• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Edwards Church

United Church of Christ | Saxonville, Massachusetts

  • About
    • Staff
    • Open and Affirming
    • FAQ
    • Accessibility
    • History
    • Rentals
  • Worship
  • Faith Formation
  • Mission
  • Music
  • Serving
    • Ministry of Congregational Life
    • Ministry of Outreach and Justice
    • Ministry of Spiritual Life
    • Ministry of Administration
  • Sermons
  • Rentals
  • Giving

Reflections: Family Service Project Trip

March 31, 2025 by Alexis Ortiz

Dear friends,

I am worn out and exhilarated! I am writing this article after returning from our first-ever Family Service Project Trip. Fifteen of us – five youth, three young adults, and seven young-at-heart adults – participated in a weekend program led by “Incredible Days,” an organization that helps church groups learn and grow as we do service.

We stayed at a UCC church in Seekonk, Massachusetts, which offered us warm hospitality, a hall and kitchen and even showers. Friday evening was spent getting to know each other, reflecting on why we had come, and playing “Go Fish.” We woke up early Saturday morning and headed out to Mathewson Street Church and

St. Raymond’s Church, both in Providence. We wrote affirmations on lunch bags, made sandwiches, served coffee, broke down boxes, organized systems, moved pineapples, made meatballs, and distributed lunches to people at a park beside a bus terminal.

We took a break to eat our own bag lunches, then headed to our second site: Church Beyond the Walls, an outdoor church like Common Cathedral in Boston and Worcester Fellowship. The congregation meets outdoors in a park. Most of its members are unhoused. We joined them in a worship service and helped serve pizza, salad and cracker packs for lunch. We reflected with their pastor on where we experienced the presence of Christ, drove back to Seekonk and collapsed until dinner and reflection time. We were revived by brownie sundaes.

On Sunday, we worshipped with the Seekonk Church. Olivia led the Call to Worship, Sarah read the Hebrew Bible text, and Dawn read the Gospel. During prayer time, Santi and David (supported by Maya and Celia) went up to the pulpit and shared about our trip. Here are experiences they highlighted (their words):

  • Writing affirmations on lunch bags and learning how much those words mattered.
  • Seeing people who had basically nothing having the generosity to share with others who are also in need.
  • Seeing someone crying during the prayers at Church Beyond the Walls.
  • Seeing how much it matters for people to have choices.
  • We saw a cute duck with a gold chain; she was being held by a “duck dad” with a duck T-shirt (you’ll have to ask Santi, David, Celia, Ruth or Axl about this one).
  • Meeting people who volunteer every day or every week; some of them are folks who experienced homelessness themselves.

Santi and David closed their reflections by saying how much our experience affirmed the UCC statement of welcome: “No matter who you are or where you are on your life’s journey, you are welcome here.”

What a gift it was to spend a weekend with this amazing group of young and slightly less young members of our church. It was a gift to have the opportunity to serve and reflect together. I can’t wait for our next opportunity to serve and learn!

Peace, Debbie

 

Filed Under: Pastor

Primary Sidebar

Easter Season

Come Join Us!

Set your GPS for 39 Edwards Street, Framingham. We have plenty of parking!

We’d love to welcome you for worship Sundays at 10 am in our sanctuary (39 Edwards Street, Framingham) or on livestream. We’d also love to talk with you about weekday programs, our congregation, and your hopes (email Rev. Clark at pastor@edwardschurch.org or call 508-877-2050).

To sign up for events or to help out, click here.

Support Edwards Church

To donate to Edwards Church by Paypal, please use the link below. Please indicate in the notes field how you would like the donation directed:

Open and Affirming

Lenten Devotional

Upcoming Events

Please sign up, for our weekly email to get the latest events.

Open Spirit

Photo Galleries

Pentecost 2018
Pentecost 2018
Painting Improv 2018
Painting Improv 2018
Easter 2018
Easter 2018
Palm Sunday 2018
Palm Sunday 2018

Footer

About

  • Staff
  • Accessibility
  • FAQ
  • History

Boards

  • Ministry of Spiritual Life
  • Ministry of Outreach and Justice
  • Ministry of Administration
  • Ministry of Congregational Life

Committees

  • Our Teams

Copyright © 2025 · News Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in