Missions and Social Action Ministry

This ministry identifies needs and issues important to the weak and afflicted, and seeks to honor all people. It provides financial help to organizations that address these needs and issues, encourages the congregation to become directly involved in addressing these needs and issues, and  educates the congregation about the needs and issues.  (Chair: Haley Wilson)

We sustain organizations that meet local and global needs, and are oriented to changing our society.

From our church's annual budget we provide support to local, global, and change oriented organizations --

We also sponsor  special plate offerings supporting --

  • Chicago Theological Seminary
  • Loaves and Fishes
  • UCC special offering - One Great Hour of Sharing for Church World Service
  • UCC special offering - Neighbors in Need
  • UCC special offering - Strengthen the Church
  • UCC special offering - Charistmas Fund
  • UCC special offering - Our Church's Wider Mission

       We participate in all the UCC special offferings, and so are a five for five UCC congretation

This Year we also participated in Mission 1! 11/1/11-11/11/11 UCC wide shared mission for 11 powerful days to feed the hungry and confront food related injustice.

Direct service on the part of our members is important, and we provide opportunities for church members to --

  • Supply, cook, and serve food from the Night Ministry Bus in Chicago
  • Gather pledges and walk in the annual Crop Walk to raise money for food pantries
  • Our church hosts a homeless shelter one night a week from October thru May.  Member of our church have the opportunity to staff it once a month doing setup , preparing and serving dinner and breakfast, and cleanup.  See the PADS page for more on this.

 We work for change as part of our social action commitment --

  • To support the environment, we hold an annual electronics recycling day and participate in the annual DuPage River cleanup sweep.
  • Immigration Justice: Find out more about our church involvement with IL Conf Immigration Task Force. Find selected resources from the 6-week Immigration Adult Ed series held at First Congregational UCC Naperville.
  • “Repairing the Brokenness: A Faithful Response to U.S.-sponsored Torture” a video produced by the National Religious Campaign Against Torture (NRCAT) features reflections from several faith leaders about repentance, redemption and healing the soul of our nation from the brokenness resulting from the use of torture. Within that context, the video addresses the need for accountability for U.S.-sponsored torture and provides information about NRCAT’s call for a Commission of Inquiry. The recent public debate about the possible role of torture in locating Osama bin Laden makes NRCAT’s new video resource particularly timely. Watch the video.
  • We are sell Fair Trade coffee, tea and chocolate during fellowship hour to support a living wage for farmers in Central America.
  • Purchase a Tassa luggage tag and support people who have been victims of trafficking (during fellowship time).
  • Adult Ed course on the GLBTQ Justice Issues webpage.

We are a part of the UCC Justice and Peace Action Network (JPANet). JPANet members collectively advocate on a variety of issues for social change that propote the Common Good. It is our denomination's grassroots advocacy network composed of individual members and local UCC congregations across the country. The JPANet both educates and engages its menbers in shaping public policy in keeping with God's vision of a just and loving society. Our work is grounded in General Synod resolutions, consonant with historic UCC witness, and formed by a biblical understanding of prophetic ministry. http://www.ucc.org/justice/join-the-network

Our program calendar generally follows a quarterly focus --

  • Winter (December, January, February) - Our Faith Our Vote (State)

Upcoming Events (selected) --

Please check the Adult Education page for our January and February justice related programs.


 

 

 

 

 

 

"I am grateful to be part of this church body because of the opportunities to participate in meaningful activities that make a difference  in the wider community."

making wreath

woman collecting money