Below is a list of agencies and mission projects that are supported by First Presbyterian Church during 2010. Each year, currently funded agencies seeking financial support from First Presbyterian Church go through an annual review to determine the need for continued support and new agencies can apply for support for the first time.
 

Asian Access is an interdenominational, evangelical mission agency that is developing leaders and multiplying churches across Asia. Started in 1967 in Japan, Asian Access has worked with over 600 churches in every part of Japan. For nearly 40 years, Asian Access has deployed short- and long-term missionaries to partner with these local congregations and national leaders to start and strengthen Japanese churches. FPC's funding provides support for missionaries spreading the gospel in Japan in areas where Christianity is little known. Stan and Faith DeLaCour are the missionary contacts to FPC; Faith is the daughter of church member Reuben Brooks. www.asianaccess.org / thedelacourier.blogspot.com

Belize Presbyterian Church in Corozal, under the leadership of Rev. Arturo Mendez, has been working to plant a new church in Calcutta, Belize to serve residents in this Gulf of Mexico community. Rev. Mendez will serve the Calcutta church as its pastor once construction there is complete. The Calcutta church is being built through financial and construction assistance from annual FPC mission trips and has been designed to also serve as a sturdy shelter from the ravaging hurricanes that often come ashore in this region. The mission teams that visit each year also partner with Concepcion Presbyterian School headed by Arturo's wife, Esther, by bringing school supplies for the children as well as providing classroom assistance during the week the mission team serves in Belize.

Cuba - Dora E. Valentin Presbyterian Church and Evangelical Theological Seminary both receive financial support to further the growth of the Christian church in Cuba. FPC has developed an ongoing relationship with the Dora E. Valentin Church sending one or two mission teams annually. Funds are provided to the church for its ministry needs, especially its support and expansion of home mission churches. Additionally, the Evangelical Theological Seminary in Matanzas serves as an ecumenical training center founded by the Cuban Methodist, Episcopal and Presbyterian Churches. The Seminary trains both lay and ordained people and relies on the funds from FPC to offer scholarships as well as cover operational expenses. http://www.cuba-theological-seminary.com/

Ecuador - International Teams is an interdenominational Christian, evangelical ministry living out worship and service to God from our wide range of backgrounds and styles. In mid-2010, FPC-Nashville's own Adam and Sara DeVries (son and daughter-in-law of Mark and Susan DeVries) will finish a 3-year commitment to Youth World International Ministry in Quito, Ecuador, one of International Team's Latin American ministry areas. Youth World International exists to identify, teach and equip leaders to impact young people and families to be disciples of Jesus Christ. FPC-Nashville has sent teams of youth and college students to Ecuador. www.iteams.org / www.youthworld.org.ec

Disaster Relief Projects are funded through both the PC (USA) Disaster Assistance Fund as well as directly through annual funding in the mission budget to respond to natural disasters around the globe.  Past response efforts have provided disaster relief funds for Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in the U.S. as well as Hurricane Dean's effects in Jamaica and Belize.  Additional disaster relief efforts in recent years have provided funds for the disastrous tsunami and earthquake in Southeast Asia in late 2004, tornado damage across in Tennessee in 2008, and earthquake damage in Haiti in 2010.  www.pcusa.org/pda

Haiti - Poor Children's Assistance Project (PCAP) assists in supporting 23 schools in rural Haiti. With 70% unemployment and a 60% illiteracy rate, there would be no schools for many of these elementary school children without assistance from the PCAP. The purpose and mission of the PCAP is to feed and educate these poorest of the poor children in a Christian environment enabling them to grow up to become a part of a generation capable of bringing about positive changes in the country. Each school serves children in grades 1-8 and is housed in, or is adjacent to, an affiliated Christian church. Christian teachers and school leaders reinforce Christian values and beliefs throughout the school day. PCAP objectives include: building schools and orphanages; building water wells to provide clean drinking water for the schools; and provide education, school uniforms, and meals while at school. www.poorchildren.org

International Justice Mission (IJM) assists in the pursuit of legal justice for disenfranchised peoples, particularly those sold into bonded slavery, in third world countries. American attorneys, including Wally Dietz, Cathy Celaro and other FPC members, travel to foreign countries to provide legal aid. IJM leader Gary Haugen has been a frequent speaker at our Missions Celebrations and Sunday services. Through the work of Wally and others, Nashville has become a strong pillar of support for IJM and the outreach model that proved successful in Nashville is now being applied in other cities. www.ijm.org

Jamaica - Battersea New Testament Church of God receives administrative assistance for the church and pre-school located in one of the most impoverished neighborhoods in Mandeville, Jamaica. Trhough annual mission trips, FPC-Nashville members have worked on improving the church to serve as a gathering place for the community to serve neighborhood children and youth beyond those participating in Sunday and weekday church activities. As team size allows, home repair projects are often undertaken in the community to replace roofs and walls damaged in the all too common hurricanes that frequently batter Jamaica.

Jobs for Life (JfL) equips Christ-centered churches and community organizations to prepare men and women for success both at work and at life. Across the country, churches and organizations are leading JfL classes that teach men and women biblical principles concerning work and the ways those principles are applied in the marketplace. Through this training, lives are transformed as men and women not only find employment, but also experience new life in Christ. JfL classes take place in churches, community non-profits, prisons, and re-entry programs, rescue missions, YMCAs, at-risk youth ministries and many more locations. Since July 2006 in Nashville, TN, over 500 men and women have been served by JfL sites throughout the city. www.jobsforlife.com

Kenya - East Africa Presbyterian Church serves a Christian community of faith that is expanding by leaps and bounds and has many growing congregations seeking someone to come alongside them to assist as they build or expand their church buildings. These congregations give sacrificially for this work. Many congregations mold their own bricks from mud, straw, and water. In some churches the congregation builds the walls, but the members are too poor to afford the needed metal roof for the structure. Other church structures are built entirely of metal enabling smaller faith communities to acquire worship space more quickly. The Presbyterian Church in East Africa also assists in caring for and educating children throughout the country whether they are orphaned or still in the care of their families. FPC-Nashville provides annual funding for the building of Presbyterian churches in Kenya as well as frequent assistance with school construction or water purification projects. FPC-Nashville sends mission teams as often as possible to partner with these new communities of faith in their construction and building dedications.  Kenya Church Construction

Living Waters for the World is the global mission resource of the Synod of Living Waters PC(USA). Its vision is to use the gift of clean water to bring together congregations of the Synod of Living Waters PC (USA) and others interested in mission, with their sisters and brothers in need, for a life-changing experience with the risen Christ. Living Waters for the World serves as a resource to churches of all denominations, civic organizations and others in mission, enabling them to provide clean water to their partners in need. Joining hands with those who need clean water, we find ourselves holding the hand of God. www.livingwatersfortheworld.org

Medical Benevolence Foundation (MBF) has worked for over 40 years to provide hope and healing to those most in need. Working with its partners, MBF supports healing ministries in more than 100 hospitals and clinics throughout the world. Its work includes providing funding for medical care to needy persons, securing donations of medical supplies, working toward long term lasting changes that effect whole communities in terms of health care, and provide awareness campaigns that inform donors of the great needs around the world and how they can be a part of this exciting work through MBF. www.mbfoundation.org

Mexico - Amor Ministries has provided a unique, life-changing mission experience to thousands of Christians from all over the world for over 25 years. Over 800,000 Mexican families live below the poverty line. Amor builds these families a solid, safe home, and does so in the name of Christ. Amor mission trips are all about life change in trip participants and Mexican families. The sweat of hard work and eternal purpose develops a heart to serve others. www.amor.org

Mexico - CUPS (Comunidades Unidas Pro Salud) is an ecumenical Christian organization founded in 1989 to improve the quality of life in rural communities along the Mexico-U.S. border. Maximizing the use of capital and human resources, CUPS unites Mexican and U.S. communities in projects that touch the lives of thousands of people. Health projects are a primary focus, but community-defined needs for projects and programs are equally important in our work. FPC's funding helps with the costs of administration for this organizer of mission trips in Mexico. www.cupsmission.org

Native American Ministry - Reverends Charles and Diane Wonnenberg joined The Outreach Foundation as missionaries to the USA among Native Americans in 2005.  Following their earlier assignment in Mozambique as Presbyterian Church (USA) missionaries helping to facilitate the evangelistic mission efforts of the Presbyterian Church of Mozambique, Charles and Diane are now serving through a unique partnership established by The Outreach Foundation, the Presbytery of South Dakota and Dakota Presbytery, a non-geographic presbytery comprised of Native American congregations.  Charles and Diane now lead a mission fellowship based in Dallas, South Dakota, where they extend the outreach and evangelism work of the Dakota Presbytery to areas of need. At the heart of this work is a vision to proclaim the Gospel, to strengthen and equip existing Native American congregations toward a mission vision, and to encourage discipleship through Bible study and leadership training. South Dakota Native American Ministry

New Church Development in Middle Tennessee is being constantly reviewed and evaluated by our Presbytery to serve the needs of our growing population in the counties surrounding Nashville.  FPC-Nashville has made a major commitment to provide substantial funding for the next church planted in this area and to offer members of this congregation to serve as part of the discernment and planning teams as a new pastor is called for this community of faith.

Pakistan – Forman Christian College has grown and blossomed as an educational institution after being returned to the church after 31 years of government control.  In a day when so many in Pakistan are becoming radicalized in terms of their religion, it is a major task of God’s people at Forman Christian College to educate both Muslim and Christian students in an atmosphere conducive to mutual respect. FPC’s funding assists support of the chaplaincy, scholarships for students and funds for student activities. Forman Christian College

Presbyterian Seminaries and Theology Education Institutions: FPC-Nashville has decided to maximize its educational contributions by making relatively large donations to the top institutions in our denomination rather than making a number of smaller contributions to a more diverse group. Our goal is to help attract and retain quality clergy in our denomination.

The Outreach Foundation is a validated mission support group of the Presbyterian Church (USA) that seeks to engage Presbyterians in Christ-centered evangelistic mission for the salvation of humankind. The Board of Trustees identifies missionaries and projects around the world, and helps to support missionaries, plant and build churches, equip leaders for the global church, care for vulnerable children, expand Presbyterian support for mission and change lives through mission engagement. At their recommendation, FPC's National and World Missions Committee selects missionaries and projects to support and helps finance the administration of this ministry. www.theoutreachfoundation.org

Russia - Twinning Church and Camp in Tula offers children, mostly from single parent families or from local orphanages, an opportunity to attend a Christian camp helping them to seek to accept Jesus Christ and follow Him. Approximately 400 children benefit from the funds made available by FPC-Nashville.

Russia - Twinning Missionaries in Moscow: Alan & Ellen Smith began their first missionary assignment in 2001 after completing orientation and intensive language study. As coordinators for congregational "twinning", the Smiths support the 20 already-existing relationships between PC (USA) congregations and congregations of Russian Christians. Russian churches participating in the project include not only Presbyterian but also Baptist, Orthodox, Lutheran, and Reformed congregations. To date, most of the relationships are in western Siberia and western Russia. The Smiths' goal is to expand the quantity of partnerships and also to help deepen the quality of the relationships between U.S. and Russian Christians. Allen and Ellen Smith

Rwanda – Busanza Church Construction is a new project for our church’s mission scope. As the Presbyterian Church in Rwanda grows, it seeks to do so in partnership with established congregations. This church build in western Rwanda is being undertaken in partnership with members of the Kanombe Community of Kigali. The church is to be constructed of mud bricks made by the church members themselves.

Rwanda - CPAJ (Centre Presbytérien d' Amour des Jeunes) is a ministry to street children established by the Presbyterian Church of Rwanda after the 1994 genocide.  The church realized that there were a large number of children living in the streets of Kigali and that the government was not able to care for all of them.  While it is illegal to live on the streets, there are over 7,000 street children in Kigali and only 3 organizations ministering specifically to them.  In addition to lodging, food and clothing, CPAJ teaches vocational skills, Bible stories/lessons/songs with the children given work and other responsibilities to help restore the self-respect they lost while living on the streets.   CPAJ

Rwanda - Hannah Ministries Tumurere is a Christian organization working with AIDS-infected mothers as well as children at risk (orphans, children infected and affected by HIV/AIDS, children living in a child-led household, and street children). It is a local initiative in Byumba, Rwanda born to respond to the needs of these individuals. Its priorities are to provide education; feeding; medical expenses; vocational training; HIV/AIDS care & counseling; and self-sustainable development. www.helpinghannah.org

Rwanda - Kanombe Community is a Presbyterian congregation is striving to accomplish its mission of reaching out to the community of genocide survivors. The congregation focused particularly on the widows and children who husbands and fathers were killed in 1994. Funding sent for this church will help to build a suitable worship facility along with space for Christian education and literacy. Kanombe Community

Uganda – Hands in Service (HIS) was founded by the Farris family (Alfred, Carney and Evelyn) a year after being sent out from First Presbyterian Church in 1980. HIS operates in a region of Northeastern Uganda that encompasses nearly 2 million people from the Teso and Kumum tribes. Through the years HIS has been involved in many innovative community development and ministry initiatives as a response to the changing societal challenges and problems that arise in this part of the world.   Currently HIS is operates a metal fabrication workshop and apprenticeship vocational and training program to sustain the ministry activities of HIS; a citrus orchard/market garden sustained by solar irrigation and surrounded by housing and gardens for HIS staff; a diversified farm and agricultural training center situated on the shores of Lake Kyoga to teach and demonstrate sustainable and organic farming practices; and a film outreach ministry that goes into villages on a regular basis taking the Jesus and Amazing Grace films to conduct outreach ministry in partnership with local churches. www.handsinservice.org

Uganda - Juna Amagara Ministries was founded in 2004 to help children orphaned by the HIV/AIDS epidemic grow in Christ to become healthy, productive members of society. The mission is to propagate socially healthy and productive life relationships through Children Care Homes, Schooling, life-skills training, fellowship groups, counseling and reconciliation programs; to provide life sustenance through nutritional and medical facilitation; and to present the life saving and transforming power of the Gospel. www.amagara.org

Uganda – Cornerstone Development was begun in 1988 as the nation began to emerge and recover from its turbulent and violent past. The ministry’s focus is on helping under-privileged children - with a special focus on youth leadership development. Since its inception, the work has steadily expanded to reach over 2,000 young people in a variety of programs including schools, homes for homeless kids, or sports programs - all designed to provide love, education and character formation for the cornerstones of Uganda’s next generation. www.cornerstonedevelopment.org

Youth Conference Ministries (YCM/Son Servants)  seeks to minister to young people in such a way that they would experience the power of God in their lives daily. Their mission is to awaken a desire for Christ in young people so that they will return from these programs to their local church empowered to live for Him. FPC-Nashville, through both its youth and adult programs, works with YCM to create mission trip opportunities for its members. www.ycmhome.org

Zambia - Crisis Nursery offers care and compassion ministries to children who have been abandoned or orphaned because their parents are ill or have died from AIDS. FPC funds provide program upkeep for the nursery for over 2 months for staff including nurses & social workers, food, supplies, and upkeep for 15 children. Zambia is a peaceful nation with rich natural resources, composed of 72 different tribes whose national anthem proclaims, "One people, one nation." Yet, the pandemic of AIDS is ravaging the nation, as it has the entire continent of Africa, and is stealing its future. A crisis nursery is a "safe home", typically in a shanty neighborhood, where emergency food and medical supplies are available. Zambia Crisis Nurseries