There is much work to do in our world. Together we struggle for justice, moving closer to the day when all are fed, equity prevails, and the earth is protected.
Below are a few ways to get involved in direct service and social justice at FCC Natick. To join in the good work, contact the church office and we will get you connected.
FCCN members take on key support roles 3-4 weeks per year at Family Promise MetroWest, a local shelter that provides temporary housing and comprehensive support to families dealing with homelessness. We also raise funds for FPM’s preventative support programs for at-risk families through the annual Walk to End Homelessness.
Through our partnership with the Cabell-Lincoln Workcamp in West Virginia, FCCN offers direct assistance to those whose homes are in need of repairs to remain (or become) habitable . For more than two decades, we have sent intergenerational teams on rewarding and life-changing mission trips to make Appalachian homes “warm, dry, and safe.”
FCCN members engage in direct service and fundraising to provide food and other basic essentials to those in need. This includes shopping, cooking, and serving meals at Open Door, a local grass roots program that combats social isolation and food insecurity through a weekly shared meal. We also support three Natick food pantries. We help restock the nearby Common Good Mini Pantry; we support the Heart Healthy Food Pantry of the Natick Service Council through our Thanksgiving In-Service and February “Souper Bowl”. We also donate funds, diapers, food, and personal care items to A Place to Turn.
Our congregation, through the Guatemala Partnership, is working in solidarity with Santa María Tzejá (SMT), a small Mayan community in northern Guatemala. In addition to raising funds and gathering school supplies to support SMT education and development efforts, we also seek to unlearn stereotypes and learn history (including the impact of US history policy in the region). Several FCCN members join a delegation to SMT each February and report back to us.
We also raise funds for Angels of Hope clinics in Uganda, founded by an FCCN member.
FCCN members have traveled to the Mexico border to witness the plight of those attempting to migrate to, or seek asylum in, the USA. Locally we are working with nonprofit partners to support those arriving in our community, includes food and clothing donations and facilitating housing arrangements. Recognizing the scope of the problem, FCC Natick in 2023 was a founding member of the Caring Coalition, a group of faith communities coordinating support efforts in this area.
In 2019, FCCN was recognized by the UCC as a Level 3 Green Congregation. This multiyear project involved replacing our heating system and improving building insulation, participating in Natick’s green electricity aggregation program, facility and member composting, and planting a pollinator garden on church grounds (and member homes). FCCN members serve on town/nonprofit environmental boards. We host annual Earth Day in Natick events, and members present on topics such as electric vehicles and local aquifers. We hold an annual workathon at the Natick Community Organic Farm.