OUTREACH MINISTRY

“Vision into Action”

Outreach Chair: Joyce Etheridge, (706) 878-2930

Local Community Ministries

LOCAL COMMUNITY MINISTRIES seeks to celebrate and expand ministerial and educational outreach in our proximate geographical area. We provide financial and hands-on support to a number of community organizations. (Chair: Stan Foster, sfoster@sph.emory.edu ).

Bean Creek Partnership-Building
Tutoring
Ministry to Latin Americans
White County Food Pantry
Habitat for Humanity
Foothills Counseling
Inda Allen Scholarship Fund

Bean Creek Partnership-Building – A coalition of representatives from Nacoochee Presbyterian Church (NPC) and Bean Creek Baptist Church has been formed to identify and address the needs of Youth in the Bean Creek community.

Tutoring – Volunteers work with students from the Bean Creek community each week to assist in schoolwork, and to act as mentors.

Ministry to Latin Americans – Assistance in translation, material and cultural needs, and counseling is offered to members of the local Hispanic Community. Contact Dottie Foster at dfoster@hemc.net.

White County Food Pantry – NPC collects funds and food to support this county-wide food bank

Habitat for Humanity – In addition to monthly contributions to this local and global organization, we have many members who are active in Habitat’s community projects. The Habitat website is www.habitat.org.

Foothills Counseling – Locations for “sliding scale based” fees are Habersham County and at NPC. Tom Query, at tomquery@worldnet.att.net is the contact.

Inda Allen Scholarship Fund – The offering at our annual community Thanksgiving Potluck is donated to this scholarship fund, which awards scholarships to African-American students who qualify. The White County Board of Education administers the scholarship.
 

Global Ministries

GLOBAL MINISTRIES extends our outreach to the world. Members of our congregation have been active for a number of years in health and educational missions in Guatemala and Africa. We also sponsor a fundraiser, International Marketplace, to help promote these efforts. (Chair: Dottie Foster, dfoster@hemc.net ).

Guatemala
Africa
International Marketplace

Guatemala – Nacoochee helps with health and education projects in isolated, underdeveloped regions of Guatemala where the Mam Indians of Mayan descent live. Over the past 12 years, Nacoochee has provided scholarships to enable Mayans to obtain higher education.

Africa – Through the travels of Stan and Dottie Foster, the church has become aware of the problems and successes in Africa. Contact sfoster@sph.emory.edu.

International Marketplace – Goods are purchased in Guatemala and through SERVV for sale in November to our membership and friends. Guatemalan artifacts also help provide funds for health education projects in the country. Proceeds are returned to those who hand-make the items.
 

Peace and Justice Issues

We are dedicated to continue and strengthen our commitment to be a community of faith that both raises consciousness about, and speaks out on, PEACE AND JUSTICE ISSUES in church and in society. Our focus in 2002 is on energy issues and the death penalty. Members are active on a number of additional fronts.

Energy Issues
Death Penalty Issues
Peacemaking Issues
Gay and Lesbian Issues/ Covenant Network
Environmental Issues
Fair Trade Coffee

Energy Issues – The Youth are selling energy efficient light bulbs, and we have had an energy audit of the church. We are suggesting home audits, and we have been active in providing information on global warming.

Death Penalty Issues – There will be a Death Penalty Forum at NPC on October 15, 2002, as well as adult Sunday School classes on the topic on October 13, 20, and 27, 2002.

Peacemaking Issues – We have many concerns about the School of the Americas organization, especially about U.S. involvement in Colombia.

Gay and Lesbian Issues/ Covenant Network – We welcome gays and lesbians and their God-given talents to our congregation, and we support the Covenant Network (www.covenantnetwork.org). Our contacts are Janice Lymburner, pwjl@hemc.net , Jennifer Thomas (706) 754-5947, and Bob Prim (afbprim@alltel.net ).

Environmental Issues – A number of articles regarding environmental issues have been published in our monthly newsletter. They can be obtained by e-mailing nacoocheepres@alltel.net.

Fair Trade Coffee – The coffee crisis in Latin America has forced many small farmers to cease production because of low prices. We are offering fair trade coffee for sale to NPC members and friends, and we are purchasing it for use at NPC fellowship gatherings. Fair Trade Coffee is also available at Sweetwater Coffee House, which is owned by two of our members, Anna and Eric Anderson.
 

Presbyterian Church Ministries

We also want to stay connected to the objectives and work of the PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH MINISTRIES (Presbytery, Synod, and General Assembly), and we have designated a member Ann Tipton, ann_tipton@yahoo.com, to provide this linkage.

Greater Athens Hispanic Ministry
Mexico Work Mission
Garden Springs Project

Greater Athens Hispanic Ministry – We will apply for a Presbytery grant to provide Spanish classes for church members and community workers. Dottie Foster, dfoster@hemc.net , is the coordinator.

Mexico Work Mission – Rev Ford G’Segner asks for prayers, donations, and volunteers to build houses the second week in June, 2003, in Piedras Negras. His e-mail address is cornfield@mindspring.com.

Garden Springs Project - We assisted in purchasing a mobile home for a displaced family in Athens, GA. Contact Ann Tipton, ann_tipton@yahoo.com, for more information.

In addition to the specific organizations listed, special offerings are taken throughout the church year for a number of Presbyterian and local causes. Included are Peacemaking, One Great Hour of Sharing (Disaster Relief), Pentecost (Children at Risk), Campus Ministries, Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), Circle of Hope, and others.