Thank you to everyone who participated in June Missions Month with the theme "Changing Mission from Program to Purpose." Many of you attended the God at Work Gathering on June 8, Academy of Faith classes, luncheons and other opportunities to learn from and connect with our visiting
mission partners. Your very generous gifts totaled $46,402.
Please continue to pray for our mission partners throughout the year as they minister to people in the difficult places God has called them. And pray for our church as we each learn more about what it means to make mission our life's purpose and the purpose of the church.
Our FPC mission partners bring the good news of God's love to people around the world.
Read about their ministries below and click on the Learn More buttons to see additional information.
Global Ministries
Central Asia: Joel and Eunjung
Joel and Eunjung are members of FPC serving in Central Asia with their two children. Joel is coordinator of a Bible translation project. Eunjung helps local musicians to create locally authored praise music.
CRU MK2MK: Jonathan Yturralde
Jonathan, an FPC member, works with CRU’s MK2MK (Missionary Kid To Missionary Kid) program. This ministry is directed toward helping missionary kids impact their world for Christ through conferences, site visits, team activities, annual mission trips and personal mentoring.
CRU Orlando, FL: Lorrie Y
Lorrie and her husband were serving overseas when her husband went to be with the Lord in December 2017. They equipped Christian professionals to be salt and light in the unique place God had placed them. In August 2018, Lorrie will start a one-year program at CRU headquarters in Orlando, assisting in the needs of worldwide staff and preparing for whatever God calls her to do next.
Egypt: 10th of Ramadan Church
Isaac William, Pastor
Pastor Isaac leads this young congregation in a new city, Tenth of Ramadan, located two hours outside of Cairo. A new church in Egypt is a rarity. This one serves 300-400 worshippers every Sunday evening in an impoverished neighborhood where funding is scarce to meet its growth and needs.
Ghana: BASIC
Rev. Seth Koranteng
Brothers and Sisters in Christ (BASIC) is working in Kasei, Ghana, in many areas of community development. They focus on education, church planting, medical and economic assistance. FPC directs their support to the small Presbyterian church in this West African village, hoping to demonstrate Christian love through a model of cross-cultural service.
Icthus International
Don Weisbrod
Icthus ministry grew from a 1964 short-term mission trip to Guatemala by a First Pres Eagle Scout, Don Weisbrod. This club-like Christian organization now thrives in 15 Latin American countries, training thousands of children in Christian service, leadership & life skills.
International Justice Mission (IJM)
Justice Task Force, First Pres
IJM is our partner in seeking justice for boys in Ghana who are trafficked away from home to Lake Volta and violently pressed into enforced labor in the fishing industry. First Pres assists IJM to mobilize Christian churches of Ghana to action, advocating justice and care for the boys. Our First Pres Justice Task Force partners with Churches Against Trafficking to increase awareness and combat sex-trafficking among minors in San Diego County.
InterVarsity Christian Fellowship
Eva Liu Glick
Eva, a First Pres member, works with InterVarsity's International Student Ministry. She is charged with mobilizing and equipping staff and students of InterVarsity to seek out, serve, and learn from internationals on America’s campuses. Eva instills vision, creates resources, consults, and conducts training at venues like Urbana, InterVarsity’s Missions Conference.
Mexico: Amor
Amor empowers churches and enriches local communities in Mexico by facilitating trips to build houses for families in need, keeping families together. These trips transform the lives of participants, “bringing people together to manifest the love of Jesus”. FPC sends a team with Amor every spring.
Mexico: Baja Presbyterian Missions
Baja Presbyterian Missions works in partnership with the Northwest Border Presbytery, raising money to help purchase land and buildings, to fund and oversee church construction projects, and to supplement a Baja pastor’s salary until each church is self-sufficient.
Mongolia Campus Crusade for Christ (MCCC) Leadership Team
B. Battsetseg, Bayarbileg and Gerelmaa,
Enkhbaatar and Khongorzul, Ebo and Nergui
These dedicated leaders work in various ministries sponsored by Mongolia Campus Crusade for Christ, including the New Life Teachers Movement, the Leadership Development and Human Resources Team, and the “To the Last Nomad” Project Team.
Pakistan Bible Correspondence School (PBCS) & Pakistan Christian Recording Ministries (PCRM)
PBCS Principal, Adeel Samuel; PCRM Director, Zahoor ul Haq
PBCS Faisalabad Centre, offers Bible courses by correspondence, and a Christian Education Centre for children. They follow up through fellowship meetings, camps, and private consultation. PCRM spreads the Gospel through radio, social media, video DVDs, listener camps & rallies, and poetry conferences.
Wycliffe Bible Translators
David and Lynn Frank
David and Lynn currently work with three minority groups in two countries in West Africa to check Bible translations as part of Wycliffe’s goal to provide God’s word to all people in their own language. They also edit academic materials in support of Bible translation and literacy, which are published on www.sil.org or in print.
Zimbabwe: TEAM
Dan and Julie Stephens
Dr. Stephens, a surgeon, runs Karanda Mission Hospital in far northern Zimbabwe, mentoring staff, medical students and young doctors. Julie runs the primary school for staff children and teaches 1st and 2nd grades. They serve with The Evangelical Alliance Mission (TEAM).
Local Ministries
Downtown Fellowship of Churches
and Ministries (DF)
Ben Montoya and Bruce Menser, First Pres members, work with this faith-based collaborative engaged with San Diego’s downtown community for the spiritual and social renewal of our city, with a particular focus on homelessness. DF comprises over 40 churches, ministries, and community organizations working together in shared compassion for all the residents of our city.
International Christian Church of
San Diego (ICCSD)
Andre and Ellen Ong lead ICCSD. Founded in 1999 to meet the needs of internationals, it provides a household of grace and spiritual oasis for international residents and visitors from around the world. Their international student outreach continues to grow and deepen on Friday nights.
Presbyterian Urban Ministries (PUM)
Raul Palomino, Director
PUM’s staff and volunteers give individualized, loving care for people “from homelessness to hope.” They partner with other groups to do tutoring for elementary students, help clients obtain their birth certificates and IDs, and care for the marginalized urban poor.
San Diego Rescue Mission (SDRM)
Donnie Dee, President, CEO
SDRM spreads the good news of Christ’s salvation by serving the needs of the poor, addicted, abused, and homeless through shelter, recovery, rehabilitation and discipleship programs for men and women, including an overnight emergency shelter for women and children, a recuperative care unit, a food recovery program and an outpatient therapy clinic.
God at Work in San Diego: Our February 2019 Call to Action!
A recent sermon taught us that a disciple follows Jesus and Jesus is moving! -- toward the city, the poor, the elderly, and the recovering. On February 9, 2019, a large group of us learned and worked alongside others as we partnered with our local missions. If you missed out, watch for announcements about the next Call to Action!
We had a huge turnout for our service day at these four missions:
1. Presbyterian Urban Ministries gives individualized, loving care for people “from homelessness to hope.” They do tutoring for students, help clients obtain birth certificates and IDs, and care for the marginalized urban poor. On our Call to Action day, we experienced a “day in the life of a client” and then helped to sort clothing, or work in a food bag and snack bag “factory.”
2. At the San Diego Rescue Mission, our teams heard a short presentation on the work of the Mission, met some of its staff, and then worked on one of the following tasks: made hygiene packs, served lunch to the guests, and refreshed the women's and children's space with fresh paint and new furniture.
3. Partnering with others from the Downtown Fellowship of Churches and Ministries, a team joined a host of others in the community from other churches and organizations for a Community Clean Up Day on the streets of Downtown. This activity helped us to become acquainted with the plight of homelessness on our San Diego streets.
4. Our own FPCSD Ladle Fellowship passes out groceries to the elderly and low income members of our local community on a Saturday morning each month. A team joined the other workers in the distribution of groceries right at the church.