SOCIAL OUTREACH COMMITTEE

Guilford Community Church, United Church of Christ, is a diverse, forward-thinking community, gathered in love, striving to follow the teachings of Jesus.The Bible is important to us, not as a literal and final answer to all life’s questions, but as guidance written in a certain time and context that we interpret, with the help of spirit, for our own times. We recognize and honor the differing spiritual backgrounds of our members and do not require commitment to a unified creed. Likewise, we do not seek to impose our beliefs on the world, but respect and learn from other faith and non-faith traditions.

Our church has a long history of welcoming youth and supporting their development through active participation in our community. Inclusivity of all abilities is paramount and is evident at every service. Peace and social justice are priorities, and we work with and for the marginalized on issues such as poverty, inequality, and discrimination.

We are an Open and Affirming church, as well as a Just Peace church, encouraging compassion for all and the pursuit of justice through nonviolent action. We try to live our lives in reverence for our Earth, acknowledging the Indigenous people who our ancestors displaced, and striving to protect and care for the environment. Through a rich musical tradition, we integrate our spirituality and values, and joyfully sing our prayers. We care for one another in times of celebration and sorrow, and thus build a connected community that together manifests the love of Jesus.

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News from your Social Outreach Committee

GCC Affinity group meeting, March 7, 2026

Attended by: Brian Remer, Nanci Leitch, Tom Green, Terry Sylvester, Barbara Lee, Alyson Platt, Sue Owings, Cathy Hess, Elizabeth Christie, Joan Weslowski, Peter Falion, Dunham Rowley, Connie Woodberry, Patrice Murray, Fred Breunig, Helen Merena, Kurt Daims.

We had a “youth-focused” gathering and heard about two exciting initiatives with the purpose of supporting young people and mentoring them on their journeys of faith and social justice. We then discussed the social/political challenges we are currently facing, with an emphasis on hope. Check-ins were then offered by the group regarding news from local social/charitable organizations.

Club West – This is a new teen center started by Reverend Jeremy Kirk at First Congregational Church
of West Brattleboro. The purpose is to offer space in the church for teens to gather and do programs. There are many kids who have no place to go in the immediate area. It is located right next to Academy School. Rev. Kirk has received a grant to start it up. There will be a game night, a mutual aid store, hopefully an after school program and more. There will likely be lots of crossover with Interfaith Youth Group. Isaac Freitas Eagan, presently a third grade teacher at Academy School and also works with the Interfaith Youth Group is helping to get it started. They are raising funds for programming.
Interfaith Youth Group - Brian and Nanci described how they started the program, showed us the video of the service trip to Ashville, North Carolina last year, and described what they are hoping to do this year in Charleston, South Carolina. It is a diverse group, presently made up of youth from the Christian, Jewish, and Muslim faiths. There are many new Americans in the group, as well as BUHS foreign exchange students. From the video we saw that while organizing monthly meetings before the trip was challenging, the service trip, including the singing, traveling and working together transformed the group into a community. The participants expressed their overwhelming positive reactions to being part of the Interfaith Youth Group, a place to help people and to meet friends, to see the world from a different point of view, to learn to speak for oneself, to work hard and have fun, and to understand what it means to be part of a community.

Brian led us in a fun exercise that helped us identify and discuss what we felt are the qualities it takes to be part of the interfaith youth group as well as any social justice organization..

Allyson posed questions to ponder – What is helping you navigate the complexities of our nation and the world? Where do you feel hope and what gives you hope?

Responses were varied and included visiting a greenhouse, being part of the GCC community, being grateful for religious leaders (e.g., James Talarico) who are distinguishing between White Christian Nationalism and true followers of Jesus, protesting, and calling representatives.

Check-ins from local organizations:

Brattleboro Senior Meals—Peter Falion: because of increasing demand, BSM has had to limit the number of new recipients; currently delivering 165 meals a day; need drivers. Brattleboro voters encouraged to attend Open Town Meeting and restore funding to social service organizations

Putney Food Shelf—Elizabeth Christie: they have been able to get funding from non-Putney towns since people from surrounding area visit the food shelf

Friends of L’Arche Southern Vermont—Barbara Lee: the next Affinity Group meeting will visit their new home for people with and without intellectual disabilities (in Dummerston)

Special Olympics—Joan Weslowski: numerous sports being offered locally and always looking for volunteers, especially basketball

Beloved Winter Shelter – Fred Breunig: up to 12 people can stay overnight 5 days a week until March 31

Groundworks meals—Sue Owings: GCC provides a meal once monthly. If anyone would like to be part of a team to do a meal for Groundworks on an additional day, contact Joan W.

SEVCA Help Fund—Connie Woodberry: area churches continue to financially support applications for emergency funds

Loaves and Fishes—Terry Sylvester: serving midday meals twice weekly to those in need

Brattleboro Common Sense—Kurt Daims: working toward betterment projects for Brattleboro

Please join us at our next Affinity Group meetings: May 30 and October 24.

Peace and blessings from the Social Outreach Committee,

Patrice Murray, Chair

Connie Woodberry

Jan Drechsler

Margie Serkin

Carol Crompton

Joan Weslowski