Missions

MISSION MINISTRY

PROUD TO BE “FIVE FOR FIVE”
The First Congregational Church of Pelham is proud to be one of 1250 churches that are 5 for 5!
This list includes churches that contributed to each of the 4 mission offerings in the UCC: One Great Hour of Sharing, Christmas Fund, Neighbors in Need, and Strengthen the Church.

Our commitment to our faith requires us to spend time in service to others. The Mission Ministry of the First Congregational Church of Pelham United Church of Christ regularly offers opportunities for members to help, serve, and expand those who are touched by Christ. Many of our mission projects focus on these areas.

As a member of the United Church of Christ, we support Our Church’s Wider Mission helping support partners in more than 70 different countries working on development projects, hunger programs, services for displaced people and natural disaster response. We also use the special offerings collected throughout the year for various Mission opportunities. www.ucc.org/disaster

ONE GREAT HOUR OF SHARING

One Great Hour of Sharing (OGHS) is the relief, refugee and development fund of the United Church of Christ.

It is one of the Special Mission Offerings received by the United Church of Christ and is a part of Our Churches Wider Mission (OCWM). OGHS, as part of OCWM, is the special mission offering of the United Church of Christ that carries God’s message of love and hope to people in more than eighty countries. The UCC works with international partners to provide sources of clean water and food, education and health care, small business micro-credit, emergency relief, and advocacy and resettlement for refugees and displaced persons. OGHS also supports domestic and international ministries for disaster preparedness and response. www.ucc.org/oghs

NEIGHBORS IN NEED

Neighbors in Need (NIN) is a special mission offering of the UCC that supports ministries of justice and compassion throughout the United States. One-third of NIN funds support the Council for American Indian Ministry(CAIM). Two-thirds of the offering is used by the UCC’s Justice and Witness Ministries (JWM) to support a variety of justice initiatives, advocacy efforts, and direct service projects.

Most UCC congregations receive the NIN offering on October 5, 2008 as part of their World Communion Sunday observance. NIN contributions can be made on-line at any time here.
www.ucc.org/nin

STRENGTHEN THE CHRUCH

www.ucc.org/stc/
Strengthen the Church grows the UCC’s future by:

Funding new church starts and invigorating existing congregations
Nurturing lay and pastoral leadership
Building youth and young adult ministries
Supporting the God is Still Speaking Ministry and its extravagant welcome for all within the United Church of Christ.
All gifts are directed to activities and programs of our church’s local conference as well as the UCC’s national ministries.

THE CHRISTMAS FUND

The Christmas Fund Offering (formerly the Christmas Fund for the Veterans of the Cross), is an important way of sharing our joy at God’s renewing and life-giving grace. The Offering, which is administered by the United Church Board for Ministerial Assistance of the Pension Boards on behalf of the UCC, is an expression of joy and gratitude to, and for, those who serve the church.
Gifts to the Christmas Fund help provide pension and health premium supplementation to low-income retirees, emergency assistance to the families of clergy and lay employees and Christmas Gift Checks to hundreds of annuitants.
www.pbucc.org/interior_art_special.asp?id=cf_donate

HIGH SCHOOL MISSION TRIPS

Since 2007, our High School students have participated in annual Mission trips across the country to serve different populations and Mission organizations in urban and rural settings. Trips to Washington DC, New York, six New England States in Six Days and New Orleans have been life changing experiences for our Youth Group members.

PELHAM GOOD NEIGHBOR FUND

Established in 1969 to provide food and financial assistance to those in need, the Pelham Good Neighbor Fund sponsors the Food Pantry located at St. Patrick’s Church at 12 Main Street. The Pelham Good Neighbor Fund is a non-profit organization. It is not a state or town funded agency. All of the programs and services are made possible by the generosity of people like you. All donations are used to provide food and financial assistance to less fortunate neighbors. Visit the website at www.pelhamgoodneighborfund.org

LAZARUS HOUSE

Lazarus House assists people in need of food, shelter, medical and dental services, provides a home for AIDS patients and three thrift stores serving over 8000 people a month in the Greater Lawrence area. Visit www.lazarushouse.org

THE WISH PROJECT

From your attic to a needy home, one wish at a time.
The mission of The Wish Project is to provide basic furniture, home and baby goods to the poor in the Merrimack Valley in order to help them gain independence while improving our environment by recycling goods back into original use.Each year TWP provides $1 million in value of free furniture, home, clothing and baby goods for more than 25,000 needy people through recycling more than 600 tons of furniture, clothing and more back into welcome homes.Basic things like clothing, furniture and baby gear are life changing to local families moving out of homeless shelters and struggling to survive that first year back on their own.Wish Project is 95% privately funded and every $1 donated is leveraged into $4 in value of free goods given out.

They help all ages, races and abilities. More than 2/3 served are children. Every couch and lamp in a new home means one less in the landfill.

www.thewishproject.org

NASHUA SOUP KITCHEN
www.nsks.org

The Nashua Soup Kitchen & Shelter (NSKS) is dedicated to providing shelter and food to those in need. The overall objective of the agency is to advocate, create, and operate programs and services that promote dignity and self-sufficiency for those we serve. To ensure that basic needs are addressed, the NSKS is committed to joining with others in a community-wide ethic of caring.

CHURCH WORLD SERVICE

Church World Service is a ministry of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. in partnership with indigenous organizations in more than 70 countries. CWS supports sustainable self-help development, meets emergency needs, and helps address the root causes of poverty and powerlessness.

Within the U.S., Church World Service assists communities in responding to disasters, resettling refugees, promoting fair national and international policies, providing educational resources, and offering opportunities to join a people-to-people network of local and global caring through participation in CROP WALKS, the CWS Blanket Kit and Layette Program, and the Tools of Hope Program.
www.churchworldservice.org

HEIFER INTERNATIONAL