First Congregational Church

Missions and Stewardship

The Ministry of Missions and Stewardship assists The First Congregational Church of North Adams in identifying and developing the membership’s individual and collective calling as stewards of God’s creation and as emissaries of Christ’s mercy. The Missions effort focuses on initiatives to provide aid, comfort, and resources to the immediate community and to the wider world. Whenever possible, Missions will use its designated church mission funds to leverage additional donations to support its projects.

Our main mission is Berkshire Food Project, an organization FCCNA supports with subsidized space, volunteer labor, informational pamphlets, and multiple gifts, including proceeds from Share the Love and from an annual goodwill offering from the North County Christmas concert.

Each February since 2022, we have sponsored Share the Love, a challenge campaign with a Valentine’s Day theme. For every $1.00 raised from “Neighbors Helping Neighbors in Need,” Missions contributes $0.50. All proceeds ($27,225 to date) are donated to Northern Berkshire nonprofits that alleviate food and housing insecurity and promote youth empowerment, including, variously, the Berkshire Food Project, Louison House, the Al Nelson Friendship Center Food Pantry, and Greenagers at Many Forks Farm.

Other organizations and efforts supported by FCCNA since 2022 have included:

• Support for Syrians. Following a devasting earthquake in 2023, the Missions Ministry partnered with members of the church and the broader community to fund and deliver, through a Syrian-American family network, food, clothing, medicine, other necessities, and educational opportunities for families in northwest Syria displaced by the disaster.
• Crises in Ukraine and in Gaza. We have raised funds for World Central Kitchen, which partners with local chefs to prepare hot meals for refugees of war and natural disasters.
• I Am Afro: A Street Fair for All the People. We held our June 2023 event celebrating black culture, in coordination with the Berkshire Black Economic Council, on our church lawns. The day featured a performance stage for singers, dancers, and comedians and fashion shows; food trucks; a caricaturist; and children’s activities.
• Western Massachusetts Labor Action. Upon request, we provided backpacks and calculators for distribution to North County students needing them.
• Al Nelson Friendship Center Food Pantry. We replenished diminishing food staples (canned tuna, chicken, beans, etc.).
• ESOL Classes for Female Immigrants. We helped support winter 2024 English classes at Berkshire Community College for recently arrived female refugees and asylum seekers from Afghanistan, Ukraine, Haiti, and Guatemala, who also benefited from solidarity and childcare. 
• First Friday. A number of hardy parishioners gathered around the lit firepit on our front lawn to welcome North Adams neighbors.
• LumiNAMA Light Festival. Through North Adams’s Chamber of Commerce, we brought some brightness and whimsy to downtown North Adams with a display on our church lawn.
• Stand Out for Democracy. For the last five years, we have stood out on our lawn on January 6th in proud defense of justice and democracy and to build bridges through compassion and peace.
• Berkshire and North Adams Pride. We have marched and tabled in partnership with our Proud and Loud friends and with the Berkshire Association.
• Flood Recovery from Hurricanes Helene and Milton. We sent donations to our sister UCC church in Asheville, North Carolina, and to the Tampa Bay, Florida, Resiliency Fund.
• Growing Healthy Gardens, North Adams. We offer support to this program that partners with residents to create organic gardens at schools and in subsidized neighborhoods throughout our community.
• Louison House. We responded to an emergency request for cots from Northern Berkshires’ only comprehensive housing agency that assists individuals and families struggling with housing insecurity and its related ills.
• Roots & Dreams and Mustard Seeds Inc. We contributed toward the purchase of an RMV-approved vehicle with which undocumented individuals are able to take their driver’s tests.
• Fires in Los Angeles, California, and in Hong Kong. We sent funds to the L.A. United Way Wildfire Response Fund and to the Yan Chai Hospital Assistance Relief Fund to aid victims.

Missions Moments

From time to time, a member of the congregation or an invited guest shares their passion for volunteerism. Efforts and organizations highlighted have included:

• Northern Berkshire Habitat for Humanity
• No Paws Left Behind Animal Shelter
• Berkshire Pride and North Adams Pride
• The Potato Project benefiting the Greater Bennington Community Services (GBCS) Kitchen Cupboard food pantry
• Berkshire Humane Society
• Al Nelson Friendship Center Food Pantry
• Berkshire Food Project
• Growing Healthy Gardens

Missions has provided a donation to each organization highlighted, with a pair of local youths receiving stipends to help raise potatoes for GBCS in summer 2025.

FCCNA Concert Freewill Offerings

FFCNA has a long history of presenting free concerts for the public Since 2016, our concert freewill offering collections have supported:

• Berkshire Food Project
• ROOTS Teen Center
• The Al Nelson Friendship Center Food Pantry
• Berkshire Immigrant Center
• Northern Berkshire Habitat for Humanity
• The Office of Veteran Affairs of Northern Berkshire
• The Friends of the Council on Aging in North Adams