Neighbors in Need 2023

Neighbors in Need is the UCC’s annual offering to support ministries of justice and compassion through-out the United States, including the Council for American Indian Ministries (CAIM), justice and advocacy efforts, and direct service projects funded by the UCC’s Justice and Witness Ministries.

The Neighbors in Need offering, which we will receive on October 1, supports the UCC’s ministries of justice and compassion throughout the United States.Two-thirds of the offering is used by the UCC’s Justice and Witness Ministries to fund a wide array of local and national justice initiatives, advocacy efforts, and direct service projects. Through our national Justice and Local Church Ministries office, https://tinyurl.com/2bfytatb, you can find resources, news updates, and action alerts on a broad spectrum of justice issues. Working with members of the UCC Justice and Peace Action Network (a network of thousands of UCC justice and peace advocates), Justice and Witness continues its strong policy advocacy work on issues such as the federal budget, voting rights, immigration, health care, hate crimes, civil liberties, and environmental justice. Neighbors in Need also supports our American Indian neighbors in the UCC. One-third of the offering supports the UCC’s Council for American Indian Ministries (CAIM). Historically, forebears of the UCC established churches and worked with Lakota, Dakota, Nakota, Mandan, Hidatsa, Arickara, and Hocak in North and South Dakota,Wisconsin, and northern Nebraska.Today there are 20 UCC congregations on reservations and one urban, multi-tribal UCC congregation in Minneapolis, Minnesota.These churches and their pastors are supported by CAIM. CAIM is also an invaluable resource for more than 1,000 individuals from dozens of other tribes and nations who are members of other UCC congregations in the U.S.

You can make a donation to Neighbors in Need by giving online and selecting "Neighbors in Need" in the "To" selection or by designating your in-person donation at St. John's during the collection of offerings during Sunday worship.