No matter who you are or where you are on life’s journey, you are welcome here.
Because we believe in extravagant welcome, we insist that God’s table is open, not closed,
and God’s gift and claim in baptism are irrevocable…
We demonstrate this through public professions of our identity and purpose: multi-racial, multi-cultural, open and affirming, accessible to all. We advocate justice for all as an extension and expression of faith. We are open to new ways of being church and forming Christian community. We affirm that cultural differences expand our ability to welcome more people. We strive to keep our perspective global in our partnership with people of faith around the world.
Gifts to Our Church’s Wider Mission benefit the full range of the United Church of Christ mission across the country and around the globe. Further information can be found at: http://www.ucc.org/ocwm.
United Church of Christ Special Mission Offerings (SMOs) exist to allow congregations and individuals to meet people at points of critical need in their lives. Though many options exist for direct, individual support of these needs, the SMOs allow a common witness and make a collective positive impact. Our church has identified four areas where these critical human needs exist:
• in places lacking health and educational resources and/or where disaster has struck;
• within systems of injustice which oppress daily life and opportunity;
• in the lives of church leaders without sufficient resources to live with dignity;
• in the nurture of youth and congregations just beginning their lives of faith.
We believe these SMOs collectively serve to lift people closer to the abundance and wholeness to which Jesus Christ has called us to work together to bring about.
One Great Hour of Sharing
Supports partners in countries with ministries that fund health, education and agricultural development, emergency relief, refugee ministries and both international and domestic disaster response, administered by Wider Church Ministries, Global Sharing of Resources. This offering is received on the Fourth Sunday of Lent. Further information can be found at: http://www.ucc.org/oghs.
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Strengthen the Church
Supports church growth, pastoral and lay leadership development, youth and young adult ministries within conferences and administered by Local Church Ministries. This offering is received on Pentecost Sunday. Further information can be found at: http://www.ucc.org/stc.
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Neighbors in Need
One-third of this offering supports the Council for American Indian Ministry (CAIM) and two-thirds is administered by Justice and Witness Ministries to support a variety of justice initiatives, advocacy efforts, and direct service projects through grants. This offering is received on First Sunday of October as part of World Communion Sunday.
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Provides direct financial assistance to retired and active United Church of Christ authorized ministers and lay employees and their surviving spouses, including pension and health premium supplementation, emergency assistance, and Christmas thank-you checks. A ministry of the Pension Boards, the offering is received annually on the Sunday before Christmas. This offering is received on the Sunday before Christmas. Further information can be found at: http://www.ucc.org/nin.
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The Christmas Fund for the Veterans of the Cross and the Emergency Fund is a Special Mission Offering that congregations have been supporting for over 100 years. The offering is administered through the United Church Board for Ministerial Assistance, the charitable arm of the Pension Boards. Funds provide direct financial support to those who serve the church and are facing financial difficulties. Active and retired clergy, lay employees, and their surviving spouses may be eligible for the Supplementation of Small Annuities, Supplementation of Health Premiums, Emergency Grants, and/or Christmas “Thank You” Gift Checks. This offering is received on the Sunday before Christmas. Further information can be found at: https://www.pbucc.org/index.php/christmas-fund-home.
Information for these programs provided from the UCC website at: www.ucc.org/ocwm_special-support.