The Mission Commission

 

  • Darren Georgeff, Chair,
            Mission Commission Deacon
  • Ben Bishop,
  • Terrie Bishop
  • Gail De Graaf
  • Cynthia Fisher
  • Lois Lundgren-Stecker
  • Dan Marvin



Westkirk Presbyterian Church

Mission Commission

 

Our Sovereign God, in His providence, has brought many local, national, and worldwide ministries to Westkirk for our support. Our mission statement is: "To support local and foreign ministries to enable them to make Christ known by prayers, offerings, and service."

 

This is the process by which we give support: a member of Westkirk makes the recommendation to the Mission Commission or Pastor Michael. We interview them and have them write their information and statement of faith as well as what they will be doing in ministry. We then make a prayerful decision whether to support them. Presently we support 6 international, 4 national campus, and 5 local ministries.

 

Foreign Missions

 

Westkirk supports mission organizations in France, Ireland, Greece, Hungary, Mexico, and Romania.  We have placed anniversaries and birthdays in the SHEPHERD each month for you to contact our missionaries, and then to pray for them and their work.  There is also opportunity for the congregation to serve on mission teams going to these various countries occasionally.

 

FRANCE: Greater Europe Mission, Gary and Kate De Graaf.

 

They serve the Lord among university students in Lille, and in the church in Croix.  They invite people to their annual BBQ, serving free food in Lille.  There are also activities for children and young people.  They reach out to make friends with their neighbors and others at the student center in town.

  

 

IRELAND: Greater Europe Mission, Jonathan and Becky Schuster.

 

The Cornerstone Church in Skerries was organized several years ago, and continues to grow as it reaches out to the community.  Jonathan teaches at the Irish Bible Institute, and enjoys his students, who are studying, hunering for deeper knowledge of the Bible.

 

GREECE: Advancing the Ministries of the Gospel International, Dr. Argyis and Dina Petrou.

 

Argyris is a professor at the Greek Bible College, a preacher, ordained minister and writer in Athens, Dina serves an outreach ministry New Life also in Athens.

 

HUNGARY: International Messengers, Dan Marvin.

 

Each summer since 1998, Dan has traveled to Mohacs to participate in English camps and renew friendships with Pastor Zoli and his wife, Helga and daughters.  They have developed an extended family relationsip over the years

 

MEXICO: Back2Back Ministries - Greg and Cathy Huffer.

 

They work with the organized orphanges in Monterrey, and reach out to the very poor in areas nearby. They receive mission teams each summer who help with VBS, and reaching out to the children there. There is also continual need to fix up and renovate the orphanage homes to keep them open and serviceable.

  

 

ROMANIA: Romania Evangelistic Medical Mission, Dr. Peter and Ana Lucaciu.

 

Since 1990, there has been medical and evangelistic work in Beius. They also have a home for girls in Casa Josef, a cafe ministry, and an outreach to the gypsy people who live nearby. The original building is being renovated and renamed "The Tom Williams Mission Center". It was originally the clinic building.

  

 

 

Home Missions

 

Westkirk has become involved with two missions who work with colleges and universities. The future of our nation is in our young people, so we are glad for the opportunity to work with them.

 

CAMPUS CRUSADE FOR CHRIST: Upper midwest region.

Ward and Gwen Schmeidel together work with the many university and college campuses, welcoming new students, arranging many opportunities to get to know them.  They go to North Myrtle Beach in June with staff and interns to greet the many students who have come to party whter. and to plan opportunities to introduce them to Christ. There are incredible opportunities for God to transform students' lives as they are reached and mobilized to serve Jesus Christ, and reach out to other students. Some then are trained to be leaders, and to give their lives to work on campuses for CCC.

 

 

THE NAVIGATORS: The EDGE - Corps, Brett and Micki Strait, Colorado.

They recruit, train and send students who have worked with The Navigators to work on campuses after they have graduated. They live in Colorado and oversee the training there. Brett was ordained at Westkirk as an evangelist, and considers this his home church. The Navigators' purpose is the advancement of the gospel into the nations of the world, beginning on campuses, then through graduates to continue to reach out to students.

 

THE NAVIGATORS: Colorado University.

Brian and Heather Hanneman, Brian has been trained by the EDGE Corps, and they work with the students, getting to know them, beginning Bible studies, entertraining them in their home. During the summer months they work with the Navigator Camps in training and discipling leaders. They then are prepared to greet new students each fall entering CU.

  

 

 

LOCAL MINISTRIES

 

Around Des Moines there are many ministries who reach out to help those in need. Westkirk has been able to work with the following ministries:

 

FREEDOM FOR YOUTH: Mark Nelson, director.

In the summer of 2010 this ministry won the Hope Award for Effective Compassion from WORLD Magazine and the American Bible Society. At their campus on Hickman near MLK. Freedom For Youth reaches out to disadvantaged youth and young adults.  It began with reaching out to the homeless refugees and youth of the city. They now provide mentoring and tutoring programs, Chapel services, Bible classes, and volunteer-run activities to free young Iowans from poverty and hopelessness. There are ways we get involved: serving meals, tutoring, and helping out.

 

HOPE MINISTRIES: Leon Negen, David Burrier, and staff.

Hope Ministries was one of the first organizations to offer many care programs for the homeless, those who need rehabilitaion, and specific help to become independent once more. They are comprised of the Bethel Mission, Door of Faith, Hope Family Center, Hope Transitional Housing, and the Hope Bargain and Community Outreach Center.  We have collected warm clothing each fall, and supplied Bibles for the men who are in their program.

 

JESUS ALIVE IN LIVES: J.A.I.L. Ministries at Polk County Jail,  Chaplain Jerry Van Cleave.

We  have recently begun to include the Jail ministry as we learn more about the opportunities for Jerry to enter into lives of the inmates there as well as the staff workers. We have supplied clothing, shoes, and used books and devotionals. Volunteers are bringing the transforming power of the gospel of Jesus Christ to those incarcerated and to those working in the Sheriff's offices. Jerry is on call 24/7 helping those in need there, and building bridges into their lives for Christ.

 J. A. I. L.

 

RUTH HARBOR: Mark McDougal.

A stately house on Ingersoll serves as home to pregnant young women in need of help. Mark and the staff work with these women to counsel, help prepare them for birth, keeping the baby, or adoption. They further offer classes for preparing them to work, to be mothers, and to support themselves. It is a Christ-centered home with house parents who provide the love and security they need at the time.

 

TEEN CHALLENGE: Colfax, the Hunsberger family has long been leaders in this ministry.

Michael now is the director. They offer the means to help men to deal with addictions, train them for work, and offering classes to reinforce Scriptural principles for their lives. Most of the graduates are able to transition back into responsible jobs and lives with the Lord's help, and the counseling offered by the staff there.

 

 

Throughout the year Westkirk has special mission projects to provide support. We fill baby bottles with cash from Mother's Day to Father's Day for Ruth Harbor. When the Meals From the Heartland is looking for people to fill plastic bags with food for the hungry, we help. From July through November we fill shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child/Samaritan's Purse. Mission Commission oversees the Communion offerings four times a year, and usually has a project planned for that. We have brought slightly used Bibles, purchased "Bible Sticks" for the military from Wycliffe Bible Translators, collected for flood relief, helped out our various missions in specific emergency needs.
We also became involved in  Restoration Ministries, of Alleman, IA who go on mission trips to Cuba. There is opportunity to go, and also to provide specific needs for the people of Cuba. 
We are looking for people who have a passion for missions to get involved for Christ and His Kingdom, and to make Him known here and around the world.