• Food – Give the gift of life through quality non-perishable food donations. Donated items provide immediate help to those seeking support through the church and to those receiving support from area food pantries. Donations received weekly at the church.
• Clothing – Support community members in need by donating clean clothing in good condition. All clothing is distributed through the Lancaster County Council of Churches’ Clothing Bank. Donations received weekly at the church.
• Personal & Home Care Supplies – Provide immediate care to those facing unexpected crises by donating laundry detergent, hand sanitizer, hand & body soap, shampoo, tooth paste, tooth brushes, toilet paper, paper towels, plastic wrap and other household or personal care items.  Donations received weekly at the church.
• Gently Used Blankets, Quilts, and Towels – Share God’s love and grace with our four legged companions. All donations support the local SPCA. Donations received weekly at the church.
• Used Instruments for Students – Make a difference in a child’s life by donating your used musical instrument to a needing, scholarship student enrolled in the Apostles Academy of Arts and Sciences. Contact us today to learn more.
• Aluminum Cans – Help support ongoing projects and improvements at Rader Park. Place aluminum cans in the collection bin outside the Youth Center lower entrance.
• Cancelled Postage Stamps – Assist the Wounded Veterans Stamp Project by dropping off your cancelled postage stamps at the church office.
• Organic Matter for Compost – Your leftover food scraps, vegetable peelings, and coffee grounds can help enrich the soil in the Seeds of Hope Garden. Place compostable items in the current year compost bin by the Seeds of Hope shed in Rader Park.
• Grocery Gift Cards (Market Basket) – Purchase gift cards to Stauffer’s, Giant, or Weis at face value through the church, and the congregation automatically receives 5% of the purchase cost. No extra fees to you! All proceeds benefit the Outreach ministries. Contact us to learn how to order.

Gifting Ministry for Martin Elementary School

Church of the Apostles UCC Spreads Joy with Christmas Gift Collection for Martin Elementary School

In the spirit of holiday giving, Church of the Apostles UCC, located at 1850 Marietta Avenue, embraced the season of generosity by collecting and distributing 60 Christmas gifts for the children of Martin Elementary School. Congregation members enthusiastically signed up to shop for a child, and on Sunday, December 17th, the lobby was filled with beautifully wrapped presents, each a testament to the church’s commitment to fostering joy within the community.

The heartfelt effort reached its peak on the following Tuesday when the meticulously chosen gifts were delivered to the excited students of Martin Elementary School. This initiative is part of Church of the Apostles’ long-standing tradition of blessing children throughout almost 20 years, embodying the core values of compassion and community service.

At the heart of this meaningful endeavor is the church’s newly reformed Vision and Mission: “God’s love guides us to include people as they are, serve compassionately, and champion social and environmental justice.” The Christmas gift collection for Martin Elementary perfectly aligns with these principles, reflecting the church’s dedication to inclusivity, compassionate service, and advocacy for justice.

Church of the Apostles UCC extends an invitation to all interested individuals to join their Sunday worship services at 10 AM. By participating in these gatherings, you become part of a community that actively lives out its vision and mission, embodying God’s love through service and advocacy.

In the true spirit of the season, Church of the Apostles UCC continues to be a beacon of love, inclusivity, and compassion, making a positive impact in the lives of those they serve.

For more information about the church and its activities, please visit www.apostlesucc.org or Contact them at office@apostlesucc.org.

Crocs for Kenya

Our next collection will be CROCS FOR KENYA! We are collecting donations of crocs and other items for the kids (ages 4 to 16) at ABBA’S HOUSE which is a Christian Orphanage and school for children in Kenya. There are 250 kids attending this school and can use many donations. We are collecting crocs, socks, underwear, pens/pencils, jump ropes, children’s vitamins, band-aides, and children’s Tylenol. We are also collecting gently used or new long skirts for the girls. If you would like to make a monetary donation to ABBA’S HOUSE, please make a check out to COA and write ABBA HOUSE on the memo line. The school is hoping to get funding for solar panels to run their water pumps. They not only supply water to their school, but to many in their community. What wonderful work ABBA’S HOUSE does for their very poor community in Kenya! Thank you for your generous support of all of our outreach ministries!

Abba’s House 2023

Donations to Healthy Beginnings at Women’s & Babies

You are all very generous and kind! We collected SO many donations for the Healthy Beginnings Plus program moms and babies! We filled a trunk and a backseat with WONDERFUL donations! The staff is thrilled. We are still going to collect through the remainder of this month and take the additional items in June. Once, again thank you to all who donated to this successful Baby Shower!

Donations to Neighbors in Need

Neighbors in Need (NIN) is a special mission offering of the United Church of Christ that supports ministries of justice and compassion in the United States. It is based on James 5:4. “Hear the cries of the field workers whom you have cheated of their pay. The wages you held back cry out against you. The cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty.” One third of this offering supports the Council for American Indian Ministry. Two thirds is used to provide grants to UCC church organizations as well as supporting a variety of justice initiatives, advocacy efforts and direct service projects. Decisions on projects are based on resolutions that were passed at our General Synod meeting. Many churches collect the offering on October 2 as part of World Communion Sunday, but contributions may be given through the month of October. You can give your offering in the special offerings envelope or through Realm.

Donations for the New Beginnings Program at Lancaster General Women’s & Babies

Treats for Heroes

Donations of snacks were collected in January and February, and delivered in March, for health care professionals at Lancaster General Health.

Below is a “thank you” from Don Berkow,
the Department Chair of Emergency Medicine at LGH.

“Dear Church of the Apostles,
A much belated thank you for your kindness providing much enjoyed snacks to my department last month. The emergency department like everyone else has faced a tough several years with the pandemic. Something as basic as a bag of chips can really make a positive impact on a bad shift and your gift did that for many of the Staff! Please let the members of your congregation know how much this was appreciated.”

Don Berkow, MD Chair of ED LGH

Adopt-a-Classroom

“Dear Church of the Apostles UCC,

Thank you for your generous donation of $3100.33 on 4/25/2022! You make it possible for us to support student success and maintain a robust alumni association. We couldn’t do it without you!

Many thanks from Sandi, Kathy, & Jeremiah”