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Service and Social Justice

Environmental Ministry

The Environmental Ministry Team (EMT) serves as a forum for sharing and bringing  environmental church policy and resource information to the notice of the congregation and the church’s leadership. Given the overriding danger of climate change to earth’s life support systems, our Christian tradition is called to take a far more active role. We are called to articulate the sacredness of God’s creation powerful enough to replace personal consumption as our highest right and entitlement.  

As a Green Church, our congregation endorses the ideal of environmental stewardship as part of our Christian discipleship. We pledge our ongoing commitment to the care of God’s creation, and we offer the following resources:

Peace, Affirmation, and Justice Ministry Team

Peace, Affirmation and Justice Ministry

The Peace, Affirmation, and Justice Ministry actively seeks to support and advocate for the dignity and equality of all people. We believe that harmony, friendship and understanding is God’s plan for all of humanity. 

Prison and Re-entry Ministry has been a core part of our mission for the past fifteen years. We have worked with MORE Reentry Program in New Haven and currently the Goodwill Services to provide backpacks for men and duffel bags for women who have recently been released from incarceration. Our congregation donates basic toiletries, socks, underwear, t-shirts, gloves and hats in the winter, and bus passes. This happens twice a year, in May and November, with sixty bags donated annually. The children, through Christian Education, and teens, through Pilgrim Fellowship, have participated in our collection, making this a church wide project.

Both the MORE Center and Goodwill Service are very thankful for these backpacks and duffel bags since they provide some basic necessities to a group of people who often leave incarceration with a paper bag filled with their belongings. Hopefully our contributions to their new life symbolizes a welcome back to society and gives each of them a smile and hope for the future.

Palestinian Human Rights, Equality and Dignity: We support and advocate for the Palestinian people with a focus on educating the congregation, encouraging individual advocacy, contact with our representatives and sent two delegations of church members to visit Palestine-Israel in 2014 and 2019. Historically the church has supported the various Resolutions of Witness presented to the UCC General Synods, one calling for boycotts of certain goods and companies connected to the Occupied Territories and the other calling for the UCC to “Advocate for the   Rights of Children Living Under Israeli  Occupation.” In 2023 a Ceasefire Resolution was   signed by 180 church members and sent to our national and state representative. In 2024 we   supported and participated in a three day Walk for Gaza with over 150 people participating     walking a total of 25 miles which is the length of Gaza. As the genocide continues and the   West Bank is being occupied the deaths of children, destruction of homes, end of medical care and closing of schools become known world-wide. Weekly Prayers for Palestine may be found at: https://uccmps.substack.com/p/weekly-pause-for-palestine-109.

United Nations International Day of Peace, takes place on September 21st annually: Joined by area faith communities and peace groups tohonor the International Day of Peace. The annual celebration is held on the Guilford Green includes singing, readings, and comments by invited guests. In 2024 four congregations, Christ Episcopal Church, St. George Catholic Church, North Guilford Congregational Church and First Congregational Church marched in the Guilford Parade giving over 1,000 Peace Pledges to spectators.   

Housing as a Justice Issue: Committee members attend Guilford Affordable Housing town meetings with a focus on changing zoning laws to provide more multi-dwelling units and smaller house lots. We hosted a fund raising dinner for the Rosette Neighborhood Village to raise funds for Tiny Houses for the unhoused in New Haven. This has become a workable model for the care of the homeless in cities across the country.

LGBTQ Ministries is a major focus over the years with First Church becoming an O&A Congregation in 1997 with an inclusion update of our statement in 2023. We have held community prayer services for Transgender Day of Remembrance, sponsored a public presentation on Transgender Awareness, and organized a Guilford Pride Day information table on the Guilford Green. Members of our congregation participate in the Southern New England Conference Transgender Affirming Working Group receiving a grant of $500 for this work.  

Legislative Advocacy: We are in regular conversation and maintain contact with Representatives on both the Federal and State level on issues related to criminal justice, affordable housing, refugee and immigration justice, LGBTQ rights, gun control, Palestinian safety, and other social justice concerns. 

Refugee Resettlement and Immigrant Justice Ministries.  The refugee resettlement ministry believes in God’s call to care for those who are persecuted, those who are homeless, those who are hungry and in need. Beginning in the 1980’s with the Viet Nam refugees to an Iraqi family in 2013. Our current refugee resettlement program consists of working closely with Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services (IRIS) in New Haven. In 2020 an ecumenical organization was formed including Temple Beth Tikvah. Madison, North Congregational Church, Madison, Christ Episcopal Church, Guuilford, St. George Catholic Church, Guilford, and First Congregational Church, Guilford. In 2021 we sponsoring an Afghan Refugee family of eleven persons accept the responsibility of caring for the family for over two years. When the church has the opportunity to commit to another family, a committee is then formed, money is raised and IRIS helps us to find an appropriate family to assist. 

Pastoral Care Ministries

Care is a hallmark of the First Church community. Our Parish Care Team sends notes of support and organizes meal trains for those who are recovering, undergoing treatment, or welcoming new babies. The Prayer Shawl ministry takes shawls knitted in our community, blesses them, and distributes them to those who need a tangible reminder of community support and God's love. Our care for each other is expressed through support during times of crisis, sorrow, and life transitions. 

The Widows Who Lunch gather each month at a local restaurant for fellowship. The location changes each month. 

Our pastors welcome appointments to discuss issues of faith and to offer support through times of crisis. They make visits to hospitals, rehab centers, and longterm care facilities. 

Please contact our office to find ways to connect! There is a place for everyone and the work you are called to at First Church. 

Immigration and Sanctuary Ministry

On September 30, 2018 the congregation voted to become a Sanctuary Congregation and now an Immigrant Welcoming Congregation of the UCC. To bring the experience of what it means to “live” in sanctuary, the traveling Sanctuary Photo Exhibit was brought to our congregation with the exhibition held in the sanctuary.  The photographs captured the challenges, cost and family strife when waiting for legal protection to remain in this country.

We have joined the state-wide Rapid Response Network organized by Unidad Latina en Acción as we continue to work with the immigrant community. We offered our congregation as a Safe Space if there was an ICE raid in our community offering extravagant hospitality to those overcome by fear and possible deportation.

As a witness of solidarity with asylum seeking children and families our pastor, the Rev. Dr. Ginger Brasher-Cunningham, joined over 500 faith leaders in a Moral Monday protest at a U.S. Border Patrol detention facility. Faith leaders of all denominations called for an end of migrant family and child detention and offered prayer for those incarcerated.
First Church has a long history of refugee resettlement. Beginning in the 1980’s with the Viet Nam refugees to our most recent settlement of an Iraqi family in 2013. While the face of the ministry has changed over the years, our mission has not.