Mission & Ministry Monies

Mission: Making Disciples & Ministry: Sharing the Love 

Serving Each Other, Locally and Globally, with Dignity and Humility 

Through the efforts of the Mission and Social Action Committee, First Church supports ministries within our local community and around the world.  The group is also responsible for educating the congregation about opportunities for outreach. This church has a long history and strong commitment to justice, peace, and caring for the needy. Current outreach projects include:

Child Sponsorship - through World Vision, we sponsor a child from Kenya, with whom we share cards, pictures, and understanding between children here and there!

Church World Service - Participation in the CROP Hunger Walk and the Mother's and Father's Day Tools & Blanket Program.  CWS serves the poor around the world and in the local community.

Department of Youth Services - We host an annual collection of baby items at our "Layette Shower."

Heifer International - West Springfield's ecumenical Vacation Bible School takes place here each August.  Funds raised during the week are donated to Heifer,  which provides animals and training in sustainable agriculture to families around the world.

Our Church's Wider Mission (OCWM) http://www.ucc.org/changing-lives/   First Church participates in giving through the United Church of Christ, to help support countless educational, outreach, and crisis ministries here in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, in our nation, and in our world. Through OCWM, monies and missionaries are all over the world, seeking justice, and bringing healing and wholeness for those most in need.

Parish Cupboard - Our church holds food drives and raises funds for our local food pantry and soup kitchen.   The Parish Cupboard, located at 1023 Main Street in West Springfield, serves our neighbors in West Springfield, Agawam, and Feeding Hills.

UCC Special Offerings - Neighbors in Need and One Great Hour of Sharing.

In addition, First Congregational Church holds a year-round "A Greater Gift" Fair Trade Sale, with gift items and chocolate from SERRV.

Local and global ministries, such as Habitat for Humanity, Hospice, the Salvation Army, and West Side Helping Hands are supported through our financial gifts.

First Congregational Church works with SERRV by hosting "A Greater Gift" Fair Trade Sales throughout the year.  Our wholesale arrangement with SERRV means that when we sell their fair trade gifts at our sales, 25% of dollars we receive through the sale of items goes back into the Mission budget to support local and global ministries to those in need.  So, in addition to selling gifts that make a positive difference in the lives of craftspeople around the world, our church ministries benefit!  We can also special-order items that you see at www.serrv.org or in their catalog.