Outreach Activities
Church Outreach:
The Outreach Team sends cards each week to our homebound, sick, grieving, celebrating, basically all of our members and friends throughout the year, to let them know we are thinking of them.
Community Outreach programs:
Blessings in a Backpack
The Outreach Team participates with other churches in the community to help provide school aged children in need with nutritious meals that they do not have at home. Through this program backpacks are packed with food for the weekend and distributed on Friday afternoons.
Food Pantry
Our church donates to the Love INC and Salvation Army food pantries. We strongly encourage weekly donations, which can be placed in the rear entry. Along with weekly donations, a few times per year we have a “Food Drive” and challenge members of our congregation to bring in extra donations to help restock the shelves of the food pantries. We thank you for your contributions to those that are in need.
Boot Closet
The Love INC Boot Closet is housed at the First Congregational Church. It is a repository for new and gently-used winter boots of all sizes, donated by Churches and members of the community. Persons needing winter boots first contact the Love INC office for eligibility determination and then may be directed to the Church for boot selection. Once a year, a Bunch of Boots event is held at which approved individuals and families may attend to select boots. Priority is given first to children throughout the year.
School Supplies
At the beginning of each school year, The First Congregational Church participates Back-To-School event, sponsored by Love INC. Families, qualified by Love INC, attend with their children And receive school supplies which have been donated by individuals, businesses, community organizations, and churches. For more information, individuals and/or families should contact the Love INC office.
Community Table
Community Table is a faith based meal assistance program provided by a network of Manistee area churches and organizations. A nutritious meal is served every Tuesday from 5:30 – 7pm at St. Joseph Parish Center. All are welcome who are in need of a simple, good, hot meal or just friendly companionship. We expect about 200 people at every dinner.
Many of these services and community resources are brought to the community by Love INC (Love In the Name of Christ) Manistee County