Missions

The Mission Committee seeks to provide concrete ways for the members of our congregation to respond to God’s love in Christ through ministry and service in His name to the world beyond our own church.

Specifically, the Mission Committee:

Seeks ways to enhance and develop congregational awareness of the work of specifically Christian ministry beyond the walls of the Church at home and worldwide, both PC(USA) General Mission endeavors and those not related to our denomination.
Plans and supervises separate mission appeals and special mission offerings as authorized by Session. (Click HERE to see how 2017 Lenten special offerings were disbursed)
Sets guidelines and standards in evaluating and selecting mission projects and causes for support by the church, in keeping with the overall mission of our church.

The primary criteria in evaluating a mission cause is the extent to which that cause works toward fulfilling the overall mission, or the Great Commission, given by the Lord to His church. Priority will be given to causes which:

1. Have as their underlying objective communication of the Good News of Jesus Christ, i.e., seeking to “bring men and women, boys and girls of all nationalities into a vital relationship with the Son of God, the family of God, and the Word of God”, and/or,

2. Support and care for the physical needs of those who are or have been engaged in specifically Christian work, at home or abroad.

3. Highest priority is given to causes meeting the above criteria already actively supported by members of our congregation, either by actual physical involvement, intense personal interest and/or providing financial support.

Some of our Supported Missions

ECHO (Educational Concern for Hunger Organization) is a non-profit, inter-denominational Christian organization that has been assisting a global network of missionaries and development workers since 1981. ECHO is dedicated to providing agricultural solutions for families growing food under difficult circumstances and fighting world hunger through innovative ideas, seeds and agricultural training. ECHO currently networks with development workers and missionaries in over 180 countries. The ECHO vision is “to bring glory to God and a blessing to mankind by using science and technology to help the poor.”

Frontiers’ purpose is to glorify God by planting churches among Muslim peoples through apostolic teams in partnership with like-minded churches and agencies. Nearly one out of every five persons alive today is a Muslim.

InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA is an evangelical campus mission program serving more than 35,000 students and faculty on more than 560 college and university campuses nationwide. Incorporated in 1941, InterVarsity has a rich tradition of campus witness, thoughtful discipleship, and a concern for world missions. We currently support Kathy Cooper at Brown University, Adam Croft at the University of Rhode Island and Val and Geoff Gordon, National Internal Consultants.

Medical Benevolence Foundation in Partnership with PCUSA serves in many foreign countries. Our medical missionaries, Mike and Nancy Haninger, work in the Democratic Republic of Congo, bringing healing, health education, and the saving power of the Gospel to many suffering souls. Most of us are aware of the AIDS problem in Africa, but many serious medical problems arise from malnutrition, lack of education, and poverty. Pray for them faithfully; pray for their patients.

Project Sertao, Northeast Brazil’s mission is “To preach the Good News of God’s Kingdom: Father, Son and Holy Spirit considering the reality and needs of the culture of the people of the Northeast; to establish native Independent Presbyterian Churches, through proclamation, teaching, relationship building and service; to focus upon transformation of religious, educational, social and economic realities of men, women, children who live in the countryside of the Northeast to a better quality of life and dignity; all for God’s glory.” The roll of this project is to bring spiritual liberation to men and women, aged people and children who suffer with terrible spiritual oppression. Also, focus has been to bring dignity to the people of Brazil’s Northeast through deacon ministries.

TEAM Zimbabwe, Africa: Kiersten Hutchinson is a physician assistant at the Karanda Hospital,a 150-bed facility located in Karanda, Zimbabwe. She treats patients with AIDS, tuberculosis, pneumonia, and malaria. She is spreading the word of God and the love of Christ to bring hope to those in a very difficult situation.

TEAM Japan: Walter and Lou Anne Copeland are church planting in Japan. They are currently in Kobe, Japan and in the process of coordinating the building of Grace Chapel. Please pray the believers at Grace Chapel will rise to the challenge of doing all the Lord wants them to do as they move forward to secure a permanent place for the church and parsonage.

WISH (West Indies Self Help) is a relief and development mission located on LaGonave Island, off the coast of Haiti (one on the poorest counties in the world). Since 1969, WISH has built a dental clinic, an ice plant, several churches, a school, an addition to the island hospital, a sewing school, several miles of roads, water lines, an airstrip, a soccer field and basketball court and a co-operative “Mall” with businesses that are now owned by villagers. The WISH Mission is to “translate the truth of Jesus Christ into deeds that alleviate the needs of the poor, giving them opportunity to break their entrapping cycle of poverty.”

World Relief works to educate, equip and empower the indigenous Church to meet the needs of the people throughout the world. The mission is to work with, for and from the Church to relieve human suffering, poverty and hunger worldwide in the name of Christ. Wherever crisis occurs in the world, World Relief is there to provide their mission to hurting people. World Relief also provides help to children with AIDS, emphasizing caring for orphans within the context of the family.

Wycliffe Bible Translators: The goal is to translate the Bible into every language by 2025. Greenwood’s contribution goes to the support of Scott and Louise MacGregor who have completed translation of the New Testament and Genesis into the Kagyanen language in the Philippines.

Young Life, Northern Rhode Island, brings the good news of Jesus Christ into the lives of adolescents with an approach that is respectful of who kids are and hopeful about who they can be. This organization’s mission is that every adolescent will have the opportunity to meet Jesus Christ and follow Him.

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