Mission Programs

The Hampstead Congregational Church UCC is dedicated to serve others as a true example of Christian love. We have supported our church and community in many ways through the following Mission programs.

As a member of the United Church of Christ, we support Our Church's Wider Mission (OCWM), helping support partners in more than 70 different countries working on development projects, hunger programs, services  for displaced people and nautural disater reponse. We also support the Special Offerrings collected throughout the year for various Mission opportunities. www.ucc.org/disaster  

ONE GREAT HOUR OF SHARING

Gifts to this offering through the United Church of Christ support ministries of disaster relief, economic development, refugee resettlement, and health and social service in seventy countries, including the United States and Canada. Working with partner local churches and faith organizations, OGHS assists people to help themselves wherever in the world there are earthquakes and floods, poverty and hunger, disease and war.

NEIGHBORS IN NEED

Your generous support of Neighbors in Need supports the United Church of Christ's domestic ministries of justice and compassion. One-third of the offering supports the work of the Council for American Indian Ministry. The other two-thirds supports justice advocacy and direct service projects, including the United Church of Christ's Hunger Action Ministry, poverty reduction efforts, just-peace programs, and community grants.

STRENGTHEN THE CHURCH

Faithfully building the Body of Christ is the special mission offering of the United Church of Christ that engages all members in the growth and the future of local congregations and conferences.

Through our gifts, we further our commitment to be a multi-racial, multi-cultural, open, affirming and accessible church for all. Existing congregations are strengthened and renewed. Leadership is funded for new congregations. Programs for youth and young adults and local church leadership are all provided through your generosity.

THE CHRISTMAS FUND

Formerly known as the Veterans of the Cross, the Christmas Fund provides gift checks to retired clergy and their spouses, allows the Pension Board to respond to emergency needs of ministers and their families including small annuities and health care plan contributions.

SONSHINE SOUP KITCHEN

The Sonshine Soup Kitchen in Derry serves 30 to 40 dinners five nights per week at the first Baptist Church in Derry. Volunteers age 12 and over from local churches and organizations prepare and serve the meals. Home delivered meals are also provided to homebound people. Visit their web site.

HAMPSTEAD ECUMENICAL FOOD PANTRY

The Food Pantry is located at the Saint Anne's Roman Catholic Church on Emerson Avenue in Hampstead. The pantry is completely supported by donations of food, money, time and facility. The aim is to provide non-perishable food items to assist recipients to make meals when needed. Donations of money are primarily spent to purchase non-perishable food items and products to promote good hygiene.

COMMUNITY CAREGIVERS OF GREATER DERRY

58 East Broadway East Derry NH 03038

603-432-0877

Caregivers have been in existence for the past 15 years. The organization has focused on the needs of the elderly and the disabled in the greater Derry area. Services such as friendly visits, grocery shopping, light chores and medical transport are offered through caring and committed volunteers. Visit their website at www.comcaregivers.org  

HEIFER PROJECT INTERNATIONAL

Since 1944, HPI has helped more than 4 million impoverished families in approximately 110 countries and 35 states become more self-reliant through the gift of livestock and training in their care. A non-profit organization, rooted in the Christian tradition, HPI joins with people of faith everywhere to work for the dignity and well being of all people. HPI provides 24 types of food and income producing animals, as well as intensive training in animal husbandry, environmentally sound, sustainable farming practices and community development. www.heifer.org

CHURCH WORLD SERVICE

Church World Service is a ministry of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. in partnership with indigenous organizations in more than 70 countries; CWS supports sustainable self-help development, meets emergency needs, and helps address the root causes of poverty and powerlessness.

Within the U.S., Church World Service assists communities in responding to disasters, resettling refugees, promoting fair national and international policies, providing educational resources, and offering opportunities to join a people-to-people network of local and global caring through participation in CROP WALKS, the CWS Blanket Kit and Layette Program, and the Tools of Hope Program.

CROP is the name given to community-wide hunger education and fund raising events sponsored by Church World Service and organized by 25 Church World Service/CROP regional offices nationwide. www.churchworldservice.org

RUTH'S HOUSE

Haverhill, Massachusetts

Ruth's House Inc. is a private, non-profit, inter-faith thrift store. Specializing in helping the low income community throughout the Merrimack Valley and Southern New Hampshire by providing them with clothing free of charge and other household items at low cost, and helping them to restore and maintain their dignity and their self-esteem as a whole. 

EMMAUS HOUSE 

Emmaus House is a Family emergency shelter located at 150 How Street, Haverhill, MA which serves up to 15 families at one time. Guests benefit from a structured family environment, counseling, and referrals to outside agencies, and housing search assistance. Most families find permanent housing within 12 months. The average length of stay is 8 months.

NOBODY'S CHILDREN

Nobody's Children provides medical and humanitarian resources for needy children throughout the world.

The organization was founded in 1991 by Edward and Elaine Yourtee after experiences in Romania while adopting their son Jonathan. Moved by the plight of orphans in Romania, they organized their friends to make a limited contribution to improve the conditions they had seen. They also sought to leverage their efforts by working directly with Romanian doctors to improve their abilities to care for children. When a key volunteer from Romania moved to work in Bosnia, opportunities arose to help children from all factions who were left homeless by war. www.nobodyschildren.org

SEAFARER'S FRIEND - BOSTON, MA

Seafarer's Friend is an industrial ministry to persons who work on the seas. It continues the ministry of the Boston Seaman's Friend Society, founded in 1827 by a group of Congregational ministers meeting in the vestry of a Boston church. Society chaplains and volunteers serve seafarers aboard ships that call in New England ports, and provide education to seafarers in Martha's Vineyard. Branches are located in Portland, Maine; Portsmouth, New Hampshire; and on Martha's Vineyard. In addition to welcoming seafarers, Society volunteers and chaplains provide spiritual counsel and encouragement, offer Bibles and testaments, support seafarers in need, help seafarers who wish to communicate with their families, provide shore transportation, and share magazines and newspapers for crews to use while they are at sea. In addition to financial support through mission giving, personal grooming items, writing materials, games, puzzles, books and other items churches send are included in gift bags that chaplains and volunteers share with seafarers on board ships.

Contact people:  

Rev. Dr. Nash Garabedian, Jr., Port Chaplain, (603) 433-8921

HIGH SCHOOL MISSIONS TRIPS

Each year, our High School students have dedicated a week of service as the Lord leads them, to help others in need. Through fundraising to pay their own way, our Youth have traveled to Mission sites including Montreal, Maine, Florida, New Orleans and St. Louis.

CHRISTMAS TOY AND GIFT DRIVE

Since 2002, our Youth Groups have sponsored a Christmas Gift and Toy Drive for the New Hamsphire Deprtment of Human Services Foster Care program. Each year, hundreds of gifts and toys have been collected for Foster Children from church members and freinds, assuring that a Foster child will recieve at least one gift during the Holiday season. Over 1200 gifts have been donated and delivered since 2002.

BRIDGES OF LEARNING, INC.

Bridges of Learning, Inc. believes that sustained education holds the key to freedom: political, social, economic and religious. To this end, they provide educational materials to those children in the world who would not have access to them. Through this effort, not only will students be given the resources to aid in their education, but communities will be strenghtened as well.

   Bridges of Learning has been asked by USA Soldiers stationed in Afghanistan to help them equip schools in four areas of the country. Their current project, called the "Zena Team", is helping the soldiers build a school for 1000 girls and 1000 boys near Asadabad.

Bridges of Learning Inc.

22 Bracketts Point

Greenland, N.H. 03870

(603) 431-2270

 NEWBORNS IN NEED, INC.

Newborns in Need Inc. provides necessities to premature and newborn babies. Volunteers sew, knit, and donate quilts, blankets, clothing, and other necessary baby items for hospitalized infants, as well as special burial layettes for babies that die. All items are given free of charge to families in need. The Southern New Hampshire Chapter of Newborns in Need delivers thousands of handmade and donated baby items in New England every year. Patterns for handmade items are available at the church for items that are needed. Volunteers can work from home or in a group.

In addition to handmade items, Newborns in Need also collects new and gently-worn newborn clothing (sized "preemie" and "0-3 mos") that hospitals can send home with babies who lack the basic necessities. Layette items such as sleepers, onesies, shirts, pants and socks are needed.

www.newbornsinneed.org/newhampshire