Our Environmental Stewardship Committee won an award this past month at the Faith in Place Green Team Summit. We were surprised to learn that there was a beautiful trophy involved. I think we will show it off a few virtual places so you may see it again! We are proud of the mission our members do for God’s beautiful creation. In fact, as you read this on October 6 at 9am, the Green Team is out around Church and State Streets picking up trash as part of their adopt-a-highway program. Thank you, Green Team!
 
CU at Home held a pastor’s (volunteer) lunch last week attended by our mission deacon Lola Ruthmansdorfer and myself. What amazing statistics the director Rob Dalhaus shared with us on how much money (hundreds of thousands), incarceration and human suffering it saves our friends and community to house and care for our homeless rather than leave them to fend for themselves on the street. CU at Home and we are celebrating because CU at Home has become such an important hub for ministry to our friends without an address. There is a DayCenter, a night shelter for men and now for women, with the addition of Austin’s Place, a night shelter for women on the other side of the facility. CU at Home works closely with many of our food ministries and social ministries for domestic violence and substance abuse in town. We are so grateful.
 
And this past Sunday the Virtual CU CROP Walk First Presbyterian Church Champaign team raised more than $210 (some has been donated through cash and check and has not yet been counted in that total). Four of us actually walked! Matt is taking the picture and walked with us. We walked 3.4 miles! Champaign Urbana has until Nov.2 to gather all donations. The Champaign Urbana Virtual Walk of which we were a part so far has raised $10,992. There were 14 churches that took part. Last year, our confirmands walked the CROP Walk. The total raised last year in the CU community was more like $30,000. We hope people will continue to give online until the Nov. 2 deadline. Thanks to all who have participated so far. This is a strange year! And, next year let us hope that we can have a crowd walking!! We certainly had fun!
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/CU.CROPWalk
 
 

Peace,
 
Rachel Matthews, Temporary Mission Coordinator
 
Our Mission Agency Announcements:
 
Mission Team – 4:30pm, October 13, zoom
World Mission – 4:30pm,  October 20, zoom
Community Mission Deacons – 4:30pm, October 27, zoom.
 
Canteen Run – Needs:
toothpaste
razors
Men’ briefs-all sizes
men’s long sleeved shirts-all sizes
men’s gloves
men’s light-weight jackets-all sizes
men’s winter coats-all sizes
comb and/or brushes
men’s socks
drivers and coordinators, drivers you need to go to https://app.betterimpact.com/login/volunteer?fbclid=IwAR0sd231L4YmKVA9OAv95dsXvSWNXVuvIapUgY_G3lt0fA3VE7c3exdK9Jw
 
You can check Canteen Run out on Facebook, and twitter canteenrun@ Canteen Run.
 
CYF – Have you ever considered teaching middle schoolers or high schoolers with our own Children, Youth and Families? See Mindy@firstpres.church if you would like to help our educational mission!
 
Environmental Stewardship Committee Adopt-a-Highway – October 6 at 9am. Bring your own gloves and sign a waiver and release form prior to coming. Rachel can email you a copy. We pick up trash up and down State Street and Westside Park.
 
Friends of PEB – The Pakistan group had a surprise visit from a friend of Friends of PEB, Lynn Miller, who was traveling through Champaign this past week from up in Minnesota. Some of you met her on one of our trips to Pakistan to visit PEB and the Sangla Hill girls school. Traveling mercies for her and prayers for her mother, who Lynn was on her way to see. Also, we have been learning as a group how difficult it is to be a non-government organization (NGO) in Pakistan and all the audits and agencies NGOs are accountable to. Supporting education in Pakistan is no small feat! We are proud of them. The girls at Sangla Hill who we support received high academic marks recently on their annual achievement tests. FOPEB are in their scholarship drive seeking more than 1000 scholarships this year. Educating young women can change the world. Check out their website at www.friendsofpeb.org
 
Presbyterian Women – The PW books are in!  You should be getting one soon if you ordered it. If you did not and want a copy, Rachel did order extra and you can let her know if you would like one.
 

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 (Caribbean and Cuba) – And, for the mission coworker you are preparing to take her place upon her retirement this month.
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 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
 

 
302 W. Church Street
  Champaign, IL 61820
  217-356-7238
  info@firstpres.church
 
 

• The_Heart_of_Mission_100620.pdf