Outreach

First Parish believes that commitment to serve others locally and globally is a core part of our mission. To recognize this commitment, we dedicate our time and financial resources in a number of important ways.

Outreach Grant Program

The Outreach Grant Program helps match the passionate work of First Parish Church United participants in worthy causes with the financial resources of the congregation. It allows and empowers participants to develop personal outreach action ministries.

FPCU participants who are awarded a grant share their passion by educating the FPCU community about their action ministry. Special programs during coffee hour, worship, or in the evening, as well as articles in the Parish Post and other media, help the entire congregation learn and share in the outreach work of the church. Causes that have received support include Budget Buddies, HandReach, Sustainable Westford, Habitat for Humanity, Sibling Connections, Water is Life Kenya, St. Paul’s Kitchen Project, YASC, as well as many others.

We assist those in need in our local community through the following activities:

• Outreach Sunday Leaf Raking: Each year, as a part of our worship service in early November, we assist our elderly and handicapped neighbors by raking the leaves in their yards. This is always a productive and enjoyable way to spend a fall Sunday.
• Thanksgiving Baskets: We supply the Cameron Senior Center with Thanksgiving baskets. Our first and second grade children decorate the bags that are filled with donated food and a gift certificate for a turkey.
• Holiday Families: We are committed to helping several families through the Cameron Senior Center.
• Blood Drive: The Fellowship Hall of First Parish is, with its central location and easy access, a favorite location for hosting Red Cross Blood drives.
• Food Pantry: First Parish Church volunteers donate and deliver food to the Open Pantry of Greater Lowell and the Westford Food Pantry at the Senior Center.
• Middlesex Shelter: We assist serving meals the 4th Wednesday of every month at the Lowell Transitional Living Center (a.k.a. Middlesex Shelter), 189 Middlesex Street in Lowell, MA.
• Walk for Hunger: This annual event in support of local area food shelters is always well-supported by First Parish. Pledges from church members and neighbors support the group of young and not-so-young walkers who take on the 13-mile or 4-mile course each year. Please join us!
• Habitat for Humanity of Greater Lowell – Interfaith Group: FPCU is a covenant church with Habitat and is member of the Interfaith Committee . We support the mission of Habitat to build/rehab homes as needed in the Greater Lowell area. FPCU supports this mission by volunteering to build/rehab homes and assist with fundraising as a member of the Interfaith Committee of Habitat.
• CityReach: FPCU teens join other Boston area youth in this overnight urban outreach program to learn firsthand about homelessness from people who have experienced it.
• Summer Mission Trip Projects: FPCU youth and adults are invited to travel, serve and have fun on a summer mission trip.