CHRISTIAN OUTREACH

On behalf of the Congregation, the Outreach Committee seeks to increase support for the broader social service work in the community and the world.

In this capacity it supports many organizations and people, among others:

• Our Church’s Wider Mission – supporting the work of UCC around the world
• Sonoma Overnight Shelter (SOS)
• Friends in Sonoma Helping (FISH)
• Willmar Center – a service for children who have lost a parent or sibling
• Seeds of Learning – building schools in El Salvador and Nicaragua
• Reverend Peggy Harrell – prison ministry

During 2009 the Outreach Committee will continue to focus on "Hunger Near and Far" along with other worthy causes. Locally we have chosen to give a monthly contribution to the Brown Baggers. Women from FCC and CSS meet once a month in BH to prepare nutritious bag lunches, which are distributed locally to La Luz, Vineyard Workers Services, plus others in need of a nutritious lunch. Outside of the United States, Outreach has chosen to support organizations which address hunger in Haiti. Donations from Outreach have been sent to the "What If Foundation?" This foundation, started by Margaret Trost, provides funding for thousands of meals a week in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Margaret's presentation at an FCC Forum last year and her book "On That Day Everybody Ate" provided more details about the foundation's work. Currently Outreach is studying possible contributions to other organizations in Haiti such as Partners In Health and the Haiti Action Committee.

• On May 3 we have invited Margaret Trost of the What If? Foundation and Seth Donnelly of the Haiti Action Committee to attend and speak at church. Details haven't been finalized yet about the agenda. After church there will be a reception in BH with a table set up about Haiti.

• A very nice young woman, Ena, is applying for our Teens for Outreach and Learning Scholarship. The scholarship is given for a trip with Seeds of Learning to El Salvador in August. Ena is active in helping at the VOM Teen Center. Followup: Ena has now gone on the SOL trip and will be making a presentation to the congregation about her experiences in El Salvador both during and after worship on Sunday, Oct. 4.

• Outreach continues to support the Brown Baggers with a donation of $150 per month. The money is used to purchase ingredients for lunches for about 100 people in the valley who otherwise would not have a nutritious meal. The lunches are prepared once a month in Burlingame Hall by women from FCC and Congregation Shir Shalom.

• Outreach continues to find ways to fulfill its role to "promote the involvement of the Church in expressing its Christian concerns for the community and the world" per Church By-Laws for Outreach.

The "Teens for Outreach and Learning Scholarship" was established last year by the Outreach Committee. This year in August, with the assistance of this scholarship, we are hopeful another high school student from Valley of the Moon Teen Center will participate in a Seeds of Learning trip.

The Outreach Committee represents all of the congregation in selecting worthy causes which could benefit from contributions and also seeks to bring news and information to the congregation about the good being done for those in need.