In 2018, First Presbyterian Church embarked on a 3-year Forward in Faith Capitol Campaign program. In accordance with our church’s strategic plan, Session approved applying 10% of raised funds towards mission projects. To that end, the Capitol Campaign Mission Giving Committee (CCMGC) was formed. They were charged with reviewing proposals and submitting them to Session for approval, recommending local, national, and international projects to support.

Below is a summary of the allocation of these mission dollars.

 

Round One:

• $20,000 to Friendly House’s Capital Campaign for the redevelopment of the Crawford Building. This redevelopment allows Friendly House to expand its programs to serve people locally across generations and life circumstances. Find out more about this mission partner by visiting: https://www.friendlyhouseinc.org/

 

• $25,800 to Kamwenge Secondary and Vocational School in Uganda. This funding enabled the health center at the school to purchase a vaccine refrigerator so that the school nurse can administer vaccines to the students. The funds also helped complete the computer lab in the STEM center at the school. Find out more about this mission partner by visiting: https://pim-africa.org/

 

Round Two:

• $11,000 to Living Waters for the World (a ministry of the Presbyterian Church USA). This ministry provides water systems, training, and ongoing support to two communities in Central America that currently have contaminated water. Find out more about this mission partner by visiting:  https://www.livingwatersfortheworld.org/ 

 

• $17,750 to Northeast Emergency Food Program (NEFP) for capital improvements and renovations. Their programs provide food, clothing, and referral services for >950 low-income families each month in our community. Addressing ADA issues, upgrading their pantry with commercial-grade equipment and installation of LED lighting will all be made possible with this funding. Find out more about this mission partner by visiting: https://emoregon.org/nefp/

 

Round Three:

• $12,625 to Lift Urban Portland (Lift UP) to support their food security services. This includes our “adoption” of Alder House Apartments near the church (providing 4,500 meals/year), nutrition education to residents of the apartments, and equipment for Preston’s Pantry located at First Methodist Church Portland. Find out more about this mission partner by visiting: https://www.lifturbanportland.org/prestons-pantry.html

 

• $27,700 to the Ingan Leyte Project (ILP) to help rebuild the multi-purpose facility on the island of Leyte in the Philippines destroyed by typhoon Haiyan. This facility provides a site for health needs, education, livelihood training, sports activities, Vacation Bible School, and a farmer’s market.

 

• $10,000 to Camp Attitude in central Oregon for building a new cabin at the camp. This camp provides a faith-based camping experience for youth and families in the special needs community. A youth mission trip to Camp Attitude is hoped for in the future.

 

The church also granted emergency funding in response to additional needs during the COVID-19 pandemic and local wildfires:

• $5,000 to Friendly House
• $5,000 to Northeast Emergency Food Program
• $1,000 to Emergency Food Closet at Julia West
• $15,000 ($3,000 to each of the 5 churches in the Presbytery of the Cascades) for fire relief from the 2020 forest fires.