Mission Outreach had a very successful year in 2022, thanks to our generous congregation!
We added some new projects to our list last year, including a backpack project for the Berea City School District. Those donations were collected through a Penny Sunday collection in August.
Also, Girl Scout Troop #71363 set up a Little Library of hygiene products, such as deodorant, toothbrushes/toothpaste, shampoo, and soap, on our church’s property. They are stocking it for anyone in the community who has a need.
We also added the emergency response kits in which our congregation so generously donated. We were able to fill a total of 92 cleaning, hygiene, and school supply buckets that were sent down to Kentucky following severe weather.
We, once again, collected donations of candy bars, socks, and notes from our Sunday Schoolers for our veterans’ project at Christmastime. We were able to fill approximately 60 bags which were then handed off to Church Street Ministries in Berea.
There was another successful mitten tree collection which we do every year. Those donations were given to an inner-city school in Cleveland and the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless.
After much discussion and thought, Mission Outreach voted to suspend our contributions to Caroline who lives in India. Our congregation has so generously been helping Caroline through monthly monetary donations. However, we have not heard from her. After many attempts to contact the organizers of this outreach, the decision was made to focus on helping Ukrainian families settle in the Strongsville area.
As an ongoing mission, we continue to collect non-perishable foods for the Strongsville Emergency Food Bank. We had a very successful peanut butter drive for the food bank in addition to the ongoing support. Plus, our Panera Bread ministry is distributed to the needy in Cleveland twice a week.
There was also a donation of power tools to UCC Outdoor Ministries Templed Hills Camp.
WEDNESDAY FREE LUNCH FOR ALL (Call for to-go meals at 440-238-5389 by Tuesday at 2 p.m.)
Every Wednesday from 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., our church members prepare and serve lunch to anyone who needs a meal and warm fellowship. To-go meals are also available.
WE ARE A 5 FOR 5 CHURCH!
We participate in the Strengthen the Church, One Great Hour of Sharing, Neighbors in Need, Christmas Fund (Veterans of the Cross), and the Our Church’s Wider Mission offerings.
MISSION AND OUTREACH COMMITTEE
“God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work.” 2 Corinthians 9:8
