that is the underlying mission for the Melrose Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition, an organization that has been working since 2005 towards this goal.

First Congregational Church on West Foster Street in Melrose is a member of the Metropolitan Boston Association in the Massachusetts Conference of the United Church of Christ. The largest Protestant denomination in Massachusetts, the UCC was formed in 1957 in Cleveland, Ohio, when the Evangelical and Reformed Church and the Congregational Christian Churches joined together to form the United Church of Christ. On that day, two million members joined hands. The United Church of Christ continues to balance religious tradition with new ideas for religion that is relevant in today's world.
 

Active in mission and outreach, First Congregational Church supports two local food banks, A Servant's Heart and Pantry of hope.  They also finance and serve one meal each month at Bread of Life in Malden.  Active members of the Metro North Refugee Immigration Ministry (RIM), FCC is helping to support two Congolese families who are seeking asylum in this country.  In addition, the Church School supports Heifer Project.  

In fact, the Church School students voted last month to raise donations to buy a water buffalo and some fish for Heifer International.  They learned that with a well-stocked pond of fish and training in fish farming, families can increase their own daily nutrition and income.  A water buffalo can help a family earn money by helping them to plant a much as four times as many crops and by providing them with rich, nutritious milk!  The Church School children will visit Overlook Farm in Rutland on Sunday, April 6th to learn more about Heifer International.
 

The Rev. Dominic Taranowski, Pastor of First Congregational Church, said, "This visit to Overlook Farm is directed to the children but also involves the parents; it is an intergenerational activity that connects both children and adults with their faith in a tangible way.  Faith can't remain in the sanctuary - faith starts with connection to God but needs consequential action in the world to bring fulfillment to people's lives.  A visit to Heifer International is just one way we can capture that."

The FCC is very proud of its music ministry which includes five very active groups.  The multi-generational Choir sings every Sunday morning in the worship service.  The Praise Band is comprised of singers and instrumentalists, from middle school age to those in retirement, who play contemporary Christian music during worship once a month.  The Treblemakers is a choir of children ages three to eight who sing in worship four times during the year and who guarantee to brings smiles to the faces of all.  The Jubilate Ringers handbell choir play one Sunday each month as well as during special programs in the church and in the community.  The New Day String Band, a blue grass group, plays periodically throughout the program year.  Pastor Dominic stressed, "All members of the choirs are members of our church and are under the direction of Duncan Vinson, our Director of Music.

This is a very active time for the Church with Holy Week and Easter coming soon.  On Palm Sunday, a special joint Ecumenical event will be held in Melrose.  Organized by the Melrose Clergy Association, at least 6 churches of various denominations will meet at the First Baptist Church in Melrose for an Ecumenical Breakfast at 8 am.  Pastor Dominic explained, "At 9:15 am the faithful will process down Main Street led by a donkey to the gazebo at El Pond where at 9:30 am, a blessing of the palms will take place.  Then the participants will go their own way to their place of worship for Palm Sunday service."  He continued, "This joint service is a reminder that we may have different traditions, but in the end we have more in common than not."