November Mission Action Gift

In light of the aftermath of Hurricane Helene in Early October, Ministry Council decided to send our monthly Mission Action donation to “Beloved Asheville”. Beloved Asheville is working on the ground in some of the most impacted areas of North Carolina in response to the hurricane, but that is hardly all they do! They also provide food access, affordable housing, racial equity, healthcare on the streets, cultural celebrations, enrichment and school supplies for their kids or as they say, “whatever our community needs, whenever the need is there.”

Per the Beloved Asheville website:

“At BeLoved, we work to create those vital
CONNECTIONS
To each other
To resources
To the power
To create our hopes and dreams,
respond to community struggles,
and to shape our common future
where everyone thrives!”

 
If you would like more information or would like to make your own donation, visit https://www.belovedasheville.com/

October Mission Action Gift

The October Mission Action donation will go to Solano Pride Center which has been working since 1988 to ensure that the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning, and Intersex individuals have a network of resources and educational tools to meet their needs. Over the years, Solano Pride Center has offered a variety of community building and recreational activities, including free mental health counseling, an information and referral hotline, and weekly support groups for women, men, and youth.

They are holding a couple interesting sounding events in October.

10/9 at 7pm at the Solano Pride Center Conference in Fairfield:
"Queering Faith Series" will look at ancient texts, modern stories, and Jewish perspectives on queerness.

10/11 at 7pm at Vallejo Naval & Historical Museum:
"Poetry Slam and Talent Show" - Enjoy spoken word, music, and talented folks in the community. They will have a silent auction fundraiser as well.

If you want to volunteer, or make your own donation to Solano Pride go to https://www.solanopride.org/get_involved

July Mission Action Gift

The fallout from years of genocide, fighting, and violence has taken a toll on Sudan, resulting in widespread humanitarian crises, and has gone largely ignored by the West. Sudan Relief Fund is dedicated to bringing food, clean water, clothing, shelter, medical attention, education, and hope to the people of South Sudan and the Nuba Mountains of Sudan. Since 1998, Sudan Relief Fund has been on the ground working tirelessly to provide lifesaving help to people in desperate circumstances, and to lay the groundwork for long term solutions.

A snapshot from their website of the nation’s condition shows how dire the situation is in South Sudan.
•At least 80 percent of the population lives in extreme poverty.

•Years of fighting decimated the economy and infrastructure of cities, towns, roads, and villages.

•Nearly half the population has no access to clean water.

•Nearly 8 million people are predicted to suffer severe malnourishment this year and face starvation – that’s 2 out of every 3 men, women, and children living in South Sudan.

•Brutal attacks from tribal infighting continue to create refugees and orphans.

•It’s estimated at least 60 percent of South Sudan’s two million refugees are orphaned children. More arrive daily to escape the violent warfare in Sudan.

•Government sponsored healthcare and social services are non-existent.

•Diseases such as typhoid and malaria plague the people.

•The mother/infant mortality rate is one of the highest in the world.

 

Their mission is “to provide peace and hope for the future by alleviating immediate humanitarian concerns and aiding in the development of infrastructure necessary for growth and stability in the world’s youngest nation. We are achieving this by building schools, hospitals, and training programs to empower the people of South Sudan and the Nuba region so they are better equipped to successfully take control of their own future.”.

If you would like to make a separate donation or to get more information, go to https://sdnrlf.com/

May Mission Action Gift

Memorial Day is on 5/27 and is a day to honor those who lost their lives while serving the country. To honor those Vets, the Ministry Council has decided to send our Mission Action gift for May to Veterans for Peace.

The best way to learn about Veterans for Peace is to read their own Statement of Purpose:
*We, as military veterans, do hereby affirm our greater responsibility to serve the cause of   world peace. To this end we will work, with others both nationally and internationally

-To increase public awareness of the causes and costs of war
-To restrain our governments from intervening, overtly and covertly, in the internal affairs of other nations
-To resist racism and repression in our home communities
-To oppose the militarization of law enforcement
-To end the arms race and to reduce and eventually eliminate nuclear weapons
-To seek justice for veterans and victims of war
-To abolish war as an instrument of national policy
-To achieve these goals, members of Veterans For Peace pledge to use non-violent means and to maintain an organization that is both democratic and open with the understanding that all members are trusted to act in the best interests of the group for the larger purpose of world peace.

FCC Vallejo has a long history of service particularly back when Mare Island was thriving. While not named in the history book, many members of the congregation worked on Mare Island during WWII and had family members who were killed in the war. We currently have many veterans in our midst and this donation is a way to honor the past and the present.

If you would like to make a separate donation or to get more information, go to https://www.veteransforpeace.org/

April Mission Action Gift

April 20th is Earth Day, and to celebrate, the Ministry Council wanted to give our April Mission Action donation to a non-profit whose focus is local and sustainable environmental action. Sustainable Solano is the perfect recipient for this donation!

Our history with Sustainable Solano began in 2019 when our church decided to renovate the Johnson Garden. We needed help. I reached out to Sustainable Solano who was helping neighborhoods in Solano County with their community gardens. With lots of conversations and planning, they decided to perform the renovations for us! A partnership that should have only lasted 1 year, has now spread out to nearly 4 years! They help us with annual planting, use our garden for demonstrations, and are there to assist and answer questions for all our church gardeners! (Special thanks to Carl Cordes, Ted & Glenda Goode, Cheryl Patterson, and others!)

FCC Vallejo has been a Green Chalice organization since 2016. What does that mean? This means we are recognized by the Disciples Home Missions as a congregation of good stewards of God’s creation. Their mission “is to connect Christian faith, spiritual practice and creation consciousness in order to demonstrate the fullness of God’s shalom.”

Having the garden and working with Sustainable Solano is one of the big ways we demonstrate our fullness of God’s shalom. If you would like to sign up for the Sustainable Solano Newsletter or to make a separate donation, go to sustainablesolano.org

March Mission Gift

You may have heard Rev. Nikki mention her work with an organization named “Project Sanctuary”. Project Sanctuary is an organization that assists Veterans and their families with mental health care. Per their website, www.projectsanctuary.us, Project Sanctuary was founded on the principle that when one person serves, the whole family serves, and the best way to support the troops is to create an organization that supports the entire family. Through their professional staff of counselors, social workers and recreation therapists we are one of the only organizations that supports not just the veteran, but the whole family, including caregivers, to create multi generational change toward positive healthy habits for at-risk military families.

Project Sanctuary hosts therapeutic retreats in five states across the country that are staffed and designed by Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialists, licensed counselors, and social workers. Retreats are open to active-duty service members, retirees, veterans, Reserve and Guard families (currently serving or past service) from all branches of the military (including Coast Guard) and all eras. The retreats and classes are designed for families / couples to come together and gain tools and resources in three key areas: Relationship Reconnection, Family Communication, and navigating mental wellbeing.

We are glad to support this wonderful work with our March Mission Action Donation. If you would like more info or know any Veterans/Families that might need some care, you can go to www.projectsanctuary.us, or reach out to Rev. Nikki! She would be happy to discuss more with you!