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The Heart of Mission
February 9, 2021
Our Matthew 25 initiatives are building congregational vitality, dismantling structural racism and eradicating systemic poverty. This evening the Mission Team meets on zoom with Community Mission Deacons and World Mission for an educational event on poverty beginning at 4:30 on zoom.
Maybe you are not on a mission committee in the church but would like to do a mission activity. Someone suggested I set up a website with tasks so you could just click on the website and pick an activity to do.
Right away I would point you to some small groups in the church who do mission:
If you are looking for some hands on mission work to do at First Presbyterian, the kitchen committee is looking for people to put the kitchen back together. We can hardly wait to use it! Contact Gary Peterson.
If you like caring for the environment, the environmental stewardship committee offers opportunities to plant and work in gardens around the church, pick up trash, recycle, and educate yourself about other ways to care. And getting involved in Faith in Place an advocacy group that partners with the ESC for an even greater degree of education and involvement.
Join the First Presbyterian Knifty Knitters and Presbyterian Women with Kemmerer Village (and Camp Carew).
Knit a hat or scarf for a Kemmerer youth.
Volunteer to help with Camp Carew this coming Summer.
If you are interested in languages and helping people with a second language feel more comfortable in our neighborhood, contact Jeanette Pyne about volunteering for our ESL program at First Presbyterian Church, or attend an ESL Café zoom on the second Thursday of the month at 10am for fellowship with ESL students.
We have learned over the years that mission work is about building relationships. Mission work is a mutual sharing of power and resources that allow for the growth and development of people’s lives and a sharing of God’s love which is the good news of the gospel. Sometimes when we do mission activities we are not sharing God’s love, we are just making ourselves feel good and important. Friends, we are human and human beings are complicated and imperfect. That is why we say in the Apostle’s Creed, “I believe …in the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting.”
I would encourage you to go ahead and find a mission activity to do. Your mission committee is already trying to build relationships with a select group of mission partners who can provide us with activities that will strengthen us all. In doing your mission activity, you begin to build relationships.
Here are a few ideas to get you started:
CU at Home: They had a terrific One Winter Night on Feb. 5! Thank you!
Check out all the ways to be involved as a volunteer with them:
https://www.cuathome.us/volunteer/
Be a friend at the Phoenix Daytime drop in center.
Volunteer to drive.
Be a professional case manger if you are a trained social worker.
Be a spiritual adviser and encourage someone on their spiritual walk.
Involve a group of church members or your small group to take part in various seasonal activities, arranged with a Phoenix coordinator.
CANAAN S.A.F.E. HOUSE
Collect times for the resident house and bring them to the First Presbyterian Church mission closet:
Disinfectant spray
Disinfectant wipes
Hand sanitizer
Hand soap
Tissue (for nose)
Batteries (9-volt, 3-volt, D, AAA and AA)
Disposable gloves
Towels and washcloths
Paper towels
CANTEEN RUN – For immediate volunteer needs, hours and contact info at http://www.cucanteenrun.org/
Collect items for the homeless: shirts, blankets, underwear, socks, toiletries, coats, hats, gloves, and scarves.
Drive volunteers to drop off items to the homeless.
COURAGE CONNECTION –
Take a 40 hour DV advocacy training. DVTrainer@courageconnection.org
Collect shampoo and toiletries and bring to First Presbyterian Mission closet to be
delivered.
DREAAM
Volunteer or Mentor with a young man. See https://www.dreaam.org/take-action on how you can be involved.
eMPTY TOMB, INC
Volunteer directly in their office.
Coordinate meal deliveries between Empty Tomb requests and First Presbyterian Church members.
Collect items for Layettes to be dropped off at First Presbyterian mission closet.
FAITH IN ACTION
Take the OSF volunteer inventory to help with seniors: https://www.osfhealthcare.org/heart-of-mary/amenities/social-services/faith-action-application/
JESUS IS THE WAY PRISON MINISTRY in Rantoul
Check out their volunteer opportunities: https://jesusisthewayprisonministries.org/get-involved/volunteer/
THE REFUGEE CENTER –
Fill out a volunteer interest form: https://www.therefugeecenter-cu.org/volunteer-interest-form for the following ways to serve:
Tutor a client in English
Translate documents
Serve as an interpreter at the Center
Serve as an interpreter in the community
Teach citizenship classes
Tutor students one-on-one
Monitor playtime on Saturday mornings
Plan fundraisers and special events
Provide office assistance
Complete marketing and development projects
Serve as a board members
RESTORATION URBAN MINISTRY –
Take their volunteer training to share your expertise with their residents. Contact at (217) 355-2662 or restorationurbanministry@gmail.com
Donate to their food and clothing pantry.
SALT & LIGHT
Recycle your worn out socks, jeans and tees.
Donate gently used household items and clothing.
Shop at the Salt & Light grocery store. People ages 55 and above get 10% off on Wednesdays.
Attend a volunteer orientation. They have them once a week. Mondays 12-1pm and Wednesdays 4-5pm at the Urbana store.
Volunteer for projects or teaching in their educational wing.
Get involved with our International Mission co-workers:
Meet Rev. Mark Adams and Miriam Escobar as well as the staff at Frontera de Cristo to learn more about border ministry, buy some coffee, and find ways to help our refugee and immigrant community on our borders. See the new schedule below:
Pray for or write to
Farsijanna Adeney-Risakotta (Indonesia)
Jeff and Christi Boyd (Central Africa)
Bob and Kristi Rice (South Sudan)
Create a virtual educational trip to one of the countries of our mission coworkers to share with others on a Wednesday night First Presbyterian Church zoom gathering.
Lifeline Pilots and Mission Aviation Fellowship
Volunteer to fly.
Donate to help others fly medical patients in our region.
Donate to help others fly to assist in medical needs in the world.
Marion Medical Mission
Volunteer to go to Africa to partner in building a well.
Donate for the building of a well.
Opportunity International
Educate yourself on microfinancing.
Donate to help women and children.
Friends of Presbyterian Education Board in Pakistan Presbyterian
Give a scholarship for a day student or a boarding student in Pakistan.
Cuba Partnership
Become an advocate for our sister congregation in Luyano, Havana.
Get involved in a study group about Cuba and prepare for when we can travel to Cuba again to see our sister church.
Special Offerings of the PC(USA)
Watch our worship service offering opportunities at Easter (Great Hour of Sharing), after a disaster (Presbyterian Disaster Assistance), Pentecost (help young people), and Christmas (Joy Gift Offering).
Theological Education Fund
Learn about seminary.
Pray for people to learn how God has called them to ministry inside and outside of the church.
Young Adult Volunteers
Volunteer for a year of service in the United States or Globally.
There is a lot of mission going on!
Peace,
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)
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
FPCC Mission Team, World Mission and Community Mission Deacons
302 W. Church Street
Champaign, IL 61820
217-356-7238
info@firstpres.church
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