EACH FALL NEIGHBORS IN NEED COLLECTION DRIVE The annual Neighbors-In-Need (NIN) Offering IS received on the first Sunday in October. It supports the United Church of Christ’s ministries of justice and compassion throughout the United States. Two thirds of the offering is used by the Justice and Witness Ministries to fund a variety of local and national justice iniatives, advocacy work on issues such as the federal budget, voting rights, immigration, health care, hate crimes, civil liberties and environmental justice as well as direct service projects. The other third of the offering is used to support the work of the UCC’s Council for American Indian Ministries (CAIM). Today there are 20 UCC congregations on reservations and one urban multi-tribal UCC Congregation in Minneapolis. These churches and their pastors are supported by CAIM which also serves as a valuable resource for more than 1,000 individuals and dozens of other tribes in the U.S. The Neighbors-In-Need Offering helps make another world, a better world, possible. It needs our support. Please give with the joy of generosity to help our neighbors.

FALL ACTIVITY WITH BELMONT SERVES: COLUMBUS DAY WORK PARTY IN BELMONT Sponsored by the Belmont Religious Council, Belmont Serves provides an opportunity for us to gather with our friends and neighbors to help with projects right here in our community. From outdoor landscaping endeavors to collecting donations for the Food Pantry, hundreds of volunteers will provide services to help our town on the morning of October 10th. Join in the fun and fellowship. More details are available on the publicity sheet on the Narthex table. You can also go to the web site at http://www.belmontrc.org/service.html

 THE GREAT AMERICAN BOOK DRIVE The Great American Book Drive, every November, needs our support! Did you know that the estimated illiteracy rate among incarcerated adults is 60%? The programs available in prisons cannot meet all the needs of people who want to increase their reading skills, prepare for GED (General Education Devel-opment) exams and work toward a better future. We can help to promote literacy, not landfill, by donating our gently used books to this initiative. Please participate by bringing your books to church during October. Boxes will be in the Narthex. The Great American Book Drive furthers the work of the City Mission Society and the Prison Book Program to help people in need help themselves by sending thousands of books to inmates across America to fuel self-study and individual development - one prisoner at a time.

SPRING ACTIVITIES - The Annual Blanket Drive for Church World Service. Please consider honoring your mother or friend with a gift to support CWS.

WINTER - CHRISTMAS FUND For over 100 years, the Christmas Fund Offering has enabled the UCC to help care for those who serve the church as clergy or lay people. Your generous giving helps the Pension Board’s Ministerial Assistance Program to provide over $1.5 million in assistance to individuals and families.

ALL YEAR - ACTIVE PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING: An offering to our local food pantry Please bring in new canned goods and dry food items on the first Sunday of each month as we continue the new mission project for our two local food pantries in Belmont and Watertown! Starting this fall and on the first Sunday of every month, an “Active Prayer of Thanksgiving” will take place during the children’s moment. This will be an offering of food (and/or money for food) to help feed God’s hungry children. There will be a procession to the altar steps where the donations will be delivered. After church the teen youth will gather the offering for the local food pantry. We hope is that this mission project will help form the youth with a better understanding that service can be done anywhere, anytime and for everyone.

WALKING IN THE WAYS OF JESUS:
A WORD OF GRATITUDE FOR YOUR SERVICE
Heartfelt appreciation and thanks to all members and friend of Payson Park Church who, with loving generosity, responded to all the Mission and Outreach appeals throughout each year.
It was so good to have the support of pledges and contributions to the United Church of Christ’s One Great Hour of Sharing, Neighbors in Need, and Christmas Fund; the Easter Offering for Chile Earthquake survivors; the Thanksgiving Offering for Pilgrim Church; the God’s Garden ongoing collection of items for the Belmont and Watertown Food Pantries; Church World Service Blanket Drive; and City Mission Society’s Book Drive and Christmas Gifts Collection.
Through your giving, you recognize God’s mystic bond that makes all people one and offer hope and help to those in need. May you be blessed in your caring and sharing.
- Your Mission and Outreach Committee

CHRISTMAS FUND
For over 100 years, the Christmas Fund Offering has enabled the UCC to help care for those who serve the church as clergy or lay people. Your generous giving helps the Pension Board’s Ministerial Assistance Program to provide over $1.5 million in assistance to individuals and families. Payson Park Church will collect the annual Christmas offering in December. Look for the offering envelopes in the pews that day. Thank you.

A COMMUNITY IN ACTION WITH
AN ACTIVE PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING:
AN OFFERING TO OUR LOCAL FOOD PANTRY
Please bring in new canned goods and dry food items on the first Sunday of each and every month, to continue with the mission project for our two local food pantries in Belmont and Watertown! The “Active Prayer of Thanksgiving” will take place during the children’s moment in worship and will be an offering of food (and/or money for food) to help feed God’s hungry children. There will be a procession to the altar steps where the donations will be delivered. After church the teen youth will gather the offering for this month’s recipient.

BRISTOL LODGE FOOD KITCHEN
HELPING THE HUNGRY NEAR HOME
In the spirit of giving, why not consider a new personal mission? Help is needed in preparing monthly hot meals for men and women in the Waltham area. It’s easy to buy the ingredients and prepare the basic meal for 12 people and it’s also rewarding to serve the food to the appreciative guests at the Waltham church.

MASS COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS:
NEEDS YOUR HELP
The Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless needs used furniture and household items in clean, good condition for people moving to apartments. To donate these, please call 781-795-7570 to arrange a pickup at your home.

THE FOOD PANTRY & THE CHURCH SCHOOL
All Church School youth of God’s Garden, Growing in Faith are beginning a new mission activity. On the first Sunday of each month, they will have a food drive to collect for our local food pantry. The congregation is invited to be part of this mission. Please bring in new canned goods and dry food items. The youth will coordinate the donations and drop them off to the pantry. Thank you for being part of our local mission work.

Would you like to honor a loved one? Each Sunday our altar flowers are given in honor or remembrance of those we hold dear. This program also offers us a chance to reach out to those in our congregation who are sick or shut in, as flowers are then delivered by our pastor or a deacon. If you care to make a donation, please speak with Cindy Lou Benson, our Administrative Coordinator at 617/484-1542 or email at office@paysonpark.org. For those who participate in this program annually, please confirm you wish to continue.