Mission Committee Ministries Supported by
The Presbyterian Church of Traverse City In the 2007Annual Budget



LOCAL MISSIONS
The Doula Program
This program assists young women who are teen parents, especially if victims of abuse or involved in abusive relationships. Doula matches these expectant mothers with a older woman who mentors them, assists with labor and delivery and post delivery care. They also work with the women to help them re-adjust to normal life. Doula served 39 persons in 2006.  Their monies are derived from grants, workshops, fund-raisers, and donations. They also provide counseling, support groups, some immediate needs, resource access, and can be advocates for many clients.
Ecumenical Youth
This fund for the past two years has been directed to Teen Community Bible Study (CBS).   This past school year there were 63 teens from 19 area churches (7 denominations) participating on Mondays evenings from Sept-May.  CBS is a national ecumenical organization which provides training for leaders, and study materials for each book(s) of the Bible selected for a program year.  The students arrive to a teen-friendly hot dinner which gives also them a chance to socialize, then turn to a worship time led by musicians who are members of the study, hear a brief “talk” on that evening’s lesson by the trained leadership, and break into small groups by gender/age to review their lessons, share answers and ask questions under trained, caring adults.
Family Partnership This is a new faith-based mentoring program for low-resource families founded in 2006 by the Mission Committee.  The FP Board of Directors, board committee and Program Director as of last fall select and partner with these families and match them to individuals or couples who have been trained as mentors who will receive ongoing support.  Mentors help families choose goals that can lead to a better life and periodically report on progress that has been made toward meeting these goals. This line item in our budget provides the LFC Director’s Assistant’s annual salary, allowing the LFC Director the time essential to building and operating this fledgling ministry.
Freedom Builders The mission of Freedom Builders is to show the love of God in practical ways by providing vital housing repairs, adequate housing and disabilities assistance to the disadvantaged throughout the counties of Antrim, Benzie, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska and Leelanau.  Freedom Builders is intentional in its efforts to become a bridge between the service agencies, the Body of Christ and the disadvantaged.  The strategy of Builders is to facilitate cooperation between community outreach groups. Social service agencies make FB aware of housing repair needs, local church, FB’s staff, manufacturers, professional contractors, and retired tradesman collectively provide the free home repair services. In so doing, all spread the love of Christ. The ultimate goal is to facilitate long term spiritual relationships between local church bodies and the families who benefit from Freedom Builders services.
Goodwill Inn The Goodwill Inn's homeless shelter houses 45-80 persons daily with an average stay of 47 days.  In 2006 413 persons total were sheltered, including 58 children from 36 families, and 306 single adults.  At the Inn’s new facility they have a commercial kitchen which allows them to provide three nourishing meals daily to Inn residents (over 50,000 per year), helping alleviate the crippling effects of hunger.  They also provide 100,000 meals per year for Meal on Wheels (delivered to elderly shut-ins – likely their only hot meal of the day).  Goodwill programs are designed to offer a comprehensive and unique package of vocational, housing, nutritional, transportation, family strengthening and retail services designed to serve the whole person/family.
Habitat for Humanity This is a non-profit ecumenical Christian ministry seeking to help eliminate poverty housing and homelessness.  Our local branch serves people in Benzie, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska and Leelanau counties, where decent affordable housing is a growing problem.  HH makes low-cost home ownership possible for families who cannot qualify for conventional loans.   The capital used to build a house is returned to the Fund for Humanity through the monthly mortgage payments, and is reused to build more homes.  Recipients are expected to commit a minimum of 275 hours of sweat equity for a single adult, or 550 for a couple, and must be residents of one of these counties for at least one year.  74 families have benefited from 1988-Fall 2006.  Tithe money from GT’s HH builds homes in Kyrgyzstan where 18 homes in the past 4 years were built for as little as $3,000 per home.  This summer HH GT was named Michigan’s “Affiliate of the Year.”
Love for Children Love For Children's goal is to mobilize this church to assist low income families in cooperation with area Head Start and WIC agencies to help avoid some of the crippling effects of poverty during early childhood.  LFC develops church projects that provide opportunities to our church members to serve others and share resources to help these families nurture the healthy development of their children.  The Christmas Spirit program matches up families/groups within and without our church to adopt families and provide them with gifts and food.  LFC receives volunteers and contributions from several outside groups.  This line item in our budget provides the Director’s annual salary.
lfc_logo
Click above
for LFC news
and schedules.

Love INC
(In the Name
of Christ)

 Love INC is an ecumenical cooperative effort to make a difference for individuals, families and children living in poverty.  We support the local affiliate of a national group.  Love INC enables local churches to share Christ’s love by providing the necessary link between church volunteers and those in the community through networking and filling needs for food, utilities, rent, medicines, transportation, etc. A thorough intake form is utilized to make certain that the root causes of each situation are addressed.  Careful records assure that services are not duplicated.  1200 families were ministered to in 2006 with help from over 30 areas churches.
NMC Campus Ministry This is an ecumenical community of students, faculty, staff and local churches to be a visible Christian witness on the NMC campus.  It focuses on engaging in and providing opportunities for worship in the local churches, study of interaction between the Scripture and present day experiences, service and witness in the academic, local and world community, and acts of caring toward those who participate in campus life. There are two groups consisting of approximately 20 members each that focus on bible readings and teachings, and Habitat for Humanity. The HFH group has traveled to North and South Carolina and West Virginia to help with Habitat Homes. The ministry depends on contributions from area churches, the Presbytery of Mackinac and the Diocese of Gaylord. 
Presbytery Point Presbytery Point is our Presbytery’s camp and conference center located in Michigamme near Marquette.  PP provides summer week long camping opportunities for children, teens, adults and families.  PP is also available for conferences year-round, weddings, family gatherings, etc.  “PP exists to serve God by both guiding persons to and nurturing them in a relationship with Jesus Christ, that, through the power of the Holy Spirit, they may come to a true knowledge of God, a living an dynamic faith, and a life of discipleship under the Lordship of Jesus Christ marked by obedience to God, fellowship in the church and service in the world.”  (from their mission statement.)
Safe Harbor Safe Harbor homeless shelter, housed in rotating local churches, is an ecumenical effort among over 2 dozen area congregations, providing a place to sleep, a hot evening meal and breakfast, from late fall to spring. During the two weeks our church hosted the program in January, we provided food, housing, transportation and shower passes for approximately 48 persons. The budgeted amount of $500.00 was depleted and approximately $50.00 additional dollars from the Committee Discretionary Fund were spent on transportation passes and shower passes. 
Salvation Army Salvation ARmy helps those in need with hard to solve problems that others cannot solve – often the agency of last resort.  This includes, but is not an exhaustive list, noon meals on M, W, F at their location, a food pantry, financial assistance with rent, utilities, medications, funeral expenses, bus tickets, other transportation, thrift store vouchers, substance abuse assessment and referral to SA’s GR treatment center.  They are also involved with national disaster relief.  In conjunction with the state gov’t , provides all actual beds in homeless shelters throughout the State of Michigan, including the Goodwill Inn (per Dave Gibbons, SA Soldier/Social Worker at T.C. location.
Wedgwood Christian Services Wedgwood Christian Services counsels about 125-130 people a week with 8 F/T staff, and ten part-time, with some volunteers when necessary. Interns are also used on occasion. Several area churches help in providing funds for the program. Other funds come from insurance re-imbursements, client pay, and donations.  25% of their clients are children, and 25% of clients need financial assistance on a sliding fee schedule, which last year totaled $90,000.  Services include family related concerns, depression, additions/substance abuse, dept. of corrections group therapy, pre-marital and marital counseling, treatment for anxiety, psychiatric and psychological evaluations, and “Wrap Around” program.  Prayer is a cornerstone with their office staff who pray together weekly for one another and their clients, and with clients during sessions.
Women’s Resource Center Women's Resource Center serves over 1700 individuals and families each year.   In 2006, 266 adults and children participated in the WRC’s emergency and transitional housing programs, receiving over 21,000 nights of service.   Helen’s House, the  emergency shelter, provides immediate safety and meets short-term need while transitional housing is longer term, providing a bridge to permanent housing and self sufficiency.  Over 1100 participated in non-residential services, including one-on-one and group support, information and referral, and advocacy services.  Nearly 350 participated in programs for offenders, which are designed to encourage the use of non-violent behaviors in relationships. The WRC program assists abused persons and persons suffering from domestic and sexual violence issues through shelter, assistance, education, counseling and prevention.

MISSIONARY SUPPORT


Two ordained PCUSA minister missionaries who serve as evangelists to Kurdish migrant workers and refugees in Berlin.  They work to build bridges among Christians & Muslims, Germans & Kurds.  A half million Kurds live in Germany.
Michael & Irene Silvalee,
missionaries, he an ordained PCUSA minister, teach at an extension of the Seminary of Londrina in Brasilia, capital city of Brazil.  Their aim is to help train pastors to serve in central and western Brazil.  Michael teaches pastoral care, counseling, and biblical theology and serves as dean of students.  Irene teaches Christian education and assists in the library and seminary office.
Tracey Tooley,
missionary with Wycliffe Bible Translators, is the daughter of members of our Congregation, Dick & Irma Tooley.  She has answered a call to serve youth in America in informational gatherings and camps who are considering careers with Wycliffe to continue providing New Testament written translations to the more than 3,000 languages yet to go worldwide.

GLOBAL MISSIONS
Corrymeela Community

The Corrymeela Community located in Belfast, Northern Ireland has for over forty years provided a safe and unique place for adults and children of all ages and religious traditions to come together and celebrate all that they hold in common and gain understanding of those things that can divide them.  They are actively working towards building the foundations for a peaceful future.
Nicaragua
Upcoming for worldwide missions is support for an orphanage and medical clinic in Managua, Nicaragua. Jeff Link has been called to serve in the “NewLifeNicaraguaCenter of Nutrition” which provides a safe home, medical care, food, love and affection to ~20 orphans at this time.  Four individuals including Jeff have purchased 4 acres of land in order to build a new site allowing expansion of these services.  A board has been assembled to oversee the ministry, and a construction team will arrive this summer to begin building.
Committee Discretionary Fund
As additional needs are brought to the Mission Committee’s attention, these funds allow this board to assist in requests such as the start-up for Clara’s Cupboard senior needs pantry, scholarships for small (less than 200 members) Presbyterian church pastors in our five state region to attend a conference for renewal and encouragement, the Peanut Butter project, food pantries, support for those in our church embarking on missionary calls, the Poverty Reduction Initiative luncheon this spring, Presbytery Point special projects, etc.