An old, popular UCC bumper sticker once proclaimed, "To believe is to care. To care is to do." If there is any single trait that UCC members share in common it’s our commitment to building a better world. Our faith compels us to change things – through our advocacy, our service, our financial gifts, our prayers and our personal growth and understanding. In the UCC, 'witnessing' is not insisting that others must believe exactly as you do. Instead, we witness to our love and faith in Jesus by working for justice for the marginalized and oppressed.
At First Congregational UCC, our members believe in giving back. Every Sunday our members bring food for the Food Pantry of Lake Geneva which is located in our downstairs fellowship hall. We support the mission and ministry of Side by Side by providing a space for them to meet and donating our time and money to their work of offering assistance to families in crisis. Our church office provides the help people need by serving as the local agent for Hometown Energy Assistance. We also have a knitting group that knits prayer shawls given to those who are sick or suffering, baby blankets for new babies, hats, and many other items.
At the end of every summer we collect school supplies for local school children. In the fall we participate in the offering for Neighbors in Need that supports ministries of justice and compassion throughout the United States. At Christmas we have a giving tree that allows us to provide gifts to local families and we ring the bell for the Salvation Army. In the spring we take an offering for One Great Hour of Sharing that carries God's message of love and hope to people in more than eighty countries. On Mother’s and Father’s Day we send money to Church world services in order to send blankets and tools to support sustainable development, meet emergency needs, aid refugees, and address the causes of poverty and powerlessness. These are just a few of the ways we serve our community.
How can I get involved?
Local Mission
Lake Geneva Food Pantry: Open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday 9-11:30 am. Located in the basement of our building. Shopping List: Canned Soup, Macaroni and Cheese, Breakfast Cereal, Canned vegetables, Crackers, Flour , Sugar, Juice, Canned Fruit, Stuffing Mix, Pasta, Spaghetti Sauce, Canned Dinners, Boxed Dinners, Laundry Detergent, Bath Soap, Deodorant, Toothpaste, Shampoo, Toilet Paper. Donations of food, time and money are always welcome.
Side by Side: 3rd Tuesday of the Month at 7:00 pm. Side by Side meets with families in crisis to offer them assistance. This frequently involves emergency assistance and finding the community resources to help with their need.http://www.sidebysidelakegeneva.org
Crop Walk: Ending Hunger One Step at a Time. Held in the fall in Williams Bay.
World Missions
One Great Hour of Sharing: The UCC works with international partners, and together we provide support to health, education, refugee, agricultural, and emergency relief initiatives. http://www.ucc.org/oghs/
Neighbors in Need: is a special mission offering of the UCC that supports ministries of justice and compassion throughout the United States. http://www.ucc.org/nin/
Church World Services: works with partners to eradicate hunger and poverty and to promote peace and justice around the world. Together we reach out to neighbors in need near and far--not with a hand out, but a hand up. http://www.churchworldservice.org
Imagine Another World is Possible...
What does the Lord require of you but to do justice and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God? Micah 6:8
Our
Christian Educators leading the kid's zone at the Lake Geneva Memory
Walk to end Alzheimer's.
Our Mission and Outreach Team spent a beautiful October weekend raising money for the Lake Geneva Area Food Pantry located in our building.