Mission Council Seeking New Members

The Mission Council at First Community raises funds to support mission activities locally, nationally, and internationally, as well as creating opportunities for our members to be involved in ministry outside the walls of the church. The council meets monthly on the fourth Tuesday at 7 pm, and currently, all meetings are being held virtually. Our next meeting is scheduled for February 23. If you're interested in serving on the Mission Council for the 2021 term, please contact 

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Refugee Task Force Coat Drive

Again in 2020, the Refugee Task Force partnered with Burlington stores on their annual Delivering Good coat drive. Throughout the months of November, December, and the first half of January, approximately 250 donated coats were picked up from the Burlington store on Dublin-Granville Road. These coats were then delivered to several organizations throughout the city to distribute to their waiting clients. Special thanks to Larry Needleman and Kitty Rohrer for their help with this project. Below is a photo from the distribution of some of these coats at the Riverview International Center on December 10.

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Tandana Foundation Update

With financial support from the Mission Council at First Community, the Tandana Foundation continues to work with the women in Mali to develop their skills. Already in 2021, literacy classes have begun and the first women's leadership workshop has been completed.

As pictured above, literacy instructors met to prepare and receive the primers, soap, and supplies for their classes. The chalkboards and furniture have been delivered by the Kansongo carpenters. At the workshop 100 women leaders, 80 of whom were literacy students in 2020, participated in a 10-day workshop, learning about how to form and lead women's associations, participate in local decision-making, and make business plans.  They also shared their personal experiences as women leaders, and of course, there was dancing, as pictured below.

To learn more about the Tandana Foundation, please visit their website www.tandanafoundation.org.

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Heart to Heart Update

If you follow us on social media or have been in to volunteer in the past two weeks, you know major changes have been made! Most notably, our rented outdoor tents were removed from the parking lot and we have taken over much of the space on the first floor of the main church building (1320 Cambridge Blvd.). Here's what this means for you:

• Those dropping off direct retail pickups (or any other material donations) should drive up the alleyway beside the church and enter through the back kitchen door. There is a weigh station there and blank pick-up forms in the kitchen for your use.
• The "pantry" is now located in Brownlee Hall. The stocking shift volunteers will bring in and sort the foods by category onto the tables set up around the perimeter of the room.
• Pre-shoppers then take the grocery carts around the room and bag groceries for families. The bags are stored along the hallway between Brownlee Hall and the Crane Welcome Center.
• The nook outside the Burkhart center is functioning as our makeshift drug store, where we store our non-food items like diapers and toothpaste. During pantry service hours, clients can let the volunteers know what they need from this area and it can be quickly retrieved for them.
• The parking lot is closed off for general parking during our service hours, as the drive-thru now extends through the entire lot, to keep the waiting cars off the road. Please avoid the parking lot during the service times plus clean up: Tuesdays and Thursdays 8 am-1 pm and Wednesdays 3:30 - 8 pm.
• During preschool hours, volunteers are asked to please park away from the old receptionist area (wooden doors facing Cambridge Blvd.) to allow families to drop off their children at this entrance.

All volunteers should sign in at the Crane Welcome Center, following the same COVID-19 protocol we have been using. The doors will be open for use by H2H Volunteers:

• Mon 7:30 am to 1:30 pm
• Tue 7:30 am to 1:30 pm
• Wed 2:30 pm to 8:30 pm
• Thu 7:30 am to 1:30 pm

This move is a work-in-progress and likely, more changes will be made as we figure out how to best use the space. For more information, visit the Heart to Heart website at h2h.fcchurch.com or follow us on social media! 

Facebook

Instagram 

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Trading Post Update

The Trading Post is reopened for business in the new year!  Our hours are 10 am - 4 pm every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.  To make the shopping experience as safe as possible during the pandemic, we have taken special precautions which include:  the installation of ionization filters (the same kind as used in hospitals), the completion of contact tracing forms, room occupancy limits, several new windows that open to provide fresh air, and shields at the cashier stations.  Of course, we also require the wearing of masks and social distancing and have installed directional arrows and 6-foot markers on the floor.  We are still accepting donations and these can be placed inside the front door of the Annex Building.  Please secure your donations in plastic bags or closable boxes. 

Remember that all money raised by the Trading Post is now going to the many worthy missions supported by our church.