MISSION OPPORTUNITIES ....
Orangewood believes that God, through Jesus Christ, calls us to be involved in bringing his message of salvation to the outside world. At Orangewood, we believe the strongest witness is our deed. The Mission Committee supports the following mission outreach programs that need the support and participation of the individual members of our congregation. If you have an interest in or any questions about the following activities, please call the church office at (602) 944-1508 or send us an email.
traveling items
As you travel this summer, please remember to pick up those handy
little soaps, shampoos, lotions, etc. Then on ICM Clean Up Sunday in
September, bring them all in to donate to Interfaith Cooperative Ministries
to help them stock up for the Fall.
MISSION COMMITTEE SHARING
The Mission Committee is open to your suggestions regarding mission. Please
let us know if there is a cause/organization of particular interest to you
that you would like to see Orangewood Presbyterian Church consider as it
carries out its call to mission in the Phoenix area and across the globe.
Puerto Penasco (Rocky Point)
Mission Trips
The Orangewood/Betania Presbyterian Church Partnership is currently working with AMOR
Ministries building simple homes for families in Mexico. Our youth and adults
participate in these mission trips on a long weekend in the spring and fall and bring
together people from all walks of life to help the poorest of the poor in Rocky Point.
While workers are always needed to help build a house for an impoverished Mexican family, there are several other ways you can participate in the Rocky Point Mission. Did you know that the materials to build a house cost $3,250? You can contribute tax deductible donations for building materials, tools or to help defray workers fees; provide food to keep the workers fed; or participate as a prayer partner, the foundation for effective mission work. For those who would like to work on the Rocky Point trip mark your calendar now for February 13 through 16. Cost is $60, but subject to change. Participants must register by February 1 with a deposit of $20. If this will be your first Rocky Point Trip you must attend a preparation and training seminar. Check back for dates and times.
Betania Presbyterian Church
Partnership
Betania is a Presbyterian Church located at 2811 N. 39th Avenue
in Phoenix, with which Orangewood has formed a unique mission partnership.
Come join with Orangewood and three other Presbyterian churches in a
unique opportunity for service to the Phoenix community. Betania's
telephone number is 602- 269- 2839.
Volunteers are needed to teach English anytime Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Some knowledge of Spanish is needed. Volunteers are also needed to teach English in the evening on Monday, Tuesday and Friday. Interviewing and distribution for food and clothing bank - Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon. Tutoring children through a city sponsored program takes place on Tuesday and Thursday evenings.
THE CHRIS BECKER DINING ROOM
Orangewood has supported and participated in the mission work of
the Chris Becker Dining Room since its inception as Martha’s Place in
1989. The Chris Becker Dining Room is an ecumenical food service designed
to provide an evening meal to the guests of pocket shelters in the North
Phoenix area, as well as economically disadvantaged people from the
community. This is accomplished through the generosity of area churches
of various denominations and individual families and groups. Orangewood
has six teams, each team serves twice a year. Each team chooses a menu,
purchases, prepares and serves at the Chris Becker Dining Room on the
second Thursday of the month at 6:30 p.m.
Your Help Is Needed! We are looking for new volunteers for the Chris Becker Sunnyslope Dining Room. This would take only two hours twice a year. We meet at the dining room, near 10th Avenue and Hatcher, at 4:30 p.m. to serve a meal which is prepared by St. Vincent de Paul to approximately 80-100 guests who gather there every night to eat. We also do a little clean up. That’s it!! Just four hours a year. If this appeals to you, please call Linda Schreiner or the church office.
INTERFAITH COOPERATIVE MINISTRIES (ICM)
This is an ecumenical clothing and food bank serving the greater Phoenix area. They
are in need of volunteers to help with the following:
Infant nursery, 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Clothing room
Counter work - receptionist
Checkout clothing and record sales
Food counselor
Orangewood Church collects non-perishable food and clothing items each Sunday on the patio for the ICM food and clothing bank. Take a look in your pantry and bring along some of those canned food items that you aren't using.
- VICaP (Volunteer Interfaith Caregivers Program)
Volunteers from area congregations, trained by the VICaP staff, provide support services at no cost to homebound and/or disabled individuals in the community. These volunteer services can include: friendly visiting, phoning, shopping, business help, transportation within 10-12 miles of your home, in-home respite care or handy person for minor home repairs. Orangewood is in real need of individuals willing to become a VICaP volunteer. A trained volunteer can be assigned to people in need in our congregation.
SUNNYSLOPE FAITH AND JUSTICE LEAGUE/HABITAT FOR
HUMANITY
What is new in Sunnyslope? Due to poor finances and higher property values, SFJL is working on much smaller projects to help improve Sunnyslope. Habitat
homes are not in the near future for Sunnyslope. If that changes, we will
let you know.
What if I want to build with Habitat? Habitat for Humanity - Valley of the Sun is currently building in Villas Esperanza which is located near 15th Avenue between Baseline and Southern. Villas Esperanza will be a community of 96 homes when finished. Other smaller builds will be taking place on separate infill lots in Glendale and downtown Phoenix near the Capitol. If you are interested in helping on builds, call Rebecca Bishop at 602-268-9022. The Mission Committee has budgeted some money that will go toward the next Presbyterian Coalition build. The build will take place in Villas and is tentatively scheduled to start next January.
What if I want to work with Habitat in other ways? You may donate to Habitat or if you think you would like to work with the families, there are two different volunteer jobs available.
You could be a family partner. You would provide support to a home-buying family and ensure successful homeownership so that they reach their full potential as a member of the community. Responsibilities would include doing things with the family such as attending required classes with them (when practical), encouraging them during their sweat equity phase, being onsite during the build (yes, you can build if you are able), meet with them regularly, and facilitate communication between family and Habitat. The time commitment would be approximately one year of contact with the family in person or by phone.
You could be on the Family Selection Committee. You would apply the selection criteria to homeownership applications and select qualified families to build and purchase homes in partnership with Habitat. You would attend one or two monthly meetings, comply with prospective homeowners. You would also be required to do home visits (about 8 a year). Foreign language skills would be helpful, but not required.
Both of the above opportunities would require a person interested in working with people of diverse cultural, linguistic and economic backgrounds. A person should be willing to understand the struggles of low-income families and the challenges they face.
If either of these two opportunities interests you, call 602-268-9022 to sign up for a volunteer orientation. If you have a specific question, call Lydia Hernandez at 602-268-9022, ext. 34.
BLOCK WATCH
Orangewood has to date worked with three Block Watch groups near the church to help them
organize and get to know their neighbors so as to make the area safer and free from crime.
More Block Watch groups are planned and help is needed to pass out flyers and
provide refreshments for the meetings.
ANGEL TREE
Each
Christmas season we sponsor an Angel Tree where congregation families can choose a requested gift for the children of people who are in
prison and unable to buy gifts. We usually provide gifts for this mission.
Our Angel Tree will be on the Church Patio on Sunday, November 23, 30 and
December 7. Click on the icon to go to the Angel Tree web site.
HEIFER PROJECT
Also at Christmas we participate in the Heifer Project wherein it is possible to purchase
partial shares or complete animals or chickens which are then sent to needy people in
underdeveloped countries. As these animals reproduce, the owners are required to
share the new animals with others. Click on the icon to go to the
Heifer International web site.
