****Statement of purpose**** Our committee exists to facilitate the sharing of God's love and care in the world by guiding our congregation in the giving of our time, talents, and financial resources.
Prison Fellowship Angel Tree Christmas
Prison Fellowship Angel Tree Christmas equips churches to strengthen relationships between incarcerated parents and their children and support the families of prisoners. Local churches and organizations minister to local children by delivering a gift, the Gospel message, and a personal message of love on behalf of their parent, grandparent or other family member behind bars.
This past Christmas, our congregation choose to brighten the lives of 20 children in eight different families. Participants from the congregation purchased and wrapped gifts suggested by the child’s caregiver. The Mission and Outreach Committee chose gently used, age-appropriate books from our library to give to each of the families, including a children’s bible. The beautifully wrapped gifts were delivered shortly before Christmas. Each caregiver was given a gift card to a local grocery store also.
Community Involvement
The Montana Jewish Project created an educational kit for Montana 4th grade classrooms containing lesson plans and a game. The kits will assist teachers in addressing bullying. Volunteers from FPCH helped assemble 50 boxes for shipment.
Special Olympics Dinner
The "Miles City Bandits”, a Special Olympics basketball team and their coaches, were our guests for dinner in November.
Hostess and guest share a special moment.
The 45 guests were warmly greeted, fed a nutritious meal and wished good luck for their games the next day.
The coloring house was a hit!
Pumpkin Patch Party!
The Pumpkin Patch Party was held in conjunction with our annual Pumpkin Patch, and featured bounce houses, games for children,
food and a raffle.
All things were free to the community.
Party-goers pose for pictures.
Chief hotdog cook...John G.
Habitat for Humanity Workday 2024
A small but mighty group of workers gathered to assist new homeowners with cleanup chores on their new homes. We worked to get windows and screens in working order and we cleaned windows, kitchen cabinets and bathrooms. We were able to work side by side with the homeowners; it was a very rewarding experience.
HONORING SPECIAL WOMEN & MEN IN OUR LIVES
For Mother’s Day, the congregation donated feminine hygiene and personal care items for distribution to women living at The YWCA, The Friendship Center, and Florence Crittenton.
For Father's Day socks, shaving products, and other personal care items were donated for men. The products were distributed to God's Love, Our Place, and The Pantry at Good Samaritan.
The products were donated as a way to honor our mothers and fathers or any special woman or man in our lives.
Fundraising Quilt
This queen-size quilt was donated to our congregation to be gifted to Family Promise as a fundraising item.
HELPING NEIGHBORS IN NEED
Our congregation displayed their good-neighbor attitude with their generous response to a special offering for Energy Share of Montana in February. Energy Share of Montana is a non-profit organization which assists Montana residents struggling with their power bill.
POINT-IN-TIME DINNER
The serving crew
Chicken casserole, rolls, & butter
Chicken casserole, rolls, & butter
During January, members of the Congregation cooked and served a dinner for 60-70 individuals at God’s Love, our community homeless shelter.
Chicken casserole, rolls, & butter
Chicken casserole, rolls, & butter
Chicken casserole, rolls, & butter
The “Point-in-Time” survey counts the unsheltered folks in the community on a specific date.
Brownies for dessert
Chicken casserole, rolls, & butter
Brownies for dessert
The congregation assisted by providing brownies for dessert. Dinner rolls were provided by a church family.
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY WORKDAY 2023
The 1st Presbyterian workgroup
Others spruced up the build site
The 1st Presbyterian workgroup
We met on August 5th to help with construction and clean-up of homes in a new subdivision.
Some helped add siding
Others spruced up the build site
The 1st Presbyterian workgroup
We worked alongside the new homeowners to begin adding siding to one of the houses.
Others spruced up the build site
Others spruced up the build site
Others spruced up the build site
Since the weather was perfect, we also pulled weeds and picked up trash.
PREVIOUS OUTREACH MINISTRIES
Cuddle Buddies
Cuddle Buddies
Alayna is a 9-year-old girl in our community with an inoperable, malignant brain tumor. Her mission is to visit hospitals in all 50 states and distribute gifts to the children she meets there. We gathered in January 2024 to make 100 Cuddle Buddies to assist with her mission. (2024)
WARM HEARTS
Cuddle Buddies
During the month of January, new blankets, towels, & washcloths were collected and donated to Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth Associates of Helena. The items were then distributed to the unsheltered in the community for Valentine's Day. (2024)
Backpacks for the Unsheltered
Helena Food Share Town Pump Match
Our Christmas giving project was providing backpacks, toiletries, winter clothing, and shelf-stable food for the unsheltered in our community. United Way of Lewis & Clark Area collected the items and distributed them to those in need. (2023)
Helena Food Share Town Pump Match
Helena Food Share Town Pump Match
$1765 was donated to Helena Food Share during the months of October and November by our church family. The Town Pump Foundation matched that amount, for a total assistance to the hungry in our community of $3530. (2023)
LOCAL PEACEMAKERS RECOGNIZED
LOCAL PEACEMAKERS RECOGNIZED
Using funds from our Peace & Global witness offering, FPCH choose to honor the Helena Police Department officers, dispatchers, and administrative staff with eight dozen donuts and 100 keychains. The gifts were given in appreciation for the Department's peacemaking efforts in our community.
We also donated $250 to Montana Jewish Project for assistance with their Curriculum Boxes to raise awareness of bullying in fifth grade students in the state. (2023)
CULMINATION OF OUR MATTHEW 25 RECOMMITMENT
Out Matthew 25 commitment began in 2021. When we began, we engaged in a variety of activities as a congregation regarding the hungry, the thirsty, strangers, the poorly clothed, the sick and the imprisoned. At the beginning of 2023 individuals began creating paper chain links with descriptions of activities they performed to demonstrate their recommitment to help "the least of these" in our community and beyond. The links were joined to form a chain and the project culminated in May. The resulting colorful chain is displayed in our Fellowship Area. It reminds us that although the project is complete, we are never finished performing Matthew 25 kindness activities in our community and world.
MISSION ACTIVITIES THROUGHOUT THE YEARS
OUR FOCUS:
We focus our giving on the “least of these” as specified in Matthew 25: The hungry, The thirsty, Strangers, The naked, The sick, and The imprisoned. And although not specifically mentioned in Matthew 25, the disadvantaged also receive our support. The following is a partial list of the activities of FPCH for each of these groups of people:
For the hungry and thirsty:
Committed to collect food items and monetary donations for distribution to local organizations supporting the hungry and thirsty as an ongoing ministry; Committed to assemble and distribute bags of food and water to local panhandlers as an ongoing ministry; Committed to collect and distribute coupons for food items to assist individuals or families who struggle with hunger; purchased food baskets for refugee families around the world;
For strangers:
Committed to smiling at strangers and invite them to participate in worship services and fellowship activities; Committed to providing monetary support for a local missionary assigned overseas and other missionaries activities; providing financial support for our Presbytery Camp open to youth of all denominations; engaged with local college students to invite them to participate in our church activities; sent encouragement to local young women and children through a cards outreach activity.
For the naked:
Committed to collecting and providing warm clothing to local organizations supporting the homeless; Committed to collecting blankets, towels & washcloths for underprivileged. members of our community; collected diapers and baby products for distribution to local organizations supporting young mothers and babies; collected and provided clothing and personal care items for distribution to war veterans in transitional housing,
For the sick:
Committed to providing homemade lap quilts to members of the congregation in poor health or experiencing a difficult time in their lives; Committed to providing monetary donations to a local children’s’ home.
For the imprisoned:
Collected puzzle and activity books for a boys' correctional facility as well as monetary donations to purchase sports equipment; made and gave lap quilts to members of the congregation isolated due to Covid19. Several members participate in Crossroads Prison Ministry, reviewing lessons of Bible students and writing letters of encouragement and support.
For the disadvantaged:
Committed to participating in community fundraisers, providing meals, overnight supervision and monetary support for families in transition; Committed to providing monetary support for a local home for pregnant mothers & their babies; Committed to providing monetary support for abused women and children; collected and distributed personal care and cleaning items to local organizations supporting disadvantaged families; collected and distributed menstrual products to local organizations supporting disadvantaged women; provided monetary support for a disadvantaged youth organization; ; provided monetary support for war refugees.