Last Wednesday night on zoom we had our mid-week gathering. It was mission night and we had a moment for people to identify what mission was to them and to share an important time of mission in their life. Here are some general things I took away. If you were there, you might recognize some of these ideas. Mission comes from the Latin root miseo “to send.” Mission is something that has purpose. It can be an institution, a building or a calling from God! We represented all of those views. I learned that a few of our mission agencies have impacted our people’s lives in a meaningful way. People’s lives have literally been saved. Mission means building relationships with people you might not ordinarily do that with. Mission means reaching out to non-believers as well as making deeper friendships with other believers. Mission can be a summer youth trip or summer camp that becomes life changing. Mission is acting on an awareness in your life that moves you. Mission is bearing another person’s burden. Mission is sharing your God-given talents with a community, or sharing your work with someone who can’t work. Mission is gleaning the leftovers of a field, selling the produce and giving the proceeds to those who need it. Mission is mutuality and right relationship. Mission can start just by serving in a job at the church like being a care deacon, or leading worship or giving someone a ride to a bible study (or helping with a zoom study!) Mission strengthens our relationship with Jesus. Sometimes we are serving Jesus and might not see it right away!
August is typically the month when many of our mission agencies around town begin to gear up for Fall. Several have their annual fundraiser. This year COVID-19 has interrupted the fundraising concerts and banquets for several of them. Jesus is the Way Prison Ministry and Canaan S.A.F.E. House are two specific ones that have been changed or postponed this August. Let’s keep these ministries in our prayers as we enter into the second half of the year. They are a blessing to the vulnerable in our community. Thank you. There is more below!
Peace,
Rachel Matthews, Temporary Mission Coordinator
More Mission Announcements:
World Mission meets by zoom Today, Tuesday, August 18, 4:30pm.
Community Mission Deacons meets by zoom Tuesday, August 25, 4:30pm
Courage Connection: If you or someone you love need help, please call Courage Connection’s Domestic HOTLINE (217)384-4390 OR (877)384-4390
empty Tomb, inc. June/July newsletters arrived a little late in my inbox at church this past week. As God works miracles, God has used empty Tomb during this time of pandemic to help some people who really needed help for food, rent, medicine, a baby car seat, and other things. They have brought on board their ministry at least three part time volunteers for food coordinating, clothing closet and drivers. If you would like a copy of one of the newsletters, they gave me six. I will gladly share it. What is clear to me is that the one thing empty Tomb needs from First Presbyterian Church is a volunteer to coordinate food deliveries from our congregation as well as a few other things they do. If you would like to do this, please let me know. I will gladly get you on board with this.
ESL (English as a Second Language) will be virtual through December. They are on break right now but are planning for an active and busy Fall. If you would like to tutor or have an interest in strengthening your English as a second language contact our ESL Director Jeanette Pyne at Jeanette@firstpres.church
Friends of P.E.B. – Pakistan Independence Day was this past week. I hope you saw the Facebook post I put on our church group page of the PEB school children singing a zoom song< “Jeevy, Jeevy Pakistan” celebrating their country’s independence. It was just wonderful! https://www.facebook.com/833484816778774/videos/298905194502335
It is time to start thinking about school scholarships as well. Here is a great video about PEB. There are personal testimonies from students about the power of their education. A scholarship can make a difference. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75aL-s_0gCk
PEB students are eager to learn but extremely poor.
They cannot afford a quality education.
How can you help?
Do you support a scholarship student already? Thank you so very much. The difference you are making cannot be calculated.
- Ask yourself, ‘Could I support one more?’ or
- Ask yourself, ‘Could I give an additional amount to the general scholarship fund? At least one time? Maybe monthly? Even a small amount?’
Honestly, it adds up. If every person who opens and reads this, gave even $5 or $10 a month, it would add up to thousands.
OPTION 1: Donate to our Scholarship Fund.
Funds used for tuition, books, supplies, uniforms, room & board.
OPTION 2: Sponsor a student through a scholarship:
Day student = $1/day $31 month $365 year
Boarding student = $2/day $62 month $730 year
Frontera de Cristo –
Jesus is the Way Prison Ministry: The Annual Celebration-Fundraising Banquet will be online this year on Friday, August 28, 2020 at 6-8pm. There are some things you can do to join in and take part: ·
JOIN US in watching our FIRST EVER Facebook Live event at https://www.facebook.com/Jesus-is-the-Way-Prison-Ministry-1594891964064517/ on Friday Aug. 28th at 6pm
- Host a watch party at your home or church on Friday Aug. 28th at 6pm
- Watch and share the LIVE feed on your Facebook page for your friends and family to view on Friday Aug. 28th at 6pm — (This is a GREAT way to help not only spread the message of JITWPM BUT also share some amazing testimonies of how GOD is transforming lives for HIS glory and help encourage others to know they also can be set FREE)
- Donate silent auction service and/or products
- Host a “Drive-By” to support the evening and drop off monetary donations, items for our blessing room, non-perishable food for our food pantry, etc.
- Give a love offering to “JESUS IS THE WAY PRISON MINISTRY” to help meet any expenses of this special event and the continued daily costs to keep the ministry going forward
Opportunity International: Take a virtual journey to the edge of extreme poverty in rural Africa. Learn about the daily challenges these families are facing—from a lack of access to clean water to limited resources for education—and how you can transform their lives by empowering them to grow their businesses and create a sustainable livelihood for their children.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=24&v=UmgRCna4Bvg&feature=emb_logo
Canaan S.A.F.E. House: In an effort to help people break free from controlling addictions and troublesome habits, members of the Champaign-Urbana Christian community joined together in the creation of SAFE House (Substance Abuse Free Environment). We have experienced successful results since the inception of the Program in February 1994. The residents who were a menace to society are now ministering to society. What a testimony! We offer separate 12-month live-in Men’s SAFE House and Women’s SAFE House programs that incorporate a structured daily regiment of: G.E.D., and/or adult education, devotions, group therapy, personal counseling, volunteer work projects, evening community-wide personal enrichment courses, and weekly worship services. The enabling power of the Holy Spirit helps them break free from controlling addictions and troublesome habits. https://www.facebook.com/canaansafehouse
The fourth weekend in August is typically when S.A.F.E.House has their annual Jazz Benefit at Hessel Park. We are saddened this year that due to COVID19 that has been cancelled. Nevertheless, the ministry at S.A.F.E.House continues. Brother Tatum the pastor at the Canaan Baptist Church has overcome some health issues this year and for that we are grateful. We keep him and the entire minsitry in our prayers.
CU at Home:
Prayer
- Would you join us in prayer for one of our close friends who recently relapsed and is trying to regain stability and direction for his life?
- Please pray for the officers and detectives who continue the investigation into the death of one of our closest friends, Todd Ledbetter. We pray for justice and peace for our friends and our staff who lost a dear friend!
- Would you also pray for friends in our community who have lost jobs and income due to COVID-19?
Praises
- Thank you God for one of our long-time, guitar playing, friends who will be getting his own apartment very soon!
- Praise the Lord for another one of friends without an address who will be getting housed on August 20th!
- Praise to Jesus for a friend who is taking advantage of all the C-U at Work program has to offer and is saving money towards getting his own place!
Faith in Place Workshops:
If you are interested in environmental issues, you may be want to explore Faith in Place. Our First Presbyterian Green Team highly recommends Faith in Place! Here are some workshops they are hosting. You must register for these workshops. Contact Faith in Place for registration link: https://www.faithinplace.org/contact-us
#1 Helping Green Teams Thrive During Covid-19
Monday, Aug. 17th | 7pm CST
Learn what resources Faith in Place is offering Green Teams during the pandemic and how we are celebrating your incredible work! Join our Green Team Outreach Team for this inspiring hour where you can ask questions, hear what other Green Teams are doing, and share ways Faith in Place can support you during these challenging times.
#2 Virtual Story Circle Featuring lloba Odum
Tuesday, Aug. 25th | 6pm CST
This month’s story circle will feature the migration story of our guest, lloba Odum. Mr. Odum came to the United States from Nigeria over 30 years ago and made his home in the state of Washington. Join the circle to hear about his journey and share your own migration story.
#3 Webinar, Creative Climate Solutions: How People of Faith Can Address Climate Change
Thursday August 27th | 5pm CST
#4 Green Team Summit, September 13-17
See the list of events:
https://www.greenteamsummit.org/agenda?emci=b4163d57-3ddb-ea11-8b03-00155d0394bb&emdi=5cd54cc7-ebdb-ea11-8b03-00155d0394bb&ceid=3615334
Community Resources – Rachel has a list of community resources available to assist adult learners who are struggling with transportation, food, internet or some other need for themselves or their family. Email her at rachel@firstpres.church.
CUFair – Several of our members support the work of CUFair which works with immigrants and refugees in our community like The Refugee Center, which we do support as one of our mission agencies Both agencies have their offices in the same Champaign-Urbana Public Health District building. We are grateful for the work CUFair is doing with our immigrant community. CUFair will be changing their name soon:
“We are excited to announce that beginning this month, CU FAIR will be transitioning to a new name: Immigrants Services of Champaign-Urbana, or ISCU. We have also developed a new logo, thanks to the generosity and creativity of Rachel Chartoff and Terry Maher from Bend the Arc C-U, who donated their services to create this simple yet powerful design. We feel that our new name and logo more accurately convey our reason for being, and we hope that you agree. As we begin rebranding, we will be converting our email address, Facebook pages, URL from our website, and the newsletter to our new name and logo. Stay tuned for the news plug that will announce ISCU.”
Let us keep all our mission partners in our prayers, those who are waiting to go back to their place of ministry and those who are able to work where they are. Listen for God’s call to you in their ministry.
Our PC(USA) Mission CoWorkers:
Mark Adams and Miriam Maidonado Escobar (Mexico)
Farsijanna Adeney-Risakotta (Indonesia)
Jeff and Christi Boyd (Central Africa)
Jo Ella Holman (Carribean and Cuba)
Bob and Kristi Rice (South Sudan)
Our regional and global mission partners:
Kemmerer Village (and Camp Carew)
Lifeline Pilots
Marion Medical Mission
Mission Aviation Fellowship
Opportunity International
Friends of Presbyterian Education Board in Pakistan Presbyterian Cuba Partnership
Special Offerings of the PC(USA)
Theological Education Fund
Young Adult Volunteers
Here in Champaign – Urbana:
CU Better Together
CU at Home
CANAAN S.A.F.E. HOUSE
CANTEEN RUN
COURAGE CONNECTION
DREAAM
eMPTY TOMB, INC
FAITH IN ACTION
JESUS IS THE WAY PRISON MINISTRY
THE REFUGEE CENTER
RESTORATION URBAN MINISTRY
SALT & LIGHT
Here at First Presbyterian Church
FPCC Amateur Preachers
FPCC Environmental Committee working with Faith in Place
FPCC Presbyterian Women
FPCC ESL
FPCC Children, Youth and Families
FPCC Mission Possible/Go and Serve
302 W. Church Street
Champaign, IL 61820
217-356-7238
info@firstpres.church |
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