church members, individually and as a whole, to reach out to the hungry, the homeless
and the destitute, near at hand and around the world. Jesus reminds us that we are his
hands and his heart in an aching world, and that the call to justice and mercy are at the core of our faith.
Mission Committee
Chair - Karen Stigliano If you are interested in joining our committee we would LOVE to hear from you!! E-mail Karen at kcstig@gmail.com
We meet at the Church the first Tuesday each month at 7:30.
Below are areas we are currently involved in....Scroll down to read more!
Habitat for Humanity Quest for Peace New Haven Home Recovery
Shoreline Soup Kitchen The Giving Tree Saint Martin de Porres
Academy
Columbus House Madison Social Services Ct Food Bank
New Haven Youth Continuum
Habitat for Humanity
NMCC is a founding member of Madison Cares and is committed to its mission to bring Madison residents together to sponsor Habitat for Humanity projects in New Haven. We are excited to be able to continue our support of Madison Cares in its worthwhile endeavors with financial and volunteer support.
North Madison Congregational Church parishioners are once again actively involved in this initiative. Leslie Higgins serves as the liaison to Madison Cares and organizes the work crews. Please contact Leslie by phone at 245-9018 or by Email at Higginsles@Netscape.netif you are interested in getting involved. No construction skills are necessary, just a desire to help. We supply work crews every 5 to 6 weeks, typically on a Saturday. Work begins at 9:00 am and continues till 3:00 pm or so. Some groups pack a lunch and some enjoy a slice of famous New Haven pizza while in the ElmCity. Volunteers must be 16 years old to work on site.
Please watch our site for announcements of our scheduled work days and consider joining us. This is a very rewarding activity with an opportunity to work side by side with fellow parishioners as well as the Sherman family. More information about Madison Cares can be found on their website at www.madisoncares.org.
Quest for Peace
Ct. Quest for Peace is the ecumenical grassroots group through whom we minister to our sisters and brothers in Nicaragua. Since 1987, this small group of church members from Fairfield and New Haven Counties have sent 42 container trucks full of supplies to the John XXIII Center in Managua where it is divided and sent out to communities with whom the organizer for Quest for Peace has been working. The goal is to use the goods, summer clothes, computers, school supplies, musical instruments, sports equipment, etc., to support the goal of each community to which it is sent. The goods are sold for a token amount to the villagers, and the money earned goes to meeting the village’s goal, be it a classroom, a teacher’s salary, a well, a clinic, or electrification. So the goods help twice. The villagers receive badly needed goods, and the village is strengthened in working together for the common good.
In addition, Ct. Quest for Peace has helped to build and staff schools in several villages, and is feeding 1500 children a day, a meal that may be their only meal.Ct. Quest also supports the work of a number of orphanages, and schools forstreet children.
Our church collects goods in June, and again in September, The school children gather school supplies which make it possible for many children, who would not otherwise have been able to, to go to school. We also are involved in packing a container truck in early November each year. Questions about our involvement should be directed to Gail Faithful at #421-2290. A link with more information is below.
Saint Martin de Porres Academy is an independent faith-based,
Nativity Miguel Network middle school located in New Haven that provides tuition
free, extended day education for under-served girls and boys from low-income
families in grades 5 through 8. Students
attend school for 10-hours a day, 11-months of the year. The goal is to end the cycle of poverty
through education, one precious child at a time. Each student plays an instrument and
participates in daily co-curricular enrichment activities, which include
sports, arts, service, cooking, and other similar programs. The majority of the teaching staff is made up
of AmeriCorps Teaching Fellows. Housing,
medical insurance, a living stipend, and an education grant is provided in
exchange for a renewable 1-year teaching commitment. Pre-teacher orientation includes an 8-week
teaching program with Breakthrough New Haven at the Hopkins School. Ongoing professional development is provided
through our partnership with Fairfield University. If a Teaching Fellow stays on with us, they
can earn a free Master's Degree in Education at Fairfield University or Sacred
Heart University. In addition to
educating the student body, the intention is to also develop young teachers who
will dedicate their lives to education reform, especially in the inner
cities. Allison Rivera is the President of the school as well as the liason, she can be reached at arivera7777@aol.com Link for Academy is www.saintmartinacademy.org
The Shoreline Soup Kitchen
The Shoreline Soup Kitchens’ mission is to provide food and fellowship to those in need living on the shoreline. The Shoreline Soup Kitchens offer food and fellowship to the communities of Chester, Clinton, Deep River, East Lyme, Essex, Killingworth, Lyme, Madison, Old Lyme, Old Saybrook and Westbrook. The family oriented meal sites serving hot, nutritious and delicious foods are located in Centerbrook, Chester, Clinton, Deep River, Essex, Old Lyme, and Old Saybrook. There are grocery distribution sites where participants receive enough food for three meals for three days located in Clinton, Old Lyme, Old Saybrook and Westbrook. Also, provided to those who have limited cooking facilities are frozen heat-n-eat meals that can be picked up at any of our pantries. NMCC is involved in occasionally helping with their pantry in Clinton, helping to collect food in front of Stop & Shop, and helping prepare and serve meals. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CALL THEM AND VOLUNTEER YOUR TIME!!! We have items on the giving tree to support the SSK and their link for more info is www.shorelinesoupkitchens.org
The Giving Tree
The Giving Tree is an actual tree branch that resides in Fellowship Hall and offers opportunities for our members to reach out to people from our church and surrounding communities.It has proven to be a wonderful addition to our Missions outreach.There are decals that hang from the tree, which contain various service options that range from purchasing a gift card, food, or household items from a local supermarket to helping out women and children at New Haven Shelter. Organizations such as Ct Food Bank, The Shoreline Soup Kitchen, New Haven Home Recovery and New Haven Youth Continium are just some that we support. Members of our church community are encouraged to visit the tree periodically to choose a service opportunity to carry out. Call Allison Rivera at 860-664-3902 or e-mail her at arivera7777@aol.com for additional information. Thank you for all your wonderful support!!
Columbus House Annie Watts takes the members of the Youth Group the third Saturday each month down to New Haven to cook and serve breakfast at this Shelter. Two other Saturdays a month Adult members of our congregation also go down to New Haven. Look for the sign up sheet in Fellowship Hall for adults...or e-mail Annie Watts at a_watts@comcast.net to sign up !! We have such a great time. She can also be reached at #203-415-4334.
Our congregation helps sustain the church and its ministries by supporting Our Church’s Wider Mission. Our Church’s Wider Mission keeps the church strong as it engages in missions and outreaches to others. The church has a unique and important role to play in our society and the world, today and for future generations.
Basic Support Most UCC congregations give between 5% and 20% of current expenses to the basic support of OCWM – Our Church’s Wider Mission. This basic support provides funding for the work of UCC Conferences and for the work of the UCC's national ministries. Some of the National Basic Support money is used for ministries to conferences, local churches and members, as well as for ecumenical, prophetic and missionary ministries on behalf of the UCC.
In 2007our church gave $9,000 to the UCC for the basic support of OCWM. (This is less than the minimum 5% most UCC churches give.)
Special Support
Neighbors in Need: Justice and Compassion Like a Mighty Stream
This collection is made on World Communion Sunday, the first Sunday in October. The Neighbors in Need offering supports ministries of justice and compassion throughout the United States and Puerto Rico, including ministry carried out by the Council for American Indian Ministries (CAIM) and by the national offices of Justice and Witness Ministries.
The Christmas Fund: Remembering Those Who Served Our Church
This collection is made on the Sunday before Christmas. It provides financial aid to retired and active ministers and their surviving spouses and children who face overwhelming financial demands. This is a ministry carried out by the Pension Boards.
One Great Hour of Sharing: Giving Help, Hope and Life
This collection is made on the fourth Sunday of Lent. It supports partners in more than 70 countries with ministries that fund development projects, feed the victims of famine, provide services for displaced people, and respond to natural disasters. These ministries are the responsibility of Wider Church Ministries, Global Sharing of Resources.
Strengthen the Church: Faithfully Building the Body of Christ
This collection is made on Pentecost Sunday. It supports church growth and leadership development in the conferences and through the national offices of Local Church Ministries. The link for more information on the UCC is below.
