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Community & Interfaith Relations

- The Faithjustice Community & Interfaith Relations Committees work to connect us
  with our neighbors in the Barrington area and with members of other faith communities.
  
  The Community Connections team organizes Saint Anne participation in the annual Barrington Area CROP Hunger Walk and hosts twice a year a Community Meal. Both involve feeding people who hunger for food and friendship.
  
  The Interfaith Dialogue Committee searches for positive and cooperative interaction for parishioners with people of different faith and religious traditions in Lake, Cook, McHenry and Kane Counties. The Committee undertakes this work in partnership with local groups, such as Faithbridge, the Barrington Area Ministerial Association, various houses of worship, and the Archdiocese of Chicago’s Ecumenical and Interfaith Affairs Department.
CROP Hunger Walk

Community Connections
- CROP Hunger Walks are INTERFAITH HUNGER EDUCATION AND FUNDRAISING events sponsored by Church World Service (CWS). Funds empower people to meet their own
  needs. From seeds and tools, to wells and water systems, to technical training and micro-enterprise loans, the key is people working together to identify their own development priorities, their strengths, and their needs.
  
  CHURCH WORLD SERVICE (CWS) was founded in 1946 and is a cooperative ministry of 37 Christian denominations and communions, providing sustainable self-help, grassroot hunger-fighting development, disaster relief, and refugee assistance in the United States and around the world. The CWS mission is to eradicate hunger and poverty and to promote peace and justice.
  The idea of CROP (Christian Rural Overseas Program) sprang from the efforts of Midwest farmers in 1947 to feed hungry families in Europe and Asia after World War II. At that time, farmers literally set aside a portion of their grain and shipped it overseas. When that became too costly, CROP organizers shifted to the idea of walking and engaging larger numbers of people in the effort. CROP HUNGER WALKS, often called the “granddaddy” of all charity walks, have been occurring in communities all over the United States since 1969.
  BARRINGTON’s ENGAGEMENT with CROP began in 1981 when people from fourteen churches in our community came together to plan the first walk. SAINT ANNE members were on the GROUND FLOOR, planning and implementing the walk, which debuted in October of 1982. 600 people walked the streets of Barrington lead by a calliope.
  Each year one of the “in-town” churches takes on the role of hosting the Walk, providing the organizational people and the starting and end point for the walk. Each church has
  representatives that sit on the planning committee.
  Over time the walk has been shortened from its original 10 miles to 5K as a way to encourage younger people and busy families to participate.
  Several area high schools involve their young athletes in the walk. Last Fall the BHS Girls’ Lacrosse teams walked.
  In its 42-year history, the CROP Hunger Walk has raised $1.7 million. 25% or $425,000 has stayed in or served the Barrington Community, supporting organizations like Barrington Giving Day, Northern Illinois Food Bank, FISH food pantry in Carpentersville, Meals with Wheels, Wauconda/Island Lake Food Pantry, United Partnership Summer Lunch Program.
  The Barrington 2024 CROP Walk raised $47,728. Over 100 walkers participated. Our Team Saint Anne was raised $16,315.
  The date for this year’s CROP Walk is Sunday, October 12, 2025
- Community Meal
  
  The Community Meal is a no-cost meal served two or three times a month in the Barrington area and surrounding suburbs. Saint Anne is in the rotation of churches, hosting in January and JuneIts mission is to build community and provide nutritious meals for all who attend. Each church prepares a healthy meal and highlights their programs. Volunteers from all over the community cook, serve, and clean up for their new friends.
  As much as providing delicious meals, the Community Meal seeks to connect people who may be hungry for conversation and relationships.
  In addition to a no-cost meal, the Community Meal also offers activities/resources to enrich guests' experiences.
  Frozen meat giveaways once a month
  Bread, desserts, and non-perishable food at least once a month
  Holiday-themed celebrations and giveaways
  Live entertainment including musical performances
  On June 21, Saint Anne hosted some 200+ people for an outdoor BBQ in our Parish Center parking lot. Tents were set up to protect from whatever elements might offer and the grills fired up to cook, burgers, brats and dogs. A kitchen crew had prepared home-made potato salad and baked beans that were a hit with the crowd. A number of guests took a tour of our Church.
  Our next hosting duty for the Community Meals will be at the end of January (1/29/26).
  
  WAYS TO HELP
  Shopping for food
  Food preparation the day before (We serve up to 200 people a hearty meal.)
  Greeting guests and serving
  Set-up/tear-down
  Planning entertainment or other enrichment activities
- Interfaith Dialogue
  
  What is it?
  
  INTERFAITH DIALOGUE is an open and respectful exchange of ideas and beliefs between individuals from different religious traditions. It is a process that seeks to foster an atmosphere of mutual respect, understanding, and cooperation, creating a space for members of various faiths to engage with one another meaningfully.
  
  Dialogue is not just words or talks, it includes HUMAN INTERACTION and relationships.
  
  Our Work
  Tours of other houses of worship followed by formal and informal discussions with the aim of finding a common ground in belief through a focus on similarities between faiths, understanding of values, and commitment to the world.
  
  Participation in interfaith events, including:
  Parliament of the World’s Religions, July 2023
  Annual Iftar dinners that break the fast after Ramadan
  Attending the installation of the Interfaith Declaration of Care for Creation at Holy name Cathedral, Eve of Pentecost 2024
  
  Semi-annual participation in TRI-FAITH DIALOGUE with the three Abrahamic faiths, bringing together, Christians, Jews, and Muslims to share a meal, listen to a panel of speakers from each tradition, and engage in table discussion on select topics.
  
  Partnership with FAITHBRIDGE, an interfaith organization comprised of religious communities, not- for-profits, corporations, and individuals.
  
  Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Annual Prayer Breakfast
  Summer Festival – Creation Care Conservation Celebration
  Community Thanksgiving Service
  
  Bringing awareness to Saint Anne parishioners of the INSTITUTIONAL DIALOGUE between faiths, exemplified in the efforts to name a feast day
  to mark God’s loving Action in Creation.
  
  WAYS TO HELP
  Participate in tours, the Tri-Faith Dialogues, and FaithBridge events.
  Consider volunteering to strategize and develop adult education opportunities with ecumenical and interreligious themes that would bring together different Barrington area churches and houses of worship