they are working with them to help make decisions/plans for what they need to do next by asking questions, such as:  do they have family elsewhere who will take them in, where will they go, will they find employment, how will they provide for themselves?
St. Paul’s greatest need is cash that they can use to provide the proper assistance for each family’s needs. Sister Renee guesses that they will need upwards of $200,000 for proper assistance. No money is going to legal fees! 
•    They have set up a special fund, so no money given will be mixed with any other fund.
•    St. Paul will also accept gift cards, diapers and baby wipes.
•    Emmanuel will continue to have an offering basket in the narthex for monetary donations and gift cards. You can drop off diapers and baby wipes in the narthex or bring them to the Education Building. Please be generous with your gifts.
•    Other churches that have a relationship with the Guatemalan community are:  First Friends Church -- collecting and distributing food; a list may be found on their Facebook page. First Christian Church is also collecting food.

August Newsletter - Please have your information for the next newsletter to the church office by Thursday, July 19.

On Tuesday, August 7, 2018, we are celebrating National Night Out. National Night Out is a chance to bring together neighborhoods with the men and women who protect them. The safety of our communities depends on both law enforcement and the neighbors they serve. We will be celebrating by working with the Methodist Church to have a dinner for our Law Enforcement and Fire Department and their families. We are inviting our church families to also attend this dinner. Dinner will be served at 6:00 p.m. At 6:30 p.m. we will have additional refreshments, games, and music for families to enjoy. Our neighborhood will be invited for our 6:30 p.m. activities. Sign-up sheets are in the narthex and by the church office. Please sign-up no later than July 29.