Missions, Service & Benevolence

Mission: To encourage members to respond to the good news of the Gospel by moving beyond themselves in service to others. From serving children here in the Midlands to mission trips in the United States and beyond, the Missions, Service and Benevolence Ministry offers many opportunities for Eastminster’s congregation to serve others

Accomplishments in 2020:

• Managed and disbursed over $500,000 to local, global, and PCUSA missions • Mentored 60 children through Bradley Elementary Lunch Buddy program and provided weekly filled backpacks with weekend food for 22 children at Bradley • Donated 2,625 pounds of peanut butter and other foods to Harvest Hope • Continued serving meals and provided fellowship at Transitions each Third Thursday for dinner and catered/served dinner for 244 on Christmas Day • Collected and distributed “Cookies for First Responders” to numerous locations in honor of 9/11 • Prepared and served lunch at the Washington Street Soup Cellar on the first Tuesday of January • Continued our support of Family Promise of the Midlands • Sent over 250 shoeboxes to Operation Christmas Child • Mentored 26 C.H.A.M.P.S. (Communities Helping Assisting Motivating Promising Students) students by providing opportunities to learn and grow through education, college prep, service learning, character development, and fellowship during a summer camp and one a month follow-up activities • Welcomed missionary Dr. Douglas Lungu with MBF who visited EPC in February • Supported a workday with the Eastminster Interns in Walterboro, SC to assist in storm cleanup • Donated $5,000 to each Mission organization we were planning a trip with for this year • Donated $25,000 to MBF for use in their fundraising efforts to change the direction of their ministry • Donated $5,000 to support Capernaum (part of Young Life’s ministry) • Donated $30,000 to The Cooperative Ministry in an effort to support those locally that are facing the challenges of the COVID slowdown • Supported 3 CHAMPS scholarships for former students attending college • Purchased and built a Living Waters water system to be used for education and promotion • Supported a Potato drop in November that disbursed 34,000 pounds of potatoes to local food relief organizations • Purchased 4 outdoor tables for Bradley Elementary as part of our ongoing partnership • Donated over $9,500 to Women’s shelter • Donated $3,400 to Camp Cole to support 4 scholarships for children that are experiencing homelessness to be able to take part in a summer camp experience in 2021 • Partnered again with First Calvary Baptist to provide 41 gift baskets, toys, and gift cards for the families of St. Lawrence Place • Partnered with PEP to provide 7 Zoo memberships and gifts cards for women at Samaritan’s Well and provided 3 families at Family Promise with gifts and gift cards • Financially supported Foundation Church, a new church development in the Dutch Fork area • Contributed financially to a medical mission trip to Sudan/South Sudan for the purpose of distributing

Talking Bibles and medicines • Donated $15,000 to Salvation Army for a back-to-school initiative • Collected and disbursed donations to the Mall to Manger Project which gives church members the opportunity to make honor gifts for friends and relatives during the Christmas season • Contributed to Live Oak Counseling Center’s Care Fund

Accomplishments in 2020 (con’t)

• Established a “Supported organizations” subcommittee in an effort to better connect with our current local ministry partners • Donated $2,000 to support Frontier Fellowship’s migrant Ministry in Russia • Donated $10,000 to support the SOZO children’s choir • Provided a nursing scholarship at FSIL Nursing School and donated to Hospital Sainte Croix in Leogane,

Haiti • Increased financial support and continued prayer support for 8 international missionaries • Financially supported the Nile Theological Seminary and provided a scholarship for enrolled students • Financially supported IMCK Hospital in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which serves people in central Africa within a 500 miles radius of the facility

Goals for 2021:

• Support the disbursement of $600k of budgeted financial giving • Fill our 9th Global missionary spot • Complete a Habitat build • Support and contribute to Eastminster’s desire to see $1M raised for Souper Bowl of Caring. This includes supporting a 15% match of funds (~$150k) • Encourage each committee member to attend at least 1 site visit (in-person or virtually) for our local ministry partners • Establish a “New Initiatives” sub-committee • Establish a process for better global mission partner connections • Establish a Mission Strategy (Focus/Purpose) that will help guide future MSB decisions • Establish a CHAMPS scholarship process • Help support the establishment of a First Responders award • Amidst the continuing COVID reality, find opportunities for youth and adults to serve in mission tripstyle opportunities

Want to know more?

Mission, Service and Benevolence Chair: Rebecca Hartner (2021) - rebecca.m.hartner@gmail.com Eastminster staff support: Rev. Brian Marsh, Christina Siokos, Rebekah Gaston (C.H.A.M.P.S.)