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Coming Events

Sunday Schoool Teacher
& Diaconate Meetings
Sun Aug 22
After church

Church Council Meeting
Wed Aug 25
10am-4pm

Rally Day
Sun Sep 12 @ 10am

"Come to the Light"
Contemporary Worship Service
Sat Sep 25 @ 5pm

The Joy of Being 5 for 5 in Mission


An excerpt from the May 2008 issue of "Good NHews"

"What is joy? Well the Webster definition is the emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something exceptionally good or satisfying. Here at the First Congregational Church of Milford NH, that is what we feel when we know that we are giving to not only the local community, but also to the entire world. It is fundamental to give to the Basic Support since it provides funding for the core programs of UCC national ministries. But beyond that, it’s the Special Support that really comes from the heart.

The strongest point of the Special Support funding is that 100% of the contributions to the Special Support are forwarded on to the national ministries. The One Great Hour of Sharing helps with disaster relief, economic development and health care just to name a few. In giving to Strengthen Our Church we are supporting the growth and future of many congregations. Neighbors in Need focuses its efforts to eradicate hunger and the promotion of justice, peace and reconciliation. The Christmas Fund remembers those who serve the church.

By supporting the 5 for 5 we come closer to fulfilling God’s mission. As a congregation we can affect lives here in New Hampshire and around the world, in the name of Jesus Christ and that brings us great joy."

Carole Whittier, Chair
Board of Christian Missions & Outreach, First Congregational Church, UCC, Milford, NH
The May issue of "Good NHews" ia available here.

What is "5 for 5"?

In February of 2001, the United Church of Christ began a new denomination-wide pattern of four special mission offerings along with OCWM Basic Support to help support the work we do in Christ’s name. They are:

  1. Our Church’s Wider Mission’s Basic Support: To support the ministry and mission of UCC.
  2. One Great Hour of Sharing: Received as a Lenten offering to give help, hope and life to millions of people worldwide.
  3. Strengthen the Church: Through this Pentecost offering we share in the growth and future of the UCC, faithfully building the body of Christ.
  4. Neighbors In Need: Through this offering received on World Communion Sunday, we express our deep commitment to reaching out and touching neighbors with justice and compassion.
  5. The Christmas Fund: Through this Christmas offering we help meet a variety of compelling needs for active and retired clergy at times of financial crisis. This gives us an opportunity to gratefully remember those who serve God and the Church.

Your OCWM committee is pleased to announce that 13 churches of the New Hampshire Conference have committed themselves to be 5 for 5 in Mission and what a joyful enterprise it is for them and for the Conference as a whole!  The Five offerings express the faith, love, compassion, generosity, and commitment of the churches and truly help build a wholistic church and engage us as partners in Christ’s ministry at the state, nation and world levels.