Missions Committee

The Missions Committee strives to align with the mission expression of the United Church of Christ (UCC). We understand mission to be an expression of God and not simply an activity of the church. Our congregation is committed to discern God's mission when it is engaged in mission projects.

Go to "Five for Five"          Go to "Missions Projects"

Black Forest Community Church is a mission-minded church and historically always has been. Its support is remarkable in its generosity. We welcome suggestions from the congregation with pertinent information so we can establish legitimacy and proper ratio of expense versus actual monies realized for the mission. As a committee, we offer diversity to the congregation with International, National and Local mission opportunities. Every individual knows the mission closest to his heart. Black Forest Community Church has an enviable reputation for mission support.

We are a Five for Five UCC church. We support Five UCC Conference missions:

1. One Great Hour of Sharing (Fourth Sunday of Lent)
   This channels resources for international programs in health, education, agricultural development, emergency relief, refugee ministries and both international and domestic disaster response. It is administered by Wider Church Ministries.



2. Strengthen the Church (Pentecost Sunday)
   This supports leadership for the whole church, including new and revitalizing congregations, programs for youth and young adults.



3. Neighbors in Need (First Sunday in October)
   This supports ministries of justice and compassion throughout the U.S. and Puerto Rico. It includes the Council for American Indian Ministries (CAIM), justice and advocacy and direct service projects supported by Justice and Witness Ministries.



4. Christmas Fund (Sunday before Christmas)
   This helps provide pension and health premium supplementation to low income retired church workers, emergency assistance to clergy families in need and Christmas checks to hundreds of annuitants. It is administered by the Pension Boards.



5. Our Church's Wider Missions
   Provides funding from congregations for Conferences (Youth, Women, Staff, etc.) and the national ministries of the UCC (Wider Church Ministries, Local Church Ministries, Justice and Witness Ministries, General Ministries and the Pension Board.

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In addition to the above "5 for 5" missions, the Missions Committee appeals to the congregation for support on selected monthly projects. Examples of past and current projects are explained below.

• Every month, the Missions Committee collects non-perishable food, hygiene items and monies for the local Care and Share food pantry, Black Forest Cares (physically located in the Black Forest Lutheran Church).
  
  
• The entire offertory collected at the Christmas Eve Service is donated to La Puente in Alamosa, Colorado. La Puente is a non-profit organization in the San Luis Valley, providing emergency shelter, food assistance, transitional housing, self-sufficiency services, homeless prevention, community outreach services and job training for the homeless and other community members in crisis.



• We respond to disasters for those hardest hit: the Limon tornado victims, the Hayman fire victims, flood victims, Katrina assistance, etc.



• Heifer International
  This project is supported by many denominations. It provides families with a way to feed and sustain themselves and help their neighbors and communities worldwide. It provides animals for them to raise. The animals provide milk, eggs, meat, etc. They must pass on the first female animal born to another family, who then in turn is required to do the same. For more information on Heifer International, please click here.



• TESSA
  Provides shelter, services and care for all victims of abuse (men, women and children). For more information on Tessa, please click here.



• S.E.T. (Service Empowerment Transformation)
  This organization provides health and wellness services to the uninsured, underinsured and low income population of the Pikes Peak Region. For more information on S.E.T., please click here.



• CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates)
  This program matches volunteers to abused and neglected children who are going through the court system. The volunteers help the children find their voice for what is best for them. For more information on CASA, please click here.



• Project Redirect
  This program changes and refocuses the way services are delivered for delinquent youth. It targets youth who have not responded to traditional programs. It was started in February of 1994 by a community partnership: Department of Human Services; Department of Health and Environment; School Districts 11 & 8; Pikes Peak Mental Health; and Goodwill Industries of Colorado Springs. Project Redirect serves the most high-risk youth who are involved with gangs, the courts, and law enforcement. Many have problems with drug/alcohol abuse, mental health, and long-term conflicts with their parents and schools.



• Compassion International exists as a Christian child advocacy ministry that releases children from spiritual, economic, social and physical poverty and enables them to become responsible, fulfilled Christian adults.



• Thanksgiving Baskets
  We donate supplies for Thanksgiving meals for up to 5 families in our neighborhood through the guidance of a Wolford School social worker.



• Christmas Adopt-a-Family
  Through selection by the Wolford School social worker, 1-5 families (15-20 people) are identified as needy and our church will receive a wish list submitted by the families identified, they will be wrapped and tagged with a first name only and delivered by the social worker.

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