Outreach

Mission statement

The Outreach Committee reflects the mission of Chapel in the Pines to show forth the love of God by caring for those in need, locally and globally.  We work to identify needs in our community, especially focusing on north Chatham County.  We work with other congregations in our area to try to help those in need in this community.  As a committee, we also try to inform the congregation at large of the needs identified and encourage volunteer participation in programs to meet those needs.  Globally, we have chosen to support a mission worker in Guatemala and a theological mission program in that country.

The Outreach Committee coordinates several local and global mission projects. Chapel in the Pines supports these programs both financially and with direct volunteer assistance.

LOCAL MISSIONS

Chatham Habitat for Humanity

Bill Dengler

Chatham Habitat for Humanity works to change substandard housing conditions throughout Chatham County by making homeownership possible for low-income families.

Since 2006, Chapel in the Pines has helped construct three Apostle Build homes, with other area congregations.

Ways to serve:

• Join a work team
• Prepare and serve lunch on work days

Take and Eat Food Pantry

Michelle Morehouse

The pantry, located at Evergreen United Methodist Church, provides food-assistance to our hungry neighbors in eastern Chatham County, specifically the Northwood High School attendance area.

Take and Eat Food Pantry is an ecumenical endeavor which involves support from Evergreen United Methodist Church, Chatham Community Church, Chapel in the Pines Presbyterian Church, Lystra Baptist Church, Mt. Zion Baptist Church and Grace Community Church.

Ways to serve:

• Volunteer to help on the 1st Tuesday of each month to distribute food from 6 p.m. to approximately 8 p.m.
• Volunteer to help on the 2nd Tuesday of each month to distribute food from 9:30 a.m. to approximately 11:30 a.m.
• Donate healthy food items to the First Fruits and Vegetables collection each month
• Donate cash – We make your contribution go further by purchasing food items at the Food Bank of Central and Eastern NC at significantly reduced rates.

Click here for more information in English or in Spanish.

Take and Wear Clothes Closet

Edith Dengler

This ecumenical ministry, located at Lystra Baptist, provides new and gently worn clothing and shoes to those in need in our community.

Ways to serve:

• Donate clothing and shoes, in good condition, for all ages.
• Assist in sorting the clothing on Thursday mornings from 10 a.m to 12 p.m.
• Help distribute clothing to families during Saturday morning openings.

Take and Read Book Club 

Dianne Birch

This is another ecumenical ministry based at Evergreen United Methodist Church. New or very gently-used children's books are donated to children who might not have access to book ownership. Children of pantry clients are offered books each time they visit the pantry. We also provide books at Christmas and at the end of the school year for participants of Fuel Up at Perry Harrison School (weekend backpack food program) and to "Angel" families at Christmas.

Ways to serve:

• Donate new or very gently-used children’s books
• Donate simple coloring books and crayons
• Donate book store gift cards, even those that are partially used
• Donate cash

Family Violence & Rape Crisis Center

Pat Poret

Services such as crisis intervention, shelter, court advocacy and counseling are provided by the Family Violence and Rape Crisis Center to battered women and sexual assault victims in Chatham County.

Ways to serve:

• Donate the following items:

Liquid baby formula, baby diapers, and baby wipes
Bottled water, preferably the large hard plastic containers with a tap
Snacks and juice
Paper towels and toilet paper

• Donate lunch once a month for the counselors who are constantly busy helping clients

Nature Trail Tutoring Program 

Dianne Birch

Students in Kindergarten through fifth grade are tutored after school, from 3 to 5 PM, Monday - Thursday. Tutoring takes place at the Nature Trail Community Center.

Ways to serve:

• Commit to tutoring one afternoon each week (4 – 5 tutors are needed each afternoon)
• Offer to substitute if someone is not available

English for Speakers of Other Languages

Pat Poret

A joint effort of Chatham County Together and the Chatham County Literacy Council to assist adults in learning to speak and read English. One night each week a group session is held with one-on-one sessions held on another night.

Ways to serve:

• Tutor an adult
• Assist with childcare during tutoring sessions

Social Justice & Peacemaking

Rachel Stevens

The committee takes an analytical and advocacy role on issues facing society today.
Its purpose is to provide the members/congregation of Chapel in the Pines with opportunities to exercise their faith through prayer, study, and action on issues facing us today.

Ways to serve:

• Join the committee
• Pray and take action related to topics presented by the committee

GLOBAL MISSIONS       

Presbyterian Coffee Project

Janet Dopler

The Presbyterian Coffee Project supports small scale farmers across the world by serving and selling fairly traded coffee from Equal Exchange. In addition, fairly traded teas, cocoa, chocolate bars are also available for purchase.

Ways to serve:

• Purchase fair trade items which are available in the narthex.

Mission co-worker in Guatemala – Rev. Dr. Karla Koll

Amanda Briggs & Pat Poret

Karla Koll serves as professor of history, mission, and religions for the Latin American Biblical University (UBL), an interdenominational institution located in San Jose, Costa Rica, which has been training Latin American church leaders for over 80 years. The UBL placed Karla with the Evangelical Center for Pastoral Studies in Central America (CEDEPCA), an associated institution in Guatemala. Karla teaches university-level courses in Quetzaltenango and in Guatemala City. Together with her students she explores the call to be a part of God's mission today in contexts of violence and corruption.

Ways to serve:

• Read Karla’s monthly prayer letter
• Remember and keep Karla and the people in Guatemala in your prayers
• Provide financial support through PCUSA Mission for Professor Of Church History, Mission, & Religion, Guatemala, E200373

Central American Evangelical Center for Pastoral Studies (CEDEPCA)

Amanda Briggs & Pat Poret

CEDEPCA (Centro Evangélico De Estudios Pastorales En Centro América) is a training center that provides safe, accepting, creative spaces where women and men from many different Christian traditions can deepen their faith while they strengthen their ability to confront the key issues facing their communities.

CEDEPCA seeks to form thoughtful, compassionate disciples of Jesus Christ whose world is big enough to include all God’s children and who care for all of God’s creation.

CEDEPCA offers people the tools to eradicate violence and injustice in their world, especially violence against women and children.
The CEDEPCA Biblical, Theological and Pastoral Training Program offers a contextualized theological education that is born from the needs of communities of faith in Central America and that provides tools to facilitate biblical interpretation and theological reflection.  

CEDEPCA, an ecumenical institution, is accredited as a validated mission partner of the Presbyterian Church (USA).

Ways to serve:

• Pray for CEDEPCA personnel as they facilitate theological training, reflection, and pastoral practice in Guatemala and Central America.
• Continue to support CEDEPCA programs financially through PCUSA Mission:Biblical, Theological and Pastoral Training Program E047879

Other PCUSA giving to Guatemala:http://www.pcusa.org/give/online/

ADDITIONAL MISSIONS SUPPORTED IN 2009

Interfaith Ministries of Chatham County

Interfaith Ministries of Chatham County was formed in April of 2009 to bring together the abundant resources of Chatham County churches of all sizes and faiths to address the growing need for services by Chatham County residents facing short-term crises. The mission of Interfaith Ministries of Chatham County is to provide education, information, and referral and direct services to Chatham County residents needing immediate intervention.

Eben-ezer New Church Developement

Eben-ezer is a Hispanic New Church Development located in Siler City, NC. The congregation has land and plans to construct a church building, doing most of the work themselves.

A majority of the congregation were Presbyterians in Guatemala before coming to the United States.  Eben-ezer continues to support their home church in Guatemala, using money from their building fund to help replace that church's roof.  

During the past year, the church has suffered the loss of several member families as a result of the closings of area chicken processing plants.

Francisco Coll Educational Centre

There are approximately 900 families living in the Guatemala City 'sanitary landfill', the largest in Central America. Most members of this community make their living by picking through the garbage of the dump looking for materials that can be reused or sold for scrap. Located at the dump, the Francisco Coll School provides quality education and nutritious food to over 300 children in grades 1 – 6.  The school provides hope for families; a chance for their children to get an education, an opportunity to get out of the dump.

Heifer International Totonicapan Poultry Project

This Heifer International project improves the nutrition and increases the income of 100 families in Totonicapan, Guatemala by giving native hens and turkeys to 20 original families and 80 more through passing on the gift. The participating families lack means of livestock and food production, which is reflected in the levels of malnutrition in children under the age of five. This project will also promote sustainable agriculture techniques and the integral family farm model. These activities and the sales of surplus production will improve the family income and strengthen local organizations.