Missions and Outreach

Missions and Outreach

Missions and Outreach

A strong tradition of service and mission sets our church apart. Whether in our work through the UCC or through programs in the Highland community, our family of faith gives of itself through its time, talents, gifts, prayers, and encouragement.

Church-Wide Programs

	Highland Food Pantry
	Meals-on-Wheel
	Adopt-a-Family
	Special Offerings
	Financial Support
	Community Groups

Sunday School Programs

	Stewardship
	Giving Projects
	Service Projects

Church-Wide Missions/Outreach Programs

Highland Food Pantry: Founded by EvUCC, the Highland Food Pantry is now located at 620 13th Street, and supported by the ecumenical Highland Area Christian Service Ministry and a number of volunteers from the church. The Pantry is open on weekday mornings and the mornings of the 1st and 3rd Saturday of each month. Call 654-9295 for more information.

Meals-on-Wheels: This meal program for shut-ins is supported by the ecumenical Highland Area Christian Service Ministry and many of our members. The meals are cooked at St. Joseph’s Hospital and distributed by volunteers.

Adopt-a-Family: This community-wide program was founded by a church member to support families in need through the holiday season by providing Thanksgiving and Christmas meals as well as Christmas gifts.

Special offerings: Our special offerings to the mission work of our denomination helps to bring relief to victims of war and natural disaster around the world, and to impoverished people in this country.

Financial support: Our church has provided financial support for many ministries in Southern Illinois and Missouri including Hoyleton Children’s Home, Emmaus Homes for the Retarded, Hitz Home, Eden Theological Seminary, Project H.O.P.E., Habitat for Humanity, United Church Neighborhood Houses, Faith Countryside Homes, and Kinder Cottage.

Community groups: A number of community groups use the church building including the Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, Al-Anon, Alcoholics Anonymous, and the Peppermint Pre-school. A number of special community programs are hosted here as well such as the early childhood screening for the Highland public schools, special dinners, and concerts.

Sunday School Outreach/Missions Programs

Stewardship
One part of being Christian is to be an active steward of all that God has entrusted to our care. This stewardship involves care of the earth, others, and ourselves. In teaching stewardship to children, it is important to begin teaching the habit of giving regularly. At the beginning of each school year students are issued boxes of giving envelopes. They are encouraged to bring an offering each week as they attend Sunday School or worship. Three quarters of our Sunday School offering is given to the Sunday School to support its work.

Missions Projects
This mission of the Christian church, from the earliest days, has been to bring the word of God to others, as well as to serve them. Thus, the children in the Sunday School learn about Christian missions to those outside the church through gifts of their money and through hands-on service projects.

Giving Projects - One quarter of the Sunday School Offering is designated for benevolence, gifts set aside to do good works for others.
Child Sponsorship	After sponsoring children in India and Sierra Leone over the past fifteen years, we have just begun sponsoring Francisco Adalberto Hernandez Cabrera in El Salvador. Francisco is currently nine years old. He lives with his father and mother, along with two other siblings. Sponsorship fees of $24 each month are paid by the Sunday School offering.
Food Pantry	A portion of the Sunday School offering giving supports the needs of the local food pantry. Previously housed in our church, the food pantry is now operated by the Highland Area Christian Service Ministry, an ecumenical group. While packaged goods are always welcome, there is always need for cash to purchase vouchers for perishable goods, prescriptions, and to replace items.
Kindercottage	Our church has a long-standing relationship with this East St. Louis day care center. A portion of the Sunday School offering giving is shared with them.
Service Projects - Children in the Sunday School program have the following opportunities among others to serve people outside of the church.
Highland Area Food Pantry	To help children understand that Christ told us to feed his sheep, many teachers will ask their classes to bring canned goods for the local food pantry. Our congregation founded the Pantry and handled its administration for many years. With its expansion, serving over 100 families at a time, it is now being housed in the Highland Area Christian Service Ministry office, 620 13th St., Highland (Phone: 654-9295).
Kindercottage	Kindercottage in East St. Louis is jointly supported by the United Church of Christ and the Presbyterian Church. It provides day care for children of low-income families. Our children help them with periodic collections of clothing, toys, and school supplies. At Christmas a tree is place in the hallway under which children can put wrapped gifts for the children of Kindercottage.
Church World Service School Kits and Health Kits	These small kits will be assembled in the fall and during Lent for use by Church World Service in disaster and refugee situations worldwide. More information will become available shortly before the project begins.
Heifer Project International	Heifer Project is devoted to supplying animals to the world’s rural poor in order to promote self-sufficiency in food and business. Through special contributions brought by our children we will support the purchase of bees, sheep, fish, cows, goats, etc.
One Great Hour of Sharing (OGHS)	Held on a Sunday in April in 2003, the OGHS offering is jointly administered by ten denominations throughout the United States. It is used internationally, primarily for disaster and refugee relief. The Sunday School is included in this offering as a way to help our children understand the need to give generously to others in need.

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