Global Outreach
One thing is certain, there has never been a shortage of work to do on any mission trip. Still, sometimes people underestimate what they have to offer. I say offering compassion, caring, and love in the name of Jesus Christ is as good as it gets! Dottie MacMillan
Mission Statement of First Church’s Global Missions Team: To serve as Christ’s ambassadors in a broken and hurting world.
Global Mission Philosophy: A mission is a Biblical mandate to go into the world to make disciples, to teach the commands of Christ, to serve the poor, to share our lives with the lost and hurting. The church is called to be Christ's faithful evangelist, going into the world making disciples of all nations, participating in God's activity in the world through its life for others. Mission allows us to explore our Christian beliefs, to experience God's Church Universal and to allow God to continue to shape our lives.
What makes a project a mission project? Cross-cultural experience, purpose of trip well defined, separation from distractions of normal living, Christian fellowship within own group and those working with, learning about another culture, living among those we are working with or serving, partnership, working with not for.
Is First Church committed to growing its mission program? First Church is committed to growing the church to "Every member a minister.” This includes local and global ministry. Global missions are an excellent way to motivate people to serve locally. In addition, there is a need for church members who do not go on missions to pray for our partners and for the teams. This is an essential part of global missions.
What is a Global Mission Partnership? First Church global mission partnerships are truly partnerships. First Church knows that the best way to help the poor and minister to people is by partnering with indigenous ministries. This is important in that solid relationships are established and there is cooperation and exchange between the partner and First Church. Partnerships also ensure that First Church supports the indigenous leaders who will continue the work when teams return to the United States.
Each trip will have a trip leader. See below for specific trip dates. Applications for trip participation are available from the leaders. Scholarships are available for all trips
Seminario Evangelico de Teologia - SET
Matanzas, Cuba
Mid-March (pending license renewal by U.S. Treasury Department)
Contact: Rick & Rosemary Priest, 272.8150
The Matanzas Ecumenical Theological Seminary seeks to provide a high quality, diversified theological education program to prepare young church leaders, either ordained or lay, to meet the challenges of growth in existing local congregations and in pursuing new church developments throughout Cuba. See what the seminary is doing by visiting http://cuba-theological-seminary.org.
First Church has partnered with SET since 2000. First Church teams usually go once a year to Cuba for one week. While there, work teams spend time at the seminary, an ecumenical Protestant seminary (Methodist, Episcopal and Presbyterian). Team activities include providing resources for theological teaching, updating the computer network, participating in physical work such as in the seminary garden that provides vegetables to feed the students and their families. First Church teams also help provide the structure for long-rage planning and provide encouragement to the pastors and church leaders in the Havana/Matanzas/Verradero area.
<top>
Bandawe Presbytery, Church of Central Africa Presbyterian – CCAP
Malawi
May 7-May 19, 2008
Contact: Scott Rodehaver, 660.0194
David Livingstone, a Scottish missionary and doctor, visited southeast Africa in the middle of the 19th century. Appalled by the slave trade and its devastating effects on the people of Africa, he appealed on his return to the British public to fight slavery by the introduction of Christianity and economic self-sufficiency. Missionaries established schools, hospitals, and churches. "Malawi is acclaimed to be the "warm heart of Africa." Its people are warm and gracious, filled with the spirit of the living God, in the face of great adversity. This nation of 12 million people is the 8th poorest country in the world, a nation plagued by HIV/AIDS, malaria and a $2.5 billion international debt. The church plays a vital role in giving people reason to hope under such formidable circumstances." Reverend Debbie Chase, Dean of the Theological College, University of Livingstonia.
Eastern Oklahoma Presbytery has partnered with the Synod of Livingstonia since 1996. In 2005, Eastern Oklahoma Presbyterian churches started “twinning” with churches in Malawi. First Church is partnering with the churches in Bandawe.
First Church intends to visit Malawi once a year for one to two-weeks. The needs of the churches in the area are great. Upon a recent visit of one of the pastors from the area, they said that their needs include construction of churches, guesthouses, schools, and a maize mill. There is also an overwhelming need for health care, especially for those who have HIV/AIDS. AIDS has left thousands of children orphaned and it is necessary for the community to care for God’s children.
<top>
Constructores Para Cristo – CPC
Piedras Negras, Mexico
June 1-7, 2008
Contact: Rev. Elaine Johnson, 584.4701
CPC seeks, in partnership with Mexican Christians, to provide basic housing, medical care, education and evangelism for poor, working Mexican families who often live in desperate conditions. CPC also offers Christians and churches the opportunity to both demonstrate the Gospel and grow in their faith through weeklong, short-term mission work in Mexico. See what CPC is doing by visiting http://www.cpcmexico.org.
First Church has participated in CPC trips since 2001. Teams usually serve for one week in mid to late-June. Teams primarily work on housing construction for the poor in the area who are trying to escape poverty. This is a great first-time mission experience and it is also excellent for families with teenage students. Yet some First Church members continue to go to Piedras Negras because they enjoy the hard physical work. No matter what the motive, participants experience spiritual growth and they see God working in their lives, the lives of their team members, and the lives of those who they are serving.
<top>
International Medical Assistance - IMA
San Cristobal (Chiapas) & Valladolid (Yucatan) - Mexico
June 14-21, 2008
Contact: Madeleine Ramey, 743-9362
All over Mexico and the world there are people who need help. Medical care that many Americans take for granted is a luxury many cannot afford. In 1965, God laid on the heart of Dr. Roberto and Norma Rodriguez the desire to do something about this need. It was then that they began to organize and run projects that would meet the medical, physical and spiritual needs of the poorest in their homeland - Mexico. IMA is a non-profit Christian organization seeking to provide medical assistance and compassion to the people of other countries and to share the Word of God and the gospel of Jesus Christ with those people. IMA's goal is to provide spiritual, medical and dental help to the poor who would otherwise have little affordable access to medical care. Visit their site at http://www.ima-missions.org/
First Church members have served IMA since the 1992. In 1998, a group of people with a specific interest in the dream of Dr. Roberto & Norma Rodriguez and their work in Mexico organized to form International Medical Assistance. In 2002, First Church started partnering with IMA and now there are two one-week trips a year – one to the state of Chiapas and one to the Yucatan. Although these trips are medical in nature, many non-medical support people are needed. People are needed to help with screening clinics in the nearby villages, filling prescriptions, fitting reading glasses, entertaining children, passing out New Testaments, and also at the Valladolid construction site.
These trips are very rewarding. During the spring 2006 trip to the Yucatan, over 900 people received medical help (including many surgeries) and many received Christ into their heart. First Church is currently helping to build a surgical center in partnership with IMA.
Bringing the Dream to Reality
December 9, 2007
With great cause for celebration and praise to our Lord, we bring you this update on the medical clinic in Valladolid, Mexico. Through an ongoing partnership between First Presbyterian Church and International Medical Assistance (IMA), a commitment was made over two years ago that FPC would assist IMA in building a permanent clinic in Valladolid to provide for the medical needs of the Mayans, the poorest of the poor, who do not otherwise qualify for the state benefits within their country.
The great good news is that, at long last, progress is being made regarding bringing the dream to reality. With the financial contributions made by members of First Church, combined with funding donations from IMA, a warehouse has been completed and construction of the clinic is underway — but further help is still needed.
The total cost of the project is $2.5 million and approximately half of this has been raised. For that, we give God the glory and thanks, knowing that none would be possible without His provision and lead. We now come to you, with joy and thanksgiving, inviting each member of First Church to join in assuring that the Clinic and its mission to serve the Mayan Indians in the name of Jesus Christ may come to total fruition. Join us, won't you?
For more information, please contact Larry and Judy Doyle (743-1930) or Bob and Marcy Lawless (295-8122) or Dr. Miller’s office.
<top>
Romanian Evangelistic Medical Mission – REMM
Beius, Romania
March 14-22, 2008
Visit the team's 2008 web blog.
After the revolution in Romania in December 1989 and the fall of communism, the Lord called on a Romanian born doctor by the name of Peter Lucaciu to take the Good News to his fellow Romanians. The result was the establishment of the REMM. Now REMM hosts church teams who give their time, talents, and treasures to evangelize and offer help to the impoverished and orphaned people of Romania. Visit REMM’s website at http://www.remm-ministry.org
First Church members have been involved with REMM for several ears. First Church started partnering with REMM in 2006. First Church intends to take one one-week trip to Beuis a year. Mission activities include ministering to abandoned children, serving the poor, reaching out to the gypsy community, and teaching VBS in local villages and schools.
<top>
Calendar | Boards | Tidings | DoPoint | Scholarships | Foundation | Staff Contacts
Copyright 2007 First Presbyterian Church of Tulsa