Outreach & Missions
Whatever you do for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you do for me. Matthew 25:40
Missions News:
The missions committee will be assisting the Josh Pallotta House this year. Josh’s House VT is a Veteran-designed recreation wellness space offering meeting and study spaces, a large communal kitchen, video games, and a state-of-the-art gym. The Josh Pallotta Fundraising committee supports a wellness and recreation center for Vermont’s service members. They combine local and national resources, emergency services, and research to provide Veterans the resiliency, transition and reintegration tools to help them sustain or return to full and healthy lives.
Many of the veterans being served at the Pallotta house are recovering from tobacco, alcohol & drug addiction. These veterans rely on sugar items to get them through their addiction. The Mission’s committee has agreed to help supply the house with cans of sugar soda and candy for the upcoming months. We’ll be asking for candy donations this Fall and soda during the summer.
During the month of July & August, the mission committee will be asking for your donation of canned soda. You can drop the soda anytime while the church is open. The drop off areas will be marked with signs in Fellowship Hall and the West Wing.
First Church is proud to work with JUMP via the Missions Committee. Also, members have helped raise money for the organization by participating in the annual “Run for JUMP”. Watch the video to learn more about the services that they provide to our neighbors in need.
JUMP’s mission is “To promote the physical, emotional and spiritual well-being of people by providing compassionate care, direct assistance to meet basic needs, and advocacy”. Budgets are stretched thin in this time as all are experiencing higher food costs and for many, the cost of housing has continued to rise. JUMP assists with food vouchers, utility payments, thrift shop vouchers for clothes and necessary household items, laundry vouchers, gas vouchers, and bus passes.
The missions committee will be hosting a bake sale in conjunction with the church lawn sale on Saturday, August 16th. We are asking the bakers of the church to assist in the sale. All items can be dropped at the church on Friday, August 15th with the items clearly marked for bake sale. Items can also be dropped at the church on Saturday August 15th starting at 7 am.
We appreciate the church members helping with both of our fundraising events. If anyone has any questions, please direct them to the church office.
Red Tent Project
JUMP has asked FCCEJ if we would be the “White Sock Church.” The need is for all-cotton, new white
socks in original packaging. Tube socks will fit most any adult foot. Look for the “red tent” in the Marvin Lounge!
First Congregational Church’s service and outreach ministries strive to meet the needs of the most vulnerable in our community, both here in Essex and around the world. Whether it is through hands-on service, financial support, or building awareness about marginalized communities, members of our congregation seek opportunities to live Christ’s love through active engagement in our world.
There are many ways for adults, youth and children to participate. To learn more about our outreach ministries and how to get involved, click on the links below:
Other ministries (scroll down or use the links to take you directly there):
Dismas House
The Dismas House in Winooski is a place for people who have served their prison sentences to live until they get their feet on the ground. Volunteers coordinated by FCCEJ have been taking meals to the Dismas House on the fourth Wednesday of every month. Typically, one person makes a salad, one person makes an entrée and one person makes a dessert. Volunteers who prepare the meal are asked to stay and dine with the Dismas residents, as creating community and showing support to the Dismas residents is an integral part of the Dismas program. Dinners are served family style.
Currently, we provide a meal to feed 10-12 people.
If you would like to sign up to provide a meal, please sign up using Sign Up Genius or contact the church office. If you have issues using the Sign Up Genius, please contact the church office to register for providing a meal.
Called to Care
Called to Care (C2C) is a lay visitation ministry where teams of two volunteers visit and support members who need some love and attention during both challenging and joyous times. This ministry expresses the Christian love and concern we genuinely feel for one another by fostering an atmosphere of warmth and concern within our church family. Many of the folks visited are no longer physically able to get out of their homes, and also may no longer be able to attend church services. Some have little or no living family members, or any they do have, may not live in the area. Often these individuals have had to leave homes where they lived independently and move into assisted living or nursing homes. Knowing that they have not been forgotten by their church family is priceless!
For more information or to request support for yourself or someone you know, or to share your needs, concerns, and joys, please contact the Church Office.
Other Organizations We Support
First Church supports many different organizations in our community, country and around the globe:
- Valentines for Vets
- JUMP (Joint Urban Ministry Project)
- COTS
- Age Well Meals on Wheels
- Steps to End Domestic Violence
- Outright Vermont
- Spectrum Youth and Family Services
- Essex Pride
- USCRI
- UCC Disaster Relief
- Jed Foundation (teen and young adult suicide prevention)
- Vermont Foodbank
- Lund Center
- Planned Parenthood
- Vermont Interfaith Action
- Heifer International
- Vermont Adaptive Sports