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| Five parish volunteers from First Congregational Church of Hanover joined Rev. Peter Johnston in an emergency relief effort to provide food and clothing for an influx of unhoused individuals and families to the communities of Kingston and Plymouth, courtesy images |
Editor’s Note:
We have updated our recent article on the mobilization of volunteers in support of the arrival of unhoused individuals on the South Shore to show the collaborative efforts of multiple UCC churches in the area. The original article, published 10/31/22, is located at the end of the this article.
Multiple Local UCC Churches Jump in to Aid
On Friday, October 28, 2022, Rev. Patty Kogut, the Area Conference Minister for the Southeast Region of the Southern New England Conference UCC, received a call from the Rev. Nell Fields of the Waquoit Congregational Church in Falmouth, concerning information about an emergency situation that was developing in Plymouth and Kingston, MA.
Due to high demand in the shelter system, and with no notice to town officials, the Massachusetts Office of Housing and Economic Development was placing families in temporary shelters in hotels in Plymouth and in Kingston, until more permanent shelter or housing could be found. The 100+ arrivals included more than 60 children, and many were undocumented immigrants originating from Haiti or Central America, who spoke little or no English.
Rev. Fields had been involved in assisting with the recent shelter and aid situation on Martha’s Vineyard and felt there was an opportunity for local UCC churches to serve.
Kogut contacted Rev. Bill Ferguson at the Pilgrim Church UCC in Duxbury, MA and Rev. Peter Johnston at First Congregational Church Hanover (FCCH) to discuss what ministry might be done; and what a response!
“When the call came from our regional UCC minister there was no question that we would immediately assemble and help,” said Rev. Peter Johnston, lead pastor of FCCH. “We serve as a community that welcomes all, and this was an opportunity to fulfill that commitment, ignite compassion and propel our faith into action.”
Ferguson and Johnson immediately got to work.
After contacting FCCH’s diaconate, the church’s Outreach and Service Ministry, and speaking with Hanover Food Pantry Director Sally Boutin, Johnston coordinated a food pantry pickup of donated groceries and coats. He then mobilized the volunteers to meet him at the church’s kitchen. Spanning just a few short hours, the group of half a dozen transformed the groceries into a substantial prepared hot meal, packaging many servings of barbecue chicken, rice, corn and freshly baked cookies. The group loaded the food and coats into vehicles, creating a delivery caravan, and headed to the Plymouth site.
After speaking with the Plymouth Area Coalition for the Homeless Director, Suzanne Giovanetti, the Duxbury Church Mission Committee created two online sign-up forms so churches and organizations could join in and take responsibility for providing lunch and dinners at both hotel shelter locations.
By Monday, November 3rd, over 2500 meals were claimed by area churches and organizations. In addition to the Hanover UCC and Duxbury UCC churches taking responsibility for several meals, the Pilgrim Association churches of the SNEUCC joined in with meals and donations, including the Second Congregational Church UCC in Cohasset, Quincy Point Congregational Church UCC, Christ Congregational Church UCC in Brockton, Lakeville United UCC, United Parish of Carver UCC, as well as the North Congregational Church UCC and the Dennis Union Church from the Barnstable Association.
Donations from UCC church thrift shops provided clothing and many donated funds to purchase items that might not be covered by donations. Interfaith responses poured in from other churches in Duxbury, Kingston and Plymouth, volunteering to provide meals, as well as from the Duxbury Senior Center. A huge donation of breads and pastries and staples were donated from Trader Joe’s to assist in making sandwiches. Young and older church groups participated in preparing meals. The Duxbury church Youth Group made lunch with sandwich bags listing the contents in English and Creole.
“This was an opportunity to ‘Be the Church’ in a large context, for the first time in several years”, said Senior Minister Rev. Bill Ferguson. “Response from both churches and the community was so amazing, generous, and immediate. They truly lived the words and teachings of Jesus Christ as we find in Matthew 25; “ For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’”
Pausing a moment to reflect on the sudden call to serve, and the overwhelmingly immediate response by parish volunteers, Johnston commented, “Jesus didn’t feed people based on their life circumstances; Jesus fed people because they were hungry.”
Kogut explains that the churches were following the call from the United Church of Christ Statement of Faith, “’You call us into your church to accept the cost and joy of discipleship, to be your servants in the service of others…”
Kogut invites all who would like to contribute to the efforts being conducted at local shelters and organizations in service to people who are in need to do so through their local UCC churches.
Photos: Photos used with permission. First Congregational Church of Hanover is the owner of the rights to use the photos.
Original article published 10/31/22
Hanover Church Volunteers Mobilize in Support of Unhoused Influx on South Shore
Members of First Congregational Church Hanover (FCCH) instantly mobilized at the end of October to answer the regional call to support the sudden arrival of more than 100 unhoused individuals on the South Shore. Divided into two groups, the arrivals include more than 60 children, transported with little notice to temporary locations in Kingston and Plymouth by the MA Department of Community and Development (MDHD), under its emergency shelter and assistance programs. Many are undocumented immigrants originating from Haiti or Central America, who speak little or no English.
“The call came from our regional UCC minister,” shares Rev. Peter Johnston, lead pastor of FCCH. “There was no question that we would immediately assemble and help. We serve as a community that welcomes all, and this was an opportunity to fulfill that commitment, ignite compassion and propel our faith into action.”
Rev. Johnston noted that the assistance request originated from the United Church of Christ’s (UCC) Southern New England Conference (SNEUCC), of which FCCH is a member parish. He was informed that the unhoused were relocated to temporary locations, with 27 families diverted to Kingston and 12 families to Plymouth. With the region’s established shelters full and services tapped due to high demand for housing, those transported were in immediate need of meals, clothing and diapers. He immediately took action, reaching out to five FCCH parishioners who jumped at the opportunity to assist and volunteer their efforts to make a difference.
After contacting FCCH’s diaconate, the church’s Outreach and Service Ministry, and speaking with Hanover Food Pantry Director Sally Boutin, Rev. Johnston coordinated a food pantry pickup of donated groceries and coats. He then mobilized the volunteers to meet him at the church’s kitchen. Spanning just a few short hours, the group of half a dozen transformed the groceries into a substantial prepared hot meal, packaging many servings of barbecue chicken, rice, corn and freshly baked cookies. The group loaded the food and coats into vehicles, creating a delivery caravan, and headed to the Plymouth site.
We have updated our recent article on the mobilization of volunteers in support of the arrival of unhoused individuals on the South Shore to show the collaborative efforts of multiple UCC churches in the area. The original article, published 10/31/22, is located at the end of the this article.
Multiple Local UCC Churches Jump in to Aid
On Friday, October 28, 2022, Rev. Patty Kogut, the Area Conference Minister for the Southeast Region of the Southern New England Conference UCC, received a call from the Rev. Nell Fields of the Waquoit Congregational Church in Falmouth, concerning information about an emergency situation that was developing in Plymouth and Kingston, MA.
Due to high demand in the shelter system, and with no notice to town officials, the Massachusetts Office of Housing and Economic Development was placing families in temporary shelters in hotels in Plymouth and in Kingston, until more permanent shelter or housing could be found. The 100+ arrivals included more than 60 children, and many were undocumented immigrants originating from Haiti or Central America, who spoke little or no English.
Rev. Fields had been involved in assisting with the recent shelter and aid situation on Martha’s Vineyard and felt there was an opportunity for local UCC churches to serve.
Kogut contacted Rev. Bill Ferguson at the Pilgrim Church UCC in Duxbury, MA and Rev. Peter Johnston at First Congregational Church Hanover (FCCH) to discuss what ministry might be done; and what a response!
“When the call came from our regional UCC minister there was no question that we would immediately assemble and help,” said Rev. Peter Johnston, lead pastor of FCCH. “We serve as a community that welcomes all, and this was an opportunity to fulfill that commitment, ignite compassion and propel our faith into action.”
Ferguson and Johnson immediately got to work.
After contacting FCCH’s diaconate, the church’s Outreach and Service Ministry, and speaking with Hanover Food Pantry Director Sally Boutin, Johnston coordinated a food pantry pickup of donated groceries and coats. He then mobilized the volunteers to meet him at the church’s kitchen. Spanning just a few short hours, the group of half a dozen transformed the groceries into a substantial prepared hot meal, packaging many servings of barbecue chicken, rice, corn and freshly baked cookies. The group loaded the food and coats into vehicles, creating a delivery caravan, and headed to the Plymouth site.
After speaking with the Plymouth Area Coalition for the Homeless Director, Suzanne Giovanetti, the Duxbury Church Mission Committee created two online sign-up forms so churches and organizations could join in and take responsibility for providing lunch and dinners at both hotel shelter locations.
By Monday, November 3rd, over 2500 meals were claimed by area churches and organizations. In addition to the Hanover UCC and Duxbury UCC churches taking responsibility for several meals, the Pilgrim Association churches of the SNEUCC joined in with meals and donations, including the Second Congregational Church UCC in Cohasset, Quincy Point Congregational Church UCC, Christ Congregational Church UCC in Brockton, Lakeville United UCC, United Parish of Carver UCC, as well as the North Congregational Church UCC and the Dennis Union Church from the Barnstable Association.
Donations from UCC church thrift shops provided clothing and many donated funds to purchase items that might not be covered by donations. Interfaith responses poured in from other churches in Duxbury, Kingston and Plymouth, volunteering to provide meals, as well as from the Duxbury Senior Center. A huge donation of breads and pastries and staples were donated from Trader Joe’s to assist in making sandwiches. Young and older church groups participated in preparing meals. The Duxbury church Youth Group made lunch with sandwich bags listing the contents in English and Creole.
“This was an opportunity to ‘Be the Church’ in a large context, for the first time in several years”, said Senior Minister Rev. Bill Ferguson. “Response from both churches and the community was so amazing, generous, and immediate. They truly lived the words and teachings of Jesus Christ as we find in Matthew 25; “ For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’”
Pausing a moment to reflect on the sudden call to serve, and the overwhelmingly immediate response by parish volunteers, Johnston commented, “Jesus didn’t feed people based on their life circumstances; Jesus fed people because they were hungry.”
Kogut explains that the churches were following the call from the United Church of Christ Statement of Faith, “’You call us into your church to accept the cost and joy of discipleship, to be your servants in the service of others…”
Kogut invites all who would like to contribute to the efforts being conducted at local shelters and organizations in service to people who are in need to do so through their local UCC churches.
Photos: Photos used with permission. First Congregational Church of Hanover is the owner of the rights to use the photos.
Original article published 10/31/22
Hanover Church Volunteers Mobilize in Support of Unhoused Influx on South Shore
Members of First Congregational Church Hanover (FCCH) instantly mobilized at the end of October to answer the regional call to support the sudden arrival of more than 100 unhoused individuals on the South Shore. Divided into two groups, the arrivals include more than 60 children, transported with little notice to temporary locations in Kingston and Plymouth by the MA Department of Community and Development (MDHD), under its emergency shelter and assistance programs. Many are undocumented immigrants originating from Haiti or Central America, who speak little or no English.
“The call came from our regional UCC minister,” shares Rev. Peter Johnston, lead pastor of FCCH. “There was no question that we would immediately assemble and help. We serve as a community that welcomes all, and this was an opportunity to fulfill that commitment, ignite compassion and propel our faith into action.”
Rev. Johnston noted that the assistance request originated from the United Church of Christ’s (UCC) Southern New England Conference (SNEUCC), of which FCCH is a member parish. He was informed that the unhoused were relocated to temporary locations, with 27 families diverted to Kingston and 12 families to Plymouth. With the region’s established shelters full and services tapped due to high demand for housing, those transported were in immediate need of meals, clothing and diapers. He immediately took action, reaching out to five FCCH parishioners who jumped at the opportunity to assist and volunteer their efforts to make a difference.
After contacting FCCH’s diaconate, the church’s Outreach and Service Ministry, and speaking with Hanover Food Pantry Director Sally Boutin, Rev. Johnston coordinated a food pantry pickup of donated groceries and coats. He then mobilized the volunteers to meet him at the church’s kitchen. Spanning just a few short hours, the group of half a dozen transformed the groceries into a substantial prepared hot meal, packaging many servings of barbecue chicken, rice, corn and freshly baked cookies. The group loaded the food and coats into vehicles, creating a delivery caravan, and headed to the Plymouth site.
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| Three First Congregational Church of Hanover parish volunteers pause to observe the results of their support efforts - preparing meals to assist an influx of unhoused individuals and families to the communities of Kingston and Plymouth, courtesy images |
“Our efforts have just begun. We’ve been in contact with other Southern New England Conference churches and are coordinating lunches and hot dinners to be delivered through Sunday night,” shared Rev. Johnston. Another local UCC church is coordinating meals for the group settled in Kingston. Today, FCCH volunteers are gathering more coats, as well as preparing, packing, and delivering 50 lunches to the same Plymouth location.
Pausing a moment to reflect on the sudden call to serve, and the overwhelmingly immediate response by parish volunteers, Rev. Johnston commented, “Jesus didn’t feed people based on their life circumstances, Jesus fed people because they were hungry.”
To make a financial contribution to assist in FCCH’s effort to support unhoused families and individuals, visit fcchanover.org/give-gift, click the “other” category, and note the intent for your donation in the comment field. To learn about FCCH’s charitable initiatives, to participate, or to learn more about the parish, visit fcchanover.org or follow First Congregational Church of Hanover on Facebook or Instagram.
About First Congregational Church of Hanover
Founded in 1728, First Congregational Church of Hanover (FCCH) was established about the same time that the town of Hanover was incorporated. A United Church of Christ (UCC) parish, First Congregational Church of Hanover has long been a leader in equality. FCCH is committed to serve as a community of inclusive love that has no walls or barriers, where all who enter are loved, respected, and accepted for who they are, reaching beyond social class, gender, race, and sexual orientation, welcoming all. It is a community of growth and transformation, reaching beyond the status quo as a community filled with the love and compassion of Christ, invoking our faith into action and prayer daily.
Pausing a moment to reflect on the sudden call to serve, and the overwhelmingly immediate response by parish volunteers, Rev. Johnston commented, “Jesus didn’t feed people based on their life circumstances, Jesus fed people because they were hungry.”
To make a financial contribution to assist in FCCH’s effort to support unhoused families and individuals, visit fcchanover.org/give-gift, click the “other” category, and note the intent for your donation in the comment field. To learn about FCCH’s charitable initiatives, to participate, or to learn more about the parish, visit fcchanover.org or follow First Congregational Church of Hanover on Facebook or Instagram.
About First Congregational Church of Hanover
Founded in 1728, First Congregational Church of Hanover (FCCH) was established about the same time that the town of Hanover was incorporated. A United Church of Christ (UCC) parish, First Congregational Church of Hanover has long been a leader in equality. FCCH is committed to serve as a community of inclusive love that has no walls or barriers, where all who enter are loved, respected, and accepted for who they are, reaching beyond social class, gender, race, and sexual orientation, welcoming all. It is a community of growth and transformation, reaching beyond the status quo as a community filled with the love and compassion of Christ, invoking our faith into action and prayer daily.
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| Two First Congregational Church of Hanover parish volunteers prepare tuna salad for lunches for unhoused individuals and families recently relocated to Plymouth, courtesy image |
First Congregational Church of Hanover’s sanctuary is located at 547 Hanover Street, Hanover. FCCH offices are located at Riley Hall, 17 Silver Street, Hanover. For more information, call 781-826-4762, visit fcchanover.org or follow First Congregational Church of Hanover on Facebook or Instagram.
Photos: Photos used with permission. First Congregational Church of Hanover is the owner of the rights to use the photos.
Photos: Photos used with permission. First Congregational Church of Hanover is the owner of the rights to use the photos.