Advent 2011

     The Mission Committee will continue its mission and outreach programs during Advent as well. The dollar box for November supported the Greater Lowell Food pantry. The collection for December 18 will support the Billerica Food pantry.

In addition the hamper in the narthex (church's entrance) will remain so that you can bring in items (listed below) for the New England Pediatric Care hospital, which is in North Billerica, during the joyous time.

Summer 2011

     On August 22, 2011 the mission committee took school supplies to Christ Church Cathedral in Springfield, MA.  We met with the Rev. James Munroe who was thrilled to receive the supplies.  His parish had collected a few supplies and they were combined to provide new full backpacks for many students in the area. 
     We had many other supplies that we received in September because of the many rain storms.  We sent these supplies to Trinity Church in Haverhill, MA.  They were collecting supplies for students in Vermont where the hurricane had left towns devastated.
Here is a summary of what we collected:
70   3 hole notebooks        4    packages of color markers
22   bounded paper pads   6    packages of color pencils
2    loose notebook paper 14   packages of crayons
2    binders                         4    bottles white out
2    small notebooks            8    rulers
3    index cards                 34   sharpies
29   book covers              26   highlighters
44   folders                       16   erasable pens
12   pencil boxes             108  pens
2    scissors                         1    paper clips
2    activity pads                  1    tape
21   glue sticks                    5    pencil sharpeners
12   backpacks                   2    calendar boards
8    small packages of Kleenex       20   mechanical pencils

Erasers:  8 packages of 15 erasers, 3 bar erasers, 40 other erasers
Pencils:  13 packages of of 12, 21 packages of of 10, 122 other pencils
10 combination sets -- notebook, folders, pencils, pencil bag

On-going missions

New England Pediatric Care
www.nepc.org
This skilled nursing facility is located on Route 3A in Billerica.  They care for children who have been released from the hospital, but are considered medically fragile and are unable to go home.  They provide skilled nursing, recreation, rehabilitation and special education. Michelle Moccia worked here before she moved to Vermont.  Please check out NEPC's website.

The Mission Committee is going to collect supplies for this Nursing Home.  The children are between the ages of 1 and 21, therefore the sizes shown vary greatly.  There is a more detailed list on their website.

• Music CDs 
• DVDs (G/PG/PG13)
• Tube socks
• Seamless undershirts
• Sweat pants (size xs - 2x)
• T-shirts -- kids/ adults /XX-large
• Zipped sweat shirts (sizes xs - 2x)
• Comforters for twin beds
• Deodorant
• Shampoo & conditioner
• Body lotion
• Body wash

Equal Exchange Coffee/Tea/Chocolate

Although Market Basket now carries this coffee we sell this in order to raise missions money and give an opportunity for us to support small coffee growers. We have a small markup which goes directly into the Missions budget. Last year it helped fund our trip to New Orleans and gifts to several missions groups as well as matching funds to our annual Gifts for the Poor. Not all our money is collected on Dollar Sundays.