Missions and Outreach
REACHING THE UNREACHED
Go and make disciples of all nations… Mathew 28:19
Approximately 41% of the world’s population is “unreached.” These people have not heard, understood, or experienced the Gospel message. Most of these people live in one-third of the world’s land mass known as the 10/40 window – an area that is ravaged with poverty, disease, conflict, persecution, and slavery and human trafficking. Christ’s light and truth is desperately needed here.
Short Term Missions
Short term mission trips offer the chance for MPC members and regular attenders to serve in cross-cultural ministry as a laborer for God’s kingdom. It is an experience that will impact your life and the lives of others, both there and when you return home. Those who worship at MPC are encouraged to talk with trip leaders and seek the Lord’s guidance for personal involvement in a short-term mission trip.
MPC short-term mission trips are developed in accordance with our vision and as opportunities and needs present themselves. MPC’s relationships with our mission and ministry partners have resulted in several recurring short-term mission trips over the years and there are always new possibilities for future trips. Ideas for MPC short-term mission trips should be discussed with the Session’s Making a Difference (MAD) team and then formulated based on their guidance and approval. In general, MPC short-term mission trips are considered to be those that are endorsed by the MAD team, include members of our congregation, and are publicized to and prayerfully supported by the MPC church body. For more information on leading or joining a short-term mission trip, download our Short-Term Missions Guidelines.
How to Join
If you are interested in any of the trips below or feel the Lord’s leading to develop a different MPC short term mission trip, contact missions@mcleanpres.org or the church office at 703.821.0800.
Short-Term Mission Trips in 2011
Where: Nairobi, Kenya
When: March 4-13, 2011
How many people: 10 adults
Host MPC community: Open to all MPC members
Partnered with: StreetChild Mission International (MTW)
Cost: TBD
The Work: This team will go to Nairobi, Kenya to work with Imbumi and Martha Makuku. Remaining details pending.
Trip Organizer: Carolyn Sinclair
Family Missions Trip
Where: Arad, Romania
When: June 25 - July 2, 2011
How many people: 15 total (family)
Host MPC community: Student Ministries
Cost: $1,200 per person (estimate)
The Work: The team will split its time between working on a construction project and visiting RCE ministry sites as well as construction at the future home of an RCE family in need.
Trip Organizer: Jim Perry
Student Ministries Mission Trip
Where: Cayo, Belize
When: July, 2011
How many people: 20 students and leaders
Host MPC community: Student Ministries
Partnered with: Bethany Presbyterian Church of Belize
Cost: $2,300 per person. Includes airfare, taxes, food, lodging, local transportation, local labor, materials, and administrative fees.
The Work: Share Christ through construction and evangelistic outreach, and VBS at Bethany Presbyterian Church with Pastor Rafael Ku.
Trip Organizer: Derrick Harris
D-Cubed Mission Trip
Where: York, PA
When: July 31-August 5, 2011
How many people: approximately 10 students and 2 adult leaders
Host MPC community: D-Cubed (5th & 6th graders)
Partnered with: Mission to the World (MTW)
Cost: TBD
The Work: Details pending.
Trip Organizer: Billy Robinson
Harvest Mission Trip
Where: Cambodia
When: August 21-30
How many people: 8-10 young adults
Host MPC community: Harvest
Partnered with: World Relief
Cost: TBD
The Work: Vision and leadership development
Trip Organizer: James Forsyth
FAQs
Do I have to be a member of MPC to go on a missions trip?In general, no, but your participation needs to be approved by the trip leader and the Session’s Making a Difference Team.
Do I have to raise my own financial support?
Yes. MPC subscribes to a team fundraising policy, meaning that team members have individual fundraising goals, but are ultimately focused on together raising the team goal (any excess funds raised by a team member are allocated to other team members who are struggling to hit their individual goals). Team members fund their trip by using their own financial resources, seeking support from family and friends, or providing a service for which it is made known all the profits will go toward the mission trip, or some combination thereof. This is a great opportunity to see God work and you will be supported in this effort by the team leader who will offer training in support-raising. The Making a Difference Team may also choose to assist in certain circumstances, or provide seed money to get support-raising started.
What is included in the cost of a short-term mission trip?
The cost of a short-term mission trip includes plane tickets, visas, travel insurance, ministry supplies, trip insurance, meals, housing, transportation and debrief tourist activities while in the host country. Not included in the cost are passport application fees, immunizations, souvenirs, personal items, communication (Internet/telephone) and snacks.
What do I do if I’m interested in a trip but not ready to commit yet?
Most of the beginning trip meetings are called ‘interest meetings’ for exactly this reason. The best thing you can do is follow those promptings of interest and find out as much as you can as early as you can.
Are these the only trips going out of MPC?
Not necessarily. There may be other short-term mission trips under development which have not been posted as they are in the planning stage. We may also have a trip going to a sensitive area that is not posted on our website. If you are interested in going on a trip but do not see one of interest, feel free to contact the Missions Coordinator to discuss other possibilities. Pray about whether God might be asking you to be a Trip Leader for a new MPC short-term mission trip.
Missions Directory and Prayer Diary
Prayer has been cited as the most necessary means of support for any missions venture. As such, it is our hope that you will use the Missions Directory & Prayer Diary, available at the Information Center in the Tower Entrance, daily in praying for the missionaries and ministries which MPC supports. In this Diary, we have provided pertinent information to help you feel connected with each person in order to pray for him or her more effectively. If a missionary’s contact information is provided, please feel free to contact them or send a card to encourage them in their ministry. If the contact information is not provided, this means that that missionary serves in a sensitive area. When this occurs, you can email the church office at missions@mcleanpres.org to request contact information and guidelines for communication. If you or your Home Fellowship Group would like to “adopt” a missionary and become their MPC support team, please email us at missions@mcleanpres.org.
Contact Info
For more information, contact the church office at 703.821.0800 or missions@mcleanpres.org.
FAQs
What does it mean to adopt a missionary?
It means that you, your family, or your small group makes a commitment to pray for a particular missionary that MPC supports. You will receive your missionary’s updates to help you pray effectively, and after that it’s up to you as to how involved you’d like to be.
How can I adopt a missionary?
Contact the church office at 703.821.0800 or send an email to missions@mcleanpres.org. You can request a missionary or a region, or the missions coordinator can offer you some ideas to choose from.
Can’t I just pray? Why do I need to sign up for adoption?
You’re welcome to pray for as many missionaries as you choose without signing up to adopt them! By informing the church office that you’ve adopted a missionary, you will receive copies of correspondence sent generally only to MPC. It also enables the church office to contact you if a special need arises in the life of your missionary. Often timing or sensitive information makes these types of requests impossible to communicate to the whole congregation, but we’d like to give you every possible opportunity to get involved.
From the Mission Field
McLean Presbyterian Church supports in prayer and with finances approximately sixty individuals and ministry organizations. Each week throughout the year, one of our missionaries is the center of focus for prayer as the “Missionary of the Week.” We encourage you to get to know this missionary better by reading the information below and join us in praying for our missionaries, their families, and their mission field.
Once per month a volunteer compiles notes from our missions partners’ recent correspondence to give us an overview of their ministry. These are mostly prayer points to help us connect with our partners in a relevant and dynamic way. Please review these “Notes from the Field” to keep current with our missions partners and lift them in prayer.
Our “Prayer Diary” is a complete list of our official missions partners. It includes a brief overview of each partner, contact information, a photo, and general prayer requests for each ministry. The diary is divided into 31 ‘days’ so that it can function as a prayer guide for individuals or families who would like to pray through it on a regular basis. Hard copies of the guide are available at our Information Center in the Tower Entrance.
Contact Info
For more information, contact the church office at 703.821.0800 or missions@mcleanpres.org.
Missionaries of the Week
Special Note for This Week's MOTW...This week's featured Missionary of the Week has requested that we not put their information on our website. Please email the MPC missions office to request a copy of their news.
Local Ministry Opportunities
These ministries and organizations are presented to assist you as you seek out where the Lord would have you serve. We invite you to look them over and contact the person indicated for information on how you can become involved. The Lord has been pleased to bless these volunteer efforts. It is our prayer and sincere desire that every person who worships at MPC would successfully identify his/her gifts and particular place and function in the body of Christ – that place where spiritual gifts and obedience come together in service to Christ and others.
“…But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8
AccessAbility
703.821.0800 or missions@mcleanpres.org
AccessAbility is a ministry within our church body to individuals with disabilities or special needs and their families. On Sunday mornings, “Buddies” provide supervision and assistance to children with special needs so that their parents can have greater freedom to minister to others as well as to be encouraged themselves. (We would also love to hear from anyone interested in serving as a sign language interpreter.)
Assist Pregnancy Center
703.425.3262 or email
Capitol Hill Pregnancy Center
703.938.7735 or email
These centers offer counseling, education and assistance to women dealing with unplanned pregnancies or post-abortion syndrome.
Bethany Christian Services
703.385.5440 or email
Bethany Christian Services offers counseling for young women experiencing unplanned pregnancies and helps with the decision to parent or place a child for adoption. As an adoption agency, Bethany places infants in Christian homes.
Brad's Partners in Ministry
703.922.6464 or email
In partnership with Chileans, BPIM provides support to Chilean Presbyterian churches from which Brad and Margarita Wallace organize building projects and evangelistic ministry for communities surrounding Santiago.
Cornerstone Community School
703.893.5662
This is an urban Christ-centered school located on Capitol Hill. Interested persons can volunteer to tutor, do playground clean up, or serve on Cornerstone committees.
English as a Second Language
Church office 703.821.0800 or email
ESL at MPC is an outreach program that offers weekly classes in English for internationals. Click here for more information.
Jews for Jesus
703.425.3262 or email
JFJ is a ministry of evangelism and outreach to persons of Jewish background.
Kazakhstan Connection
301.520.5024 or email
MPC partners with other churches to establish church plants among the Kazakh people of Central Asia.
Kids Konnection
202.563.1720 or email
“Sidewalk Sunday School” is held in two public housing areas in Southeast D.C. and serves over 1,200 children per week.
Lamb Center
703.830.5137 or email
This homeless drop-in center in Fairfax, VA provides many services such as laundry and meals, and also provides a safe place for the downcast to hear the Good News and experience Jesus’ love. MPC periodically collects supplies for the center, helps with maintenance projects, and sends 1-5 volunteers to serve guests on the fourth Saturday of each month.
"McLean Day"
Church office 703.821.0800 or email
“McLean Day” is a relationship-building, informational outreach event to the McLean community through participation in the McLean Day Fair in mid-May.
MOPS
via MPC at 703.821.0800 or email
“Mothers of Preschoolers” is an outreach ministry to local area mothers. Click here for more information.
Nursing Home Ministry at Potomac Center
703.641.2776 or email
A loving group of volunteers visit the Potomac Center in Crystal City on the first and third Thursday evening of each month to share in a time of singing, devotions, and prayer.
Nursing Home Ministry at Fairfax Nursing Center
703.715.1027 or email
703.450.1852 or email
On the 3rd Sunday of each month a group from MPC provides a worship service for residents of Fairfax Nursing Center.
Mission Boards
703.723.7225 or email
MPC has founded two ministries and MPC members have helped to start four others. These mission boards have an international focus but offer many local opportunities for involvement. They are supervised by the MPC Session.
Oakseed Ministries
703.876.9020 or email
Oakseed offers financial assistance, encouragement, and prayer to nationals who are serving the poor and needy in the mega-cities of the world.
Prison Fellowship
703.478.0100 ext.8440
PF is an international prison ministry with opportunities that include in-prison volunteering, transitional help for ex-prisoners, and writing on inmate and criminal justice reform. The national office, located in Lansdowne, VA, needs help in a variety of tasks behind the scenes.
Romanian Christian Enterprises
703.319.8098 or email
RCE is a multifaceted business and mercy ministry to Romanians through Romanian believers.
Regeneration
703.591.4673 or email
Regeneration ministers to persons seeking healing and freedom from homosexual life-styles and sexual addictions.
Wilma’s Partners in Ministry
703.391.8747 or email
WPM, a mercy ministry, was founded by Wilma Cross to minister to women prison inmates and their families through the Ruhama House in Santiago, Chile.
Young Life/WyldLife Northern V.A.
703.847.2411 or email
Young Life is dedicated to introducing adolescents to Jesus Christ and helping them grow in their faith. WyldLife is Young Life’s middle school ministry. Because middle schoolers are at a different developmental stage and have different needs, we make this subtle distinction from the high school ministries.