Outreach
Part of First Congregational United Church of Christ's mission is to work together with governmental, secular, and faith communities to advance the Judeo-Christian ideals of love, justice, and peace for all God's creation. Members and friends of the church have many opportunities to learn and actively reach out to the world beyond our fellowship. Some of our outreach groups are:
Social Justice Committee:  Social reform cannot happen without education. In order to support the congregation's efforts to advocate for social justice, The Social Justice Committee facilitates informational forums throughout the year on social justice issues and the ways in which we may choose to take action. 
Creation Care Committee: The congregation believes that our love should extend to all that God has created, including the planet on which we live, and, that as Christians, it is our duty to care for this planet. The goal of the Creation Care Committee is to educate the congregation about, and actively work on, conservation measures that sustain the land, air, and water that God has gifted to us all.
Open and Affirming Committee: In 1992, First Congregational United Church of Christ adopted a Covenant of Openness and Affirmation in which a goal of our ministry was set to celebrate the image of God in every person and to support advocacy efforts designed to ensure that sexual minorities enjoy the same rights and privileges as heterosexuals.  The Open and Affirming Committee plans our Open and Affirming Anniversary celebration, organizes the church's presence in the Gay Pride Parade, and hosts the annual "Night of Noise" in support of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered youth. 

                                       Special Offerings
Each month members and friends have the opportunity to support humanitarian organizations selected by our Outreach Commission through special donations.

This month, a special Easter offering will be collected to help in the many missions of our church. 

  Meals From Our Kitchen Part of the Church's mission is to acknowledge our unique call to do ministry in the urban-metropolitan setting, reaching out to those in need of love and support. Several times a month we utilize the church kitchen in support of our call to this  ministry. Following is a list of programs that prepare and serve meals from the church's  kitchen:
Our House Dinner: On the fourth Wednesday of each month volunteers prepare a  dinner and deliver it to Our House, a hospice for people suffering from Aids.  In addition to food preparation, as one coordinator has said, "Our duty at Our House is to cook, but our work is more about being with residents, talking with them, and supporting them."
Transition Projects Dinner: On the third Saturday of each month volunteers prepare a dinner and deliver it to clients at Transition Projects Shelter.  Transition Projects is the largest provider of shelter and services for homeless, single adults in the Portland metropolitan area.
Potluck in the Park: On the fourth Sunday of each month volunteers meet to prepare, deliver, and serve a dinner to anyone in need at O'Bryant Square in  downtown Portland
                                                Fellowship
Building a strong faith community means sharing our ideas about God and our world. It also means learning from, and about, one another.  Currently, we have two groups who meet regularly outside of church to socialize. All who wish to join together in Christian friendship are welcome to participate in these groups of fellowship.  

Peasley Chamberlain Theatergoers: The P.C. Theatergoers meet at a downtown movie theater on the 2nd Tuesday of each month around 6:00 p.m. Following the movie, participants are invited to the church to share their thoughts and impressions of the month's movie choice. The film of the month and the theater in which it will be shown is announced in Sunday bulletins and flyers are available at the Hospitality Table in Fellowship Hall following worship.

Open & Affirming Potlucks:  Every other month, Our Open and Affirming Committee (see above) plans a fellowship in support of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered members and friends through a potluck hosted at a church member's home. The gatherings are usually on Saturday evenings. These are fun, casual, and often lively events. Time and location is announced in the church's newsletter, The Pilgrim, and in Sunday bulletins, or you can call the church office at 503 228-7219 for more information

To learn more about life of our church, please email our events coordinator, Trudy Bradley, at trudy@uccportland.org to receive a free subscription to our newsletter, The Pilgrim.