Missions Committee

The 2008 Missions Committee Members

Bob and Linda Miner, co-chairpersons, Dennis Blanchette, Jenny Carmichael, and Nita Owin.
(Click here to see us all at work on preparing and delivering Palm Sunday Dinners to shut-ins.)

Our current overall goal is to assist Christians battling poverty and injustice.
The Missions Committee tries to identify needs within the church family, the greater Billerica family, and beyond.  The Committee has worked with other church family bodies (Sunday School, Youth Group, etc.) to cosponsor projects such as the Heifer Project, the Third World Banquet, collection of clothes and supplies for Community Teamwork, House of Hope, Alternative House, the PYF Mission Trip, and collection of food for the Billerica Food Pantry.

Our committee is carrying out an on-going educational program during our monthly Sunday service. The "Mission Moment" helps inform our congregation about the causes we support on their behalf and how and why they were selected.

Funds pledged to and collected by Missions are disbursed throughout the year to a variety of local, national, and international organizations in addition to our commitment to the support of the Massachusetts Conference and the national UCC. 

Locally, we have contributed to the cost of a Christian summer camp experience, Habitat for Humanity, Lowell Transitional Living Center, and to the support of seminarians at Andover-Newton Theological School. Last year several of our youth along with 3 adults chose to participate in the Greater Boston Walk for Hunger. Our annual Christmas Fund Offering helps supplement funds to low-income retired clergy and their families. Our committee also provides Palm Sunday dinners for our shut-ins.

Nationally, we have helped in the rebuilding of a church in Kansas following a tornado along with lending our financial support to Oxfam America and The Navigators. Late last spring we ran a letter campaign to encourage our lawmakers to act responsibly in legislation that would adversely affect struggling farmers in the U.S.

Internationally, we have lent our support to both the Chernobyl Project and Project Chacocente.

The Chernobyl Project founded in 1985 is a non-profit, non-religious organization that helps Russian children impacted by the Chernobyl nuclear accident.

Project Chacocente is a Nicaraguan Christian project that helps move Managuan families out of the dump and assists them in becoming self-sufficient.

Church membership is not required to be on this Committee. Please join us!!

First Congregational Church
18 Andover Rd.
Billerica, MA 01821
Phone: 978-663-8433
Interim Pastor: Rev. Dr. Sharon Goss