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Outreach at Tabernacle Church Our church community values building relationships by helping organizations in our local area and extending ourselves globally as well. We accomplish this through the work of our Missions Committee and in sharing space in our beautiful building here in Salem. Our Missions Committee encourages the use of our time, talents, and treasures in the following ways:Help for HousingThe Salem Mission The Salem Mission (a local organization addressing homelessness) - volunteers cook and serve dinner on the fourth Monday of each month. We also provide financial assistance to this organization and collect canned goods for their food pantry each week. Tabernacle Church is a "Covenant Partner" with the Salem Mission. We welcome residents of the Salem Mission to our worship services and activities. Rev. Biddle serves on the Advisory Committee of The Salem Mission. Habitat for Humanity, North Shore Volunteers work locally once or twice a year to help build affordable housing . For more information, please visit: www.habitat.org. Citizens for Adequate Housing Is a local organization that works to provide affordable housing in the North Shore area – we support this group financially and with gifts at Christmas time. For more information, please visit: shelterandhousing.org Salem Community Development Corporation (CDC) This local organization works toward providing high quality, affordable housing. Rev. Biddle serves on their Afforable Housing Coalition and church members on their Board of Directors. For more information, please visit: www.shcdc.org Domestic AbuseHAWC (Help for Abused Women and Children – a Salem based organization) We support this organization financially, volunteers from our congregation participate in their annual walk in April, provide a water stop and music during the walk; Rev. Laura serves on the Board of Directors; we offer education and support for women and men; we promote Peace at Home in our worship and Christian Education programs. For more information, please visit: helpabusedwomen.org Benefit Concert CD’s - are available in our Bigelow Room for $10. Proceeds from Rev. Laura’s CD “Rising Up” support organizations against domestic violence. Many of these original songs are about people who have risen up out of hard situations. Educational Resources from Safe Havens Family Violence Prevention Project and the District Attorney’s Office Against Domestic Violence are available in our Bigelow Room. Tabernacle Church is a Safe Haven Church. Global Support Heifer Project – children in our congregation raise money each year to help purchase animals for farms around the world; we also visit a Heifer International Farm here in Massachusetts so the children can see some of the animals before they are sent abroad. For more information please visit: www.Heifer.org The United Church of Christ’s Wider Mission – our congregation financially supports the worldwide work of the UCC which includes sending missionaries overseas, helping to start new churches, and working towards justice and compassion for all people. Prayer Shawl Ministry Approximately twenty-six people in our congregation are knitting prayer shawls to be given to those in need. While being lovingly knitted, the shawls are prayed over and when complete, blessed by the minister, Rev. Laura during a worship service. We pray that our shawls envelope the recipients in our love, God’s strength and in the courage of the Holy Spirit. The shawl is meant to as a gift of comfort and joy. Sharing Our Sacred Space Our fully handicapped accessible space is used by many different organizations including: Girl Scout troops, AA, Guild for the Blind, Red Cross Blood Drives, Life Line Medical Screening, monthly Contra dances, St. John’s Prep Boys' Chorus, HAWC, Children’s Activities.
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