This past week has had some beautiful moments in it that I hope you haven’t missed. The photo of the tree is from Ginny Waaler reminding us of God’s art in our own backyard! All week people have been serving God in mission! There were women making blankets for young people at Kemmerer Village. There were women making baskets for Empty Tomb. There were people directing friends to places to get food, clothes and necessary living items. There were friends looking out for our immigrant neighbors. There were teachers helping adult learners learn a new language virtually but face to face. There were other students hard at work learning within our walls with supervision and a safe environment. And it doesn’t end there! There are DREAAMers getting excited about going to Camp Carew for a “go and serve” event on the 14th. There are people preparing for the next opportunity to wash their Styrofoam and sort their garbage to help keep God’s creation an abundant place to live. There are people contributing to the education of people all over the world so the world can learn to care for one another as Jesus would have us do. There are people praying for our sister church in Luyano, Cuba as they recover from the 75 mph winds of Hurricane Eta. There are people praying for our mission coworkers in Indonesia, Mexico, South Sudan and the Congo, some furloughed but still working from the United States. That is just one week and I know I missed a few beautiful mission moments! Praise the Lord!
 
Peace,
 
Rev. Rachel Matthews, Mission Coordinator
 
Our Mission Agency Announcements
 
Mission Team: Nov. 10, 4:30 pm zoom
World Mission Committee: Nov. 17, 4:30pm zoom
Community Mission Deacons: Dec.1, 4:30pm zoom, (combined Nov/Dec meeting)
 
Cuba Steering Committee:
 
After causing much damage in parts of Central America, Hurricane Eta has been downgraded to a tropical storm with Cuba in its path. It hit central Cuba early last Sunday morning with 75 mile per hour winds and storm surges of 2- 4 feet and heavy rain. Parts of Cuba may get up to two feet of rain over the week following the storm as it moves on toward Florida.
      Please pray for Cuba and those in the Caribbean who have already experienced devastation.
 
https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/08/weather/tropical-storm-eta-forecast-sunday/index.html
 
CU at Home: News about the box dwellers on One Winter Night! CU at Home is just two weeks into their kick-off season for One Winter Night 2021, coming up on February 5, and things are already taking off! As C-U at Home Executive Director Rob Dalhaus III shares in this short video, they’ve already had 25 Box Dwellers register, 10 Business Sponsors are already on board, and they’ve raised almost $6000!
 
There are many ways to participate in the 10th Annual One Winter Night event. Just click on your choice: be a Box Dweller; be a Volunteer; or be a Business Sponsor. Sign up, and CU at Home will take it from there!
 
Here is Rob Dalhaus talking about the event:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2TFTvDqqvA&feature=youtu.be&blm_aid=253367297
 
DREAAM – 26 DREAAMers are enrolled for the special DREAAM remote learning program using First Presbyterian’s second floor and gym. 20 students were present on the first day of the program, Mindy Watts-Ellis reported. She is working with Tracy Dace, the DREAAM director, to insure everything runs smoothly and safely. There are a lot of details in equipping the space and making it safe for everyone. Thankfully the wifi seems to be adequate after Eric tweaked it. There have not been connection issues. There are still equipment pieces arriving. Safe and effective learning environments are so critical for the young people in our community! Thanks to everyone who worked so hard to make this run smoothly.
 
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) – And, for the mission coworker you are preparing to take her place.
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