MeetingPoint to look at how faith communities can serve society

GREENVILLE, SC – For centuries, faith communities have been the epicenters of compassion and charity.

Yet, building a congregation that focuses outward toward the well-being of the larger community does not come naturally. When a congregation does nothing, where is its faith in its creed? If a congregation does a little, how can it ever do enough? How can a commitment to economic/social justice be built into the fabric of God’s house?

This timely discussion is the focus of the MeetingPoint’s July “Getting our Stories Straight” series features Father Patrick Tuttle, the pastor at St. Anthony of Padua Church and School in Greenville. The MeetingPoint events are community engagements to learn and dialogue about relevant topics in the interfaith community.
Tuttle has been with St. Anthony’s for a decade. During that time, the parish has grown from 150 members to more 1,200 with an additional 330 congregants at Furman University and the Monastery of St. Clare.
The school, which serves students from age 3 through sixth grade, has doubled its enrollment during that time. And St. Anthony works hard to meet more than the spiritual and educational needs of the residents in the church’s distressed neighborhood. Thecongregation has refurbished more than a dozen run-down homes in the community. Its food pantry distributes 250 bags of groceries each day.

About MeetingPoint

MeetingPoint is a United Interfaith Community, drawing together people of goodwill in prayer, study, fellowship and compassionate service. MeetingPoint is a direct outgrowth of Greenville’s Year of Altruism (YOA), which has taken our community to new heights of compassion, civic awareness, and social action. Learn more at www.facebook.com/MeetingPointSC.