Please Join Us in Making a Difference. The United Church of Stonington, located in Stonington, CT, won an Oil Lawsuit, and is now Financially Devastated. Please Help Save Our Caring, Historic United Church of Stonington. Why We Need Your Help: Our Church is unfortunately defending against a lawsuit. A neighbor of our parsonage brought a civil lawsuit against the Church claiming that oil under the neighbor’s basement was caused by the Church Parsonage. Although the trial court found in favor of the Church, we have incurred thousands of dollars in costs for all the environmental tests, experts, costs of the trial, including legal fees, and now legal fees to defend ourselves against the neighbor’s appeal. Our savings have been depleted. We love our church, our community and our historic landmark building. We are trying to stay solvent, keep our doors open, and serve our community, but the bills we struggle to pay make it hard to go on. We hope the explanation of our plight, and your support, will enable us to continue serving our community, mission work, and charities locally and globally. United Church of Stonington Mission Statement: We welcome all into our nonjudgmental community. We journey together to deepen our spiritual growth through the teachings of Jesus Christ and to demonstrate loving kindness through outreach and positive energy. United Church of Stonington is Everybody's Church. Our Historical Landmark: The church building on Main Street in Stonington Borough was built in 1834 as the Second Congregational Church of Stonington. The United Church of Stonington was formed in 1950 as a union of the Second Congregational Church and First Baptist Church. The historical Church Clock, in a recently restored steeple, is owned and regulated by the Borough government that maintains the clock fund. The Hook Pipe Organ was originally built by E. &amp; G.G. Hook &amp; Hastings - Opus 558, 1870. Who Are We and Why Do We Matter? United Church of Stonington is dually aligned with the United Church of Christ and the American Baptist Church, making us truly diversified. We genuinely welcome you here, regardless of who you are or where you are in life's journey. We are warmhearted, compassionate and attentive to each other's needs, celebrating events in each other's lives. We are family-oriented and provide childcare on Sunday mornings. We strive to carry out the mission of the Church with utmost integrity. We are an active part of our community. We are committed to mission work, and charities locally and globally. We support Always Home (formerly known as Mystic Area Shelter and Hospitality/MASH) in helping people recover from homelessness, such as sponsoring 5 families with donation collections for Easter holiday baskets. Some of the many charities we support are Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center, WARM Shelter, Neighbors In Need, One Great Hour of Sharing, Church World Service (blanket program, CROP Walk) and more. We celebrate weddings, births, baptisms, birthdays and confirmations. We hold funerals and memorial services for those who’ve passed and remember those we’ve lost on All Saints Day. Our Pastor is one of the Reverends that lead the Easter Sunrise Service at Stonington Point with a light breakfast. Our Church is the meeting place for Fourth of July Picnics on the church lawn open to all, the Halloween Party also on church lawn, the Christmas Eve service open to all, and Alcoholics Anonymous meets weekly in Fellowship Hall. Guitar teacher Lou Manzi meets with his young students in the Fellowship Hall several times a week. Salt Marsh Opera rehearses here several times a year. "Obesa Cantavit" and "Amahl and the Night Visitors" performances are at our church, to name a few. What Are the Needs? Recover $500,000 in lost lawsuit costs to save the church properties – Sanctuary, Chapel and Parsonage. The charity these funds are directed to is a certified, verified non-profit 501(3)(c) and any money donated will go directly to The United Church of Stonington. All funds will only be used for non-profit church expenses to pay off legal expenses and maintain church expenses for pastor and properties. Any funds would be appreciated and every dollar helps! Thank you and God Bless You. Other Ways to Contact and Donate: United Church of Stonington 67 Main Street Stonington, CT 06378 Follow us at: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/UnitedChurchOfStonington" target="_blank" class="" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">http://www.facebook.com/UnitedChurchOfStonington</a> <a href="http://www.unitedchurchofstonington.org" target="_blank" class="" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">http://www.unitedchurchofstonington.org</a> Again, please help us save our caring, historic United Church of Stonington. Any donation will help make an impact. Thanks in advance for your contribution to this cause that means so much to us and our community.

Dean Davis

Anonymous

Suzanne Charpentier

Sandra Pellinen

Mary Goodman

Patricia Menno-Coveney

Lorrie Simons

Rachel Pierson

Katherine Brighty

Bob Statchen

Gary and Sandi Davis

Janet  Crook

Jared DeFanti

Jeanne DeLarm-Neri

Karen Dinsfriend 

Church Won Oil Lawsuit, Lost Savings

Church Won Oil Lawsuit, Lost Savings

Still $496,490 to go. Help us build momentum.