Habitat for Humanity
Habitat for Humanity works in partnership with God and people everywhere, from all walks of life, to develop communities with God's people in need by building and renovating houses so that there are decent houses in decent communities in which people can live and grow into all that God intended. We join with Solano County Habitat for Humanity in their goals:
On September 15, 2002, leaders from CPC participated in ground-breaking ceremonies for the newest pair of Habitat homes in Vacaville, on a site next to the previous "Warren Seifert' homes on Rocky Hill Road. CPC is a co- sponsoring congregation and has pledged $30,000 toward this project.
In 1996 the chapter renovated an old house in Vallejo making it "like new." Immediately following that project a "Blitz Build," which means a home was built from the ground up in just a few days, was accomplished.
The lead time to start a home is long and arduous. Dealing with "city hall" can be frustrating. In July, 1999, a duplex was begun on Rocky Hill Road in Vacaville. It was completed and dedicated on February 12, 2000. It will be forever known as the "Warren Seifert Homes of the Rockyhill Dream Project in Vacaville," in memory of Warren Seifert, a long time member of our congregation who was very active in the ministry of Habitat during his lifetime.
A Habitat for Humanity home is not a give-a-way. A committee of the chapter determines who the recipient of the home will be. Applications are carefully screened and must meet strict criteria in order to be eligible. The recipient must pay the mortgage and give at least 500 hours of labor on their home and other "builds" the chapter undertakes.
Opportunity House
Our local emergency shelter. We are helping to change the lives of individuals and families. Many within our congregation help with the needs of Opportunity House throughout the year, including the great work done by many at the annual Festival of Trees.
New Focus
New Focus equips and strengthens families who need to make changes in their lives, by leading them through processes of self examination and personal goal setting. This ministry aims for permanent lifestyle changes which will benefit individuals, their families and the community. It can succeed in bringing families to the point of becoming financially independent while bringing individuals into a new or deeper relationship with Christ and a loving, Christ-centered community. The congregation supports New Focus with a special offering on the third Sunday of every month, and New Focus receives funding from the Church operating budget through the Mission Committee.
Good Samaritans
A ministry of the CPC Board of Deacons, Good Samaritans are available most weekdays to meet with and provide help to the working poor, and to persons who are in need. This ministry seeks to provide a safety net for the less fortunate in our community by helping with limited, short-term financial assistance. The congregation supports the Deacon Fund with a special offering on the first Sunday of every month
The 'WA'
We have made a commitment to help take the Gospel to the unreached peoples of the world. An 'unreached people group' is defined as a community of people that have no indigenous Jesus movement or church or Scriptures translated into their native language. The PCUSA, in partnership, with other denominations focused on evangelism, has determined that there are about 8,000 communities, or 2 billion people who have not heard the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
For nearly 15 months, the CPC mission committee sought God's guidance in seeking out an unreached people group that needed CPC's support. For many months we considered the Wa, a people native to the Republic of Myanmar (Burma) - Thailand border. Each time we came close to making a decision, a stumbling block would arise, and each time God led us around that obstacle. In March of this year we made an historic three-year commitment to support a full time evangelist and a mission coordinator to the Wa, working through the Thai- Lawa Development Project.
The WA exist at near poverty levels. The area in which they live is agriculturally insufficient to allow them to raise enough food to sustain them for more than two months out of the year. Their subsistence depends on what they can trade for food and services. Unfortunately, their only (current) product or crop is the opium poppy.
WA leaders realize that they will not be truly a free people until they free themselves from dependence on the drug cartels and warlords. These leaders have turned to the Christian community in their fight for freedom. They believe that a Christian WA people will be led to self-sufficiency, dignity and freedom from oppression.
The Thai-LaWa Development Project, under the general coordination of retired Disciples of Christ missionary the Rev. Alan Eubank, located in Chang Mai, Thailand, seeks:
Concurrent with the evangelistic effort, we know that God will also bring advances in economic development, health care and social justice among the WA people. CPC is now on the front line of bringing the Gospel of Jesus to the unreached peoples of the world.
Frontera de Cristo
The Presbyterian Border Ministry focuses on the portion of Mexico that borders the United States. This is truly a "Third World" area. Although the physical needs of the people are overwhelming, this area offers an opportunity for the Gospel to transform lives and give hope to the hopeless. Frontera De Cristo is a border ministry of the PCUSA and the Presbyterian Church of Mexico, that exists between Agua Prieta, Mexico and Douglas, Arizona. In 1999, we were blessed by a visit from the Rev. Mark Adams, the PCUSA missionary, and the Rev. Jesus Gallegos, his Mexican counterpart, and Mark returned to our pulpit in May, 2000. The work they do is important as they take the Gospel to the border people and work with them to improve living conditions, education and health care. The primary work of this mission project is evangelism, meeting human needs and achieving social justice. Our financial support goes toward supporting the Rev. Gallegos. We are considering a Mission Trip to this project in 2001.
Witnessing Ministries of Christ
This powerful ministry is focused on the Dalit (Untouchable) people of Northern India. 1999 marked the 15th anniversary of evangelism among one of the most oppressed peoples in the world. The believers who make up the Rural Presbyterian Church of India now number 270,286 in 6,624 villages. During 1999 over 63,000 new believers became part of this church. Evangelism, education and economic development are the cornerstone issues for Witnessing Ministries for Christ. Children who would otherwise face a life of hopelessness are given the opportunity for education. Untouchable adults are helped to start businesses that remove them from the cycle of poverty into which they were born. The Gospel of Jesus Christ sets them free from oppression. Untouchables are being called and trained as pastors and evangelists. Of the 552 pastors, the Rural Presbyterian Church supported 212. The remaining 340 are supported by Witnessing Ministries for Christ. The primary work of this mission project is evangelism, meeting human needs, education, social justice and peacemaking.
Worldwide Ministries Division: International Evangelism
Imagine overseeing the vital witness of 191 missionaries serving in 46 countries around the world. That is the task of the Rev. Marian McClure, head of the Worldwide Ministries Division of our denomination, and the Rev. Bill Young, head of International Evangelism, both located at the PCUSA headquarters in Louisville, KY. The countries served range from Argentina to Zimbabwe, and span the planet. Our budget provides supporting funds for the ministries of these faithful Christians who have responded to Christ's call to "go to all the world and preach the good news" in His name. It also provides for the national staff that maintains dialogue between mission fields and local churches, and responds to the needs of its missionaries abroad.
Disaster Relief Rapid Response Fund
When disasters happen, the needs are many and immediate. We have designated a Fund through which we can be quickly responsive to disasters through Presbyterian Disaster Relief, which ensures that 100% of the funds reach the designated recipient. We then go to the congregation with a special offering to replenish our Fund.
Presbyterian Frontier Fellowship
The Presbyterian Frontier Fellowship is a validated mission support agency of the PCUSA. It functions in an interpretative and advisory role on missions to the denominational Worldwide Ministries Division, and to local churches. PFF does not field its own missionaries but rather works to guide both the PCUSA and local congregations into concrete mission involvement. We provide direct support to the Rev. David Hackett, an Associate Director of PFF.
Special PCUSA Yearly Offerings
| One Great Hour of Sharing: | Received on Palm Sunday. For over 50 years Presbyterians have responded to God's love as revealed in Christ Jesus and sent that love to many in need around our world. The offering includes the efforts of our children as they fill the One Great Hour of Sharing Banks, given to our children three weeks ahead of time in their Sunday School classes. The children are asked to take home the banks and place them on their dining tables. They are encouraged to put their coins in the bank on a daily basis and return them on the Palm Sunday.
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| Pentecost Offering: | Received on Pentecost Sunday. This offering is divided into several different categories. 80% of the monies collected were sent to PCUSA General Assembly and they used 30% of that money for ministries with children at risk, and the remaining 70% were used for ministries with youth and young adults. CPC keeps 20% of the offering to use with local ministries for youth and young adults. |
| Joy Offering: | Received on the third Sunday of December. The Sunday School again participates by filling special banks and returning them to their Sunday School classes. The monies collected from the Joy Offering are divided in half. 50% goes to retired Presbyterian ministers who have special financial needs. The other 50% goes toward helping support the eight racial-ethnic schools and colleges that were started by the Presbyterian Church over 65 years ago. |
Angel Tree -- Angel Tree provides Christmas gifts for families of prisoners.
Boy Scouts -- Boy Scout Troop 265 meets Mondays at 7:00 PM in the Social Hall.
Blanket Sunday --Blanket Sunday provides wool blankets for areas experiencing disaster or war.
Crop Walk -- CROP Walk provides for hunger relief.
Festival of Trees -- Festival of Trees is Annual Vacaville fundraiser for Opportunity House.
Gideons International -- Gideons International puts Bibles in hotel rooms and schools around the world.
Heifer Project -- The Heifer Project provides animals to the poor for economic development.
Vaca Fish -- Vacaville food pantry for the poor.
12-Step Programs that meet at CPC:
| Alcoholics Anonymous | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Friday | Noon | Room C-4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8:00 PM | Social Hall | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alcoholics Anonymous Unity Group | ||
| Tuesday | 8:00PM | Room C-4 |
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| Al-Anon | ||
| Thursday | Noon | Room C-4 |
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| Gamblers Anonymous | ||
| Monday | 7:00 PM | Room C-4 |
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| Narcotics Anonymous | ||
| Wednesday | 8:00 PM | Room C-4 |
Any suggestions, problems or updates, please contact the webmaster. This page last updated 02/13/2008. |
