Missions at FPC

How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard?
– Romans 10:14

Our mission to serve Christ from the heart of our city to the ends of the earth starts with you. You might be asking, “What can I do?” “Where do I start?”

Give LoveWho can you show the love of Christ to? Jesus’ commandment in Mark 12:31 to “love your neighbor as yourself”, is central to our mission at FPC.

Have Faith – Matthew 9:38 reminds us to pray for missionaries serving all across the globe. They are the hands and feet of the mission of God.

Take Action – Finally, The Great Commission in Matthew 28:19, calls us to “GO and make disciples.” Check out some of the great opportunities to serve our community and the ends of the earth.

At FPC, we have some great outreach opportunities for you.

The Friendship Fund

What is the Friendship Fund? The Friendship Fund is a crisis ministry that serves the working poor and middle class of Wake County by providing emergency assistance for rent, mortgages, and household utilities. Our mission is to prevent homelessness and critical utility shut offs, like water, electricity and household gas. Recipients must provide proof of residency and income. Financial assistance is provided directly to utility companies, landlords, and property managers across Wake County.

Founded in 1959, the Friendship Fund has become the centerpiece of our Outreach program, helping approximately 600 families annually. Its mission is to help neighbors who encounter an unbudgeted monthly expense (car repair) or event (sick child & no paid time off) that prevents them from paying their utility bills or rent.

Our ministry is funded entirely by donations and we have funding to assist approximately 10-12 households per week. We get approximately 100 requests weekly for assistance.

To obtain one of our appointments you must either

  • Call 919-833-4070 on Tuesday mornings beginning at 9:30am.
  • Fill out an online application on Mondays from 11:00 am until all available appointments filled.

Once we fill our weekly slots we will not take calls or online requests again until the following week.

Haiti Mission

First Presbyterian Church of Raleigh has been involved in supporting work in Haiti for many years and currently is involved in these areas:

The Haiti committee organizes an annual mission trip to provide medical and dental care, reading glasses, and to do light construction to benefit our Haitian partners.

Individual church members and fellowship groups such as the ROCKStars and the Early Birds sponsor primary school students in Haiti through Haiti Outreach Ministries.

Prior to each annual Haiti mission trip, FPC members have contributed various medical, school and other supplies transported to Haiti by the trip team members.

Since the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, our church has led and coordinated annual trips for medical and construction teams to Port-au-Prince, Haiti. We work with Haiti Outreach Ministries www.haitiom.org and Mission Communautaire de l’Eglise Chretienne des Cites, our Haitian partner on the ground. The Haitian Mission team recruits volunteer physicians, nurses, dentists, and non-medical people to staff the medical and dental clinics. There are also opportunities to work in light construction, distributing reading glasses and participate in other non-medical activities. This annual trip usually takes place during the summer. Please contact Kathryn Johnson (kjohnson@fpcraleigh.org) if you are interested or need more information.

Bolivian Mission:

The Eden School

Annual mission trips to Eden provide week-long Dental, Medical and Vision clinics that serve over 4000 students and community patients. The cost is around $1550 and the benefits are enormous for the Bolivians….and us!

FPC Serves

First Presbyterian Church takes part in an annual Day of Service held on the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday. We help coordinate volunteer opportunities for children and adults with our Mission Partners throughout Raleigh.

FPC Shares

Hunger continues to plague over 130,000 people in Wake County according to the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina. 34% of children in Wake County are food insecure. In addition, 5,279 elderly individuals live in poverty. Hunger does not discriminate and those at risk face difficult choices none of us should have to make.

Since 2006, we have collected non-perishable food items on a monthly basis. Each month we focus on a different staple to help our neighbors. Our donations are shared with Wake Relief, Catholic Parish Outreach and Urban Ministries. These 3 Food Pantries accept referrals from our Friendship Fund program.

Items for FPC Shares:

January – Canned Fruit or Applesauce
February – Canned/Dried Beans
March – Canned Spaghetti or Ravioli
April – Peanut Butter and Jelly
May – Cereal
June – Rice/Gravy/Pasta/Pasta Sauce

July – Powdered Milk, Juice
August – Condiments (Ketchup, Mustard, Mayonnaise, Salad Dressing, etc.)
September – Diapers, Toilet Paper
October – Canned Meat
November – Canned Vegetables
December – Soup

Miriam’s Basket

Named for the sister of Moses, who looked after him as he floated in his basket among the bullrushes, this fund aids families who are in need of assistance to pay for childcare. Gifts to this fund go to support children enrolled at the First Presbyterian Church Child Development Center.

We offer financial assistance to those seeking quality, Christian care for their children and need a little help paying for it. We encourage all members of First Presbyterian Church to consider making a small contribution each year on their birthday, such as 50 cents to one dollar for each year of age.

Cents-Ability

Cents-Ability is a simple and effective way to remember those who are less fortunate than we, and it’s also a great way to introduce your children to the Presbyterian spirit of generosity. With minimal direction, your children can become actively involved in a worthy ministry that feeds the hungry. We encourage members to contribute 2 cents per meal to this ministry. On the second Sunday of every month, we collect Pennies for Cents-Ability in our worship services. These funds are shared with the Presbytery for hunger relief work locally, nationally and internationally.

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