Each month on the first Sunday of every month we take an offering for local, regional and worldwide organization that provide help to the poor, marginalized and disenfranchised.

 

January - Big Brothers/Big Sisters

Big Brother/Big Sisters provides quality volunteer and professional services primarily through mentoring and leadership development, to make a positive difference to Buck County youth enabling them to achieve their highest potential as they grow to become responsible adults.

 

For more information: www.bbs.org

February - Local 2010

Support the Social Action Committee at Salem to keep activities underway at Salem to support the needs of our local community.

• Collection of food and other non-perishable items each week.
• A Salem family is providing meals once a month to residents of A Woman's Place.
• Some members have gotten permission to collect food at their place of work, neighborhood, or other places where people gather.
• A box for food collection at Freeman Hall for the Sunday School children to be a part of this activity.
• Collections of Acme tapes bring Salem funds to help continue our work. Acme tapes should be placed in the window sill box in the Assembly Room. Genuardi club card can be registered with the escrip program to earn money each time you shop.
• Groups/families within the congregation adopt a family through the "Secret Santa" holiday giving program.
• The "sleep out" for the homeless by our young people called attention to the plight of the homeless.

March - One Great Hour of Sharing

One Great Hour of Sharing (OGHS) is the relief, refugee and development fund of the United Church of Christ. It is one of the Special Mission Offerings received by the United Church of Christ as a part of Our Churches Wider Mission (OCWM).

 

Through One Great Hour of Sharing, we reach out in the name of Christ to:

• Build sustainable communities. OGHS supports self-help programs in more than 80 nations to build sustainable communities that enable people and communities to stand against and rise above hunger, disease, illiteracy, and other forces of injustice that deny and destroy dignity.
• Respond to disaster. OGHS provides emergency and long-term assistance to people in the aftermath of hurricanes, tornadoes, storms, floods, tidal waves, fires, explosions, technological disasters, civil strife, war, or other natural or human-caused events. On average, OGHS responds to a disaster once every 2.5 days.
• Minister to refugees. OGHS responds with advocacy and help, hope and hospitality for people who have been uprooted from their home of origin. More than 30 million of the world's people are uprooted at any given time.

For more information: www.ucc.org/oghs/

April - Biloxi Back Bay Mission

Back Bay Mission was founded in 1922 as an outreach effort of the First Evangelical Church of Biloxi whose members responded with compassion and service to the needs of poor "fisher folk" living in deplorable conditions along the Back Bay of Biloxi, Mississippi. Since then, Back Bay Mission has continually grown its services and ministries, always keeping the impoverished and marginalized at the center of its concern. Although there were no longer any UCC congregations in Biloxi or in the state of Mississippi by the early 1970s, Back Bay Mission remained to offer a witness of the United Church of Christ. Its commitment is to be faithfully responsive to the emerging and critical needs of God's people, ever seeking a day of greater justice and peace.

 

Back Bay Mission:

• Provides opportunities for churches and groups in helping to rebuild Mississippi after Hurricane Katrina. Workcamps are scheduled weekly.
• Provides financial assistance for rent/mortgage/utility relief, prescription drugs and transportation, information and referral services and case management.
• Provides permanent affordable housing for homeless and disabled persons.

For more information: www.backbaymission.com

May - Phoebe Home/Wyncote

Phoebe Ministries is a non-profit, multi-facility organization specializing in healthcare, housing and support services for senior adults throughout eastern and central Pennsylvania. Affiliated with the United Church of Christ, Phoebe Ministries offers 16 Phoebe communities that provide a variety of living options and levels of care to suit the diverse needs and desires of senior adults. These services include long-term care, short-term rehabilitation, specialized programs for persons with cognitive diseases such as Alzheimer's and respite care.

 

Wyncote Church Home is a residential community of Phoebe Ministries. Wyncote Church Home has 58 skilled and intermediate nursing care beds and 26 apartments for those 65 or older who can live independently.

 

For more information: www.phoebe.org

June - Strengthen the Church

Strengthen the Church is one of four special mission offerings within the United Church of Christ (UCC). It grows the UCC's future by:

• Funding new church starts and invigorating existing congregations
• Nurturing lay and pastoral leadership
• Building youth and young adult ministries
• Supporting the God is Still Speaking Ministry and its extravagant welcome for all within the United Church of Christ.

July - A Woman's Place

A Woman's Place (AWP) provides a full range of assistance and support services for victims of domestic abuse and violence and their children, including a free 24-hour confidential hotline, a full-service residential shelter, individual and group counseling, legal and medical advocacy, and a children's program. As domestic violence is a community issue, requiring community effort and support to successfully eradicate, AWP also provides comprehensive community-based domestic violence training, education, outreach, and advocacy.

 

For more information: www.awomansplace.org

August - Neighbors in Need

Neighbors in Need (NIN) are a special mission offering of the United Church of Christ (UCC) that supports ministries of justice and compassion throughout the United States. One-third of NIN funds support the Council for American Indian Ministry (CAIM). Two-thirds of the offering is used by the UCC's Justice and Witness Ministries (JWIM) to support a variety of justice initiatives, advocacy efforts, and direct service projects.

 

For more information: www.ucc.org/nin/

September - Habitat for Humanity

Habitat for Humanity of Bucks County's mission is to build affordable homes, better lives, stronger families, and safer communities through partnerships with people and organizations throughout Bucks County. They bring individuals, families and communities together to build affordable homes with those in need. They are a Christian ministry that calls on people regardless of religious preference or cultural background to make simple, affordable housing a matter of conscience and action in Bucks County.

 

For more information: www.habitatbucks.org

October - Bethany Children's Home

Bethany Children's Home provides residential services for a school-age, co-ed population who are unable to live with their own or a substitute family. Typically, these young people require more structure, more elaborate programming, and more highly-trained staff than is possible in a smaller group setting. Founded in 1863 and related to the United Church of Christ, Bethany serves more than 300 youth each year on its Womelsdorf, PA campus. Additionally, through its Counseling Ministry, Bethany annually provides counseling services to over 600 families throughout the region.

 

For more information: www.bethanyhome.org

November - Meals on Wheels

Meals on Wheels of Central Bucks County, Inc. bring meals to those who are elderly and homebound. Meals on Wheels allow senior citizens to remain in their homes, rather than relocating to nursing homes. It also provides welcome social contact for those who are homebound.

December - Christmas Fund

The Christmas Fund Offering (formerly the Christmas Fund for the Veterans of the Cross) is one of four Special Mission Offerings of the United Church of Christ (UCC). The Offering is administered by the United Church Board for Ministerial Assistance of the Pension Boards on behalf of the UCC and it is an expression of joy and gratitude to, and for, those who serve the church.

 

Gifts to the Christmas Fund help provide pension and health premium supplementation to low-income retirees, emergency assistance to the families of clergy and lay employees.

 

For more information: www.christmasfund.org

Advent - FISH

FISH provides food and/or shelter in cases of emergency to those in need in Buck County. Two members, represent Salem as volunteers for the FISH organization.

Lent - Bread for the World

Bread for the World is a collective Christian voice urging our nation's decision makers to end hunger at home and abroad by changing policies, programs and conditions that allow hunger and poverty to persist.

Learn More About Missions

 

Salem Ministries