Missions
If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.
1 John 3:17
American Baptist Church Ministries
United Mission
(www.abc-usa.org/giving/united.mission or www.abcvermontnewhampshire.com)
United Mission is the main arm of support for the American Baptist Church (ABC) denomination. 65% of the United Mission funds strengthen American Baptist regions which provide leadership training and support, ministry materials, missional networks, and resources for regional staff. 26% of United Mission dollars support the American Baptist identity, and mission and ministry through the Office of the General Secretary. Some of the resources offered include trained consulting for search committees, pastoral leadership and ministry by the General Secretary and Associate General Secretaries, leadership and training to women in ministry, guidance and matching of interim ministers, opportunities to connect with partners through Missional Initiatives, and providing resources to regions and church that support and encourage the American Baptist identity. The remaining 9% of United Mission giving is distributed to American Baptist Partners, institutions, and career centers.
In addition to our United Mission support, MVCC parishioners can support American Baptist work beyond the walls of our church through four additional discretionary offerings:
American For Christ Offering
The America for Christ (AFC) Offering supports American Baptist mission and ministry across the United States and Puerto Rico. The AFC offering, administered through the American Baptist Home Mission Societies (ABHMS) works to heal communities through ministries for marginalized children, disaster response, prisoner re-entry, and immigration and refugee resettlement. ABHMS also uses these funds to cultivate church leaders and equip ministry disciples. The offering is distributed in three parts: 59% supports the ministries of American Baptist Home Mission Societies (ABHMS), 29% supports regional ministries, and 12% supports the offering’s promotional costs.
One Great Hour of Sharing
The One Great Hour of Sharing offering is the American Baptist response to worldwide disaster relief and development. One Great Hour of Sharing, in cooperation with other denominations, is a channel for national and international aid in times of crisis. Disbursing funds is the responsibility of the World Relief Committee (WRC) whose responsibility it is to support, enable, and encourage emergency relief, refugee work, disaster rehabilitation, and development assistance.
World Mission Offering
(www.internationalministries.org/world-mission-offering)
The World Mission offering helps to support the work of global servants who engage in international missions. International Ministries (IM) works cross-culturally to invite people to become disciples of Jesus Christ and to proclaim, through both word and deed, God’s reign of justice, peace and abundant life for all creation. IM does not ask global servants to raise all the funding that they need but comes alongside them in financial support as well as in ministry. IM can support global servants with services such as training, networking, promotion and pastoral care; and address crises whenever they arise.
Retired Ministers and Missionaries Offering
The Retired Ministers and Missionaries Offering is the American Baptist thank you – and response to emergency needs of – retired ministers and missionaries and surviving spouses.
Education Ministries
Camp Sentinel
Camp Sentinel, located close by in Center Tuftonboro, offers a fun, quality Christian overnight and day camp for youth, adults, and families. Sentinel also hosts group retreats year-round as well as offering a year-round cabin for personal retreats for pastors, missionaries, and lay people. The mission of Camp Sentinel is to provide a safe and welcoming environment for Christian relationship building and spiritual renewal. Sentinel strives to create life-changing experiences for each camper or guest. Camp Sentinel is about mission and if there is a child or family in need of financial assistance, scholarships are provided. MVCC Outreach funds support the Sentinel Capital, Operating, and Scholarship Funds. (Note: Funds for Camp Sentinel are sent to ABC of Vermont and New Hampshire to be distributed to Sentinel).
Website: www.campsentinel.org
Contact: Kevin Van Brunt (Camp Director)
Governor Wentworth Area Volunteer Coop
GWAV-Coop was formed in 2015 and matches local student needs with local donors. A social worker, school counselor, or care provider in the Governor Wentworth School District identifies a student’s need and contacts GWAV Coop. Periodically throughout the year, GWAV Coop emails its’ volunteer donor database with the requested needs. If an individual wishes to support a specific need the donor sends in a check listing the need being matched. All student and volunteer donor names are anonymous. A donor can sign up on the email list to fund a specific request or make a general financial donation which can be used to help with any of the requests. 100% of the funds raised are used towards families and students in the School District. This ministry is an outreach of the First Congregational Church, UCC of Wolfeboro and its Board has representatives from the school district and other community figures.
Website: https://gwavcoop.org
Contact: First Congregational Church, UCC (Office Administrator)
Phone: (603) 569-1555
Email: gwavcoop@gmail.com
Food Ministries
End 68 Hours of Hunger
The mission of End 68 Hours of Hunger is to put nourishing food in the hands of children in Pre-K through Grade 6 in the communities of Wolfeboro, Brookfield, Tuftonboro, Ossipee, Effingham, Middleton, and New Durham, who experience hunger for the approximately 68 hours that occur between the free lunch they receive at school on Friday afternoon and the free breakfast they receive at school Monday morning. The Wolfeboro chapter serves over 180 students. Each student is sent home with 2 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 3 dinners, and snacks for the weekend.
Website: www.end68hoursofhunger.org (click on “Find Your Community” and then Wolfeboro)
Program Coordinators: Jan Brooks (603-856-1019), Eileen Leavitt (603-651-9115) and Carol Simpson (339-225-0964)
Email: OssTuftWolf@end68hoursofhunger.org
L.I.F.E. Ministries Food Pantry
The mission of L.I.F.E. Ministries is to operate a food pantry, which will provide food to qualified people in need, in quantities appropriate to family size and nutritional requirements. The pantry was established in 1985 in Wolfeboro to provide food to neighbors in need. Today the Pantry is an outreach program of seven local churches, including Melvin Village Community Church. The pantry is open on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month distributing food to 240 families and 607 individuals in Wolfeboro, Ossipee, Alton, Tuftonboro, and 20 other local towns. In addition, the Pantry helps feed school children on vacation who qualify to receive free lunch and breakfast, as well as help feed residents of Hope House in Wolfeboro. MVCC supplies funds, food, and volunteers to the Pantry. Two MVCC members sit on the L.I.F.E. Ministries Food Pantry Board (currently Debi Lynch and Susan Hugel) In addition to the amount donated as part of the Outreach Annual budget, a discretionary offering is taken up for the L.I.F.E. Ministries annual Holiday Basket Fundraiser in December.
Website: www.lifeministriesfoodpantry.org
Contact: MVCC Board Members Debi Lynch or Susan Hugel
Meals on Wheels
The Wolfeboro Area Meals on Wheels is a daily program for housebound elderly and disabled clients who are unable to prepare their meals due to physical or cognitive impairments. Each day, Monday-Friday, volunteers deliver hot noon-time meals prepared at the Huggins Hospital kitchen under the direction of the Food and Nutrition Service department. The program serves clients in Wolfeboro, Wolfeboro Falls, Brookfield, and Tuftonboro. The cost of the meal is minimal. Approximately 45-60 meals are prepared and delivered each weekday. Wolfeboro Area Meals on Wheels is not federally funded and relies solely on private donations, grants and town appropriations. The organization is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors and staffed with a Coordinator and a Program Assistant.
Website: www.wolfeboroareamow.webs.com
Contact: Richard Frazier (Board Chair) or Haley Mathis Program Coordinator (not sure if this is correct?)
Phone: (603) 515-2043
Email: wolfeboromow@aol.com
Housing and Health Ministries
The Child Advocacy Center of Carroll County
The Child Advocacy Center of Carroll County (CACCC) provides services to child victims of crime and works to ensure that the holistic needs of the child are being met while aiding the police and prosecutors to ensure that offenders against children are held accountable. The CACCC is a community-based, public-private partnership that emphasizes the coordination of child abuse investigations and intervention services by bringing together professionals and agencies as a multidisciplinary team responding to the needs of our community and better advocating for the welfare of children. Services are provided to children and families, at no cost, regardless of income.
Website: www.carrollcountycac.org
Contact: Elizabeth Kelley-Scott (Executive Director)
Email: carrollcountycac@gmail.com
Phone: (603)254-7277
Families in Transition/Hope House
Families in Transition- New Horizons’ (FIT-NH) Hope House is located in Wolfeboro. Hope House, the only short-term emergency family housing in Carroll County, provides a temporary, safe, and secure place for families in the Governor Wentworth Regional School District. Hope House provides temporary housing for seven families at one time. Hope House also provides 24/7 on-site staff to address specific needs for each family including transportation, referrals to medical care, case management, and employment assistance. The average length of stay is 60 days until a family can transition to more permanent housing. Hope House is under the umbrella of Families in Transition- New Horizons, one of the largest homeless service organizations in New Hampshire.
Website: www.fitnh.org
Contact: Stephanie Costello (Family Shelter Program Manager)
Email: SCostello@fitnh.org
White Horse Recovery
White Horse Recovery, formed in 2015, is a behavioral health center with locations in Ossipee and North Conway. They offer comprehensive secular and faith-based mental health services and substance use disorder programs for men, women, children and families aged six and up. Ongoing recovery support programs are also offered to help adults through their recovery process. White Horse Recovery clients are treated with a holistic approach addressing the physical, mental, spiritual, financial, legal, and educational aspects of their lives. White Horse Recovery provides a safe environment and support for individuals to begin, continue or restart their recovery journeys.
Website: www.whitehorserecovery.org
Contact: Mark Stokes (Development Director)
Phone: 603-651-1441
Email: mark@whitehorseac.com
Ossipee Mountain Habitat for Humanity
The Ossipee Mountain Habitat affiliate was established in 1993 and serves Southern Carroll County by providing safe, affordable housing to families that usually don’t qualify for a traditional mortgage. OMHFH is currently working on its thirteenth house and has provided home repairs to many families in Tamworth, Ossipee, Wolfeboro, and Wakefield. Partner families receive an interest-free mortgage plus they are asked to volunteer a minimum of 250 “sweat equity” hours alongside the OMHFH volunteers.
Website: www.ossipeehabitat.org
Contact: Lisa Wilbur (Executive Director)
Phone: (603) 569-5664
Email: contact@ossipeehabitat.org
Granite VNA
Granite VNA formed in April 2021 when Concord Regional VNA and Central NH VNA & Hospice merged. Granite VNA serves the home and community-based healthcare needs of residents across 82 communities in the greater Concord area and Lakes Region of New Hampshire. Services provided include home care, hospice care, palliative care, pediatric and maternal child health and personal home services. In addition, Granite VNA offers community clinics and wellness programs to help people maintain their health, well-being, and independence. As a not-for-profit agency, community support is vital to fulfilling their mission including donations that help support the care of individuals who are unable to pay for services and clinics and wellness programs offered to the communities they serve.
Website: www.granitevna.org
Contact: Melissa Howard, Director of Donor Relations
Phone: (603) 731-7757
Email: melissa.howard@granitevna.org
Revised 2/22