Mission

Mission Commission

LEDRA BRADY, ELDER

The Mission Commission had a second slow year due to COVID, quarantines and drought (like so many in Sonoma County)…But we made the best of it! We had four meetings, two in person, and emailed in between.

We (Jack and Joyce Schipper and their team) kept the garden going strong, and we were able to deliver more fresh produce to families. The Veggie Table brought in $1,368 this year, and we look forward to another strong crop and more garden-to-door deliveries in 2022.

We also donated money to build a well in the village of Mtapa, Tanzania that will provide fresh water to 60 people, and alleviate health problems for the village. We donated a bit to the homeless cause, paying for a lunch for the group camped by the river, and for a tent to replace one lost in the rainstorms. We participated in fundraising for Pedal 4 Protein and the Alzheimer’s Association Walk, and our congregation supported participants financially through member contributions.

We continued our Honest Conversations on Race and Racism discussion group by reading the book Native, by Kaitlin Curtice, and by hosting a series titled, “An Indigenous Experience.” The five-part series included a session on the Doctrine of Discovery, discussion of the short films Grandmother’s Prayer, Dawnland and Dear Georgina, with guest presenters Jeannette Anglin and Rev. Nancy Wiens. In addition, we also spent five weeks reading and discussing the book Reconstructing the

Gospel: Finding Freedom from Slaveholder Religion, By Jonathan WilsonHartgrove. The series continues this February with the book Caste: The Origins of Our Discontent, by acclaimed author Isabel Wilkerson.

Mid-year the Finance Committee was able to give additional money to Mission as our financials were looking better. Mission met and decided to use the bulk of it at the end of the year for the Advent Matching Gifts Program. That worked out well for everyone. We were able to match $2,907.08 from Mission to give a total of $5,022.38 from the Church as a whole. Finally, we would like to extend an invitation to members of the congregation to join us if you feel inspired. We’d love to welcome you!

Matching Gifts Recipients for 2021

Agency Member Gifts Matching Gift Total Giving

Hope Counseling 2,185.00 1,515.77 3,700.77 Meema’s House 123.73 89.48 213.21 Community Matters 75.00 83.78 158.78 COTS 170.45 119.95 290.40 Rebuilding Together 75 83.78 158.78 Redwood Gospel 46.75 15.47 62.22 Mission Petaluma Kitchen 30 13.51 43.51 Salvation Army 98.70 96.55 195.25 Redwood Empire 27.45 13.21 40.66 Foodbank Una Vida 75.00 83.78 158.78

Totals 2,907.08 2,115.30 5,022.38