To serve, we reach out
to proclaim the good news of the saving grace of God
to share our blessings
to offer hope and comfort
to experience fellowship with others
to improve the lives of those in need around the world,
heeding Christ's call to "Tend my sheep." [John 21:16]
Local Outreach
Shippensburg Community Meal
We participate in the Shippensburg Community Meal providing home-cooked meals to the hungry. These meals are distributed as a drive-thru every 4th Thursday of the month at 5:00 p.m.
Fruitbelt Farmworker Christian Ministry
Fruitbelt Farmworker Christian Ministry offers spiritual nurturing, pastoral care, recreation and advocacy to migrant farm workers in South Central Pennsylvania. Our church participates in this inter-denominational ministry's Friend-A-Camp program by sponsoring the Irvin Brothers' Orchard Camp. Throughout the fall, we visit with the men at the camp, sharing fellowship and meals. We also collect various goods for health kits for the workers and support the ministry financially.
Shippensburg Produce and Outreach (SPO)
SPO is a faith-based organization that provides fresh, healthy food and services to low-income residents of Shippensburg. Our church is involved in SPO in many ways: many of our members are volunteers; we continuously collect needed material goods such as egg cartons; and we provide financial support.
Christ Among Neighbors (CAN)
As part of the Shippensburg Association of Christian Ministries (SACM), we support Christ Among Neighbors. CAN serves people living in Shippensburg Area School District and the Village of Walnut Bottom with assistance for utility and rent needs, with all other financial needs considered. If you would like more information about CAN, please call them directly at 717-532-7577.
King's Kettle
The King's Kettle is a faith-based food pantry providing canned and dry goods to more than 300 families in the Shippensburg area. The first Sunday of each month is Food Bank Sunday, when we collect canned and non-perishable food donations for the organization. We also support the King's Kettle financially, and Youth Fellowship volunteers there periodically.
Katie's Place
Katie's Place is a non-profit organization whose building serves as a gathering place for people of all ages and as a distribution site for charitable human services for people of the Shippensburg community and surrounding area. Several agencies operate out of Katie's Place such as SPO, CAN, Tri County Community Action, Shippensburg Community Resource Coalition and Franklin County Literacy Council. Part of the financial support we offer to Katie's Place includes hosting a pulled pork BBQ fund-raiser on September 22 in our Fellowship Hall. We hope to see you there!
The Harbor
The Harbor is a sober social place for the community to gather on Friday and Saturday evenings without the influences or temptations of alcohol. It also serves as a meeting space for various groups such as Al-Anon, Alcoholics Anonymous and Co-Dependents Anonymous. We allocate a portion of our Missions giving to The Harbor.
United Campus Ministries (UCM)
UCM is an ecumenical ministry at Shippensburg University (SU) that provides an opportunity for students of all backgrounds to grow in their faith through fellowship, study groups, worship, counseling and social action programs. We provide financial support to UCM as well as host an annual dinner and fellowship event for the SU students involved in UCM.
World Mission
Honduras Network Partnership
Through Carlisle Presbytery, our church has a relationship with the Presbyterian Church in Honduras and U.S.-based Honduras Network Partnership. As part of the Network, our Presbytery and the Presbytery of Honduras have built an urban housing ministry in Honduras. We work with three churches based in Tegucigalpa to provide housing for their most impoverished members. The ministry is in its seventh year and together we have built 10 homes. Carlisle Presbytery sends mission teams to Honduras twice per year for relationship and home building. We have seen the Holy Spirit alive and active in both their church and ours as we grow in faith, hope and love through this joint ministry. Members of our congregation have travelled to Honduras with these mission teams and our pastor often leads the mission teams. We are also working with the Honduras Partnership Network to place a PCUSA mission co-worker in Honduras.
Heifer International
Heifer International works with communities to strengthen local economies. They gift animals to families and cooperatives to enable them to secure their livelihoods. Extensive development work and training is offered along with the gift of the animals. Our church offers financial support to Heifer International through Sunday School offerings and through extra giving efforts such as bake sales held by our Sunday School children. Members of our church have had two opportunities to meet with recipients of Heifer animals in Honduras. We have seen firsthand how individuals, families and communities are empowered, strengthened and filled with hope by the training and gifts Heifer offers.
Special Offerings
In conjuction with PC(USA) and Presbyterian Women (PW), we take up six special offerings throughout the year. These offerings are a way to express Christ's love for the whole of humanity as well as a way to acknowledge being a connectional church. Read the descriptions below to learn more about each offering.
One Great Hour of Sharing
These gifts are used to share God’s love with our neighbors around the world by supplying relief to those affected by natural disasters, providing food to the hungry and helping to empower the poor and oppressed. Learn more here.
Birthday Offering
The gifts to this PW offering fund up to five projects in such areas as agricultural development, child care, community organization, criminal justice, drug counseling, economic justice, elderly care, employment training, homelessness, literacy, violence and women’s concerns. Learn more here.
Pentecost Offering
A gift to the Pentecost Offering helps the church encourage, develop and support young people, as well as address the needs of at-risk children. 40% of the offering is retained by individual congregations wanting to make an impact in the lives of young people within their own community. The remaining 60% is used to support ministries of the Presbyterian Mission Agency. Learn more here.
Peace and Global Witness Offering
This offering promotes the Peace of Christ by addressing systems of injustice across the world. Individual congregations are encouraged to utilize up to 25% of this Offering to connect with the global witness of Christ's peace. Mid councils retain an additional 25% for ministries of peace and reconciliation. The remaining 50% is used by the Presbyterian Mission Agency to advocate for peace and justice in cultures of violence, including our own, through collaborative projects of education and Christian witness. Learn more here.
Thank Offering
The Thank Offering is a PW offering collected in the fall of each year as a tangible way to express gratitude for the special blessings in our lives. The offering funds projects such as agricultural development, child care, community organization, criminal justice, drug counseling, economic justice, elderly care, employment training, homelessness, literacy, violence and women’s concerns. At least 40% of this offering supports health ministries throughout the world. The remaining 60% funds new, creative ideas for mission. Learn more here.
Christmas Joy Offering
Gifts to this offering help provide financial assistance to current and former church workers and their families and also enables deserving students to attend Presbyterian-related racial ethnic colleges and schools. Learn more here.