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    Just Peace Offering Update

    With your help, we have raised almost $800 for this year’s Just Peace Offertory recipient: Friendship Home in Norwell! As a reminder, the Outreach Ministry chooses one recipient every September. Founded in 1999 by two mothers of adult children with developmental disabilities, Friendship Home helps guests lead meaningful and productive lives by fulfilling their essential need for belonging and socialization. Still interested in donating? Please send your donation via Venmo or check with “Just Peace” in the subject line.

    Dear Members and Friends of First Congregational Church:

    Hello from your Outreach team! Each fall season, we choose an organization to receive our special Just Peace Offering- and to make our faith and God’s good news more real for those in need around us. This September we hope to offer to support to Friendship Home, an overnight respite and activity center in Norwell, MA, that provides day and evening programs for individuals with disabilities and those who care and advocate for them.

    Founded in 1999 by two mothers of adult children with developmental disabilities, Friendship Home helps guests lead meaningful and productive lives by fulfilling their essential need for belonging and socialization. In 2004, the United Church of Christ in Norwell unanimously voted to donate the land upon which Friendship Home stands today.

    Friendship Home provides 15-28 social activities per month, including outings like sporting events and stage plays and onsite activities such as cooking clubs and dance socials. In addition, Friendship Home hosts a summer camp session for four nights and five days in partnership with Camp Hayward on the South Shore. Adults with disabilities can receive employment support and skills training through Friendship Home as well.

    Friendship Home also runs a seven-month long adventure-learning series for adults with disabilities that encourages participants to exercise their leadership qualities and realize their full potential. This “Leadership For All Abilities” program, provides participants with an increased sense of belonging, an emphasis on new friends, community engagement, self-efficacy, goal setting and an appreciation for adventure in the outdoors. Participants 18 and older take on challenges such as climbing, kayaking, hiking and an overnight backpacking trip before graduating.
    The Leadership For All Abilities Program enrolls 10 participants per cohort and the cost of supporting one participant is $5000. We hope we each and as a congregation will respond from the depth of our own faith and commitment to long-term solutions to challenging social issues and consider helping support Friendship Home in their Leadership For All Abilities Program this fall.

    Your Outreach team: Karen Bellacosa, Betsy Goodell, Laurie Galica Jennifer Miller, Rev. Maeve, Larisa Lindsay Katie Shanahan

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