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Mission and Outreach Annual Report 2009

 The Mission and Outreach Committee is responsible for distribution of the general mission budget, the designated mission budget, and the income from the Weidner gift.  A detailed account of funds distributed can be found in this annual report

Local Giving:  $12,313.00

Mission and Outreach seeks to add financial support to the many works of charity within our community.  In 2009 our aid provided for Adult Day Care center in Oxford, Campus Ministry Center, Family Resource Center, Habitat for Humanity, Kirkmont Summer Staff nature project, Mt Pleasant Life Care Fund, OBF Summer Clubhouse Program, One Way Farm, Planned Parenthood, Women’s Care Center, Presbyterian Today Magazine, Alzheimer’s Group, Parachute Program, Bread for the World, Oxford College Corner Free Medical Clinic, Oxford Presbyterian Church Nursery School.

National Giving:  $2,910.00

Over the past year, the committee supported the following missions on a national level:  Menaul Secondary School in Arizona for Native Americans, Hispanics and other minorities, Cook College in Arizona which provides higher education for Native Americans, Hispanics and other minorities.  Buckhorn of Ohio Children’s Foundation, New Opportunity School for Women, Berea, Kentucky, Presbyterian Historical Society, Theological Fund, Bookends Fund, Wee Kirk Conference for small church conference scholarships, our youth mission trip to New Orleans.

International Giving:  $6,347.00

The committee adds support to the following missionaries:  Ross and Mary Hunter in Ecuador; Kathy and Joe Angi in Hungary; Gary Payton who serves four countries: Russia, Ukraine, Poland and Belarus; Osmundo Ponce; Maime Broadhurst and Richard Williams, a married couple serving in Columbia.  We continue to support Nirali Kitaben, Pakistan for its work in educating women, Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, and Presbyterian Border Ministry.  We continue to support our sister church, The 7^th Church in Barranquilla, Columbia.  This year we also participated in their “Goel” project by sponsoring a Refugee Child. We also continue to support our Russian Twinning project, including the “shoes for the children” at Christmas time. 

In addition to the above expenditures, our church will support the General Assembly for $4,788., Presbytery for $9,886. and the Synod for $773.

Our committee established a “Local Medical Relief Fund” to handle the contributions from the congregation directed to the Brian Hitsman insurance relief fund.  We believe that we should continue that fund for others in the future who may encounter a like situation.

Hands on Mission took the form of meeting with others in the community to address the many needs of families in the area.  We conducted a survey of our congregation to learn of the many different civic organizations in which          our members are participating.  We asked for volunteers to direct others who would be interested in becoming active in those organizations.  We are in the process of passing along all that information to the congregation. 

Ross Hunter attended our May meeting, informing us of plans to open a new “Discipleship Training Center” located in Riobamba, Ecuador.

 Barbara Barnes and Jenny Bailer presented their plan to participate August 5& 6 in the Synod Mobile Health Unit project in Bettsville Ohio.  There were 12 volunteers from the congregation who also participated in that mission.

Lisa Gataleta, Executive Director of the College Corner – Oxford Medical Center spoke to our committee.  The free clinic is for adults who do not have insurance.  All of the staff is volunteer.

In November, our committee joined with the First Friday Niters for a Supper

and meeting with Mike Johnson, Director of the Choice Pantry of Oxford being the guest speaker.  We plan to get together again in February to host Diane Ruther Vierling, Director of the Family Resource Center. 

Our committee was saddened by the loss of Charlie Clum, an active member of our committee.  He was in charge of letter writing campaigns asking our legislators to support funding for the hungry.  He kept the congregation well informed orally and in the written word about the needs of the hungry and poverty in the United States and the world.

We also miss Tip Ziegler who resigned in order to serve on the “Planning for the Future” team.  We appreciate his carrying out the Shoes for Russian Orphans project this year.  Thanks Tip.

The committee also appreciates Dave Wilson’s help with updating and keeping us aware of our actions and budget.  He is our secretary and treasurer.

We would welcome anyone who would like to assist our committee in reaching out to more people locally and in the world.

The members of Session who served on the Mission and Outreach Committee were:  Dave Wilson, Kep Small and Jean Derickson.  Committee members from the congregation were:  Mary Dodd Hunter, Connie Everhart, Tip Ziegler, Charles Clum, and Bill Fisher.  Jenny Bailer has just joined us.  Prue Dana is our very resourceful staff person.

 Respectfully Submitted: 

Jean Derickson, Chair

Mustard Seed Investment Group Annual Report 2009: The Mustard Seed Investment Group saw the same turmoil in its accounts as the rest of the world did, but also profited from the recovery of the stock market.  The value of the account by the end of the year was over $9,500.

A big challenge for this year will be to set policy on the method for distribution to mission, an event that will likely occur this year.  If you would like to join a small investment group and learn a little about investing with an eye toward support of mission, please contact Joe Simpson (523-8363) or Bill Fisher.  We meet four times a year in a member’s home.  We collect $50 per membership at each meeting.

                                                Peacemaking Annual Report: Members of the Peacemaking Committee are Bill Fisher, Connie Everhart,

                                                 Louise  Griffing, Mary Jo McFadden, Prue Dana.  In 2008 the Peacemaking Committee also took on the sponsoring

                                                 of the Fifth Wednesday of the month Community Dinners. These were held in January, April, July, September and

                                                 December. The entire congregation is participating in providing a meal for anyone in the community. Attendance

                                                 varied from 11 to 30 guests, with 10-12 church members assisting and many church members bringing dishes to

                                                share. Now there is a meal available in the community every Wednesday of the month. Other churches participating

                                                are Faith Lutheran, Holy Trinity, St Mary’s, and the Methodist Church.  The Peacemaking Committee participated in the Peacemaking World Communion Sunday. Members of the Peacemaking Committee participated in the community wide Wished for Gift program where money was collected and parents were funded to shop for their own children. The Peacemaking Committee handled the interpretation and the mechanics of putting mittens on the tree. Our church funded a major portion of around $2000 of the $12,000 that was collected in the community for this. 348 children were served. A full report of this is forthcoming. The Peacemaking Committee also supported, and interpreted Bread for the World’s Offering of Letters in the spring, as this is the time legislation is debated.  The request of the letters this spring was to review how and where aid and assistance is given. Many projects have not been reviewed since World War II. The letters were very well received. The Committee baked and served nut bread on that day. The church is now Bread for the World member-supporting congregation in memory of Charlie Clum.