Zwingli United Church of Christ outreach

Community Outreach

Keystone Opportunity Center

This is a community-oriented organization which was developed to support the special needs of North Penn/Indian Valley residents. Keystone is a merger of the former Indian Valley Opportunity Center and Indian Valley Housing Corporation. It serves the housing needs of low-income persons, helping facilitate the transition from homelessness to self-sufficiency. Budget counseling and financial assistance may be provided, as well as self-help education. Keystone also offers many classes, including English-As-A-Second-Language, citizenship, GED, and nutritional classes. The center also provides emergency shelter, food, and clothing, and holds toy and food drives during the holiday seasons. Zwingli helps by providing gifts, food, clothing, and financial aid.

Hospitality Network

The Indian Valley Inter-Faith Hospitality Network opened in February of 1998. Through the hospitality of a number of local churches, this community-based organization provides beds and meals for first-time homeless families. Members of the congregation volunteer to cook meals and provide transportation while the families find temporary shelter in the church building. During this time, the families are aided in their job and/or home search. Zwingli Church hosts the network one month out of each year.

Nursery School

The daily schedule includes approximately one hour of free play when children may choose their own activities from a wide variety that are available such as puzzles, blocks, dolls, books, and learning games. Circle time is a chance to encourage discussion, read stories, and share ideas. Music in the form of singing, tapes, records, rhythm instruments, and dancing is another important part of the curriculum. Through our art activities we expose the children to as many different materials as possible to develop their creativity.

School is held at the Boys & Girls Club in Souderton.

Worldwide Outreach

Study Action

The Study Action group is a loosely organized group that gathers together to share information, support, and experiences regarding social and environmental issues. As they educate themselves, they in turn try to react in a way that is consistent with our faith and its vision for a better world. They share learning experiences, when possible, through Church School classes, the monthly mailings, and guest speakers. Fellow church members are invited to participate in church-wide "actions" such as food drives, offerings of letters, and the CROP walk. The group meets once a week.

Crop Walk

Zwingli participates along with other area churches in the Indian Valley CROP Walk. Participants in this 10K walk, held in October, secure sponsors for each kilometer walked. Twenty-five percent of the proceeds are returned for local hunger ministries, the rest is passed onto Church World Service for International Hunger relief.

Child Sponsorship

Our Church School sponsors a child in the Philippines, contributing to her school and living expenses each month and corresponding with her. The children enjoy her letters!

One Great Hour of Sharing

Zwingli makes annual offerings to this fund which is used to help victims of natural disasters and other emergencies in the United States and around the world. OGHS also provides development aid and resettlement assistance by helping people help themselves. Together, the giver and receivers develop solutions.

Neighbors in Need

This special mission offering of the UCC supports ministries of justice and compassion thoughout 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.