Outreach
Sharing the love of Jesus with anyone, anywhere, anytime, any way we can….
We believe that service is vital to a life of faith. As servants of Christ and our brothers and sisters in the world, we maintain ongoing partnerships with local mission agencies and international missionaries. In support of God’s work in the world and in hopes of deepening our faith through service, we regularly take mission trips to serve and learn from others. Sometimes we travel locally or regionally and occasionally we visit mission partners abroad. At First Presbyterian Church, there are opportunities available for all ages and abilities to serve.
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Matthew 28:19-20
Mission and Outreach
Our Mission ministry at First Presbyterian Church seeks to maintain relationships of support and service with mission partners locally and internationally. We believe that all ministry is relational and that when we serve God and neighbor, we hope to create meaningful relationships with everyone we meet knowing that it is in giving that we receive, and it is in sharing of our gifts, time, and resources that we faithfully steward God’s gifts to us.
Serving God starts at home. We work within our congregation and with local agencies to help make Anderson a more just and equitable place. Stay up to date about what we are doing and make a point to join us! Be sure to sign up for our newsletter for updates on opportunities to serve.
Prayer Shawl Ministry – Combining ritual, care and compassion with the love of knitting or crocheting, this women’s group regularly meets and reaches out to those in need of comfort and solace as well as those celebrating baptisms or other milestones of life.
Saturday Servants – Every 5th Saturday at 9:00 AM, we gather in the Kirk to pack meals for our partners, the congregation of Mount Carmel CME Church. Bring the whole family for this joyful and simple way to feed those who are hungry (and primarily homeless) in our own community. We’ll make sandwiches, pack snacks, and bundle the meals together. This event is organized by our Board of Deacons and usually takes about an hour. What wonderful way to start your Saturday!
Blessing Box – Within our church walls, the mission ministry coordinates the weekly filling of the blessing box, a box that provides non-perishable food items to residents of our church neighborhood which is in an area vulnerable to hunger and homelessness.
Hygiene Bags – We partner with our youth group’s monthly mission meal (1st Sundays at First) to provide hygiene bags for the guests of these meals on a quarterly basis. Previous offerings have included deodorant, shampoo, chapstick, lotion, oral care kits and cooling cloths.
Mission Ministry – Our Mission Ministry serves as the committee overseeing our local and international mission engagement. We always have need for congregational assistance with donations of supplies for all of our ventures. If you’d like to find an opportunity to serve locally at Anderson Interfaith Ministries, Habitat for Humanity, Emmanuel’s Hammer, The Lot Project, Clean Start, Hope Missions of the Upstate or any of our other local partners, please reach out to Andrea Storie, Chair of Mission Ministry, at ahstorie@gmail.com to get involved or to join us on the Mission Ministry or email Pastor Chad at ChadWP@fpcandersonsc.com to find a service opportunity that’s the right fit for you. We would love to have you!
Our neighbors live not only beyond the doors of our church, but also beyond the bounds of Anderson. God calls on us to build relationships around the world. We pray with and for our Global Mission Partners.
The Adams-Maldonado Family serving Christ on the Mexico/USA Border by supporting a variety of inter-denominational outreach initiatives including:, child tutoring and education, a drug rehabilitation programs and Café Justo coffee growers cooperative, roastery and coffee shop.
The Crane Family serving Christ in the Ukraine through outreach to medical professionals through English language training courses, support of an orphanage and assisting with transitional housing for those displaced by border violence.
Matthew 28 spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ by feeding hungry children and caring for orphans Matthew 28 has over 30 feeding centers in the food fragile central plain of Haiti. We also run a preschool and elementary school which will eventually reach up to 6th grade as we add a grade each year and provide and orphanage with safe living for 32 children.
Adult Mission Trips
First Pres regularly takes groups of adults on short-term mission trips to areas that have been hit by natural disasters, or that have great need for aid. Our four day long “Mini Mission Trips” have allowed people of all ages, all physical abilities, and all working schedules to serve together.
For those who feel called to mission abroad, First Pres has taken an annual trip to Bohoc, Haiti with our Mission partners Matthew 28 since 2012. These trips have particular need for medical professionals, doctors, and nurses to run medical clinics, as well as educators to provide teacher training in our school and supplemental tutoring for the orphans. We can also use folks with construction experience as there are always repairs or new construction to undertake around the compound.
Youth Mission Trips
In addition to our adult trips, we send our young people into the world to serve on annual mission trips.
Scouting
Since 1928 First Presbyterian has a long, proud history of supporting the Girl and Boy Scouts of America. Our scouting programs instill strong values and skills as young people grow and mature.
Troop 724 is a troop of all ages and stages within scouting. Girl Scouts is a great way to meet new friends, have fun and learn lifetime leadership skills.
For more information about our growing troop, contact troop leader Rebecca Mullikin at 864.617.0113 or phallenarose@gmail.com.
For boys and girls K5 through 5th grade, Cub Scouts offer a family-centered introduction to scouting.
For more information, contact Nichole Niemeyer, 864.245.3376, or fpcpack41@gmail.com.
For boys who have completed the 5th grade to the age of 18. This active troop of boys does monthly service projects, enjoys camping experiences and takes a variety of fun trips.
For more information, contact Scoutmaster Russell Buchanan at 864.933.4359, or visit Troop215.
For BOTH young men and women ages 14 to 21, Venturing offers high adventure, friendship, leadership and service.
For more information, contact Crew Advisor Nichole Buckwalter 202.531.7352 or nekomidori@yahoo.com.
The Respite program has restarted. Call 864.225.2551 for information.
Rhodes respite care
First Pres proudly hosts Rhodes Respite Care, a faith-based activity program for adults with early-to moderate memory impairment due to Alzheimer’s disease or related dementia. Our ongoing mission is to meet the social, spiritual, physical and emotional needs of adults with dementia. This ministry provides a well-deserved break, or respite, to those who bear care-giving responsibility. They entrust their family member to our experts’ care, knowing they will be safe in a loving atmosphere.
For more information contact Brantley Isom, Director of Rhodes Respite Care, at rhodesrespitecare@fpcandersonsc.com
