Continuing Projects
Jump to: Regular Food Drives | Camperships | Back-to-School Backpacks Drive | Interfaith Food Drives | Clothing Drives and Other Donations | Community Feasts Project | Angel Gift Tree | One Great Hour of Sharing
Regular Food Drives
The Mission Board sponsors an ongoing in-church food drive benefiting different area agencies that distribute food to those in need. Our members bring the food to the worship services throughout the month, and it is collected and delivered at the end of the month. The food banks receiving donations range from Norwalk Emergency Shelter and Christian Community Action in Norwalk, to the Gillespie Center in Westport, and agencies within the Bridgeport Hunger Outreach Network, such as Bridgeport Rescue Mission and Pivot Ministries.
Please click here to view a list of suggested non-perishable food drive items, or click here to download the list as a PDF.
Camperships:
Making the Summer Fun for Children in Bridgeport!
For years, the members and friends of Saugatuck Congregational Church have donated scholarships — “camperships” — to help give children in the Bridgeport area the opportunity to attend summer camp at the McGivney Community Center. Each summer, the McGivney Community Center serves 120 children between the ages of 6 and 14 (students entering 1st–9th Grades in the fall). Led by a dedicated staff in a 15:3 ratio, campers participate in age-appropriate programs that are educational and also engage them in diverse social and cultural experiences.
We truly appreciate all the “Campership Special Offering” donations we received in June 2010 that helped to provide children with invaluable life experiences, and we look forward to continuing this tradition in June 2011. Thank you for prayerfully considering helping to make a child’s summer an even better one!
Missions Board Project: Back-to-School Backpacks
September 2010
Thank you to everyone who generously donated backpacks and school supplies to help children from the Department of Children and Families. Often these abused and neglected children have been moved to a new school as part of the placement process and have an increased need to feel like they belong. They also need the right supplies to enhance their education at school. The children that SCC provided for were elementary school boys and girls between the ages of 5 and 9. Many thanks!
Interfaith Food Drives
Saugatuck Church participates in special food drives initiated by the Interfaith Council of Westport/Weston, principally a pre-summer drive intended to stock food pantries for the summer months when contributions drop off.
Clothing Drives and Other Donations
Bruce Ill, our Director of Christian Education delivers 14 huge bags of winter clothing to Dorian Shafer at the Bridgeport Rescue Mission as part of our 2011-12 Winter Clothing Drive. Learn more here…
In the fall, the Mission Board has sponsored a clothing drive for new or gently used winter clothing and outerwear, for one or more local agencies. In fall 2008, Saugatuck Church also participated in the Connecticut Bike Project, which collected and repaired used bikes for donation to children as well as for adults who use bicycles for transportation to work.
Community Feasts Project
A major church outreach project is our "Community Feasts 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. Read more about it here…
2011 Angel Tree Update
Although unfortunately our beautiful Angel Tree — created by the children at Saugatuck Nursery School — was destroyed in the fire, our Angel Tree spirit survives intact!
Because of your wonderful generosity last Christmas, there were 180 happy recipients of these Angel Gifts, and we're grateful that this year our congregation's enthusiasm for the Angel Tree has not dimmed.
Thank you to everyone who dropped off your gifts at Amy Van Arsdale's house — your generosity and spirit were amazing this year! The congregation extends its gratitude to Amy Van Arsdale and Steph Bulkeley for their hard work, organization skills, and can-do spirit. Thank you so very much!
Read more in the Westport News story, Fire Can't Stop Church Angels From Helping Others.
One Great Hour of Sharing
www.onegreathourofsharing.org
www.ucc.org/oghs
One Great Hour of Sharing (OGHS) is the relief, refugee and development fund of the United Church of Christ. The UCC works with international partners to provide sources of clean water and food, education and health care, small business micro-credit, emergency relief, and advocacy and resettlement for refugees and displaced persons. OGHS also supports domestic and international ministries for disaster preparedness and response.
One of the Special Mission Offerings received by the United Church of Christ and part of Our Churches Wider Mission (OCWM), UCC sets aside the fourth Sunday in Lent for congregations to receive the One Great Hour of Sharing offering.