We invite you to donate a full-sized backpack during the month of August to benefit Filling in the Blanks. Their mission is to fight childhood hunger by providing children in need with meals on the weekends. Backpacks can be brought to church on Sundays or dropped off in Smith Hall during the week. Contact Marianna Kilbride, marianna@godsacre.org, for more information.
It’s easy to donate extra produce from your home garden for distribution to those in need. Just drop off your veggies at the Gospel Garden located in the back of St. Mark’s Church on Monday mornings from 9:00am-11:00 am; email Debbie Shew, scwheatenterrier@yahoo.com (our Gospel Garden liaison), and she will arrange for a pick-up.
Their main source of food, the Connecticut Food Bank, is not a reliable source of healthy and varied dietary options. If you can cook and deliver a dinner to Pivot this month, please follow this link to their meal train.
If you would like to stay and serve that dinner, or visit Pivot for a lunch, contact Mary Aly, maryaly@pivotministries.org.
Truly this opportunity feels surreal after not serving this February due to COVID. Please support our fish by contributing to our Mission Sponsor Campaign. As in previous years, you will receive mission sponsor letters from our 45 youth during their week of service!
To give, click the button below and choose “Mission Sponsor” as your designation in the drop down.
Thank you!
Their main source of food, the Connecticut Food Bank, is not a reliable source of healthy and varied dietary options. If you can cook and deliver a dinner to Pivot this month, please follow this link to their meal train.
If you would like to stay and serve that dinner, or visit Pivot for a lunch, contact Mary Aly, maryaly@pivotministries.org.
No travel required
Usually, we are packing our bags this time of year for our annual OG Mission Trip but not this year. Fear not! We have found a novel way to travel. Kicking off March 14, we are partnering with World Vision to sponsor children in a Honduran community. In a new twist, rather than picking a child, our pictures will “fly” to Honduras, and the children will choose us. We hope that these children become, in essence, part of our youth group and that we will build relationships with the community in Honduras and travel there in the future. Contact Marianna Kilbride, marianna@godsacre.org.
Take the Matthew 25 Challenge and begin your Lenten Journey to child sponsorship with World Vision.
for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.” Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?” And the king will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.” Matthew 25:35-40
What is the Matthew 25 Challenge?
The Matthew 25 Challenge is a week-long challenge that will help you and your family step out of your comfort zones and engage in God’s love for “the least of these brothers and sisters” who Jesus calls us to care for in Matthew 25:35-40. Sign up, and you’ll get a text a day beginning March 14, with your daily challenge, impactful stories, and ways to pray and talk about Matthew 25 with your family.
How can I be “Chosen” by a child in Honduras?
Become a sponsor for just $39 per month and allow a child from Honduras to choose you! On March 21, after completing the challenge our congregation will be invited to become a sponsor and if you are able to commit by 9:00pm that day you will be able to “meet” your child at our in-person Palm Sunday services on March 28. Many more details will follow so keep an eye on your inbox and social media. Here are a few important dates to be sure you can fully engage in this amazing Lenten Journey!
March 14 Sign up for the Matthew 25 Challenge, Text ‘Canaan’ to 56170. If you prefer to participate by email go to www.worldvision.org/M25 and select March 15 as your challenge start date.
March 21 Sponsor a child in Honduras, Text ‘Canaan’ to 56170 or visit www.worldvision.org/canaan to upload your photo and become a sponsor.
March 28 Reveal Sunday, Come to our outdoor services at 8:00 & 10:00am to “meet” the child who chose you!
Our plate offering in October will be donated to our longtime partners, Pivot Ministries. Pivot is a faith-based recovery program for men. Their mission is to treat drug and alcohol addiction as a spiritual problem and return men to their families usefully whole. Watch for Pivot to join us virtually on October 25!
In addition we have the opportunity to help the men with some very specific gently used clothing needs to get them started on the road to recovery. In short supply are small and extra large sizes of the following: white shirts, navy blazers, khaki pants and men’s dress shoes. They could also use gently used working watches. Items may be brought to Sunday services or contact Marianna Kilbride, marianna@godsacredev.wpengine.com to drop off or arrange a pickup.
Contact Pivot Board Member, Eben Breed, breed@hotmail.com or Marianna Kilbride, marianna@godsacredev.wpengine.com with questions.
Our plate offering at the outdoor service in June and July will be donated to Person-to-Person in aid of those especially impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.
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We will be joining the Gospel Garden Givers program in their efforts to support the New Canaan Food Pantry, Person-to-Person, and others with food insecurity in our community.
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Still in 2020, there are communities with no access to clean water. Our project this year is to fund a second pipeline to such a village, Embarbal oosidan , targeting two hundred households with clean and safe water.
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When Pivot Ministries called to say they would be without a kitchen for some weeks, this congregation leapt in action. About 50 congregants pitched in to make meals from early January through today. The Pivot men have been overwhelmed by the goodness of the food and the goodness of the hearts who prepared it. Thanks be to God and to you.
Pictured here are some New Canaan Country School students, including several church members, making a Pivot meal.
Relief organization funding is urgently needed in the wake of Hurricane Harvey. MSA, our Missions and Social Action Committee, has donated $6,000.00 of our 2017 mission budget, which comes from annual church pledging, to Americares. Americares addresses emergency medical needs ranging from clean water to tetanus inoculations to dialysis support and a range of other needs. Americares employee and CCNC member Frank Lyon is currently on the ground in Houston working on logistics. Our prayers are with Frank and those he seeks to help. Congregants wishing to contribute to Americares may visit www.americares.org.
In addition, The United Church of Christ is active in networks that meet immediate needs and focuses on long-term recovery that may well last 5+ years. 100% of funds given to the United Church of Christ designated for U.S. disaster relief are used for disaster relief and rehabilitation programming. Donations may be made through their Emergency USA Funds for Hurricanes Harvey and Irma Relief on their website www.ucc.org or checks made payable to United Church of Christ, with “Hurricane Harvey” in the memo may be mailed to: United Church of Christ c/o Financial Services, 700 Prospect Ave E, Cleveland, OH 44115-1100.