Opportunities
for Outreach and Service
As Christians, Christ has called us to reach
out with compassion to those who are troubled, suffering, and in need. Our church seeks to
obey through service to those in our own church, in our community, in our nation, and
throughout the world.
Local Benevolences
Prison Ministry
Other Benevolences
World Missions
Habitat for Humanity
5¢-a-Meal Hunger Offering
Local Benevolences
Our church reaches out to the community by contributing
to the operating funds of several benevolent organizations:
- The Bible Teaching Associations in the Kannapolis, South
Rowan, and Northwest Cabarrus School Districts
- Cabarrus Cooperative Christian Ministry
- Hospice
- Salvation Army
- Hospital Pastoral Care Program at NorthEast Medical Center
-
The
LIFE Pregnancy Care Center of Cabarrus County
- Boy Scout Troop 36
- Young Life of Cabarrus County
The Cooperative Christian Ministry provides services to
more than 6,000 people annually through the Samaritan House Soup Kitchen, the Night
Shelter, a Crisis Assistance Center located on Country Club Road in Concord,
and a new branch food pantry in Kannapolis on S. Cannon Blvd. In
addition to our financial contribution, our church conducts food drives for
CCM and we serve a meal at the Night Shelter on the second Monday of each
month. A number from our church family also volunteer at the Food Pantry.
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Prison Ministry
First Presbyterian maintains a relationship with the
Piedmont Correctional Institute (PCI) in Salisbury, in which we assume pastoral care for
select inmates who request it. In addition, our members conduct a worship
service at PCI on the fourth Sunday evening of each month.
Related to this area, our church participates annually in Prison Fellowship's
Project Angel Tree.
This project collects and distributes Christmas gifts to local children whose parents are
incarcerated.
Other Benevolences
Regionally, our church contributes to the
Mission Resource Center in Salisbury. We also contribute to the mission of
Presbytery, Synod, and General Assembly.
World Missions
 First Presbyterian historically has
taken a great interest in world missions. Presently we contribute to the partial support
of seven missionary couples and their families. These missionaries serve in the areas of
evangelism and church growth, medicine, or education in Brazil, Peru, Ethiopia, Kenya,
Zambia, and England (working with Pakistani Muslims). Click
here for additional information about each of our missionary families.
Each year, usually during February or March, we contribute over and above our regular giving to a
special Missions project. In 1990 we joined more than 20 other area Presbyterian churches
in raising funds and providing manpower for the construction of an electrical substation
and electrical wiring at the Mwandi
Christian Hospital in Zambia, Africa. Between 1990 and 1998 our church alone raised in
excess of $55,000 for this and related projects. During the past several years, seven of
our members have joined work teams in Mwandi helping to install the wiring at the
hospital, helping to install a walk-in cooler and a morgue cooler, helping with general
repairs and maintenance, and assisting with a new computer system. Every other year a
portion of our Mission Offering pays half of the expenses for members of our High School
Youth Group and an adult leader to go on short-term mission work trips to Mexico or
Jamaica.
 Habitat for Humanity
Our church has participated in many Habitat for Humanity
projects, including one in the Fall of 2003. Through volunteer labor, no-profit loans, and
"sweat equity" (home buyers must work 100 hours on their own house and 100 hours
on someone else's house), Habitat makes home ownership possible for those who could not
otherwise afford to buy a house. In 1994 our church joined with six other Kannapolis
congregations representing four denominations in building a house. In the Spring of 1996
and every Fall since 1997 we have joined with most of the Presbyterian Churches in
Cabarrus County in building more homes. Special offerings are collected to help pay for
these projects and many volunteers assist with the actual building phases. Click here to go to Habitat for
Humanity Cabarrus County's web site.
 5¢-a-Meal Hunger Offering
This offering is collected on the fourth Sunday of every
month by the children. Members are asked to contribute five cents for every meal they eat
during the month. The funds we collect are divided equally three ways. One third goes to
our missionaries to help them meet any special hunger needs in their areas. One third goes
to the Presbytery of Charlotte, which disperses it to various hunger projects in this
region.
Click
here for more information about the Presbytery's Hunger Action Program. One third is divided between two local organizations: Meals-On-Wheels and the
Empty Stocking Fund. Our church collects nearly $4,000 each year from this offering.
This page was last updated on
July 26, 2005. |
