MISSION BOARD REPORT FOR 2014
Mission Board Members were Co-Chairpersons Jane Hart, Joanne Steeves and Susan Matejcek.
January: Planned agenda for 2014
February: The Board scheduled dates for our yearly outreach programs – soup and salad luncheons, ice cream Sundae Sundays, and Mission coffee hour Sundays. Mission church projects which include “Take Time for Tea”, the San Luis Valley Migrant Worker project and Elder Boxes for Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota.
March: The Mission Board set a date for our annual “Take Time for Tea” for May in Fellowship Hall, Community Congregational Church (CCC). The tea is always a gala affair with great tea, food and entertainment. The proceeds from the tea go to our Youth Group. The money helps the group plan activities. The Board sponsored the annual One Great Hour of Sharing offering. The money collected is sent to the United Church of Christ’s International World Mission Headquarters. The UCC churches contribute approximately $3,000,000 each year. The money collected helps support the needs of people around the world. Africa receives a lot of financial help as well as volunteers. The Board also sponsored the offering collected for Neighbors in Need (NIN) which is a national organization that provides aid to people and churches in the United States. The Board sponsors the “Golden Circle Nutrition Program ” sponsored by the Housing Authority of the City of Colorado Springs, and St. Andrews Episcopal Church of Manitou Springs. We agree to help provide the following services respectfully to meet the requirements of providing nutrition to eligible diners in a congregate setting according to the Title Ill of the Older Americans Act and as defined by Volume 10 of the Older Coloradans Act. The Golden Circle program provides daily hot lunches Monday-Friday, except holidays, at St. Andrews Church in Manitou Springs. The CCC provides some financial aid.
April: The Board scheduled May 1, 2014 to begin the annual drive to collect items for the Migrant Workers who harvest food grown in the San Luis Valley of Colorado. A list of items needed was posted in the Sunday order of worship. The migrant worker bags are sent to LaPuente Homeless Shelter in Alamosa, CO in early October to be dispersed in the area.
May: The Mission Board thanks everyone who bought tickets or helped with other activities. Everyone enjoyed the food, door prizes and special Celtic music by a local group called “Ceol Ceili— Irish then some!” – entertained while everyone enjoyed their tea. The theme for the tea was “Once Upon A Time” and proceeds were donated to the church youth group programs.
June: The Board sponsored an ice cream “Sunday Sundae” and a “Soup and Salad Sunday”. Proceeds were donated to the church’s food pantry.
July: Westside CARES sponsored their school backpack project this year, filling 600 Backpacks (420 elementary & 180 middle/high school). Our church provided 475 packages of wide-ruled, 3 ring notebook paper and 275 two pocket, colored folders. The supplies are distributed to needy families on the west-side of Colorado Springs & Manitou Springs. Patsy Adams delivered the paper and folders to WSC.
August: The board filled 30 bags with personal hygiene items for the migrant workers in the San Luis Valley. Supplies were delivered to LaPuente in Alamosa by Pikes Peak Advocates for the San Luis Valley. Special thank you to everyone who contributed time, money and items — you helped make this project a great success.
September: The Board sponsored a “Thank You” dessert Sunday for everyone who has helped the Missions in so many ways. Without each of you our outreach programs would not be possible.
October: The Board hosted a “Happy Halloween, Happy Fall” coffee Sunday. The Youth Group helped the younger members of our church carve their pumpkins. Thank you Youth Group!
November: Again, with the help of the congregation we assisted Westside Cares (WSC) in filling Thanksgiving baskets by providing 80 tubs of “Cool Whip” and two turkeys for their annual project, delivered to WSC by Ernie Adams. The Board began collecting items for the “Elder Boxes” — little gift items for either man/woman which would fit in a shoe box.
December: The “Elder Boxes” were wrapped and delivered to “One Nation Walking Together”. We work closely with them to help the native people on the reservation at Pine Ridge, South Dakota. Thank you to Jane Edwin, Betty Armstrong and Nancy Lindley for their help in wrapping the 30 Christmas gift boxes. Joanne Steeves delivered the boxes to “One Nation.” Our Church took part in WSC sponsored “Christmas Adopt-a-Family project” that helps provide gifts, gift cards and food boxes to some of the neediest families in the west-side schools. With the help of our congregation, we were able to provide for 4 families totaling 7 adults and 11 children, plus an extra family of one adult and 3 children! Our thanks to everyone who contributed so generously to this endeavor and to Women’s Fellowship for providing 4 comforters given as a “family gift.”
Beginning again in 2015 the Mission Board will send birthday & anniversary cards to church members. We will continue to support the church whenever help is needed.
Respectfully Submitted,
Joanne Steeves, Co-chair
And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. Colossians 3:17