“Neighbors in Need” Special Offering

Just who are these Neighbors in Need?

There are those in our society who have been denied opportunity and justice because of race or ethnicity; youth and seniors whose voices are too rarely respected; inner city and rural residents who are menaced by violence and environmental hazards, and people who have no one to turn to when facing employers who withhold their pay. All of these are our Neighbors in Need.

Also among our Neighbors are the 1 out of 5 American children who live in poverty. NIN cannot guarantee all of them the safe environment, nutritious diet, immunizations against disease, and early childhood education they need to fulfill their God-given potential. But our gifts can support the advocacy programs that bring these needs to the attention of our law-makers in government.

This offering, which we will receive on October 1st, supports ministries of justice and compassion throughout the United States. Two thirds of the offering is used to fund a wide array of local and national justice initiatives, advocacy efforts, and direct service projects. One third supports CAIM (the Council for American Indian Ministries).

Today there are 20 UCC congregations on reservations and one urban, multi-tribal UCC congregation in Minneapolis, Minnesota. These churches and their pastors are supported by CAIM, which is also an invaluable resource for more than 1,000 individuals from dozens of other tribes and nations who are members of other UCC congregations in the U.S.

Thank you for your support to this special offering, which will be dedicated on October 1, 2017, World Communion Sunday. Together we can continue to imagine another world is possible.

From your Board of Stewardship and Mission