Mission & Social Outreach
Our Mission is to identify, evaluate, and support local and global causes that call for our response. We are committed to educate and inspire our church family to engage in meaningful opportunities that benefit our local community as well as our neighbors around the world.
Community Suppers
Connecting to our Church’s mission, we welcome Islanders in need of fellowship and a good meal every Wednesday during the difficult winter months of January – April. Our Community Suppers are known for their warm hospitality and good food. Last winter we served almost 1200 people/meals. The preparation of these meals also provides meaningful fellowship and connection for our many church and community volunteers. Please contact Marjorie Peirce via the church office via email or call (508) 693-2842.
Houses of Grace - Island Winter Shelter Program
The Houses of Grace winter shelter program begins on January 1, offering shelter every night of the week through March 31 for those who require simple hospitality, or need a warm bed due to homelessness or lack of heat. Men, women and families are all welcome. Bedding, dinner and breakfast are provided. Learn more.
Green Team
Climate change is an emergency. Our denomination calls us to respond. We invite all interested members and friends to join our GREEN TEAM to identify and implement steps our congregation can take to promote stewardship of God's creation. To learn more about the Green Team, click here. For more information, please contact Jana Bertkau or David Fielder via the church office at officewtiscong@gmail.com or (508) 693-2842.
Racial Justice Board
The Racial Justice Team was formed this past fall, by a group of congregants interested in addressing issues of racism, racial inclusion, and racial equity head-on within our immediate island community, consistent with and in support of the welcoming and affirming message of our Congregation. The Team was voted to the status of Board at the 2020 Annual Meeting. To learn more, click here.
Fair Trade Coffee, Tea and Chocolate
Our church exclusively uses Fair Trade coffee, tea and chocolate for our gatherings. We also participate in the Equal Exchange Interfaith Program using our sales income to support ongoing church mission activities. Equal Exchange's Interfaith Program is a vibrant network of thousands of faith communities working to make a difference, together. The Interfaith Program works with communities of faith as they learn about and promote Fair Trade, living out their values through their consumer choices.
Gleaning
Gleaning is one of Island Grown Initiative’s programs that organizes volunteers to harvest and deliver fresh vegetables and fruit to our islanders in need - food that would otherwise go to waste. Our schools, elder centers, low income housing and community programs received 25,000 pounds of beautiful food last year. To become part of this amazing community program please go to www.igimv.org Click on Gleaning and Volunteers or contact Jamie O’Gorman our gleaning program director at (508) 687-9062.
African Artists' Community Development Project
The African Artists’ Community Development Project (AACDP) is a non profit organization based on Martha’s Vineyard that raises money for disabled children, orphans and women’s groups in Zambia by selling crafts here in the U.S. The founder, Marsha Winsryg, is a member of our church, and we joyfully participate in her efforts.
http://aacdpafrica.org/african-artisan-crafts
CROP Walk
The Martha's Vineyard CROP Hunger Walk is an annual event in which we join as a community to raise funds to fight hunger globally and locally. The Vineyard has been walking to end hunger for 30 years, and in that time MV CROP Hunger Walk has raised a total of $449,700. Twenty-five percent of funds raised go to the Island Food Pantry and the Vineyard Committee on Hunger, and the remainder (75%) goes to global efforts to fight hunger through Church World Service.
https://www.crophungerwalk.org/marthasvineyard
Mission of the Month
Each month our Missions and Outreach Board selects an organization or initiative to bring before the congregation for financial support. As often as possible we also link this monthly mission program to hands on volunteer opportunities. In addition to our ongoing missions we have supported: Hospice of MV, Island Food Pantry, Island Grown Initiative, Vineyard House - Sober Housing, New Paths Recovery Program, YMCA of MV, Cancer Support Group of MV, Healthy Aging of Martha’s Vineyard, Vineyard Committee on Hunger - Holiday Meal Baskets, Church World Service School and Hygiene Kits, Disaster Relief thru UCC and CWS, Special offerings of the United Church of Christ: One Great Hour of Sharing, Neighbors in Need, Christmas Fund for Veteran Clergy, Our Church’s Wider Mission.