Mission
Go For The Gold! Crop Walk 2012 Challenge
Go for the Gold
CROP Walk Challenge
*The gauntlet has been thrown down by our very own CROP Walk recruiter—Catherine Johnston…
*First Presbyterian Church will be raising funds for this year’s CROP walk by way of a friendly competition in the spirit of the Olympics. Teams are now forming for this contest. 
So far, the program staff is on board. Join Team Brent, Team Chris, Team Steph or Team Brian or form your own team. Team Chris includes Mid High, Senior High, Young Adults and YAYA. Team Steph includes Ring and Sing, Kaleidoscope, Chapel Time, Children’s Church and CE. Team Brian includes the Adult Choir, the Adult Bell Choir and Music and Fine Arts Committee. Team Brent is to be determined.
There will be prizes for the 1) team raising the most money for Church World Service; 2) the team recruiting the most walkers and 3) the most enthusiastic team leader.
Won’t you join us? Pick a team, or form a team. The 2012 CROP walk will take place on Sunday October 14 at (note new location) St. Mark’s UM Church at 84/Pioneers Blvd. The money raised goes to Church World Service hunger and clean water initiatives worldwide as well as to hunger programs right here at home such as the Food Bank (Think: Jacob’s Well.)
So, if your group would like to take the challenge and “go for gold”, please contact Catherine Johnston (mclusky1965@neb.rr.com) to pick up your CROP Walk packet. If you would like to walk with an existing team, contact Steph, Brent, Chris or Brian. “Winners” will be announced and recognized in worship October 21 (8:30 & 11:00) as a Mission Matters segment.
McPhee News
McPhee Elementary is a Title I School serving 320 multicultural students in pre-school through 5th grade.
Elaine Simpson is their new Principal.
McPhee Elementary provides all day kindergarten, ELL instruction, literacy support, technology integration and Reading Recovery. After school extended learning opportunities include Knowing Mathematics, Soar to Success programs and Homework Club.
The mission of the school is for students, staff, families, and community members to work as a team to help our students achieve more. We believe that all students can learn, perform, and behave at grade level or above.
McPhee’s Community Learning Center is a vital partner in our efforts to provide academic support and enrichment opportunities for students. The CLC sponsors Math Club, Quick Reads, Science Fair Club, Reader’s Theatre, Dance Club, Homework Club as well as working cooperatively with the Boy and Girl Scouts of America. McPhee CLC also sponsored a summer program that provided students in grades K-5 with integrated instruction using the McPhee Community Garden.
First Presbyterian views itself in partnership with McPhee to see that every child succeed. It truly takes a village to raise a child. The three programs that our members are involved with at McPhee are Book Buddy, Back Pack, and Splash.
If you would like to volunteer for any of these Mission programs at McPhee please email Susan Diers at info@fpclincoln.org and she will get you in touch with the right person.
Book Buddy: Statistics point to the fact that if a child does not learn to read by third grade level, the likelihood that he or she will have problems in school and drop out is over 50%. For this reason volunteers at First Presbyterian Church are assigned with an at risk student to read with them on a weekly basis. Some volunteers have read with their student from first grade until fifth grade. And in that time they have forged friendships that will last a lifetime.
BackPack: In partnership with the Lincoln Food Bank, volunteers from First Presbyterian Church come every Friday to pack backpacks full of food so that the McPhee student and his or her family will have some nutritious food to eat over the weekend. To date volunteers are packing over 50 backpacks every Friday.
Splash: Splash is an acronym which stands for Super Plans and Learning Activities for Summer Happenings.
This is the seventh year that First Presbyterian members have partnered with McPhee staff to sponsor this event and 30 of our members joined about 90 students and their families for fun and fellowship and food. The purpose of this event is to provide students with supplies that will encourage learning activities throughout the summer and also inform families of a number of summer opportunities that might contribute to a more healthy and educational summer of fun and learning. S.P.L.A.S.H. was another successful McPhee mission activity in 2011 thanks to all who participated.
— Pam Carrier & Nancy Janike Co-Chairs of this activity.
S.P.L.A.S.H. 2011
A big THANK YOU to all the First Pres. members that contributed their time
and talents to the 2011 McPhee family night activity known as S.P.L.A.S.H.
(Super Plans and Learning Activities for Summer Happenings).
This is the seventh year that First Presbyterian members have partnered with McPhee
staff to sponsor this event and 30 of our members joined about 90 students and their
families for fun and fellowship and food. The purpose of this event is to provide students
with supplies that will encourage learning activities throughout the summer and also
inform families of a number of summer opportunities that might contribute to a more
healthy and educational summer of fun and learning. S.P.L.A.S.H. was another successful
McPhee mission activity in 2011 thanks to all who participated.
— Pam Carrier & Nancy Janike Co-Chairs of this activity.
Mid High Mission Trip: Redefining Missions
July 3-8 the mid high were in Kansas City, MO doing mission work through an organization called YouthWorks! Inc. For many of the participants, this was their first mission trip. Aside from having to avoid some flooding, the trip was pretty quick and fun. However, when we arrived, the youth were faced with some challenges they were not prepared for. When most people think of mission work, they think of building a house, painting, doing yard work, or some other form of physical labor. This was no different for the youth in the mission team. However, when it came time to work, this was not the type of mission work we were assigned. There were some sites we participated in that could be considered typical mission sites. We worked in a community garden as well as with an organization called Harvesters (a food distribution warehouse). For the most part though, the work was uncon- ventional in terms of missions. The youth were spending time with mental patients and the elderly in group homes, making cards for veterans, and working with underprivileged children and helping them learn how to read better. This was great work, but was unexpected and out of many of the youth’s comfort zones. However, though group worship, daily devotions, and group discussions, our view of “mission work” had changed from physical labor to showing the love of God through our actions to anyone who is in need.
I was very impressed with both the passion and maturity the youth displayed in their mission sites. They expanded their view of missions and went outside their comfort zones to serve those in need. The group not only grew together in our personal relationships, but in our relationship and understanding of God’s plan for us as Christians and young people in the church. Shea Koolen said what I thought was the best quote of the whole trip. In our last meeting before returning home, he said “I feel like my heart has grown a new layer.” I commend the youth and the adult volunteers for their great work and open hearts. — Dustin Hamren
