Missions and Outreach
The church’s Mission and Outreach program is managed by a committee by that name. The committee meets monthly (presently on the 1st Wednesday) and visitors are always welcome to sit in. New committee members are always welcome, in order to provide as much breadth and depth of interest and experience in missions as possible.
Mission and Outreach works from a budget that averages approximately $20,000 and from extra giving opportunities. This is divided into 3 areas: Local mission, regional/national mission and international mission.
Within local mission, the church supports 8 Estes Park-based organizations as well as mission trips. The 8 organizations are: Crossroads Ministry, Habitat for Humanity, Salud Foundation, Estes Valley Investment in Childhood Success (EVICS), Estes Valley Crisis Advocates, Lifelong Learning of Estes Valley (LLEV), an Emergency Fund (used in 2016 to assist the victims of the Chapin Lane fire) and Back Pew Creations (melodrama) expenses. Information about these organizations can be found under Community Partnerships on this website.
Within regional/national mission, the Mission and Outreach program assists the Medical Benevolence Foundation and the Highlands Camp and Conference Center.
On the international scene, the Mission and Outreach program contributes to the Marion Medical Mission Shallow Wells ministry (PCCR provides funds for 2.5 shallow wells in Malawi each year) and for 2 PCUSA mission co-worker couples or individuals. Cheryl Barnes focuses on education in Malawi and east-central Africa. Chenoa Stock and her husband José Luis Claure serve in Peru. You can find out more about the work of Cheryl Barnes here, and about Chenoa Stock’s work in Peru here: https://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/missionconnections/chenoa-stock/
The Mission and Outreach effort offers the congregation extra opportunities to be involved in mission either in person or by contributing to special funds. The church participates in all 4 of the National PCUSA Special Offerings (One Great Hour of Sharing, Pentecost Offering, Peace and Global Offering and the Christmas Joy Offering). Each of these is targeted to address specific needs ranging from youth programs to emergency support for retired church workers to reducing hunger to programs designed to alleviate poverty and promote peace.
In late summer, the mission committee organizes and participates in a fund-raising mini-golf tournaments. Proceeds go to support our two mission co-workers.
During the season of Advent, the committee organizes and runs an Alternative Giving opportunity. These gift opportunities benefit organizations outside our usual budget and offer unusual gifts for the “person who has everything”. In recent years, gifts such as note cards by a deaf African artist, coffee from farmers in Chiapas, Mexico, hand-sewn bags from Malawi, solar lanterns and gift cards announcing a financial gift to one of several organizations have been offered.
Mission is really a part of everything that happens within the church. Mission is not just “out there” somewhere, done by some special kind of person. Mission is the job of every Christian as they move about their family, community and world. It is a very real way of serving God and spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ. As has been said: “Preach the Gospel continually. Use words if necessary.”