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The Society of St. Vincent de Paul Bremerton, WA
Come stay cool with us while you shop at Saint Vincent de Paul in Bremerton!
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Our foodbank was featured in an article from West Sound Home and Garden. We appreciate your support!
SHOP FROM HOME! ORDER ONLINE FOR CURBSIDE
Our Lady Star of the Sea Conference
SVDP CONFERENCE OF OUR LADY STAR OF THE SEA
REFLECTION – SERVANT LEADERSHIP
SEPTEMBER 2020
“I will always welcome joyfully any opportunity that comes my way to be of service to you”
~ St. Vincent de Paul ~
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul espouses seven cultural Beliefs, one of which is Servant Leadership: develop ourselves and others to become Servant Leaders.
The Rule of the Society provides a deeper definition: “Following Christ's example, the Presidents at all levels of the Society endeavor to be servant leaders. They provide an encouraging atmosphere in which the talents, capacities and spiritual charism of the members are identified, developed and put to the service of the poor and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. The President of the Conference or Council will have special responsibility for promoting Vincentian spirituality.” (Rule: Part 1, 3.11)
“Leadership positions in the Society, at any level, are always to be accepted as service to Christ, the members and the poor. Servant leadership is done in imitation of Jesus who said: “For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and give his life as a ransom for many.” (Rule: Part 3, Statute 11)
Robert Greenleaf explored this notion in a book he authored in 1977, “Servant Leadership: A Journey Into the Nature of Legitimate Power & Greatness.” He believed that nothing of substance will ever happen in society unless people inside institutions both want to and are able to lead them into better performance for the public good. St. Vincent de Paul came to understand this same notion through scripture and prayer. The similarities between their core values are striking even though they lived centuries apart and in different parts of the world and wrote in different languages. It has been observed that they both saw the servant leader as one who wants to serve, first as a priority and then makes a deliberate choice to lead others as servant leader.
Vincent was always concerned about the growth of those he served. Vincent recruited ordinary people and asked of them extraordinary service. He looked for willingness and open hearts, and he always believed in them. He did not look for stars, but grew them, and encouraged them. Vincent knew the goodness in people’s hearts and called it forth. That is why the followers of St. Vincent de Paul are rooted in the desire to grow spiritually, in respect, and in friendship with others, and in person-to-person service.
As part of our Conference formation over the past year, we have spent time each month reviewing and discussing the ten characteristics of a Vincentian servant leader:
1. LISTENING 6. CONCEPTUALIZATION
2. EMPATHY 7. FORESIGHT
3. HEALING 8. STEWARDSHIP
4. AWARENESS 9. COMMITMENT TO THE GROWTH OF PEOPLE
5. PERSUASION 10. BUILDING COMMUNITY
Our commitment is to model Servant Leadership and practice these characteristics in our everyday encounters with neighbors in need, our staff, volunteers, and all those who work with us and support our Mission. As Vincentians, we must always be aware of the impact of what we do both on those we serve and ourselves.
We now approach a new season, Fall, which typically means new beginnings for most of us: school, sports, changing weather patterns, and the like. This year, our “new beginnings” are wholly different and continue to tell the story of how we’re all adjusting (or not), in the evolution of a “new normal.” We pray for smooth transitions and that you might find insight in these further words of St. Vincent de Paul:
"All beginnings are somewhat strange; but we must have patience, and little by little, we shall find things, which at first were obscure, becoming clearer."
Lin Krell
President, Conference of Our Lady Star of the Sea
I’d like to showcase in September the hard work, dedication, and passion for those in need that each one of our volunteers display on a daily basis. With summer coming to a close we have been reflecting on our volunteer program over the last few months. Students from Bremerton High School joined our volunteer team and became part of the St. Vincent de Paul family. We were incredibly impressed with their maturity and compassion in their work as they served others. At the Assistance Office, they spent the majority of their time sorting food donations and building boxes of nonperishables for families. We loved getting to know the teens and enjoyed hearing about their plans for the future, some of them are planning careers in social & human services. They taught us some hip new dance moves and brought vitality and enthusiasm to our Assistance Office. We treasured their time with us and wish them an amazing school year.
We have deepened our connection with the Navy with many volunteers from our local bases joined us, helping in both our Assistance Office and Thrift Store. We acknowledge the Marines and Sailors from our local bases as an important part of our community. As a retired Navy Chief myself I respect and appreciate the dedication of their valuable free time to come and serve those in need. We are incredibly blessed to be at the receiving end of their community service and we enjoy seeing the positive interaction between our Navy volunteers and our high schoolers! This blending of experience and diversity help make us thrive as a service organization.
St. Vincent de Paul Bremerton feels a breath of fresh air with new community relationships being built and a diverse volunteer team. We are doing more than helping individuals, we are building lasting friendships and changing our community together.
Our thrift store has really been much cooler this year thanks to our new AC blower. We continue to lower our prices, especially on clothing to meet the demand of our shoppers. We also continuously place “new” inventory out on the shelves throughout the day, so you will always see new things on the shelves every visit. We continue to respect full Phase 2 Covid-19 guidelines throughout our organization and have created an inviting space for our customers and clients alike. Fall holidays are upon us! Make St. Vincent de Paul your first stop for affordable Halloween costumes and Autumn decorations. Follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/stvincentdepaulbremerton/.
Joseph Crain
Executive Director
St. Vincent de Paul, Bremerton
DONATIONS NEEDED
Although St. Vincent's in Bremerton has needed to modify it's operations to comply with safe hygiene practices during the Corona Virus outbreak, we still have the ability to provide assistance through our Conference Office and Women's Shelter. Many in our community are seeking assistance for their basic needs and are hopeful that St. Vincent's will be able to help them during this very difficult time. Please consider donating through this website and with your prayers we will be able to continue our mission of serving those in (great) need.
Please pray for our volunteers and employees who are continuing the work to provide for those we serve in our community. And of course, pray for those who are in need. May this be a time of spiritual discernment when people turn to the Lord and give their lives to Him.
Starting in February 2020
All Active Duty or Retired Military will receive a 20% discount at our
Thrift Store & Furniture Annex
Monday through Saturday as a Special Thank You for your Service.
Must show ID.
This offer will resume when the Thrift Store Re-opens
SVdP Thrift Store - See Us on FACEBOOK
A VERY SPECIAL THANKS TO EAST BREMERTON ROTARY CLUB FOR THEIR FINANCIAL SUPPORT OF THE BIRKENFELD STELLA-MARIS WOMEN'S SHELTER
A Short Video on the Work of St. Vincent's
CLICK HERE for more information from the SVdP National Website
Find Us Here
Cash donations can be made here. Thank you.
If you prefer, you may specify where you would like your donation to go when filling out the dontation form. please specify in the note area: Conference General Fund, Assistance Office, Women's Shelter, Thrift Store or for specific needs (rental, utility, funeral expenses, etc.) Thank You!
Thrift Store
Stella Maris Shelter
Friends of Stella Maris
Birkenfeld - Stella Maris Women's Shelter
Current Needs
The Birkenfeld-Stella Maris needs diapers sizes 4, 5 & 6. If you would like to donate, please bring diapers to the Assistance Office at 1137 N. Callow Ave.
For general information about The Birkenfeld-Stella Maris Shelter, please email Shelter Manager Polly Polly@svdpaul.org
Contact the Housing Solutions Center at (360) 473-2035 for more information about bed availability.
Thrift Store Donations Click here to see Current Donation Information
Thrift Store
Current Needs
The Thrift Store needs volunteers ASAP! Click here to see our monthly calendar and available Volunteer positions, or call the Thrift Store and talk to Melinda or Debra at (360) 377-2929, extension #3. Volunteering is a great way to “Help Us Help Others”.
Our Lady Star of the Sea Parish Website
Holy Trinity Parish Website
