Local Community

Friendship Center

Our Church organizes, volunteers, cooks, and delivers a dinner every third Sunday of the month. The dinners are prepared, delivered and served by Church members to the needy at the Friendship Center in New Britain, Connecticut.

Click here for Friendship Center Dinner Donation Form.

The Caring Ministry

The Caring Ministry engages members of the congregation, along with the pastors, in providing pastoral support to the Church community. Over the last year, the Caring Ministry has:

• Organized a group of callers to visit the elderly and home bound secured rides for people to appointments
• Visited the families of newborns; coordinated a prayer shawl and baby blanket ministry
• Planned seminars and opportunities to enhance the health of the congregation
• Scheduled a flu clinic and a workshop on estate planning issues

Our Church is known as a caring congregation. We also invite you to support and participate in this official caring ministry for our Church. For more information please see any of the Caring Ministers during the Sunday service (they have green nametags).

The Knitting Ministry Program

As part of our Caring Ministry program, the Prayer Shawl ministry has delivered more than 100 prayer shawls to Church members and friends, providing comfort and warmth during times of need. The Knitting Ministry program knits and delivers baby blankets to new parents from our Church a few weeks after the arrival of the baby. Knitting instructions for both the baby blanket and prayer shawl are available at Church.

You are more than welcome to crochet a blanket or use a different pattern as long as you use machine washable/dryable yarn. The baby blanket should measure approximately 25"x29". Completed shawls and blankets can be dropped off in the church office.

Click here to download knitting instructions for the Prayer Shawl and Baby Blanket.

Interfaith Community Action of Newington (ICAN)

The Interfaith Clergy Association of Newington and Newington's Department of Human Services collaborated to create Interfaith Community Action of Newington. The ICAN program is designed to benefit all of Newington's residents, as well as the congregants of all houses of worship, without regard to the residential status of any such congregant.

ICAN complements and enhances services already provided by Newington's Department of Human Services by drawing upon the willingness of congregants, to volunteer their time, talents, and patience to assist qualifying individuals, especially those who are elderly, frail, or otherwise in need. Whether it be reading, small repairs, minor cleaning, shopping for those who are handicapped or homebound, running errands, providing the invaluable gift of company for those who live alone, or sharing one of your innumerable talents, your efforts will have a beneficial and long-lasting effect. To reach us, simply call the ICAN telephone number at (860) 665-8791 and leave a confidential message. The volunteer coordinator will contact you.

Rebuilding Together

Neighbors helping neighbors . one house at a time.

When you need help with your yard or your house needs repairs where do you turn when you are no longer able to do these things? Rebuilding Together (formerly Christmas in April) is an organization that helps. They spend all year screening eligible homeowners, gathering companies willing to donate their products, and recruiting volunteers. Volunteers clear yards, trim hedges, make minor repairs, and paint, just to name a few things. Please consider joining us for a day of hard work, fellowship and the wonderful feeling you get when someone says "thank you" and smiles. No special skills are required.

Seasonal Programs

• Pluck-A-Turkey - Pluck a feather from the turkey in the Narthex and help a family have a better Christmas. Each feather contains a gift to be distributed by the Department of Human Services, Newington, Connecticut.
• The Giving Tree - Select a candy cane off the Giving Tree, and help someone who needs assistance. Each contains a suggested gift for Covenant to Care, the Friendship Center, or the Institute of Living.