Helping Others

We believe that God calls us to go out into the world with caring hearts. We are responsible for seeking out ways to serve Christ in our homes, communities, occupations, and around the world. You are invited to help serve the needs of people beyond this congregation through acts of compassion, education, and advocacy – all offered with trust in God’s power and gratitude for the gift of one another.

• Helping Children in City Schools  
  
  Presbyterians have a long history of valuing and supporting public education.  GPPC partners with an interfaith organization called the Micah Initiative (richmondhillva.org/what/micah.html) to support the students and teachers of Ginter Park Elementary School (richmond.k12.va.us/schools/ginterpark) by mentoring, tutoring, and volunteering at the school.

• Adult Home Ministry
  
  GPPC members work with other churches in our neighborhood to minister to residents of the adult homes on Chamberlayne Ave.  In addition to holding the Neighborhood Sunday School class especially for them, we assist these special-needs adults with activities such as shopping, knitting, and contacting family members.  On the second Friday of every month, GPPC members visit the Palace adult home (one block from GPPC) for an evening of activities including snacks, Bible study, Bingo games, music, crafts, etc. To read more about our ministry with adult home residents, click here.

• Night Shelter
  
  With CARITAS (Congregations Around Richmond to Assure Shelter) caritasshelter.org GPPC offers food and shelter in our Fellowship Hall for approximately forty homeless adults for two weeks each year.  You can get involved with this ministry of hospitality by cooking or serving the food, helping to clean after meals, driving guests to the YMCA for showers, washing their laundry, or staying the night to address other needs as they arise.

• Financial Assistance
  
  As a member congregation of ACTS (Area Congregations Together in Service) actsva.org, GPPC makes referrals for individuals whose temporary financial needs threaten them with homelessness. ACTS provides financial assistance and coordinates professional social services for those in need.

• Advocacy
  
  GPPC supports the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy (virginiainterfaithcenter.org), assisting faith communities across the state to fulfill their call to advocate for dignity and justice for all people.  Along with the Interfaith Center, we encourage our members to learn about the issues challenging our communities, pray for guidance and discernment, and act to make Virginia a more just and compassionate commonwealth.  Speakers from the Center have conducted workshops at GPPC on the Care of God’s Creation, Health Care and Payday Loan reform. 

• Special Offerings
  
  GPPC participates in the four annual churchwide offerings of the PC(USA): One Great Hour of Sharing, divided among Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, Self-Development of People, and the Presbyterian Hunger Program; the Christmas Joy Offering, which supports racial ethnic schools and assistance programs of the Board of Pensions; the Peacemaking Offering to support peace education and peacemaking efforts throughout the denomination; and the Pentecost Offering to support ministries with youth and young adults and children at risk.  These offerings are received during our Sunday morning worship.
  
  Through financial contributions and gifts of supplies, we also support the YWCA Women's Shelter, the Daughters of Zelophehad transitional housing program, and the Las Familias pre-natal care program for migrant workers on the Eastern Shore.

• Global Missions
  
  It is our joy and responsibility to support missionaries around the world who bear testimony to God’s healing and transforming love for all people everywhere. We help our congregation support and maintain personal ties with mission co-workers and projects overseas, and we welcome international folks into the life of our church here. We nourish understanding and responses to timely world mission challenges, such as U.S. support for fair elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
  
  The Crop Walk is one of our favorite activities annually.  This autumn walk benefits Church World Service and raises money to address causes of poverty around the world.
   
• PC(USA) Missions
  
  Read regularly updated information about PC(USA) Missions here.

• GPPC Missions

Read regularly updated information about Ginter Park Presbyterian Church Missions here.

 

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