The Holidays are a Time for Giving

The holidays are a time to help those in need. And, it's also the last week to make charitable contributions that can be deducted on this year's taxes. 

So here are some great local charities that deserved a check:

Wesley United Methodist Church, 225 Washington Ave. The church has been a part of the Belleville community for more than 200 years. Today, the congregation consists partly of immigrants from around the globe who have found their way to the church. Wesley offers several community outreach programs, including a weekly soup kitchen. 

St. Peter’s Roman Catholic Church, 155 William St. The church — the fourth-oldest parish in the Archdiocese of Newark — has a vibrant, multicultural congregation. Sacraments such as Baptism are offered in English and Spanish, and the church also celebrates masses for holy days and Sundays.

Christian Apostolic Church, 77 Wallace St. The church keeps no membership rolls; anyone who enters the church seeking a closer relationship with God instantly belongs to the community. Instruction in the faith is a high priority at Apostolic. The church offers year-round Sunday school for young children as well as older teens and also hosts about 5,000 charitable projects a year, supporting organizations both in the Newark-Belleville area and around the world.

New Life Body of Christ, 393 Washington Ave. The church sponsors a number of programs to benefit the community, including staging plays to teach lessons from Scripture and hosting a soup kitchen. Christ Episcopal, which is still using part of the sprawling church grounds, runs its popular, charitable Thrift Shop.

Fewsmith Memorial Presbyterian Church, 444 Union Ave. The church invites all to come join the congregation for weekly sermons in this sprawling worship space, which contains a large, vintage pipe organ retrieved from the First Presbyterian Church of Newark decades ago.

Arya Samaj Temple of the Garden State, 126 Joralemon St. The church offers teachings and services in the Vedic tradition, Arya Samaj temple originally served residents of Essex County but soon drew worshipers from across New Jersey. This change was reflected in the temple's name, which was adopted in 2000. Services are followed by a lunch for members.  

Grace Baptist Church, 89 Overlook Ave. The church puts a high-tech gloss on the traditional Baptist liturgy: services are shown live on the church's website. For those who attend in person, there is instantaneous English-Spanish language translation via earpiece (Spanish-language sermons are translated into English, and vice-versa). The church also boasts two worship spaces to accommodate large crowds.  

Montgomery Presbyterian Church, 638 Mill St. Located in the one of the most scenic corners of Belleville, Montgomery Presbyterian Church has been serving the community for decades. All are welcome to attend its regular Sunday services. 

Second Baptist Church, 108 Stephens St. The congregation emphasizes the spiritual development of its young members. Each month it hosts a youth-centric service where kids assume the responsibilities of the elders, serving as ushers and church officers, and the weekly sermon is specially targeted towards young people. The church directly supports extensive missionary work in Africa and contributes to missionary efforts around the world through the Shiloh Association of the General Baptist Convention. 

Silver Lake Baptist Church, 166 Franklin St. Silver Lake Baptist Church also boasts a global reach, supporting 40 missionaries around the globe as well as an orphanage in the Philippines. Closer to home, the church's youngest members learn Biblical morality through the popular VeggieTales, part of a broad offering of youth programs. Silver Lake Baptist Church underwent a major renovation in 2005. 

River of Life Assembly of God, 174 Holmes St. River of Life is a multicultural congregation that is welcoming to all who are seeking to grow in their Christian faith. The church runs an extensive list of programs for men, women and youth. Its mission is captured in the name: members aspire to develop an ever-closer relationship with God while navigating the day-to-day "river of life." 

Little Zion Methodist Church, 154 Stephens St. One of Belleville's oldest congregations, Little Zion Methodist Church offers several programs for its members and sponsors an emergency food pantry for the less fortunate. The pantry is held the fourth Saturday of each month.

St. Mary & St. Mercurius, 125 Academy St. The church serves the Coptic (Egyptian) Christian community, one of the oldest branches of Christianity. The church offers a wide selection of services and activities for its members, including hymn classes, special meetings for Arabic youth and retreats.  

Bethany Lutheran Church, 262 Joralemon St. The church has a number of lifelong members who have remained a part of the church community even after leaving Belleville. The church hosts coffee hours and other social events for its members and is home to a popular daycare program.