Missions & The Food Pantry

Work with us on a Mission Project!

Sanctuary Photo by N. Holmes

The Food Pantry

The Dunbarton Food Pantry has been supplying food for those in need in the community for over 20 years and is supported by donations from members of the community. For more information, please call Patty Shearin at 774-3208.

Holiday food baskets are prepared twice a year for those in need. Members of the community donate items needed for these and the Teens help organize these baskets.

Photo by M. Venator

Food Pantry Sunday

The third Sunday of every month is "Food Pantry Sunday". Check the Clarion or local papers for the requested "Items of the Month" and bring your items with you to church if you would like to donate.

Mission Projects

Other church missions include providing holiday toys and food baskets for people in need, sponsoring a foster child in the Philippines, contributing to the nation-wide Heifer Project that supports struggling families around the world.

Recent mission trips hosted by our New Hampshire conference that our members and friends have participated in are Ghana and Biloxi, Mississippi. There are adult and senior high mission trips in February, March and April. I strongly encourage everyone to go at least once on a trip. You will meet new people who renew your connection with the spirit. The friendships gained and experiencing a new culture is very powerful. More on Biloxi

We have a CROP WALK. each year on Old Home Day. Part of the funds raised go to local soup kitchens.

Ongoing Sales of Fair Trade items

The Mission committee maintains a stock of Fair Trade Coffee by Cafe Monte Alto, Fair Trade Teas, and Hot Cocoa by Equal Exchange. Serrv items can be ordered from the Serrv catalog.

Prayer Shawl Knitting

Knitting Prayer Shawls is an ongoing ministry. We have a group of knitters who come together once a week for a night of knitting and tea. The Prayer shawls are given to people who are need of a "well-prayed over" shawl.

Farm Stand

We recently started up a farm stand in the last two summers. We set up tables and a few chairs in front of the Vestry with local farm produce. We have a table with fresh foods and one with breads, pies and other baked goodies. People from the community or passersby come through on their way home to pick up food. The real ministry of this farm stand is not the food, but how many people stay to chat. We brew some tea or drink lemonade and see how everyone's week is going.

Our Foster Child:

Our Foster Child is Jerome Salazar from the Philippines.

Road Side Clean up

We hold roadside clean ups in April, June, August and October on our stretch of highway on Rt. 13.

Missions Committee:

Chairman Nancy Lang at 774-3968, Jim Stone at 774-5711, Becca Ray at 774-5105 , Patty Shearin at 774-3208, Pat Sellars.

Back Bay Mission

Back Bay Mission in Biloxi, Mississippi is a UCC mission to help the people of Biloxi with ministry, food pantry and new housing. When hurricane Katrina hit, it wiped out the missions buildings too, but the people kept helping the community they love. When Becca went down in March 2007 the mission's new office with food pantry was built. The work groups who come to build houses still lived in double wide trailers with bunkrooms, kitchen and living room. Groups of people go down for a week to help rebuild houses. The group works all day on projects that meets their skill level. Becca learned how to put together manufactured flooring, which looks like wood. Her team finished a whole house worth of it in a week! Becca also brushed up her painting skills. Being on a church mission trip means that you can expect to go to a service in a local church. The group also had a night on the town to see what it is like to live there. http://www.backbaymission.com/workcamps.html Go to NH Conference site for info on this year's trips http://www.nhcucc.org/WitnessAction.htm

Church World Service Disaster Recovery Work Group Opportunities are still available

The Church World Service is the relief and development agency of the 36 denominations of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. Within the U.S., CWS assists communities in disaster response, resettles refugees, promotes fair national and international policies, provides educational resources, and offers opportunities to join a people-to-people network of local and global caring through participation in CROP WALKS, and Tools of Hope, Blanket , and Gift of the Heart Kits.

More information is available through the following links:

http://www.churchworldservice.org/news/katrina/tools.html

If you have any questions, please call the Mission Board Chair - Nancy Lang at 774-3968