Outreach

Seeking active faithfulness.....

Outreach and mission are strongly held values, whether we are helping through the Boston City Mission Society, the Sunday School's "Soup-er" Sunday fundraiser, or the Senior High Youth Group's service project adventures both near and far.

 
OUTREACH NEWS

NOVEMBER 2008

As you saw in the last Spirit & Sparks, we are
interested in assessing the level of interest in
an adult service project some time next year. Please
let Jessica or Joe know if there’s even a possibility that
you might be interested. Details will be worked out
according to people’s interests and availability.
As Thanksgiving and Christmas approach, there are,
as usual, several opportunities for giving:
1. Faith Discovery is organizing a collection of
clothes for the children at Mary’s House. Please
deliver your items to the CE Office by November
23rd. Consult the Faith Discovery’s Outreach article
for details.
2. We will, as always, be participating in the CMS
Christmas Shop this year. This is the “shop” to
which identified families can go and buy things for
very little money to give as gifts to their families. We
will be collecting NEW items only. We are
encouraged to donate clothes in all sizes, although
other gifts are also welcome. On December 7, bring
your NEW items for the “shop” to church.
3. Many of us receive in the mail, un-ordered
Christmas cards from charities we support.
Personally, I never know what to do with mine! We
are suggesting that you bring any unwanted Christmas
cards with a matching number of stamps to church.
We will take these to Mary’s House so that those
families will be able to send a few cards this year.

OCTOBER 2008

Mssng Lnks
Everybody knows Sam, our choir director,
but does everybody know about Mssng Lnks?
Mssng Lnks is a non-profit organization, founded by
Sam, to address the lack of education specifically
geared towards the needs of aspiring inner-city
vocalists in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New
Hampshire. The belief is that, in order for aspiring
vocal artists to receive a well-rounded education, a
three-pronged approach is needed to provide
education, artistic support, and historical perspectives
to both the aspiring vocalists and Boston area arts
organizations.

So how can we help?
There are many ways in which this church can
support Mssng Lnks:
1. We already support a few individual students
who sing in our choir.
2. Individual families or the church as a
congregation can ‘adopt’ a student or a number of
students (high school or college) – be a friend, a
mentor, attend their concerts, drive them to auditions,
etc.
3. Volunteer to be a Board member.
4. Volunteer to be a Financial officer or advisor
5. Volunteer to be a grant writer or advise on
grant writing.
The Outreach Committee will be devising ways in
which CCW can support Mssng Lnks. Please let us
know if you would like to be part of that effort in
supporting this exciting new venture.

Adult service trip
Why should the Youth Group have all the fun? The
Outreach Committee is actively considering the
possibility of organizing a community service trip for
adults. Biloxi? New Orleans? Texas? Appalachia?
……?

We would like to hear from people who might
be interested, as their input on destination and timing
would be very useful. Please speak to one of us.

Food pantry
Please continue to bring nonperishable
food items for the local food pantry on the first Sunday of
the month: communion Sunday = food pantry Sunday!

CROP Walk
This year’s town-wide ecumenical Crop Walk will be
held on October 5, raising money for global hunger
relief, yet with 25% remaining local to support the
work of the Weston Food Pantry at the Council on
Aging Office. The three mile walk begins at 1:00 p.m.
in front of the Town Hall. There is a rest stop with
apples at the Parsonage, and a snack at First Parish at
the conclusion. Walking papers are available in the
Gathering Room. Please consider walking or making
a pledge to a walker. (There is a little competiion in
town as to which minister raises the most, and it has
been a few years since Joe won….)
Checks, by the way, should be made payable to
CWS/CROP, not to the church.

Thanks to all who lend support to this most worthy
cause!