As it supports and its members participate in a wide variety of local helping missions, First Church also provides opportunity for members to participate in outreach throughout the nation and internationally. High school youth and adults of all ages make a big difference in the life of “strangers” while learning about themselves and their faith as they journey to different sites during the February and April school vacations.

First Church’s mission trip ministry is overseen by a task force that plans, organizes, arranges fund-raising for each year’s trips. Check in at this web site throughout the year to read reports from those who have gone on one of the trips and to learn where the next mission trips will be going.

2009 Dominican Trip

For the last three years a group of high school youth and adult chaperones have worked with Orphanage Outreach in the Dominican Republic during the February school vacation. We stay at the Hope of a Child (Esperanza de un Niño) orphanage in Monte Cristi where we have an opportunity to spend time with the children of the orphanage.

A primary focus of the Orphanage Outreach program is the outreach to the community. During our pre-trip preparation we collect donations of clothing, food, school, hygiene and first aid supplies. Each volunteer transports 100 pounds of donations for the people in the surrounding community.

Volunteers spend part of each day teaching English or health in the public schools.  In past trips we participated in various construction projects including the addition of the second floor of the orphanage and building bunk beds.

A video showing scenes from the 2009 Mission Trip is posted here.

2009 South Dakota Trip

For the past two April school vacations the First Church in Nashua, New Hampshire has sponsored an intergenerational mission trip to Pine Ridge, South Dakota to participate in a service/learning experience through Re-member.   Re-member is an independent non-profit agency that works with the Oglala Lakota People, forming lasting relationships and bridging two worlds.

Pine Ridge is one of the poorest communities in the United States. On past trips we have re-roofed homes, built wheelchair ramps, built and installed outhouses, fixed windows and doors, and made homes more secure for families on the reservation.

Each evening we participate in cultural programs that include native speakers, Lakota singing, dancing and craftmaking.

Watch the video here.

2010 Mission Trips Information

A brochure describing the 2010 Mission trips and Application Form is now available.   Applications will be accepted for First Church Members starting August 1st, 2009; non-First Church Members can apply for any remaining spaces starting on September 1st.

Space is limited; once the available spaces are filled a waitlist process will be used.   An application is not considered completed unless it is accompanied by a deposit check – see the form for more details on the deposits.

A limited amount of scholarship aid is available; fill out a Scholarship Application to apply.