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Mission Commission
Mission Commission
In April of 2005, a team of Old South people traveled to Honduras to help in the construction of churches. We've preserved a few key images here, along with a link to more photos.
Each year the Greater Boston Food Bank distributes nearly 11 million pounds of food to 700 charitable feeding programs including our food pantry at Old South. Food is donated to the Food Bank from supermarkets, manufacturers, wholesalers, restaurants and caterers. However, not all of the food they receive is in good condition - cans are dented, expirations dates have past, and packages are open. Before these food items can be distributed, volunteers are needed to separate out the good food and throw out the bad (also known as salvage sorting). This is where you can help. Food Bank provides a brief training session on their rules for sorting, then we'll be off to the conveyor belts to start sorting. It is easy and very gratifying work.
Every spring & fall we collect clothing for the family thrift shops in Salem & Solon, ME managed by the Maine Economic Ministry. These thrift shops help stretch the meager incomes of the residents of this hard pressed area. Please look through your closets and donate what you can so we can send full trucks back up to Maine. Exact dates of each clothing drive will be published in the Family Visitor.
Every fall the mission commission sponsors a day of ministry at this soup kitchen in Lynn, MA. Volunteers are needed to do light food preparation (make salad, butter bread, chop potatoes) and serve dinner to 100+ guests. The dress is casual and the rewards are great. Please prayerfully consider spending a Saturday afternoon assisting at My Brother's Table. If you are interested in joining this group, please contact the church.
Each year gifts of clothing & toys are collected for over 100 children from low income families who attend the Cooper Community Center in Roxbury, MA via the angel tree.
Many of us have been concerned about our children and what is happening in society. We wonder how we effect change in society so it becomes a little less hostile for our children and grandchildren. We can do something - we can get involved here in Reading, or Lynn, or in Roxbury. Cooper Community Center, in Roxbury, started by the wife of a Methodist minister in the parsonage basement, has been reaching out to children as young as 6 weeks and to grandparents as old as 90 years for eight decades. Daily over 100 children are read to, are taught their letters and numbers, are tutored. They learn Bible songs and stories and they learn to share and read and color. Those who come after school have supervised activities, time for homework, and an adult around who has time to listen and respond.