Mission Ministry
Submitted by our Mission Coordinators
Vision for Mission
Mission/Outreach is an integral part of VGCC ministries. We will pursue opportunities that are denominational and ecumenical, local and global, participatory and financial. Our mission and outreach will make a difference – empowering recipients, and inspiring givers to act in the spirit of Christ; exemplifying The Three Great Loves: Love of Neighbor, Love of Children, and Love of Creation.
Our local missions for 2024 were Chinook Center “People’s Pantry” and Sandwiches and Smiles, Family Promise, Inside-Out Youth Services, Los Pobres, and One Nation Walking Together.
All these missions are relational; several of our covenantal partners have hands-on involvement with each mission. Based, proportionally on previous giving, we allot a certain amount of our mission budget to each of these missions, and we commit to pay each one quarterly. We also support the UCC’s 5 for 5. Out of our mission budget, again
based on previous giving, we financially support Neighbors in Need, One Great Hour of Sharing, Our Churches Wider Mission, Strengthen the Church, and The Christmas Fund. We have met all our quarterly goals for 2024.
All our meetings are open. We generally meet after church on Zoom once a quarter.
Chinook Center, The People’s Grocery
www.chinookcenter.org
Submitted by Linda Coonley
Chinook Center is a progressive mission-driven community gathering space that empowers and connects people and a dozen grassroots organizations working for social, economic and environmental justice in the Pikes Peak region.
Vista Grande supports The People’s Grocery which distributes bags of groceries and offers household supplies from 12-2 each Sunday. The bags include fresh meat, fruits, vegetables and bread. We have helped to deliver to a senior apartment building and with picking up surplus food from businesses. This service is supported by Care and
Share of Southern Colorado as well as by food and monetary donations from the public. During 2024, Bill and Jerima King, Jud and Maggie Jussell and Linda Coonley have volunteered.
During Advent we collected non-perishable foods and household supplies and delivered a trunkful of items to the center.
Smiles and Sandwiches –
On the third Sunday of each month, sandwiches, snacks, clothing and personal supplies are distributed to unhoused folks at the Park and Ride under the Tejon St bridge. Joyce Michael, Bill and Jerima King, Kayan Cross, Dana Zimmerman and Dave Lee have acquired goods, delivered or distributed during the year
Vista Grande makes about 150 peanut butter and jam sandwiches on the Saturday before the third Sunday. Typically, between 5 and 10 folks gather to make and package sandwiches. Each maker brings two loaves of sandwich bread. During 2024, 22 different people participated. We remember fondly the most faithful maker and also the bringer of
toilet paper, Jackie Moore.
During Advent and at other times as requested, the Covenantal Partners donate smooth peanut butter and jam or preserves. (Jelly is hard to spread)
One Nation Walking Together (ONWT)
www.onenationwt.org
Submitted by Judy Druelinger
Our church has supported ONWT for a number of years. This organization provides services to people living on Native American Reservations in Montana, Wyoming, North and South Dakota, New Mexico, Colorado, and Arizona. They also help Native people living in Colorado Springs. They take request items to the various locations and help with projects that the different communities need. This year VGCC-UCC participated in One Nations food drive. During the summer we collected school supplies. This winter we collected toys for children living on reservations. We the people of VGCC can be very proud of our support of this wonderful organization. This is a mission that does
good things for our Native American neighbors. At the end of the year Judy resigned after being a champion for the organization for a long time and has turned the reins over to Barbara Bowen.
Family Promise
www.ihn-cos.org
Submitted by Donna Bristow
Exciting new developments that happened in 2024:
- FP launched a new mental health assistance program. Available to families in our prevention program, our shelter assistance program, or from the community at large, this is an exciting program that will further aid families facing homelessness.
- FP has outfitted and fully implemented our new Day House, where our families in shelter make and share meals, spend family time together, find community, have their case management meetings, and have a safe place of transition.
- FP received a beautiful display of how much this community cares about its families and the mission of Family Promise of Colorado Springs through an outpouring of donations and grants.
- Our own Zach Davis was hired at Family Promise as Volunteer
Manager.
VG participated in
A Fundraiser Breakfast held at The Antlers Hotel on April 10 and the Grand Opening of the Day House Social on Sept 7.
VG prepared meals for the families on
March 18; May 20; Sept 23; and Dec 5. As a support church, we help Central United Methodist Church when they host 4 weeks of the year.
Inside-Out Youth Services (IOYS)
www.insideoutys.org
Coordinator – OPEN
For the year 2024, we were without a coordinator, however we still helped out as we could. We supported the annual Gay-La event held on August 10. Inside Out settled into a new center on the west side. It is very accessible by COS bus service.
Your support matters
LGBTQIA2+ young people need spaces like Inside Out, spaces built for them, by them, and with them. LGBTQIA2+ young people need trusted adults, a community, and resources that help them live their fullest lives. Every contribution counts toward sustaining this vital work.
Los Pobres
Submitted by Jud Jusell
The Need:
- Lenten Drive (May 16): $1,100
- 44 Walmart gift cards ($25 each)
- Medicine bottles
- Summer Drive (Aug 1): $350
- School supplies and backpacks: $290
- Clothing donations: $60
- Miscellaneous items
- Christmas Drive (Dec 19): $920
- 26 Walmart gift cards ($25 each): $650
- Material donations: $270
- Men’s underwear and socks: $90
- Flour, cooking oil, and rice: $100
-
Miscellaneous items: $80
(Special thanks to Maggie Jusell for helping to plan, coordinate, and drive during these three trips.)
End-of-Year Trip: Carol Burbank and Dana Zimmerman accompanied Maggie and me on the December trip to Los Pobres. We met Sister Nancy, who gave us
a tour of the center’s operations.
Sister Nancy shared how Los Pobres is helping families prepare paperwork to ensure children left behind after parental deportation know where
their needed documents (birth certificates, family contact information, etc.) are so they can provide vital information to their future custodians. She also highlighted the significant impact deporting undocumented immigrants would have on key sectors of the U.S. economy, like agriculture and construction.
How to Pray: Pray for the resilience and strength of these families, and for them to be surrounded by compassion in the challenging days ahead. Ask for wisdom and calm decision-making in our federal, state, and local governments. Remember Sister Nancy and her 20 dedicated volunteers, many of whom are immigrants themselves,
as they work tirelessly to support their community.
Gratitude from Sister Nancy: Sister Nancy extends her deepest gratitude to VGCC for its unwavering support and the hope it brings to the families of Los Pobres.
Our Advent Mission Fest in kind donations helped provide our Covenantal Partners with many holiday items.
The UCC 5 for 5 Missions
One Great Hour of Sharing (OGHS) – supports international programs of health, education and agricultural development, relief, and refugee assistance. Strengthen the Church – This offering grows the UCC’s future by funding The Stillspeaking Ministry, new and renewing churches, youth and young adult ministries, and lay and pastoral leadership formation. Neighbor in Need (NIN) – This offering supports the UCC’s ministries of justice and compassion throughout the United States. The Christmas Fund – Proceeds are used to provide gifts to clergy and lay employees in all stages of their lives and ministries to and through the UCC. Our Churches Wider Mission (OCWM) – This was paid through our General Budget. Unlike mission-directed giving, OCWM Basic Support allows the Conference to retain a supportive staff that provides necessary guidance and resources to support the health and vitality of our churches; 78% remains in the RMC and 22% supports the National Office.