MISSIONS AND OUTREACH
First Presbyterian members are engaged in missions and outreach. The mission
budget helps support designated ministries, 4 missionary families, and a host
of local and disaster response projects. Taking to heart the words in James,
Chapter 2, we are motivated in our conviction that faith calls us to action!
See where God is calling you, and know that you can become involved and be the hands of feet of Jesus with us!
Mission Team Members: Debbie Majure, Susan Cowart, Chair, Lisa Hayward, Elyse Maclellan, Esther Avara
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VOLUNTEERS IN MEDICINE
Church Contact:
Volunteers in Medicine Gautier provides free medical services to
uninsured individuals and families who would otherwise be unable to
afford medical services. The Clinic is made possible by the generous
commitment of lay and professional volunteers who commit their time
and skills to help others. The Clinic, located at 2550 Indian Point
Parkway, operates by appointment only.
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How can you help?
Please pray for the volunteers and funding needed to continue this
worthy cause. Visit their website at www.vimgautier.org to discover more ways to be
a part of this ministry through donations and volunteer opportunities.
COMMUNITY CARE NETWORK / SUE'S HOME
Church Contact:
Community Care Network serves homeless families across the MS Gulf Coast. Their mission is to provide a safe environment and healthy living programs for families that set the foundation for change and breaks the cycle of homelessness.
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How can you help?
Please pray for this ministry. Pray for affordable housing for their clients, and for staff decisions.
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Visit www.ccnms.org for current information on how you can donate, volunteer, and pray for this ministry.
OUR DAILY BREAD
Church Contact:
This local food ministry serves hot lunches to the homeless and elderly who experience food insecurity.
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BACKPACK BUDDIES
Church Contact:
Many children in our community, like so many others all over the
country, eat their only meals while at school and go home to little or no
food at night and over the weekend. Volunteers with Backpack
Buddies meet each week to pack nutritious food for students to carry
home for the weekend to “fill the gap”. After bags are filled, they are
distributed through local schools. FPCP provides financial support as
well as space for the food pantry and the operations of packing the
bags.
How can you help? Please pray for the volunteers needed and food donations required to fill the bags. Our church is the “Juice Box church”. Please consider donating juice boxes for the bags.
ADRIENNE'S HOUSE
Church Contact:
Adrienne’s House is operated by the Gulf Coast Women’s Center for
Nonviolence. Their mission is to support and serve victims of
domestic violence, sexual assault, and survivors of homicide victims.
They serve individuals in the Jackson and George County areas.
How can you help? Please pray for the work of this organization.
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Visit their website at www.gccfn.org for more information on how to
donate or volunteer with this organization.
MISSISSIPPI PRESBYTERIAN RENEWAL
Church Contact:
Mississippi Presbyterian Renewal periodically sponsors three-day spiritual renewal weekends which include attendees from multiple Presbyterian churches in Mississippi. The aim of the organization and the weekend is to encourage a life of discipleship. Those who have attended are encouraged to participate in small groups at their home church, called 4th Day groups, to support and encourage continued individual discipleship and evangelism.
How can you help? Please consider attending the next weekend. Please consider participating in the 4th Day group whih meets at 10:00 am on Monday mornings. Please consider attending periodic fellowship and worship meetings called Ultreya when they are advertised. Visit www.mspresbyteriancursillo.com to learn more or to register for the next scheduled weekend.
DISASTER RESPONSE
Church Contact:
Within the southeast region of the United States we frequently
experience hurricanes and tornadoes. We have learned that when big
disasters happen God can move in big ways. It has been our joy to join
God in responding to areas hit by natural disaster in Hattiesburg, MS,
Baton Rouge, LA, Houston, TX, Panama City, FL, and most recently in
Moss Point, MS.
How can you help? When response teams are being formed, please consider signing up to work and/or donate needed items or funds.
BELHAVEN UNIVERSITY
Church Contact:
Belhaven University is a private Christian university located in Jackson, MS. Their mission is to prepare students academically and spiritually to serve Christ Jesus. FPC has partnered with Belhaven in providing opportunities for summer interns to support our Youth ministry.
You can learn more about Belhaven University at www.belhaven.edu.
BELIZE
Church Contact:
Our work in Belize continues to grow! Partnering with The Word at
Work, FPC members provide Christmas gifts for children each year, and over
the years, FPC has sponsored mission trips to provide medical services
and assist in constructing the First Stone Church. In January of 2024 a
group of FPC men traveled to Belize to help build a school facility at
First Stone Church. Plans are underway to send another team in the fall
to continue these works.
How can you help? Please pray for the work in Belize, that the school will be finalized to provide education to children for whom it would otherwise be
unavailable. Please consider volunteering for an upcoming team or
donations to help fund future teams. Visit the Word at Work website at www.twaw.org to discover more ways you can be involved or perhaps become a Team 100 member.
EPC WORLD OUTREACH
Church Contact:
World Outreach (WO) is the mission sending agency of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church. Their principal calling is to glorify God by starting church-planting movements among least-reached people groups, especially among Muslims. FPC helps support three families serving in Lebanon among Syrian refugees.
How can you help. Please pray for our missionary families in Lebanon and the work that they do there. Visit www.epcwo.org to discover more ways you can support World Outreach.
KELLY GRIZZARD FAMILY /
LOVE MERCY INTERNATIONAL
Church Contact:
FPC continue to support the Kelly Grizzard missionary family. Kelly and
his family have recently joined in the work at Love Mercy International,
a recently formed organization working as a part of Youth with a
Mission. Love Mercy International’s mission is to compassionately
meet the physical, mental and spiritual needs of individuals in distress,
both globally and locally. They have four primary focus areas: Refugees
(currently with Texas Border and Poland Refugees), Poverty Alleviation
(equipping and empowering individuals to obtain work), Local Outreach
(working with local youth at risk of self-harm), Disaster Relief (currently
working to provide winter packs to people in Israel and rebuilding in the
Ukraine).
How can you help? Please pray for Kelly and his family as they continue to serve the Lord. Please pray for the work of this new ministry.
Visit www.lovemercyintl.org to learn more about them and how you
can support their work.
SAT-7
Church Contact:
Sat-7’s mission is to provide the churches and Christians of the Middle
East and North Africa, an opportunity to witness to Jesus Christ. In an
area where their outreach efforts are severely hampered, Sat-7,
through and the power of satellite television, provides informative and
educational television, bringing a message of hope and love directly
into the lives of millions of people.
How can you help? Pray for this ministry and those who live in areas where the Christian message is silenced.
Visit www.sat7.org to discover more ways you can pray for, donate to
or volunteer with this organization.
MERCY SHIPS
Church Contact:
Esther Avara
Mercy Ships operates civilian hospital ships offering state-of-the-art
care to those in desperate need, free of charge. There are many ways
to donate to or volunteer with Mercy Ships.
How can you help? Please pray for the work of Mercy Ships, pray for the countries they serve, for the volunteers who serve and for the patients who need their care.
Visit www.mercyships.org to discover more ways you can donate or volunteer.
HAITI OUTREACH MINISTRIES
Church Contact:
Joseph Powell
FPC has had a long relationship with Haiti Outreach Ministries. In past
years, we have taken teams to work in country to install multiple water
wells, do construction work on schools and partner with their medical
clinic to provide health services. Due to the political unrest in the
country, HOM is unable to host mission teams at this time. We
continue to support them through financial donations. FPC has
committed to sponsor four children from Pre-K through High School
Graduation.
How can you help? Please pray for the country of Haiti. Please pray specifically for the four children we sponsor: Berlensky Feris, Fetela Delouis, Kelly
Fleurissant and Marie Geffrard. Pray that these children will come to
know our Lord as they receive their education, that they will learn and
become productive members of their communities and that the Haiti
they live in one day as adults will be a safe and thriving country.
Please visit www.haitiom.org to discover other ways you can get
involved and perhaps sponsor a child yourself!