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The Heart of Mission
September 22, 2020
Environmental Stewardship participated in the Faith in Place Green Team Summit last week. They even won an award! I took a screen shot of the write up and photo from the Styrofoam collection day back in January.
World Mission met last week and I realized I haven’t shared as much about our mission coworkers lately. We learned that Mission Aviation Fellowship has increased their flights since COVID-19 because of the compromised health of some of their constituents and the fact that they fly small planes with higher safety standards. Here is a video link explaining how they aid people around the world who are in isolation and at the same time spread the gospel. https://maf.org/beyond-isolation
We learned that in South Sudan where Kristi and Bob Rice are mission coworkers, August has been a month of flooding as if the coronavirus was not enough. Learn more on their blog – http://bobandkristi.blogspot.com/
Opportunity International has an online summit October 2. On their Facebook page they shared their speaker.
We are thrilled to share inventor and author of the New York Times bestseller The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, William Kwakumba, will be our keynote speaker at the Summit on October 2. William’s life story reminds us of the innovation and drive of many of our clients.
In his novel and Netflix film by the same name, William recounts his childhood in Malawi, where poverty forced him out of school and set unimaginable hurdles for his family. He read book after book to fuel his understanding of wind energy, finding a way to help his family fight the drought and famine that was plaguing his community.
Register today at opportunity.org/summit2020.
Jo Ella Holman (mission coworker in Caribbean and Cuba) has retired this month. We will be able to say goodbye to her and the other mission coworkers from the Caribbean at the CPN Summit some of our Cuba Steering committee will be attending online, September 25-27.
Farsijanna Adeney-Risakotta (mission coworker in Indonesia) writes on her Facebook page (in translation from Indonesian),
Pandemic Covid-19 still haunts Indonesia and global world. There are many impacts from micro level to macro is changing human life as a person and community. But life must go on. Covid control policy-19 through the implementation of health protocol is basic capital for other life activities. In a healthy body there is a soul and spirit working. So keep Indonesia strong and smart in this challenge
Grass root organizations such as Jati Rasa Cooperative Consumer, Griya Jati Rasa, changes to the direction are better. Audit from Fair Trade Indonesia Forum has encouraged the management of Jati Rasa Consumer Consumer Cooperative Organization. Commitment to escort justice equality to employees and cooperative partners is realized in wage improvement and various workforce facilities as exposed in the RI Act No 13 of 2003 on employment. May the independence of Consumer Consumer Consumer of Jati Rasa can achieve its goals. So the discussion of this is done in the working meeting of the boarding school, managers and supervisors on September 4, 2020. Zoom meeting activity is still an option for building public activities in the pandemic period. Together with the Indonesian nation, we all hope to be able to face the present situation without giving up, through wise steps and commitment to continue.
Friends of Presbyterian Education Board shared a recipe for Chai Tea recently on their Facebook page. www.friendsofpeb.org Chai is the word for “tea” in Urdu. Sharing chai is an important part of the culture.
3-5 teabags and 5 Cups of hot water
1 ¼ Cup milk heated
1/3 Cup sugar
4 whole cloves
3 cardamon pods cracked open
1 cinnamon stick
Simmer 10 minutes then strain
Peace,
Rachel Matthews, Temporary Mission Coordinator
Our Mission Agency Announcements:
Community Mission Deacons – September 22, 4:30pm, zoom.
CROP WALK – It is virtual this year. HOWEVER, let rachel@firstpres.church know if you want to physically walk. There are three of us so far! I will let you know next week the gathering spot.
https://www.crophungerwalk.org/champaignil Or
https://www.crophungerwalk.org/champaignil/Team/View/137664/First-Presbyterian-Church-Champaign-FPCC-Mission
- Sunday, October 4, 2020 at 1:30 PM
- Zoom Gathering
Cuba Partner Network Virtual Gathering 2020 – The PC(USA) Cuba Partners Network Virtual Gathering: Celebrating our Connections in the Time of COVID, will be held via Zoom webinar, September 25 -26, 2020. Please keep the Cuba People in your prayers and especially Jo Ella upon her retirement.
CU at Home – Again, upcoming Event Highlighting Men’s and Women’s Emergency Shelter, Sept. 30, 12pm. Register with Rob@cuathome.us or Rick@cuathome.us
But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man, this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26
- Would you join us in prayer for a couple who, like many during this COVID time, continue to be under spiritual warfare and facing one trial after another?
- Please pray for the mental health of our friends on the street as we move from summer to fall.
- Would you also pray for a friend without an address who will be getting housed in the next week? This young man has made such progress and will soon have a place of his own!
- Thank you God that two of our longtime friends on the street have been able to be housed in the last week!
- Praise the Lord for our prayer warriors, community partners, and amazing supporters and donors! We are so excited that 70 new friends, families, and businesses have joined our “Hope Givers” monthly giving campaign! We are well on our way to our goal of 600!
- Praise to Jesus for those moments in our lives when we are presented with a trial and we are able to keep this perspective: Instead of asking “Why is God allowing this to happen to me?” let’s ask, “What does God want me to learn through this struggle?”
DREAAM – I don’t know if you heard but it is worth sharing again:
So honored to announce DREAAM is a recipient of the ICRF (Illinois COVID-19 Response Fund). Thank you to United Way of Illinois and the Alliance of Illinois Community Foundations in collaboration with the Office of the Governor, all who established this fund. DREAAM, in partnership with The Well Experience, will use this funding to further their work to sustain a culture of achievement, engagement and behavioral health for children, young adults, and families. View the full press conference here –> https://vimeo.com/455971337 [The introduction of our founder, Tracy Dace, starts at 18:14.]
Frontera de Cristo – Coffee & Conversation Continues/Café y Conversacion Continua
Mary Gritten and Rachel Matthews attended a tamale making class last Thursday. Sept. 17 de Septiembre: Clase de Cocina: Come Los Tamales Casi Dividio la Iglesia Cooking Class: How Tamales Almost Divided the Church. We have a recipe for tamales now! Did you know there are as many recipes for tamales as there is for bbq? I can hardly wait to make some and share them. They are a very involved and storymaking endeavor!
This Thursday Coffee and Conversation has been postponed to September 30: Sept 24 de Septiembre: Loteira de Frontera de Cristo: Play Virtual Mexican Bingo with us: Have Fun and Learn About the Life and Ministry of Frontera de Cristo. Email “conversation” to office@fronteradecristo.org to get the Zoom link. The reason for the postponement is to focus on a prayer gathering on both borders, September 25, 7-8:30CT (5-6:30MST):
Asylum seekers, civil society, people of faith, artists, and local leaders from the U.S. and Mexico will gather on both sides of the border wall just west of the Raul Castro Port of Entry in Agua Prieta and Douglas, to pray for and commit to working toward returning to our historic commitment to asylum seekers, hear testimonies from asylum seekers, receive their claims, reflect, and take action to #SaveAsylum.
The event will be bilingual Spanish/English and will be both in person outside (masks and social distancing required, hand sanitizer and masks provided if needed) and online via facebook live.
https://www.facebook.com/fronteradecristo #saveasylum, saveasylum.org
Restoration Urban Ministries – Please keep Brother Irwin Williams, founder of R.U.M., in your prayers. The ministry is going strong but he has been under the weather.
Other Mission Opportunities around town –
Twice is Nice Thrift Store is
Open for Porch Sales
607 W. Elm St.,
Urbana
Saturdays August 22, 29, Sept.12, 19, 26
From 10am-2pm
Featured Items:
Sept 26 Winter apparel, Holiday
We are not closed for good, just exercising extreme caution in these difficult times. We will not be opening the shop itself until we are safe. Your patience is greatly appreciated.
We have missed you and hope to see many old and new friends at one or all of our porch sales. Cash and checks only.
We will be requiring masks, limited numbers on the porch and providing hand sanitizer for use before and after shopping.
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 Maldonado Escobar (Mexico)
Farsijanna Adeney-Risakotta (Indonesia)
Jeff and Christi Boyd (Central Africa)
Jo Ella Holman (Caribbean 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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