November For the month of November, the Outreach Board has decided to make food security a priority. Therefore, we are going to postpone the Shriners outreach until January. We will be making feeding the community our issue for the month. We are hoping that the First Congregational Church community will be enthusiastic about supporting the following activities:
1. Making an immediate cash donation to the Utah Food Bank. 2. Soliciting additional financial donations throughout the month to be given to the Utah Food Bank. 3. Accepting food donations each Sunday in support of the All Saints Episcopal Church food drive. You can bring food donations with you to church and leave them downstairs. Or, you can leave them in the foyer upstairs. These food donations will to go to Hildegard’s Pantry. 4. Increasing the number of sandwiches made this month, which will require the purchase of more supplies and require more volunteers.
Major Donations to Friendship Manor and The Inn Between: The checks aren’t in the mail—they’re in the bank! The major donations approved at our Annual Meeting for Friendship Manor and The Inn Between have been delivered, and both organizations were incredibly grateful for the support. Outreach will stay connected with them throughout the year—and we hope to share not just financial gifts, but also people power. How does Bingo and Bagels sound to you?
Sandwich Making: All Saints Episcopal Church and First Congregational Church make sandwiches for St. Vincent de Paul Dining Hall on the third Sunday of every month. Sandwiches are made upstairs immediately following our service. Please plan on joining us in this very worthwhile endeavor and for a wonderful time of fellowship. Won't you join us for this gathering and opportunity to serve others? Thank you so much for participating in this ministry; it is an important part of the All Saints'/FCC outreach!
Hunger and Homelessness Day at the Capitol At least twelve faith communities, a high school class, activists, homeless and many others filled a room at the Utah State Capitol on Friday, January 24th. The speakers were great and often inspirational—including our own, Rev. Doug Gray. The teens were amazing in their sharing of information. We also heard from Wayne Niederhauser (who will speak on February 2nd at our church) from Utah’s Office of Homeless Services. To see more photos and commentary on the event, you can go to Crossroads Urban Center's page: www.crossroadsurbancenter.org/news Here is a link to a Utah News Dispatch article about the event. Pastor Doug is quoted! utahnewsdispatch.com/2025/01/27/faith-groups-advocates-urge-utah-legislature-to-fund-operations-for-new-family-shelter/ (Of special interest is this quote from Rev. Gray’s remarks, “In 2024, the Los Angeles Times reported that Huntington Beach, CA had reached “functionally zero” homelessness—that they are housing people as fast or faster than people are becoming unhoused. It took determination and resources, but it is a remarkable achievement, one we can reach for. Civic leaders of compassion and foresight will recognize this moment as an opportunity to show determination about the crisis in affordable and deeply affordable housing. They will recognize the system’s role in creating this situation, and determine to show grace to those without a place to sleep and to treat each of these people with dignity.”)
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