The First Congregational Church of Blue Hill has always been actively involved in direct service to the greater Blue Hill Peninsula community. Our Church supports a wide variety of programs in the community through volunteer hours and donations, including the following:
All of these programs rely, in part, on financial support from the community. Contributions are always welcome, appreciated and tax-deductible. To donate to the Dolly Fisher Fund or Christmas Angels, please make your check payable to First Congregational Church of Blue Hill and indicate the program name in the memo. Please mail to P.O. Box 444, Blue Hill, ME 04614.
Mission Team
The Church’s Mission Team administers a scholarship fund for college students, oversees the Dolly Fisher Emergency Fund and the Christmas Angels program, and informs Church members about volunteer opportunities (Habitat for Humanity, WindowDressers, and the Hancock County-Wide Food Drive are examples). We also collect food donations for the Tree of Life Food Pantry. A portion of the annual Church budget is dedicated to helping other non-profits locally and abroad, which fall within our Church’s mission of serving others.
Christmas Angels
The Christmas Angels program, originally coordinated by Four Town Nursing, was adopted by the Church in 1989. The program provides gifts of warm clothing to children in need who reside full time in Blue Hill, Brooklin, Brooksville, Castine, Penobscot, Sedgwick, Surry, Deer Isle, and Stonington.
Coordinated through our Church, the program depends on the generosity of individuals, clubs and businesses all over the peninsula who shop for children and donate financially.
Each Angel is provided with a detailed list of a child’s clothing wishes including age, size and any specific needs. Individuals can shop for one or more children, and clubs or businesses are encouraged to organize a team to shop for one or more families. Distribution of gifts is in early December. To learn more about Christmas Angels, contact the Church office at (207) 374-2891.
Dolly Fisher Emergency Fund
Founded in 2008, The Dolly Fisher Emergency Fund is named for the wife of our Church’s founding minister. The Fund is dedicated to providing emergency fuel, food and utility help for households on the Blue Hill Peninsula, and informing the public about other available resources.
The Dolly Fisher Emergency Fund provides aid in the following ways:
- Provides #1 (kerosene) or #2 fuel oil, propane, pellets or firewood from area dealers.
- Prevents disconnection of utilities by Emera or CMP.
- Issues food vouchers for Tradewinds.
- Makes referrals to other community resource services.
- Offers a listening ear, encouragement, and a church family.
The Fund greets requests positively and with a “can-do” attitude. Even if it cannot meet a specific request, the above options will often help the situation. The Fund’s Administrator, a member of the Church, strives to maintain confidentiality at all times. The Dolly Fisher Emergency Fund Administrator can be reached at (207) 412-8072. The phone is monitored Monday-Friday, except on holidays, and a return phone call will be made within 24 hours.
H.O.M.E.
H.O.M.E. Inc., based in Orland, provides essential services to members of the Hancock County community who are experiencing homelessness. In late 2024, First Congregational Church donated a significant portion of the funds from the 2023 sale of our parsonage to H.O.M.E.’s Diversion program, which serves families in danger of losing their housing through emergency rent assistance, conflict mediation, and connection to services and benefits. We hope to raise awareness and support of H.O.M.E.’s services among the Blue Hill peninsula community by hosting benefit events and H.O.M.E. craft sales.
In the late 1990’s, the Christian Education Board partnered with H.O.M.E. in Orland to provide Christmas boxes to their shelter guests. Historically a youth project, every year 20 boxes are filled with assorted toiletries, a warm hat and pair of gloves, then wrapped and decorated. As one H.O.M.E. staff member said, your Christmas gift is often the only present someone in our shelter receives and they are grateful to find out that a complete stranger cared about whether or not they had a gift to open.
H.O.M.E. welcomes donations for shelter guests year-round. Items that are most needed are toiletries (shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, deodorant, shaving supplies, and body wash), bath towels and wash cloths, nail clippers, denture cleaner and adhesives, and undergarments for both men and women. Donations can be dropped off M-F, 8:00 am – 3:00 pm, at the front desk of the Learning Center: 90 School House Road in Orland.
Keep Warm Clothesline
In the winter of 2020-2021, the Church strung a clothesline out front and filled it with free colorful hats, gloves, scarves and socks. The community pitched in as well by donating items, many of them hand-knit. It was such a great success, the Church committed to making it an annual project. It’s surprising how something so simple can make someone’s day but could also help prevent cold weather injuries. As one of Northern Light Blue Hill’s doctors described, frostbite can develop on exposed skin in as little as 10-30 minutes in conditions commonly experienced in Maine and on the peninsula. Wear your hats, gloves, and mittens!
Donations to the Keep Warm clothesline can be dropped off at the Church office year-round or you’re welcome to pin them on the clothesline when it’s up. Donations of quality warm gear and clothing can also be dropped off at the TurnStyle 24/7 in their drop-box next to the shop door; located at 23 South Street in Blue Hill.
Mentoring Program
In the fall of 2024, First Congregational Church of Blue Hill voted to invest a portion of the funds from the 2023 sale of our parsonage into a youth mentoring program. Arising from the work of members of the Gun Safety Working Group who devoted considerable study to the causes of gun violence, we initiated a revival of the Big Brothers/Big Sisters program for the Blue Hill Peninsula. Working with Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Mid-Maine, Health Peninsula and local schools, we are currently developing a roster of “bigs” and setting up the framework of the program.
Care Team
The mission of the First Congregational Care Team is to reflect God’s love by providing support and friendship to our congregation in times of need.
Prayers: To request a prayer for someone in need, please send an email to the Church Office.
Cards: Write notes to those in our congregation in times of joy or sorrow.
Phone Calls: Staying in touch with a friendly phone call.
Meals: Provide a meal for a congregant who is facing a brief illness or the loss of a loved one.
Rides: Provide a ride to and/or from church.
Visits: Visit a new member, a home-bound congregant, or one who is in hospital.
Be the church! Please contact the Church Office to express your interest in serving and/or if you know of someone who is in need of support. Building community, covenant, and relationships one person at a time.
Scholarships
Accepting Applications in Spring 2026
The Isabel W. Davis & Frederick F. Davis, Jr. Memorial Scholarship Fund
This scholarship is available to church members and their relatives, with priority given to students attending a Theological Seminary.
Applying
Applications for these scholarships are evaluated on the basis of the candidate’s record of academic achievement and a personal statement provided by the applicant.
If you would like to be considered for the Davis Memorial Scholarship, please contact the Mission Team for an application and submit it no later than May 5th.