Mission
Saugatuck Church has long been known in the community for its wide and compassionate outreach to those in need. Our Mission Board has a mission statement that sets forth our guiding principles:
"The members and friends of the Saugatuck Congregational Church are committed to helping those in need with gifts of time, energy, church facilities and, not least, material assistance in the form of money, food, clothing, toys, and other tangible offerings."
The Church has entrusted the Mission Board with the task of organizing and reviewing the needs of agencies within Fairfield County and throughout the world, as well as making decisions for the disbursement of the total Board of Missions budget.
We are committed to providing aid to local agencies and groups that focus on helping families, children, the elderly and others in need. The Mission Board's primary purpose is to help spiritually and materially our brothers and sisters in times of need. The Saugatuck Church financially supports the following agencies in our area:
- Christian Community Action
- Interfaith Housing including the shelters for persons who are homeless
- Pivot Ministries
- Women's Crisis Center
- Community Service Fund
- Saugatuck Nursery School Scholarship Fund
- Dispute Settlement Center
- Habitat for Humanity
- McGiveny Center
- Project Return
- Covenant to Care
- Alcohol & Drug Dependency Council
- Isaiah House
- Mary Magdelene House
- Kids in Crisis
In addition to the financial commitments to these local agencies, our members volunteer their time and talents providing hands-on involvement to many of them. Our financial outreach extends beyond the above mentioned agencies to include monies to our denomination's homeland and world missions; camperships for inner city children from Bridgeport; world hunger relief through Crop Walk; and disaster relief, agricultural development assistance, and aid for refugee resettlement through the special offering called "One Great Hour of Sharing."
A major church outreach project is our "Community Feast Project." On Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day, hundreds of people are treated to a free, full holiday meal with all the trimmings, in our fellowship hall. Countless volunteers are organized by our church members to create a festive, caring atmosphere for anyone who wishes to come. It is an extraordinary experience of true community as people from differing walks of life, differing ages, differing abilities and differing socio-economic backgrounds gather together for food and fellowship.
During the holidays, our church has an "Angel Gift" program where our members receive the names and needs of hundreds of people from the area and buy and wrap appropriate gifts that are then given to them in time for Christmas.
The first Sunday of every month, we sponsor a food drive for a different agency in the area that distributes food to those in need. Our members bring the food to the worship services throughout the month, and it is collected and then given to the designated agency.
In addition to the above, many of our members are involved in volunteer work with schools, agencies or training centers in the Westport area, or with inner city programs. Here is a list of some opportunities:
Tutoring: Bridgeport School Volunteer Program (203-576-7808 or 203-371-4617)
Mentoring: McGivney Center, Bridgeport (203-333-2789) or Westport Mentor Program (341-1069)
Building: Habitat for Humanity: call Dusty Miller at 845-8754
Office Work: Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Council (227-7644)
Meals: Gillespie Center, Westport. Vonnie Spies, coordinator (226-5513)
Arts: (dance, sculpture, drawing, painting, and theatre arts): The Children's Center for the Arts, United Congregational Church, Bridgeport (203-335-3107)
Reading: Literacy Volunteers of America in Bridgeport (203-579-2208)
One of our church's deepest outreach commitments is to those recovering from addictions. There are currently 57 twelve-step groups a week that meet at Saugatuck Church. See the current schedule under More Opportunities. |