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“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”(Luke 4:18-19) NRSV
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Mission is to the church as burning is to fire. Our purpose as a Mission Committee is to discern what God is calling us to do in the world as individuals and as a congregation. We are called to articulate our mission internally and externally.
For starters, these three items are the duties of Session as outlined in the Book of Order, Chapter G-10.0102:
c. To lead the congregation in participation in the mission of the whole Church in the world, in accordance with G-3.0000;
g. To lead the congregation in ministries of personal and social healing and reconciliation in the communities in which the church lives and bears its witness;
j. To lead the congregation continually to discover what God is doing in the world and to plan for change, renewal and reformation under the Word of God.
The Book of Order, Chapter G-3.0300c(3) also sets forth some of the ways in which the Church is called to be Christ’s faithful evangelist participating in God’s activity in the world through its life for others by:
(a) healing and reconciling and binding up wounds,
(b) ministering to the needs of the poor, the sick, the lonely,
and the powerless,
(c) engaging in the struggle to free people from sin, fear, oppression, hunger, and injustice,
(d) giving itself and its substance to the services of those who suffer,
(e) sharing with Christ in the establishing of his just, peaceable, and loving rule in the world.
Finally, one of the goals of the Community Presbyterian Church’s Long Range Planning Document is “to clarify our mission as individuals and as a congregation to further develop in our faith as well as to increase participation in the life of our church family.” That same document includes as an objective “to clarify our current strategy and further develop goals for increasing and guiding new mission activity with the purpose of engaging our members.”
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Evaluate current understanding of “our mission.”
Develop a long-term plan for mission support and activity.
Articulate that mission to Session and to the congregation.
Develop criteria and goals for our participation in the area of mission.
Evaluate proposals or requests for funding for mission causes.
Set goals for increasing out mission giving and activity level.
Develop meaningful ways to support individual mission.
Encourage and enable members of the congregation to become personally involved in mission.
Teach and learn about mission activities.
Lead the congregation in “corporate” mission.
Volunteer in mission fund raising activities.
Donate to mission and to mission activities.
Receive and evaluate reports on results of giving.
Report to Session and to the congregation on mission giving and activities.
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THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE WAYS YOU CAN HELP RIGHT NOW !
Assist with food collection and distribution with the True Spirit Coalition.
Sponsor a child at the Mustard Seed Academy in Uganda through Real Partners Uganda.
Participate in the annual Gifts from the Heart Market.
Collect donated toys at Christmastime.
Participate in the Pathways Program or in the Crossroads Junior & Senior High ministry with teenagers.
We prepare peanut butter and jelly sandwiches at CPC’s kitchen on the fourth Thursday of each month at 9 AM to be distributed at Sister Jean’s Kitchen on Friday, so her guests have something to eat on the weekend.
We also serve lunch at Sister Jean’s Kitchen on the second Tuesday of each month. We leave CPC at 11:45 AM and return at approximately 2:30 PM.
Volunteer to open cans
We regularly pick up canned foods from the Community Foodbank of New Jersey (Southern Branch). Volunteers open the cans on weekends or Tuesdays and Thursdays. Other volunteers deliver the foods Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings before 10:00am to Sister Jean's Kitchen.
If you would like to lend a hand, please contact Linda Simpson or the Church office at (609) 266-7942.
………. And there’s so much more !!!!!!!!!!!
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Sonia Wagner (Chairperson)
Joseph Griswold
Marge Holmes
Barbara Hunt
Bruce Powers
Linda Simpson
Is this the committee for you?
A person who would join our mission efforts might have some combination, not necessarily all, of the following characteristics.
1. Resonates with Luke 4:17-21:
17and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written: 18“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, 19to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” 20And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21Then he began to say to them, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”
2. Has a sense of call to ministry outside the church.
3. Is compassionate, caring and giving and has a desire for social justice.
4. Has a personal interest in one of the ministries that we do now, or one that they support that meets the criteria for our support.
5. Feels grateful for the abundant blessings they have received from the Lord and wants to share them: time, talent, treasure.
6. Wants to learn about people and their needs in the community, nation and world and to take action.
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WHEN AND WHERE DOES THE MISSION COMMITTEE MEET ?
The Mission Committee meets on the first Thursday of each month at 8 PM, in Room 10 or the Library at CPC. Occasionally, a special meeting is called if there is a specific need.
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He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:8) NRSV |
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