Outreach Ministry Team
Furthering Friedens’ mission to SHARE THE LOVE OF CHRIST NEAR AND FAR
The Outreach Ministry Team has the responsibility to oversee the major benevolent activities of Friedens UCC. The team publicizes opportunities for the congregation to participate in these activities through prayer, volunteering time, and financial giving.
Organizations have been selected based mainly on whether their mission/purpose aligns well with the Mission, Vision and Values of Friedens church, considering their particular needs and the impact our giving can have to enhance their ability to accomplish their own goals of service to people.
Our current team consists of Co-chairs - Tim & Ellen Tjarks with Terri Costello, Mike Hastings, Sharon Hedegard, Sue Reinhard, Joe Stuteville working together in various capacities. If you have questions, their contact information is available from the church directory or you may contact the church office to have one of the team get in touch with you by phone or email.
OUR GOALS
It is the goal of the OUTREACH TEAM to work together with the congregation and friends of Friedens to provide encouragement and support for the ministries and mission of our local and global partners. We welcome suggestions from the Friedens congregation, and will evaluate each recommended organization according to the stated criteria before agreeing to offer our support.
We also want to keep the congregation informed of what we are able to do for our various partners through Mission Moments at worship, articles in the church newsletter, regular reports to the Council Of Ministries and a published Annual Report.
OUR GIVING
The support we provide includes:
Monetary gifts from the church budget to local partner organizations, and to support our connected seminarians.
Special offerings/collections to offer the congregation opportunities to support additional giving (Denominational UCC offerings - One Great Hour of Sharing, Neighbors In Need, Christmas Fund for retired pastors) and occasional others as needs are presented and approved
Donations of food or other requested items for the groups we support
Encouragement to volunteer for members and friends to give their time to support the work these groups do. (Links to websites where volunteers can sign up)
Providing reminders to PRAY for the work, the workers and those who need their help.
WHO RECEIVES OUR GIFTS
Some of the support we provide stays in the LOCAL community. Currently, it includes:
Weekender Food Packs for over 70 food-insecure students at Glenns Valley Elementary School and Perry Township Preschool.
Hunger, Inc. (Local food pantry) - ongoing collection of peanut butter in addition to annual financial support. See www.hungerinc.org .
Exodus Refugee Immigration - yearly budgeted contribution, and additional giving every 3rd year from our Giving Tree and Christmas In July collections. See www.exodusrefugee.org
Wheeler Mission Ministries - yearly budgeted contribution, and additional giving every 3rd year from our Giving Tree and Christmas In July collections. See www.wheelermission.org
Perry Township Senior Services - yearly budgeted contribution, and additional giving every 3rd year from our Giving Tree and Christmas In July collections. See www.perryseniors.org
HOOP (Helping Our Own People) - Food for the homeless in Indianapolis. One Sunday each month, volunteers prepare meals with donated food, and others delivers to the homeless at several sites in the downtown Indianapolis area. See www.hoopindy.weebly.com
Garden Plot for community garden in partnership with St. Barnabas Catholic Church that provided fresh produce for St. Anthony’s Food Pantry in Indianapolis.
Free meeting space for several local non-profit groups, including a Boy Scout troop & a Cub Scout troop, 3 chapters of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), a chapter of Overeaters Anonymous (OA), Hill Valley Homeowners Association, and others. (Several other groups pay a modest fee to use parts of our campus.)
We also provide financial support to the UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST and to several of its ministries (Global Ministries, seminaries, residential facilities, etc.). This denominational support is financial and is part of the Annual Budget of our church. Of the amount we contribute to the Indiana-Kentucky Conference of the UCC, 80% remains and 20% goes to the national office.
See www.ucc.org
Beyond the local community, Friedens provides support to NATIONAL and INTERNATIONAL groups. These currently include:
Meeting space and sponsorship of a local chapter of BREAD FOR THE WORLD, an organization that has the goal of advocating political policies that reduce hunger, both within the US and around the world. Their main vehicle for this is through letter-writing events called “Offerings of Letters”. Friedens sponsors one event in the spring and one in the fall. Last November, Friedens’ chapter delivered over 300 letters from members and friends of the church. See www.bread.org or www.breadindiana.org
Meeting space for the U.S. COAST GUARD AUXILIARY (Indiana Chapter)
Prayer support for our Global Ministry Partners working around the world - especially our partner Sean Amato in Cairo, Egypt.
We are always grateful to hear from the Global Ministries personnel and partners. Thank you to Kaitlin (a Global Ministries Intern) who was willing to share with the Treasure Seekers children’s ministries.