Neighbors in Need Special Mission Offering
Neighbors in Need (NIN) is a special mission offering of the UCC that supports ministries of justice and compassion throughout the United States. One-third of NIN funds support the Council for American Indian Ministry(CAIM). Two-thirds of the offering is used by the UCC's Justice and Witness Ministries(JWM) to support a variety of justice initiatives, advocacy efforts, and direct service projects through grants.
Neighbors in Need grants are awarded to churches and organizations doing justice work in their communities. These grants fund projects whose work ranges from direct service to community organizing and advocacy to address systemic injustice. Funding is provided through donations to the Neighbors in Need offering.
Most UCC congregations will receive the NIN offering on October 7, 2012 as part of their World Communion Sunday observance. however, some local churches select another date. NIN contributions can be made on-line at any time here.
The deadline for grant applications is March 31st and September 30th of each year. Download here:
For Grant Recipients:
If you were a recipient of a Neighbors in Need (NIN) grant, help us inform our members whose contributions to NIN have made your grant possible about how lives have been transformed because of their generosity. These stories may be shared in a variety of forms as we promote inspired giving to NIN. View previous grant recipients.
Need more info? Check out the NIN guidelines.
Resources
All UCC churches should recieve a supply of offering envelopes in their automatic shipment. If you need more envelopes, or would like to receive hard copies of these resources, please contact UCC Resources at 1.800.537.3394.
What is CAIM?
The Council for American Indian Ministry(CAIM) is the voice for American Indian people in the UCC. CAIM provides Christian ministry and witness to American Indians and to the wider church. Justice issues that affect American Indian life are communicated to the whole UCC by CAIM.
Historically, the forebears of the UCC established churches and worked with Lakota, Dakota, Nakota, Mandan, Hidatsa, Arickara, and Hocak in North and South Dakota, Wisconsin and northern Nebraska. Today there are 20 UCC congregations on reservations and one urban, multi-tribal UCC congregation in Minneapolis, Minnesota. CAIM supports these local churches and their pastors. In addition, CAIM strives to be a resource for more than 1,000 individuals from dozens of other tribes and nations who are members of other UCC congregations and to strengthen their participation in the life of the church.
