Life's most persistent and urgent question is, "What are you doing for others?"  Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

So what has Second Congregational done in 2016 and what are our plans for 2017? January began with a meeting focusing on our goals for the year and for the most part, we accomplished them.  We very much wanted to be involved with the Habitat for Humanity spring build, but that didn't happen.  We did, however, spend a Saturday, in late October, working on the latest home in Camden.  If you haven't done this with your church family yet, please consider doing so.  I promise you, even if you have no building skills, this will be a very rewarding day.  I show up for these builds and have no skills, but Peter always finds something for me to do.  In 2017 we intend to partner with Habitat once again and invite all of you to participate.  What we do outside these walls counts for more than we can ever accomplish inside.

We had a very successful Operation Christmas Child shoebox collection in October thanks to all of you.  In November 80 shoeboxes were blessed and Jen took them to Belfast, the first stop on their journey to the boys and girls around the world who finally receive them.  I believe this was the most we have filled in the past 6 years.  Imagine the joy and blessing you have given to these children, who might not otherwise receive such a gift or to ever hear about Jesus.

Our Lent offering was given to Hospitality House, as well as, supplies and non-perishable food items.  Stephanie Primm, director of HH, will be doing the Mission Moment on January 29th and will share with us their needs and successes.  Their greatest need is for more housing for their clients, only 22 people can live at HH at one time and generally about half of those are children.

Our Advent offering went to 4 different missions, Exodus Road, NuDay Syria, Hospitality House and Soldier's Heart.  Thank you for helping us send $500 to each of these very deserving ministries.  We will probably never meet any of the lives we've touched, but whether near or far, you have made a difference in someone's life.

We continue to sponsor 2 girls and a boy to go to school, in the Philippines, Mexico, and Haiti.  Check out our bulletin board for their latest letters and photos.  Missions would very much like to add another boy or girl to this list...another goal for 2017.

Special thanks goes to Susan for persevering through 4 years of the Clothes Closet, now officially the Children's Clothing Exchange, which better defines our mission, and thanks also to the many others who come out to help every first Friday and Saturday of the month; thanks to Gayle for continuing on the board of AIO and for her part at Bread for the Journey food pantry; and to Rev. Andy, for being at every Mission meeting to share in the decisions we make month after month.

Please take a look at the Mission Report in the Annual Report and you will see all that Second Congregational has supported in 2016.  We gave out over $10,000!  Someone recently asked me where our funding comes from.  The answer is simple, it comes from the mission side of the offering envelope and from special missions.  A little, week after week, month after month, adds up to a lot of giving.  If you don't already give to Missions, please consider us in 2017.  Thank you on behalf of the Mission Board.