Our Mission Team helps our congregation respond to immediate needs while also exploring the larger issues of poverty, hunger, housing, justice, and human dignity.
We believe mission is not simply about what we give to others. It is about building relationships, learning from our neighbors, and working together to create a more compassionate and just world.
Each season, our Mission Team chooses a particular area of focus and invites the congregation to engage in three ways:
GIVE — A Seasonal Drive
We collect supplies, resources, and financial contributions to meet practical needs in our community.
Whether we are filling backpacks with school supplies, preparing Thanksgiving food boxes, or collecting warm clothing for people experiencing homelessness, our generosity becomes a tangible expression of love.
SERVE — A Hands-On Opportunity
We believe that mission is something we do together.
Each season, we organize an opportunity to serve through a hands-on project, volunteer experience, or community partnership. These activities allow us to work alongside our neighbors, build relationships, and make a meaningful difference.
LEARN — An Educational Opportunity
Compassion grows through understanding.
Each season, we offer an opportunity to learn more about the issue at the heart of our mission focus. Through speakers, conversations, presentations, and community experiences, we explore the challenges facing our neighbors and consider how our faith calls us to respond.
Our goal is not only to provide immediate assistance but also to better understand the circumstances that create the need for assistance.
Our Mission Throughout the Year
Our seasonal priorities help us connect our faith with the changing needs of our community.
Winter — Supporting Those Who Are Homeless
During the colder months, we turn our attention to neighbors experiencing homelessness, housing insecurity, and the challenges of winter weather.
Our annual HUGS Tree invites the congregation to donate Hats, Underwear, Gloves, and Socks, along with other winter essentials. These gifts have supported neighbors through organizations such as Friends of the Carpenter, Open House Ministries, and Vancouver School District Family and Community Resource Centers.
Through education and service, we seek to better understand the realities of homelessness and housing insecurity and how our community can respond with compassion and justice.
Spring — Access to Healthcare
During the spring, our Mission Team focuses on the challenges faced by individuals and families who struggle to access the medical care, medications, and support they need to live healthy lives. We also seek to better understand the barriers that prevent people from receiving care, including the cost of medical services, lack of insurance, transportation challenges, and inequalities within our healthcare system.
Summer & Fall — Supporting Children and Families
As the school year approaches, we focus on supporting children and families in our community.
Our annual School Supply Drive provides needed supplies for students at Washington Elementary School and Discovery Middle School.
Congregation members contribute backpacks, notebooks, pencils, and other essentials so that students can begin the school year ready to learn.
Our partnerships with local schools help us better understand the challenges facing students and families and identify meaningful ways to offer support.
Each year, our Thanksgiving Food Box Drive provides groceries and grocery gift cards to families connected to Washington Elementary School and Discovery Middle School.
Each Christmas our Gift Tree provides presents for children from families at Washington Elementary School who could use extra support during the holidays.
