Mission & Outreach Opportunities

Oglala Lakota Nation, Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, So. Dakota
There is an ongoing relationship with ReMember, an outreach to the Oglala Sioux Nation. Mission work from past year includes building bunk beds, outhouses, fences, housing repair and gardening. Although there is no date yet for a return trip, it is in the planning stages. Also, such things as building supplies, school supplies and miscellaneous items are gathered and sent. In 2009, members visited the site twice with deliveries (collecting is continual!) as well as a generous monetary gift from the congregation. 
 
Denominational Offerings:  One Great Hour of Sharing, (OGHS); Pentecost; Peacemaking; Christmas Joy 
Each year at Easter, the church participates in the OGHS offering.  Monies received go to Presbyterian Disaster Assistance Projects, Self-Development of People Programs, and Presbyterian Hunger Program Grants. 
  
At Pentecost (May) the church supports Children at Risk, Ministries with Youth and Young Adults, and Child Advocacy at the National Level.  Forty percent of this offering goes to Children at Risk locally. 
 
The 1st Sunday in October, the church gives to Peacemaking Ministries locally, nationally and internationally. Twenty-five percent of this offering goes to local Peacemaking efforts.
    
At Christmas, the church receives the Christmas Joy Offering which assists Retired Churchworkers and Older Adults, and Racial Ethnic Schools and Colleges. 

Mali, Africa, Mission
Shawnene and Abdina Lougue have been adopted by our congregation. (They are the daughter and son-in-law of members Mike and Milly Chapman). Abdina is a native of Mali, Africa. In August 2009 he and Shawnene returned to Mali from the U.S. to help with a garden begun by women in the village. They took with them seeds, and after arriving purchased materials for a fence to put around the garden to keep out chickens, goats and other critters. UPC congregation helped provide money through Vacation Bible School offering and private donations to help with these projects, as well as to buy as many pairs of shoes as possible for children who have no shoes. In 2010, the Vacation Bible School offering went to Mali, Africa, to purchase mosquito nets to sleep under.

Spring Planting and Fall Harvest Prayer Breakfasts
Each April and September community folks gather for breakfast, fellowship and prayer. There is prayer for safety for farm families, good weather, abundant harvests, generous hearts and thanks to God for God's blessings. A "Reader's Theater" skit by member amateur Thespians has become a looked forward to event.

Presbytery of North Central Iowa 2011 Mission Trip
February 6-12, 2011 to Nashville, Tennesee. Host church location:  Westminster Presbyterian Church, Nashville. Costs:  $20 per person for PDA lodging at the church (6 nights = $120), plus any shared travel costs (meals, gas). The deadline for registering is December 29, 2010. For information and mission forms contact Vicki at the Presbytery Office, 1-800-383-3617 or email vthordsen@presbynciowa.org

Active participants in:
Relay For Life (annual fundraiser of the American Cancer Society)
and
CROP Hunger Walk around Lake Cornelia

Food Pantry:
Please remember that the Food Pantry is in need of supplies year round. The Food Pantry is in Eagle Grove, and serves all of Wright County. It is located on South Jackson. Food Pantry Sunday is every 3rd Sunday of the month at the church. The large wicker chest in the Narthex is for your donations, which are then delivered to the Food Pantry.

"Servants in Action" - an ecumenical men's group. 
All men are welcome!  Join them at Crossroads Ministries on Main Street for fellowship, Bible study and breakfast every Saturday at 8 a.m. Service projects are also discussed. For more information contact Kelly Wolff, 825-3966; Dean Nelson, 825-3756, or call the church office, 825-3581.