If you wish to contact any of these Ministry Committees, please send an email to office@concordiamanchester.org with the name of the Committee in the subject line.
Necessity Bags for cancer patients came about because of one woman’s comment that she wished she were better prepared for her hospital stay and post-hospital recovery. Her sister asked to make a list of things she wished she had. The Necessity Bags were born. Concordia makes these bags and distributes them to affiliated hospitals and some local doctors for their patients.
Manchester Area Conference of Churches (MACC) Food Pantry & Seasonal Sharing. We provide food to the food bank. Each week in the church bulletin there is a list of food supplies that are needed that week. Concordia has taken on seasonal sharing all year round, providing money and food for the food pantry.
Coats for Kids in Vernon. Concordia works closely with social workers finding out what their client children need. They give us gender and size and go shopping. This is not a coat donation program. We buy new coats for children who have none.
Kid Safe for abused and endangered children. We provide food cards (like a debit card) so kids who have been removed from their homes can have some small treats. We also buy or accept donated backpacks and fill them with school supplies for children who may not be able to afford all the school supplies they need.
Samaritan Shelter. Like the other churches in Manchester, we serve dinner for thirty of our homeless brethren three or four times a year. This can be a very rewarding experience. Recently, for the first time, we got our youth involved. We hope to continue their involvement.
Giving Tree at Buckland Hill Mall. This annual event has Concordia working closely with the Manchester Area Council of Churches (MACC) to encourage Christmas shoppers to buy new, unwrapped gifts for those who may not, otherwise, receive Christmas presents.
Manchester Area Network for Aids (MANA). MANA was founded based on the actions of two Concordia members who saw a need in Manchester and petitioned the town to help. Concordia cooks lunch one Friday per month during July, August and September, and provides Christmas packages for as many as we can, and make cash donations when funds are available.
Dinda House. We prepare Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner for the eight residents who are veterans who are getting back on their feet.
April Time (formerly Laurel Living Center). This is a convalescent home with twenty to twenty-five residents and we provide them with Christmas dinner.
Resurrection Lutheran Church in New Haven. This is a church with many children but few adults. We send them money during the summer and for Christmas. We also support their vacation bible school, which runs for three weeks in the summer at no cost to the children.
Packages for Iraq. On a regular basis we put together packages for our troops consisting of personal items and hard candy. These have been well received as they serve as a reminder to our troops that they are remembered.
Families in Need in our own congregation. Periodically our pastor is contacted by someone in our church family who is going through a rough patch. Pastor is able to provide, anonymously, food or gas cards depending on the need.
Funeral Lunches. We provide lunches when there deaths in the Concordia family. We ask family to pay for the food but we provide the preparation that makes a sad day a little easier for people.
Linus Project. We make and donate quilts for small children who could something soft. There is a workshop given in January to show how to make these quilts.
Heifer Fund. Some things we do have an international impact. Through the Heifer Fund we buy and ship livestock overseas to help provide sustenance to citizens of other countries.
Lutheran World Relief. We partner with the national church which works to help people grow food, improve health, strengthen communities, end conflict, build livelihoods, and recover from disasters.
