SERVICE PROGRAMS TEACH VALUABLE LESSONS

Over the last two years Denis Rigdon and Connie Eichhorn have collected dozens of stories about how the Christian service programs at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church have changed lives.

"It's amazing what's happened," Eichhorn said.

People from the parish helped find work for a man who came to a Vincent's Vittles meal after losing his job and running out of money to buy food. He just needed to eat, Rigdon said.

Once that need was met, church members helped connect him with the Private Industry Council, where he found a job.

Marillac's Moveables delivered a donated refrigerator to a mother and her children who had been doing without one for several weeks.

In both cases, it didn't require much effort to help the person, but the effort made a significant difference in their lives.

"It takes so little to help them, they just have to be located," Eichhorn said.

Since developing Marillac's Moveables, Vincent's Vittles and Catherine's Cupboard, members of the parish know what Christian service is all about.

The programs "put things in perspective about what's important in life," Rigdon said. "You realize what you have. You might be jealous of the person next door, but you can go out and find people sleeping on the floor. It could be you."

Each of the Christian service programs fill a specific need for the community from finding furniture with Marillac's Moveables to feeding the hungry at Vincent's Vittles. Catherine's Cupboards provides food, canned goods and toiletries to area food pantries and other agencies.

Catherine's Cupboard is the newest of the programs and operates weekly. Members of the church bring canned goods or toiletries donations with them to Mass services each week. The items are collected and divided between the FISH pantry, Vineyard Christian Fellowship and the food pantry at Red Star Baptist Church. Hygiene items, diapers, formula and other toiletries are split between the Safe House for Women and Birthright.

Since Cape Girardeau already has plenty of food pantries, the church decided not to begin a duplicate program, said Phil Ivers, who coordinates the program.

"We didn't need another, so we help them," he said.

The 1,500 families who make up St. Vincent's membership are divided into four groups. Each group has a particular week to bring in their food items. Once a month, each group is asked to bring non-food items like shampoo, soap, toothpaste or even diapers and formula.

The programs have helped the parish realize that what they have may be fleeting, said the Rev. Joe Williams. "It's important to give out of the good things that you have."