As we seek to fulfull our key mission, "serve those in need", we do so around the corner as well as around the world. There are many opportunities to experience the dramatic spiritual fulfillment of missions, from trips to South Carolina to Peru. Whether a teen trip or adult, we build, we paint, we spread the gift of caring and community. Join us - call the office to see what's coming up next.
Annual Fall CROP Walk
November
Ending hunger one step at a time. A nationwide endeavor to raise money to alleviate hunger and poverty in this country and overseas. Since its first walk in 1978, Charlotte has raised almost $8 million to relieve hunger, with almost $2 million staying in the community to help Crisis Assistance Ministry, Loaves & Fishes, and Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina provide relief to people in need. CROP Hunger Walks also support the grass roots poverty-fighting development efforts of Church World Service (CWS) in more than 40 countries, including the United States.
Charlotte's 2015 walk, the largest and most generous of the nation's 1300 events, occurred October 18 and took a meandering 4-mile route around uptown Charlotte,
Sharon Presbyterian Church was recognized as one of the top faith-based fundraisers, raising $2500 of the $300,000 taken in nationally. For more information on the event, visit http://charlottecropwalk.org/
Annual Operation Christmas Child
November - December
Samaritan's Purse is an evangelical Christian humanitarian organization that provides aid to people in physical need as a key part of Christian missionary work. Operation Christmas Child organizes and distributes shoebox-sized gifts to children around the world – often the first gift they have ever received. Local pastors and church leaders use this as an opportunity to demonstrate God’s love.
Enjoy filling a shoebox with toys, supplies, and little treasures. Here are some ideas to get you started. Sign up to join Sharon Presbyterian friends at the local Operation Christmas Child facilities to pack and send off hundreds of boxes. Watch for details in November. Contact: John Tutwiler john.tutwiler@gmail.com.
Youth Mission Opportunities
You will find local and international opportunities for Sharon's Youth on the Youth page.
Annual Mission Trip to Peru
Sharon Presbyterian Church's response to The Great Commission
Since 2008, a group of ten to twelve members and non-members has traveled to the Ayacucho region of Peru, located in in the central Andes Mountains. The purpose of each trip is to establish and/or foster ongoing relationships with Presbyterians in the region and build bridges between our diverse cultures. Past trip participants have discovered a closer relationship with God, each other and Peruvian brothers and sisters. Light construction projects are a part of each trip. Participants also transport donations of clothing, shoes and craft supplies for area children. The trip typically takes place in July or August with planning beginning in February. Past trip participants have found themselves closer to God, each other, and their Peruvian brothers and sisters.Visit this link for pictures and more details. Contact: Randy Ross at 704-552-5573 or mrandallross@aol.com.
Our African Missionaries - meet Jeremy & Luta Garbat-Welch
IN THEIR FOOTSTEPS, we serve the world through our trained missionaries. Meet Jeremy and Luta Garbat-Welch, and son Jathniel. We welcome Sharon Presbyterian’s new mission family - our first gift a picture for Jathniel drawn by our Sunday Wiggling Worshipers.
Jeremy and Luta will be serving in Africa, incidentally where each grew up as children of missionary families. While the continent has abundant natural resources, unjust economic and political systems have kept the people from enjoying their benefits. Africa is home to severe poverty and millions lose their lives each year to the diseases that accompany poverty, such as malaria, HIV/AIDS, and tuberculosis.
The PC(USA) is working to address these problems with African partners through education, health care, and community development ministries. “As I grew up and experienced new things and new ideas, my call was clarified in bringing health and wholeness to individuals and communities,” says Luta. Luta will bring her gifts for facilitating positive change in communities and her public health expertise. Jeremy is a Chaplain and in deep parts of Africa where seminaries can’t reach, he feels his call is “to not only serve patients in hospitals, but to help train ministers.”
Special offerings
Sharon Presbyterian supports four key missions of the Presbytery by contributing to their love offerings. Each offering described below.
One Great Hour of Sharing
Enables the church to share God’s love with our neighbors-in-need around the world by providing relief to those affected by natural disasters, provide food to the hungry, and helping to empower the poor and oppressed.
Pentecost Offering
Helps the church encourage, develop, and support its young people, and also address the needs of at-risk children. 40% of the Pentecost offering can be retained by individual congregations wanting to make an impact in the lives of young people within their own community. The remaining 60% is used to support youth ministries of the Presbyterian Mission Agency:
Peace & Global Witness Offering - during October, World Communion Sunday
Enables the church to promote the Peace of Christ by addressing systems of injustice across the world. Individual congregations are encouraged to utilize up to 25% of this Offering to connect with the global witness of Christ's peace. Mid councils retain an additional 25% for ministries of peace and reconciliation. The remaining 50% is used by the Presbyterian Mission Agency to advocate for peace and justice in cultures of violence, including our own, through collaborative projects of education and Christian witness.
Christmas Joy Offering
Helps provide financial assistance to current and former church workers and their families and also enables deserving students to attend Presbyterian-related racial ethnic colleges and schools.
