Check out these groups. They typically include meals and a program, in addition to other activities:

• Women's Fellowship
• Men's Fellowship
• Coalition of Laity for Lesbian and Gay Equality (COLLAGE)
• Sunday Meals Out, Friendship Club, Golf, Bridge, Movie Night and Discussion
• Holiday Meals - Thanksgiving and Christmas

Our comprehensive music program plays a vital role in worship and the educational life of this church. Even if your participation is hymn singing only, you likely will sense its importance in your life. The sanctuary pipe organ plays a central role in our worship. Hand bell choir and other instrumental ensembles, along with guest musicians, inspire our worship services.

We have a graded choir program offering music education offering music education and worship skills for our youth ages four years through high school. Two adult choirs provide the choral leadership for worship services, combining their skills to present concerts with orchestra.

Other activities planned by the music and fine arts program include plays and art displays.

“They should be rich in good works and should give generously to those in need, always being ready to share with others whatever God has given them.” 1 Timothy 6:18

Our Legacy of Outreach: Our church has a tradition of taking monetary donations twice a year, at the Christmas and Easter Love Offerings. Your generous support of the Christmas Love Offering helps the homeless, hungry, and needy within our own local area. The Easter Love Offering is focused outside our local area and supports our church’s worldwide mission. As needed, we also take special offerings for emergency relief and disaster assistance. Each year, over $40,000 in donations provides support to 15-20 different agencies. In addition to monetary donations, we support a number of local agencies by providing space, volunteers, and hard good items. Locally, our church members provided more than 1400 volunteer hours each month to over 54 local agencies and an additional 320 volunteer hours annually to Back Bay UCC Mission in Biloxi, Mississippi. We support the local Salvation Army with Christmas Bell Ringers, Angel Tree gifts to more than 60 children each year, and Christmas stockings for families and seniors. Mission Teams in the church are also active in supporting a number of other outreach initiatives such as Blanket Sunday, Neighbors in Need, CROP Walk, Bread for the World, Hunger Sunday, Family Promise, SHARE, Habitat for Humanity, All Faiths Food Bank and Resurrection House Collections.

Christmas Love Offering: Acting Locally. Each Christmas, our special offering supports local agencies such as food banks, homeless shelters, child and adult protective programs, affordable housing initiatives, services for the disabled or ill, foster care adjunct programs, adoption programs, and community action programs. A portion of the Christmas Love Offering is also earmarked for the United Church of Christ Christmas Fund which provides pension support and emergency assistance to clergy families in need.

Easter Love Offering: Acting Globally. Each Easter, our special offering targets worldwide hunger and disaster assistance, United Church of Christ Missions in needy areas, “Strengthening the Church” by supporting new church starts, theological seminaries and pastoral education, and international sponsorship programs. A portion of the Easter offering is earmarked for One Great Hour of Sharing, uniting our congregation with other UCCs and other denominations to provide clean water, food, education, health care, small business micro-credit, emergency relief and advocacy/resettlement for refugees and displaced persons.

Interested in Volunteering or Learning More? SNOWBIRDS, TOO! For questions specific to 1st Congregational UCC, leave a note in the Board of Outreach box in the church office. You can also contact any Board of Outreach member directly – contact the church office for the current list/contact information for Board of Outreach members. For volunteer opportunities, both in our local area and nationwide, check out these popular web sites and put in your zip code to see what’s needed in your area (this is especially helpful for those of you who spend part of the year in several different locations). VolunteerMatch.org OR 1-800-Volunteer.org

Our church has been instrumental in developing various community projects over the years such as

• New College, a UCC-affiliated school during the first seven years beginning in 1964.
• Plymouth Harbor, a retirement facility
• Orchard Place, a 40 unit HUD facility for physically challenged adults
• LifeLink adoption agency on our grounds