Massachusetts Conference Edition
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by Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane
October/November 2007
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The CMS Mission Group put their carpentry skills to work during a North Carolina Habitat for Humanity mission trip. Photo by Jack Ryan |
City Mission Society of Boston
This past year, almost 100 youth and adult leaders from eight different MACUCC churches participated in City Mission Society (CMS) mission trips, and experienced service and justice first-hand.
“The goals of these trips are to expose the youth to a variety of faith traditions as well as the political system that influences decision making,” said Carl McDonald, Director of CMS’ Boston Urban Outreach program and former staff member at the Conference. “By weaving mission opportunities with educational programming, we hope to help the youth integrate service with a new understanding of justice.”
McDonald reported that during the last April school vacation youth from Danvers and Lynnfield participated in the ‘Journey Toward Understanding’ led by Elsa Marshall. The group served at a food pantry and clothing distribution center in Lancaster County, PA, at the Church World Service warehouse in Maryland and at a men’s shelter; visited the Holocaust Museum, the Vietnam Memorial, the UCC Justice and Witness office in Washington, DC, and met with a Massachusetts state representative.
Later in the summer, six churches sent youth and leaders to Tarboro, NC to work with Habitat for Humanity. Participating groups ranged from four people to over twenty per church and came from Holliston, Methuen, Georgetown, Centerville, Framingham, and Melrose. McDonald led the trip and explained that while in North Carolina the group stayed at Franklinton Center, the home of the National UCC Justice and Witness Ministries. The group worked on finishing three homes, and spent evening worship service with Mt. Zion Baptist Church.
“Both of these trips offer opportunities for youth groups to travel outside their comfort zone to work with people from different backgrounds and cultures,” said McDonald. “With these trips, there are opportunities for churches without youth leaders to offer mission experiences because small groups as well as large groups join together. They work together, eat together, pray together and play together.”
Sara Winter participated in the North Carolina Habitat for Humanity trip and later reported on it for her local newspaper in Holliston. She explained how her views had changed during that week. “We loaded ourselves into the vans once again. This time, there were no qualms about squishing into a seat next to someone who, four days ago I did not know. We had become friends, united by the thread of doing good for others.
“This thread, and the sense of accomplishment to which it is tied, is what I will carry away with me....”
Through these experiences, youth connect with the people they serve as well as other youth from MACUCC churches. Often these relationships continue when they return. “All of this serves to strengthen youth participation in the local church,” said McDonald.
City Mission Society (CMS) of Boston has served as the mission arm of the Massachusetts Confer-ence of the United Church of Christ for the Metropolitan Boston Associ-ation for over 190 years -- matching local churches with mission opportunities within the Greater Boston Area and beyond. Last year, the Society extended its reach with the creation of Boston Urban Outreach which offers mission immersion experiences for youth groups. The Massachusetts Conference provided $15,000 in seed money for the start-up of Boston Urban Outreach.
Worcester Area Mission Society (WAMS), UCC
As indicated in previous issues of this paper, mission trip opportunities to the Gulf Coast are available through the Worcester Area Mission Society (WAMS), UCC (see Oct/Nov 2006 Hurricane Disaster Relief article and the Feb/March 2006 Still Speaking Profile at www.macucc.org/ucnews).
WAMS is the designated social ministry arm of the Central Association of the Massachusetts Conference and provides a way for city and suburban churches to enjoy a mutuality in mission. In cooperation with the MACUCC, WAMS organizes work trips to New Orleans with its partner church Good Shepherd UCC in Metairie, a suburb of New Orleans.
The Rev. Shantia Wright-Gray, Mission Educator for WAMS, invites UCC members from around the country to share their gifts and talents with this historically deprived area as it rebuilds. Teachers, bankers, medically trained personnel, those experienced in creating affordable housing, and others with specific skills, are especially encouraged to share their gifts for rebuilding, renewing and enrichment.
MACUCC Mission Partnership
The MACUCC Mission Partnership Committee brings the cross-cultural mission experience to both adults and high-school students. Terry Hall, the trip coordinator of the Partner-ship Committee reports that the Feb-ruary trip will focus on helping to build a Christian camp, Centro Shalom, in the Andes Mountains of Chilé.
“When finished, Centro Shalom will be a camp or retreat center where people will be able to learn about the environment, God and themselves,” said Stephanie Carlso-Flynn, a past participant. “I am so happy that I was a part of building such a wonderful project.” Carlso-Flynn, a member of the East Congregational Church in Milton, reported on the trip and experiences on the East Church website (www.eastchurch.org/scrapbook/Centro-Shalom-Mission-Trip-to-Chile.php).
“The service [we attended had] a lot of singing, dancing and praising God, an amazing and new experience for everyone in our delegation. It was so different from services in our home churches in New England because every worshiper threw away his or her inhibitions and just praised the Lord.”
“I witnessed the power of the Holy Spirit, and was touched by it,” said Matt Mendoza, a 2005 participant in the Chilé trip.
“We want to provide a cross-cultural experience for the Mass Conference youth and to show them that even though the kids of the Pentecostal Church of Chilé aren’t UCC, they are Christians,” said Hall. “We all have much in common and can grow to love each other. And they did!”
Work Trips to New Orleans • Nov. 10 -17 , 2007 and Jan. 5-12, 2008
Work trips to New Orleans with partner church Good Shepherd UCC in Metairie, LA, are offered by WAMS. Participants must be age 16 or older. Contact Rev. Shantia Wright-Gray at 978-422-6256. or shantiawg@gmail.com • $900 per person
February 15-25, 2008 • Youth Mission Trip to Centro Shalom, Chilé
Help to build Centro Shalom, a Christian camp in the Andes Mountains of Chilé. Camp, build and worship with members of the Pentecostal Church of Chilé for 10 nights. Participation in this cross-cultural experience will be limited to 5 adults and 5 high school age students. The group is seeking an adult female leader, fluent in spanish. Email terryle56@yahoo.com for more information. Sponsored by the Mission Partnership Committee of the MACUCC and Global Ministries • Approx. $2,100 per person
For the following trips, contact Carl McDonald at cmcdonald@cmsboston.org or call 617-742-6830, ext 210.
April 20-April 25, 2008 • Boston Mission Experience
Groups will be housed at local inner city churches and will serve at Greater Boston Area churches and agencies. Mission work will focus on serving those who are marginalized. • $350 per person
June 22-June 27, 2008 • Habitat for Humanity in North Carolina
Groups will be housed at Franklinton Center Retreat Center and will work with Habitat for Humanity. All youth are allowed to do construction tasks. Youth 16 and older are allowed to operate power tools if they have parental permission. • $450 per person
August 1-August 8, 2008 • Rebuilding in New Orleans
Groups will be housed at New Orleans churches. Opportunities for service may include work at a children’s day camp, painting schools and rebuilding homes.
• $350 per person plus airfare