At First Congregational United Church of Christ, we see mission as our way of doing what God requires of us.  We are committed with our time or talents and our treasure to do God’s work in our community and in our world.

Mission is Local

UCC congregations are involved with mission in many ways. In the United Church of Christ, we affirm that, although the congregation is the fundamental unit of mission, mission is not just local. We are connected to one another, across boundaries of neighborhood, class, race, and national border.

Mission is Global

Our Church's Wider Mission is the name we use to describe the work we do as the United Church of Christ beyond the local church–through our Conferences, national ministries, and UCC-related institutions. Our Church's Wider Mission is also the name we give to the financial support given by UCC members and congregations that makes this broader mission possible.

Congregations are central to the ability of The United Church of Christ to do mission in local communities, within the United States and internationally. As a congregation works in its own community, it is a representative of the entire denomination and embodies the UCC in that place. And when a congregation determines its giving to Our Church's Wider Mission, there is a direct impact on levels of funding for the Conference and national ministries. Every local congregation has a responsibility to be aware of opportunities for local mission and to be knowledgeable about the work underway by its own Conference and by the national ministries.

Our Church's Wider Mission, often referred to simply as OCWM, has two parts: OCWM  Basic Support and OCWM  Special Support (Special Mission Offerings.)

Special Mission Offerings:

One Great Hour of Sharing (OGHS) - the relief, refugee and development fund of the United Church of Christ. One of the Special Mission Offerings received by the United Church of Christ and part of Our Churches Wider Mission (OCWM). The OGHS offering is most often received the third Sunday of Lent, but may be taken at different times.

Neighbors in Need(NIN) is a special mission offering of the UCC that supports ministries of justice and compassion thoughout the United States.  One-third of NIN funds support the Council for American Indian Ministry(CAIM). Two-thirds of the offering is used by the UCC's Justice and Witness Ministries(JWM) to support a variety of justice initiatives, advocacy efforts, and direct service projects.
Most UCC congregations will receive the NIN offering in October as part of their World Communion Sunday observance. however, some local churches select another date.

Strengthen the Church, one of the UCC’s special mission offerings, is expanding its support to include The Stillspeaking Ministry. Gifts will build the United Church of Christ’s future. It will:

  • Nurture our youth and young adults – helping them grow into leaders for tomorrow
  • Renew our congregations – transforming fading churches into hubs for community life
  • Plant new churches – spreading the love of our stillspeaking God in areas where the message is most needed
  • Proclaim the UCC's extravagant welcome – that No Matter Who You Are, or Where You Are on Life’s Journey, You Are Welcome Here. 

The Christmas Fund - Once known as the Veterans of the Cross offering, The Christmas Fund is one of four UCC all-church offerings. It provides Christmas gift checks to low-income, retired clergy and their widowed spouses. It also supplies emergency assistance and helps finance pension and health benefit supplementation for retired clergy and lay persons. Last year, local churches help to raise $171,000 in Christmas Grants alone that went towards helping retired clergy in need.

Other Global Missions

Heifer Project

Holy Joe's Cafe is a Coffee House Ministry – Coffee for the troops – United Church of Christ military chaplains have found an old way to invite U.S. soldiers into a safe and informal place where they can receive spiritual care and good coffee. Congregations and individuals can support the Coffee House Ministry and simultaneously participate in the UCC Coffee Project by sending Equal Exchange Coffee to the military chaplains in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Kuwait. Thanks to you, now 75 chaplains are able to participate.

Our Local Missions

Food Mobile
The Food Mobile is usually available the first Saturday of the month, except August and December. It is open from 10:00am-11:00am or until the food is gone. See the local newspaper and cable stations for more information, or contact us for specific dates and times.

Fair Trade Global Bazaar Store
All of the items we carry are fairly traded, which means that we participate in a system that not only aims to pay fair wages, but also creates long-term, direct trading relationships based on dialogue, transparency, equity and respect. Fair trade is not about charity; it uses a fair system of exchange to empower producers to develop their own businesses and to foster sustainable development. We follow a set of internationally-accepted fair trade principles and practices that are designed to improve the livelihood of low-income people through alternative trade.

Fair Trade Coffee
Agriculture is big business. But for the majority of farmers – especially small-scale, family farmers – the benefits are small. In developing countries, most farmers work modest plots of land, isolated from markets. The path from their farm to your table is long, with many middlemen along the way. That means little of the money you spend on food actually reaches the people growing it.

Scholarship Program
Scholarships are part of the mission of First Congregational United Church of Christ and are a priority of the Endowment Board and the members of the church.  We believe in nurturing our students and encouraging them, through a scholarship program, to widen their educational horizons.  To this end, we make financial support available to some students who might not otherwise qualify through traditional scholarship programs.

Relay for Life – each year, across the nation, one event brings together entire communities to take part in the fight against cancer.  That event is the American Cancer Society Relay for Life.  It’s a time and place where people come to celebrate those who have survived cancer, remember those we’ve lost and fight back against a disease that touches too many lives.  Join our Team!  Contact Lacey Charboneau at laceylssu@yahoo.com.

Souper Bowl of Caring - The “Souper Bowl of Caring” has celebrated their 20th year of encouraging young people to get involved in eliminating the suffering that hunger brings.  On Super Bowl Sunday the children share God’s love by taking a special collection in soup pots as you leave church.  They also provide a pot of soup for people to enjoy during fellowship time.  Monetary and food donations are donated to Flat River Outreach Ministries.