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The Heart of Mission
December 29, 2020
We have received a variety of Christmas well wishes from our many mission agencies.
Several water wells were built in our honor in Malawi. Smiling faces surrounding beautiful new wells beamed off the postcards.
Friends of PEB sent a Christmas greeting video from Veda Gill:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXQr5WWadG0&feature=youtu.be
The Cuba Partners Network Steering Committee sent us “Feliz Navidad” from Havana, Cuba.
CU at Home sent a Christmas greeting reminding us of the Hope of the World and how our own
Savior entered the world a homeless man:
Birds have nests,
foxes have dens
But the hope of the whole world rests
On the shoulders of a homeless man
You had the shoulders of a homeless man
No, You did not have a home (Rich Mullins, “You Did Not Have a Home.”)
C-U at Home operates knowing that what they do for the least, the most vulnerable, they do for Him. On Christmas night, and through the coming year, there will always be room. And a place to lay his (or her) head.
Nicole Dowling from Faith in Action thanked us for the gift cards. She reported “Our outreach expanded this year to include socially isolated seniors 55+ in our rural communities, through our Friendly Call Program and new referrals from mission and community partners. I’m pleased we were able to distribute 65 Christmas bags to seniors in Champaign County. (see picture above)
The bags contain blankets, hats/gloves, puzzles, word searches, games, health and beauty items, candies, cookies, batteries, flashlights, masks, night lights, soap, disinfect wipes, toiletries, towels/cash clothes, soap, dish towels/drying mats, etc…”
So thank you, from many, many people.
The Angel Tree gift cards to our agencies were delivered and were appreciated. Tracy Dace from DREAAM thanked us for two families who were able to have a Christmas because of the Angel Tree gift cards DREAAM received. The Angel Tree big gift, the food drive that went to Eastern Illinois Food Bank for food in the Champaign-Urbana area, pushed them over a matching grant they had received. That means the $11,800 check I took over Tuesday before Christmas will be multiplied more than what you gave. That is good news. More than $250 came in after that check was written so we will send that on as well. I will give you a total we gave next week. The economic impact of this pandemic will be felt for a while until we can all be vaccinated. Thank you.
You can still find information about our other December offerings, Advent, the Angel Tree/Food Offering, and the Christmas Joy Offering at https://firstpres.church/giving/.
Meanwhile, I have started reading for next year. I am revisiting our mission values found in the book Toxic Charity. I hope to be studying some new material impacting congregational vitality, irradicating poverty and ending systemic injustice for the new year. We will need to work together so I hope you will join me.
Merry Christmas,
Rev. Dr. Rachel Matthews, Mission Coordinator
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.
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
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