Community Outreach
The UU Church of Nashua has community outreach at the center of our core values. We strive to have an active presence in the community and look for areas where we can lend a hand. Our goal is not just to provide financial assistance, but also to encourage congregational participation, and to raise awareness among members of the associated social and economic issues.
We support two types of outreach programs:
Sunday Collections
In September of 2003, we initiated a program of collections during our Sunday services to be devoted entirely to community outreach. Every month we choose an organization to receive funds raised through our outreach collections, and invite a representative to speak at a Sunday service to talk about their organization and describe how the funds will be used. Then each Sunday throughout the month we "pass the basket" during the service to give all friends and members of the congregation the opportunity to contribute. Through December 2010, we have raised over $120,000.
Many community organizations have benefited from our outreach collections. They include the Greater Nashua Dental Connection, Nashua Pastoral Care, Nashua Soup Kitchen & Shelters, White Wing School, Nashua Area Health Center, Greater Nashua Interfaith Hospitality Network, Hillsboro County South Child Advocacy Center, Harbor Homes, Bridges, Adult Learning Center, and Habitat for Humanity. We have also extended our outreach past local geographical borders to support such programs as hurricane relief in Haiti and educational scholarships for young women in Afghanistan.
We invite local non-profit organizations to submit a request for funds using the Sunday Outreach Collections form.
Strategic Outreach
In addition to helping community organizations with our financial contributions, we hold as one of our values the desire to "make a difference" in our community, and along with that, experience the growth, the deepened understanding, and the commitment that comes back to us as a congregation. It is a project of this kind - one that evolves over a longer term, involves more of the congregation, targets a larger financial amount, and serves to teach us and reinforce our values - that we envision as "strategic outreach."
Our church is not currently involved in a strategic outreach project, but if you have an idea and some energy to put into it, you'll find a receptive congregation with a willingness to listen, support your idea, and offer different (and wonderful) levels of participation.
How to Get Involved
The Community Outreach programs are currently being managed by the Community Action Team, a subcommittee of the Social Justice Committee. They meet monthly to consider all outreach requests, assure communication with every requestor, and firm up the outreach calendar for Sunday services.
If you have any interest in or questions about our outreach programs, please contact the church office.
