2010 Mission & Justice report

Mission and Justice Activities in a representative year included the following:

Arlington Food Pantry

We continued collecting non-perishable food and personal items for the Arlington Food Pantry on Communion Sundays.

Haiti

In response to the devastating earthquake in January, PACC sent money from the Outreach Fund to the UCC’s One Great Hour of Sharing to support emergency response efforts, as well as individual donations from individuals in the PACC community.

We also collected materials for 46 Hygiene Kits and 12 Baby Kits which were assembled by the Youth Group and sent – along with extra cloth diapers, receiving blankets and washcloths – to Church World Service for distribution in Haiti.  Generous cash donations covered the costs of mailing the very large boxes.

General Outreach Projects

In June, PACC collected diapers and baby wipes for Waltham Creative Start, a combination daycare and Head Start Program that works with mothers and children in shelters.

In August, PACC collected back-to-school supplies for homeless children through the Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless.

Advent Outreach Projects

Once again, PACC donated Christmas gifts for Arlington families through the Adopt-A-Family program and for the City Mission Society Christmas Shop.  We added a new project sponsored by the New England Center for Homeless Veterans and collected gifts for two homeless veterans.

Diversity and Anti-Racism

A group from PACC together with a group from Pleasant Street Congregational Church participated in City Mission Society’s Day of Service honoring the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr.  One group did some cleaning at a small church in Roxbury, while the other helped with cleaning of a day care center.

For Black History Month in February, excerpts from “The Black List”, a series of interviews with leading African-American figures, were shown with discussion following.

In May, PACC members were very involved with Arlington’s “Stand Against Racism”, a series of events designed to raise awareness of racism including a showing of the movie “Freedom Writers”, a rally against racism in Arlington Center, and an evening conversation on race moderated by Jay Kaufman, State Rep. for the 15th Middlesex District.

Housing Corporation of Arlington

PACC supported this local organization dedicated to preventing homelessness and providing affordable housing in Arlington in several ways this year.

In April, a team of 20+ walkers participated in HCA’s Annual Walk for Affordable Housing while a smaller group provided a well-stocked refreshment table for all walkers.

In May, several participated in HCA’s spring cleanup.  Pastor Bill Albright attended HCA’s Annual Meeting in November.

Open and Affirming

PACC celebrated its 3rd anniversary of voting to become an Open and Affirming Church with guest preacher Rev. Fran Bogle, decorating cupcakes and showing “Call Me Malcolm”, a documentary about a transgender seminary student and his struggle with gender identity.

Several members participated in Boston’s Gay Pride Parade.

Project Bread

Donations from individuals in the congregation supported our walkers in Project Bread’s Walk for Hunger.

Restorative Justice

Two members are active at the MA Conference level on the Restorative Justice Task Team.

Interchurch

Representatives from PACC attended the spring meeting of the Metropolitan Boston Association (MBA), the MBA fall meeting, and the annual meeting of the Mass. Conference of the UCC (MAUCC).

Special Offerings

PACC made the following contributions to these UCC special offerings:

One Great Hour of Sharing

Neighbors in Need

UCC Christmas Fund (formerly Veterans of the Cross)

Listing of PACC’s Donations from our Funds


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