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Chair: Cornelia Kirkpatrick
Updated October 19, 2005
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The Social Action Committee welcomes
new members at all of its meetings. Please contact Diane
Wright, if you would like to participate in any of our
activities, or if you have questions or comments about
the committee. This year, we have had a number of discussions about current events. We may produce petitions to be sent to legislators; these petitions would be displayed at coffee hour for interested parishioners to sign. We are considering starting a focused discussion group about an issue such as homelessness or civil liberties. This would depend on interest from the congregation. |
Equal Exchange Coffee: We offer fairly traded coffee and cocoa for sale to parishioners and other interested parties. In so doing, we improve the lives of coffee/cocoa farmers and pickers. This also promotes ecologically sound farming practices.
RIM: Refugee Immigration Ministry. We participate in an interfaith cluster that welcomes asylum seekers to the Chelmsford area. Activities include (but are not limited to) transportation, teaching, housing and employment searches, fundraising, and socialization.
Habitat for Humanity: We sponsor work days and fundraisers and provide lunches for this very worthwhile organization. HFH provides affordable housing in this area through a system of "sweat equity".
Letter from Refugee Immigration Ministry (from The Shooting Star, 1/25/04):
Dear Members of First Congregational Society, The Board of Directors of Refugee Immigration Ministry joins me in thanking you for the contribution you have made to the work of RIM – Chelmsford. We are very excited that funds are growing and that we will soon have the Chelmsford Cluster up and running.
Happily we are seeing the results from the work of our eight clusters with out clients. One family, that has been here for 3 years, just bought their first home. Another started a new business. Several have received asylum and are bringing their families here. All are working.
Our other programs are also working hard to serve the needs of our clients. The Youth Program is growing and the African Women’s Program continues to flourish.
Your contribution at this time has been a significant help to making it possible for these programs to continue and for RIM to serve those who are in need.
We welcome opportunities to share more about RIM with your Congregation and it’s vital ministry to some of the most vulnerable people in our midst. Again, thank you for your support of the work of Refugee Immigration Ministry.
Sincerely, The Rev. Ruth H. Bersin, Executive Director
On February 23, 2003, the Social Action Committee ran the church's worship service. The theme was "Social Action Without Guilt". Here are some photos from the service.
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