2016 Perú Mission Trip Return

Everyone has now returned back home from another wonderful trip to Ayacucho and Huanta Perú.  Three of our team members {Bev Vickrey, Ellen Minch and Jessica Minch} went on to visit Machu Picchu after the mission trip and arrived back in Charlotte on Wednesday.

All of our 10 pieces of donations luggage arrived in Perú without incident.  All of your gifts of prayer shawls, seat cushions, reading glasses, crutches, shoes, clothing, toys and sports equipment arrived safely and was distributed to the local churches.

A few of our pictures have already been posted and can be seen by clicking the 2016 Perú album link to the right.  Check the picture album often in the next few days as we continue to add new pictures and edit existing ones.  Click the logo icon to the right to see new Logo Sightings too!

A big thank you for all of the well wishes, prayers and support.

Donations For Perú 2016!

Donations were sorted and packed for the coming 2016 Perú Mission trip.  Thank you to all that volunteered and donated clothes, shoes and reading glasses.  We were able to pack 10 bags at 50lbs each to take with us!

2016 Perú Mission News

Below is a link to Sharon Presbyterian Church's 2016 mission to Perú.

Share the information!

These forms will also be available in the Perú Mission Trip Mailbox at Sharon Presbyterian Church beginning this Sunday, February 21st.

An informational meeting will be held Sunday, February 28th at 11:45 am in Room 6 of the Charles Little Activity Building.

Thank you

Randy Ross

The 2016 Mission Trip Information Memo & Application

Perú From Above

Good Bye Summer Weekend

COMMUNITY FALL FESTIVAL

Saturday, Sept 19th 4:30-7:30pm

Fall is right around the corner. Come get in the spirit at our annual Fall Festival!

We will have hay rides, bounce house, carnival games, snow cones, music, the famous cake walk and more.

Stay for dinner and enjoy delicious southern BBQ.

($8 BBQ plate | $4 hot dog plate | $1 funnel cake)

The Bridge At Q'eswachaka

Bible Institute

Smithsonian Folklife Festival

Changes To Mission Crossroads Online

Greetings from Presbyterian World Mission.

Grace and peace to each of you! We continue to be grateful for the ways that God’s mission is reflected in your lives and your ministries.

In an effort to provide resources to you and your congregations, we will be making some changes in our online offerings. Later today, we will be closing our Mission Crossroads website (www.missioncrossroads.org). The valuable resources that have been available on that site can now be found at www.pcusa.org/missionresources. There, you will be able to find tools for planning mission trips, organizing your mission committee, connecting with mission co-workers, leading mission-oriented Christian education courses and staying up-to-date with the latest in Presbyterian World Mission. We hope you’ll check it out!

In addition, on September 1, 2015 we will be closing the social networking component of Mission Crossroads (www.missioncrossroads.ning.com). We are encouraged by the liveliness of conversation, sharing and resourcing that many have found on the social network so many of us are already using – Facebook. We feel that the “groups” feature of Facebook will allow mission networks, partnership communities and mission interest groups to continue to share and support one another in a more easily accessible fashion. The office of Equipping for Mission Involvement is happy to work with any groups that would like assistance in setting up a group on Facebook – please just let us know!

We also wanted to let you know of two ways that mission leaders can continue to connect with one another. First, consider signing up for Mission Magnified, a mission leader event being held November 19-21, 2015 in Kansas City, Missouri. Come for worship and reflection, connection and community, and the chance to gain practical tools for use in your local, regional and international mission work. November 19 and 20 will focus specifically on planning outstanding short-term mission trips. It will be a great time! Keynote leaders include Mark Adams, mission co-worker at the U.S./Mexico border and Rebecca Kirkpatrick, Associate Pastor for Adult Education and Mission at Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church and former mission co-worker serving in Egypt. To register, visit www.pcusa.org/mission-magnified.

Finally, World Mission is regularly offering webinars for mission leaders called “World Mission Today”. These webinars offer practical tools in mission leadership, such as leading short-term mission trips, teaching children and youth about mission, and tips for communicating your mission story. Learn more about World Mission Today webinars at www.pcusa.org/worldmission/webinars.

As always, please do not hesitate to contact us with your questions, ideas, interests or concerns. We are here to resource you as your Equipping for Mission Involvement office in Presbyterian World Mission.

Blessings to you,

Rev. Christine Coy Fohr

Consultant for Mission Leaders
(502) 569-5391
christine.coyfohr@pcusa.org

To sign up for Mission Crossroads Magazine, a quarterly publication from Presbyterian World Mission. Link

To sign up for World Mission enews, a monthly newsletter with the latest information in World Mission. Link

Visit Mission Crossroads PC(USA) Link

College Scholarship Fund For Mission Partners

Several years ago, the Session of Sharon Presbyterian Church approved a Scholarship Fund for Mission Partners based on the following in order of priority:

• An international student from an economically challenged family identified through Sharon Presbyterian Church’s mission connections who is enrolled for study at an accredited college in the United States
• A member of Sharon Presbyterian Church who is enrolled in one of the PCUSA’s seminaries
• A member of Sharon Presbyterian Church who is enrolled at an accredited college or university who is preparing for a church vocation (i.e. Christian Education, Youth Ministry, Church Music, etc.)
• A member of Sharon Presbyterian Church who is enrolled in a college or university affiliated with the PCUSA

This award is also based upon scholarship, community involvement, and strength and determination of character. For Spring Semester 2015, the recipient of this award is Brenda Paredes. Many in our congregation know Brenda through her extensive volunteer work with our annual Adult Mission Trip to Perú, including interpreter since 2009, and primary group leader during the 2013 and 2014 trip. She will again be working as our interpreter during the 2015 trip.

Brenda has completed three and a half years of study at the University of Caesar Vallejo in Lima, Perú, two semesters at Winthrop University, and just completed one semester at UNC Charlotte. During her semester at UNC Charlotte, she had five challenging classes and earned an A in each one. Look for her on the Dean’s and Chancellor’s lists when published.

From her application: “My long term goals are to perfect my English skills and become stronger in French and Portuguese. I hope to pair these skills with my Christian beliefs and perhaps work in missions.”

Scholarship funds are based on availability and are paid directly into the recipient’s college account. The congregation is encouraged to support this fund by making checks payable to “Sharon Presbyterian Church” clearly earmarked “Scholarship Fund for Mission Partners”. Applications are being accepted for 2015-2016 school year.

Questions may be directed to David Beers, Chairperson of the Serving Committee.

Congratulations to Brenda Paredes for her continued dedication and hard work!

Summary Of 2015 Western NC Mission Trip

To the congregation of Sharon Presbyterian, thank you for providing the funds needed to purchase supplies used to begin renovating the Presbyterian Worship Center/Coffee House on the Western NC University campus. Following guidelines drawn up by design students of University, the work was done under the direction of Mark Hanna, member of the Bryson City Presbyterian Church, and the Western NC Presbytery Board of Directors.

In two days, eighteen of us were able to cut existing ceiling tiles to create a new modern ceiling design, demolish kitchen cabinets, counter tops, and pantry to prepare for renovations, strip vinyl and wall paneling in two bathrooms, remove and level topsoil and lay gravel for a new parking lot, build and attach a 20’ x 10’ pergola over the large front patio, build two outside wooden staircases, scrape and paint 100’ of wrought iron railing, scrape and paint several French doors, power wash the concrete porch, patio and staircase surrounding the worship center, trim trees, and remove overgrown bushes, weeds and ivy. We worshiped on Sunday with Rev. Terry Hanna at Bryson City Presbyterian Church before heading home. Through fellowship and work, we felt and hopefully showed God’s love and spirit.

A slide-show presentation will be given during a joint Sunday School class in the Chapel on a date to be announced. Participants of the trip included Phyllis Acton, Ann & Ray Cannon, Mark & Karen Earnhardt, John Harvey, Carol Howie, Lisa Moore, J.D. Pearce, Elizabeth & Todd Pickens, Don & Reese Presson, Tom Skinner, Cary & Mike Young and Sonya & David Stanford.

Again, thanks to the congregation for your support!!

Related:  The Gate: Presbyterian Campus Ministry at WCU

Mission Perú 2015

Hola everyone!

In a few short weeks our mission team we will be together at Casa Kolping Guest House in Lima, ready to begin the 2015 Peru Mission Trip!

PCUSA Missionaries (Sara Armstrong and Rusty Edmonson) plan to accompany us this year! They will return to Lima on August 7th to meet another mission team arriving in Lima late that evening. They are currently working on our in-country accommodations and ground transportation.

All international travel reservations have been booked and ticketed. From Charlotte, we will travel to Orlando on Delta Airlines and take LAN's new non-stop flight from Orlando to Lima. Our itinerary will be reversed for the trip home. We will be required to claim and recheck our baggage in Orlando and in doing so, will incur checked baggage charges. Even so, the savings in airfare costs are significant.

This year, we will provide a portion of the funds for each church in The Presbytery (and two churches in The Presbytery of Nehemias) to build a new bathroom or bathrooms. We will also be providing a portion of the funds for The Presbytery to purchase a new curriculum and supplies for their youth Sunday School program. While in Huanta, we will travel to four (4) churches to finish work on the bathroom(s) and do some light construction work (e.g. repair wooden benches, light painting or other small projects).

The Bible Institute will also be in session while we are in Huanta.

We will be taking donations of clothing, shoes, craft items, reading glasses and toys again this year.

This year's trip again promises to be one of service and witness to Jesus Christ. I always look forward to experiencing the ways that God reveals Himself during these trips. It is both an honor and a blessing to walk beside our humble brothers and sisters and this year promises to provide another opportunity to do so.

Thanks and blessings to each of you as we prepare for our time together.

Randy

Are You Called To Mission?

Mark 16:

Jesus Has Risen

1 When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. 2 Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb 3 and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?”

4 But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. 5 As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.

6 “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him.7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’”

8 Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.

9 When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons. 10 She went and told those who had been with him and who were mourning and weeping. 11 When they heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him, they did not believe it.

12 Afterward Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking in the country. 13 These returned and reported it to the rest; but they did not believe them either.

14 Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen.

15 He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”

19 After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God. 20 Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.

Room In The Inn

Dear Teams:

Every year, the RITI church coordinators receive a summary report from the Room In The Innkeeper, Paul Hanneman, regarding the RITI season.

There were 17,191 bed nights city wide this year, Sharon Presbyterian Church accounted for 174 of these. There were 127 children this year, up from last year; Sharon had 17 children, the highest number we have ever hosted.

And there are more statistics...  but, more important, Paul goes on to say that "every spiritual tradition regards hospitality and charity as virtues to be practiced by the faithful. There are ways to offer - not a hand out, but simply a hand... of welcome, compassion, and respect." This is exactly what each of you did this past winter. Thank you for being a part of Room In The Inn at Sharon. Our guests appreciated, each in there own way, what you all made possible. 

As you went about the business of making RITI happen, I sincerely hope that you felt God tugging on your heart-strings - with a smile.

Again, many thanks.

David Beers
Sharon Presbyterian Church