Outreach Projects
Outreach is one of the lifebloods of First Christian Church.
In addition to many smaller and/or ongoing projects, the World
Outreach Department involves the church in one major outreach
project each year. Major projects rotate between local projects
and international projects. Many are ecumenical, i.e., done in
tandem with other churches and denominations.
Major Projects
FCC responded to a plea from an individual in Mozambique
so he could continue his education. This contact was a result
of young adult missionaries from FCC who spent a year
providing education and assistance in Mozambique a couple
of years ago. Funds raised will pay for three years of
education for the young man.
FCC church members have been the driving force in reviving
the local Habitat for Humanity chapter. The Habitat chapter
collaborated with an OSU fraternity to build a Habitat house.
FCC also collaborated with several Stillwater churches to
build an ecumenical Habitat home for a local family of eight.
FCC responded to a call for donations to provide supplies
for the Malawi Childrens Village Project in Africa. A local
church couple delivered the funds when they traveled to Africa
to work at the orphanage where the children have lost their
parents due to AIDS.
Smaller and/or Ongoing Projects
FCC is involved in many smaller and/or ongoing projects.
Some of these projects include:
- Stillwater Community Health Center: FCC volunteers
continue to help staff this clinic which provides free
health care and prescriptions to Stillwater residents
who could not otherwise afford medical care.
- Central Oklahoma Community Action Agency (COCAA):
FCC provides a substantial donation to the food closet
on the first Sunday of each month and delivers loaves
of bread on Monday of each week.
- Christmas in July: provides funds to help families,
often referred by DHS, to buy clothes, backpacks,
shoes, and school supplies for their children.
- Red Cross Blood Drive: church members donate blood
through blood drives held at the church.
- Alternative Christmas: hand made cards are sold
with the proceeds benefiting designated local community
service agencies.
- Stillwater Interfaith Counseling Center: FCC committed
financial assistance to this service which provides
counseling for those who need a higher level of assistance
than can be provided by pastoral care.
- Helping Hands Fund: is used to provide emergency
relief to people in need. Recipients may be church members,
community members, or people passing through. In many cases,
recipients are referred by COCAA or DHS. Assistance is
generally in the form of groceries, a tank of gas,
a bus ticket, payment of utilities, prescriptions for
the sick, etc.
The Buck That Never Stops
Outreach activities at FCC are not just limited to
efforts sponsored by the World Outreach Department.
For example:
- The Christian Women's Fellowship sponsors
an endless list of outreach activities each year,
inlcuding provisions for international disaster
relief (e.g., Blanket Sunday); eye glasses for
Latin America; toys and other provisions for
childrens hosptials, nursing homes, and other
medical facilities; financial assistance for
the Central Christian Camp in Guthrie; assistance
to the less fortunate through Salvation army a
nd Payne County Sheltered Workshop; hosting of
international students; money for the Payne
County Youth Service; and cards and visits
to the sick and elderly.
- Church Elders and Deacons take communion each
Sunday to residents in nursing homes, hospital
patients, and shut-ins. Individuals need not be
members of FCC to receive communion.
- Almost every Sunday School Class engages in
outreach activities. For example, the 3M's Sunday
School Class uses money raised from parking
lot sales to fund many needs both inside
and outside the church.
FCC tithes to the Disciples Mission Fund and
ranked 44th in the denomination in its contributions.
Four special offerings are taken each year for the
Disciples Mission Fund. One offering is taken
on Reconciliation Sunday for efforts to reduce
racism and one offering is taken during the
Week of Compassion for emergency disaster
relief around the world. Financing is provided
for seminaries and denominational undertakings
as well.
Copyright © First Christian Church Stillwater 2003 - 2004