About Our Outreach Program

Saugatuck Congregational Church has long been known in the community for its wide and compassionate outreach to those in need. This outreach is spearheaded by our Mission Board, whose mission statement sets forth our guiding principles:

The members and friends of the Saugatuck Congregational Church are committed to helping those in need with gifts of time, energy, church facilities and, not least, material assistance in the form of money, food, clothing, toys, and other tangible offerings.

The Church has entrusted the Mission Board with the task of organizing and reviewing the needs of nonprofit agencies within Fairfield County, including making decisions for the disbursement of the Mission Board budget, and raising funds through special contributions from the congregation and friends to support vital agency work in our communities.

In addition to the financial commitments to these local agencies, the Mission Board organizes the church efforts to collect hundreds of bags of groceries each year for area food pantries, administers the annual Angel Gift collection of holiday gifts for children and adults served by our supported agencies, and raises funds for camperships for Bridgeport children from low income households.

Church members also volunteer their time and talents for hands-on involvement, from providing meals at a community food kitchen or working in an outreach center, to mentoring youth or adults in transition. Our financial outreach extends beyond the local area to include monies for the United Church of Christ's homeland and global missions, which support disaster relief, agricultural and economic development assistance, and aid for refugee resettlement through the special Lenten offering called "One Great Hour of Sharing."