The Presbyterian Church has a long history of emphasizing mission activities. The stated mission of the Orchard Park Presbyterian Church is "Nurturing a thriving faith community engaged in compassional service ." Our Vision : "Growing Together, Becoming More Like Christ." We believe that one of the most important ways to accomplish this goal is to reach out to others in need, whether locally, nationally or internationally.
NOTE: Please select http://www.churchworldservice.org to access updates on the famine in Africa, plus updates on Hurricane Irene relief efforts, as well as other areas of need. Church World Services channels assistance across the globe providing tools of hope.
Local Missions:
- Friends of Night People – we cook and serve a monthly meal.
- Partners in Compassionate Service (P.I.C.S.) – we tutor refugee children from around the globe weekly at First PC, Buffalo as a collaborative project.
- Panera Bread’s Operation Dough-Nation – volunteers pick up the day’s end baked goods on Tuesday nights and deliver to Friends of the Night People.
- Family Promise – we host homeless families four times per year providing hot meals and safe shelter along with six area support churches.
- The Mission Workshop – weekly the Meeting Place is a beehive of folks creating gifts of warmth and love for local charitable organizations such as Project Linus, Cradle Beach and Make-A-Wish.
- Southtown’s Family Center – opened February 2010, in collaboration with the Park Parsons, the center houses a variety of services including a satellite office of the Family Justice Center.
National Missions:
OPPC has a history of sending volunteers to the Gulf Coast with the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance Program. Senior High youth take a week of summer vacation and volunteer for a week with groups like Habitat for Humanity doing rehab work. We participate in the Souper Bowl of Caring with a service blitz that has involved as many as 34 youth and adults serving around the community, as well as collecting $1 the day of the big game for donation to a feeding ministry.
International Missions:
Through our denominational offerings we have sent contributions to natural disaster areas such as the Tsunami, the earthquake in Haiti and the flood in Pakistan. We have purchased animals for Heifer Project and Tools of Hope for Church World Service. We annually participate in the CROP Walk for Hunger. We have an annual International Artisan Fair that supports the idea of Fair Trade. Soccer balls have been purchased and sent to a newly founded program in Kenya and one of our college students began a leadership development program in the Congo. We have a recently established relationship supporting Crossroads Springs, an AIDS orphanage in Kenya.
There are many ways in which you can get involved in helping others in need. If you would like to know more about the mission ministries at OPPC , please contact Linda Babcock, Director of Education and Mission. |
