Mission and Advocacy

What is Outreach?
Mission Committee
Peacemaking Committee
Haiti Task Force
Green Team
Supported Ministries and Links

What Is Outreach?
A central part of the Presbyterian Church of Lawrenceville is to live out a "Ministry of Compassion." The Presbyterian Church (USA) Book of Order says that, "God sends the church in the power of the Holy Spirit to exercise compassion in the world, feeding the hungry, comforting the grieving, caring for the sick, visiting the prisoners, freeing the captives, sheltering the homeless, and befriending the lonely." (W-7.3001).

Such acts of compassion, done corporately and individually, are the work of the church as the body of Christ. The church is called to minister to the immediate needs and hurts of people. The church is also called to engage those structures and systems which create or foster brokenness and distortion. Christians respond to these calls through acts of advocacy and compassion, through service in common ministries of the church, and through cooperation with agencies and organizations committed to these ends (W-7.3003).

The mission and outreach of the church include financial support of a wide variety of local, national, and international ministries: food, medical and housing programs; colleges; chaplaincies; urban churches; counseling and tutoring programs; peacemaking; and emergency aid. The focus of our giving beyond the doors of the church pays particular attention to persons who live with poverty, disease, and under the powers of injustice and oppression.

Mission Committee
The Mission Committee of the Presbyterian Church of Lawrenceville meets the 3rd Tuesday of each month September through June. This committee helps plan and execute hands-on Mission efforts and works on behalf of the session and congregation to determine which organizations our church will support. If you are interested in being a part of this committee please contact Jeff Vamos at jvamos@pclawrenceville.org.

These are the members of the Mission Commitee for 2007-2008:

Don Barringer	Gail Davis	Jan Everett, Chairperson
Jen Fowler	Lori Goebel	Bill McCarroll
Bruce McGraw	Bob Sargent	Jeff Vamos, Staff Liaison
Rick van den Heuvel	Tom Weck	Deanna Womack
Mike Womack

Peacemaking Committee
Responding to God's Covenant, the session of the Presbyterian Church of Lawrenceville has committed itself to peacemaking. In doing so, we have agreed to help to provide worship that points to the reality of God's peace giving; encourage members of the congregation to receive God's peace in their own lives and through prayer and Bible study to seek God's peace for today's world; enable and equip members of the congregation to grow as peacemakers in their families, in the congregation and the community; work for social, racial and economic justice efforts in at least one area of the world, such as Central America, Haiti, southern Africa, the Middle East, or East Asia; work to end the arms race and find ways to reduce tension between East and West; support financially the church-wide peacemaking effort, through the Special Peacemaking Offering on World Communion Sunday.

The Peacemaking Committee meets once a month from September through June and works to implement the goals laid out in the statement above. If you are interested in serving on the Peacemaking Committee please contact the church office, 609-896-1212, or email the church at office@pclawrenceville.org.

Members of the Peacemaking Committee for 2007-2008 are:

Bill Bowers	Dick Brown	Kathie Cohen
Barb Hallows	Ellen Heath,Chairperson	Edith Pike
Lori Pawar	Charlie Richardson	Nick Semenuk
Jeff Vamos, Staff Liaison

Haiti Task Force
For the past 21 years the Presbyterian Church of Lawrenceville has been involved in the life and work of Harmony Ministries, based in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and led by Pastor Luc Deratus. In celebration of our relationship with Harmony Ministries and Pastor Luc's ministry, February was named Haiti Mission Month. The goals of the Haiti Task Force are to increase the awareness of the needs in Haiti and the extraordinary work Pastor Luc has accomplished, and to continue our help in furthering his ministry through work trips and financial support.

The Haiti Task Force organizes a trip to Haiti to visit Pastor Luc's three Harmony Ministries Churches about once every two years. The last trip was January 8-13, 2008. Click here for a Brochure describing a Parenership with Pastor Luc and his Harmony Churches that we are hoping to build with other congregations and agencies.

Membership on the Haiti Task Force is open to anyone interested and willing to devote time and ideas to support the Mission Committee's efforts in Haiti. If you are interested in the Haiti Task Force, the Partnership with Pastor Luc and Harmony Ministries, or have questions, please contact Joan Semenuk at, 609-883-4585, or email her at JoanWSemenuk@Verizon.net.

Members of the Haiti Task Force are:

Barb Hallows	Ellen Heath, Peacemaking Liaison	Brandt McCabe
Bruce McGraw,Chairperson	Rich Richards	Jim Sapp
Joan Semenuk	Jeff Vamos, Staff Liaison	Ann Wiley

Green Team
The charter of the "Green Team" is:

• Reduce environmental footprint
• Increase our visibility
• Educate our community
• Inspire our community
• Connect with other organization
• Advocate for public policy change
• Connect our efforts with our faith

The team has prepared a list of suggestions concerning the buildings and grounds of the church for inclusion in the upcomming Capital Campaign and plans Forum following worship on Earth Day. The "Green Team" welcomes new members. For more information or to join the team contact Loraine Huchler or Phil Duran.

Click here for A Biblical Foundation for Green Behavior - Spring 2007.

Supported Organizations, Ministries Links & Email
The following are organizations and ministries that our church supports financially and with volunteers. If you are interested in getting involved with any of these ministries please contact them directly or email the church at office@pclawrenceville.org.

Financial Support Goes to The Following Organizations:
Camp Johnsonburg
Children's Home Society, Trenton, NJ
CONTACT of Mercer County, NJ
Crisis Ministry
Eggert’s Crossing Village Youth Programs
General Assembly -- Presbyterian Church (USA)
Isles
Lawrence Interfaith Housing Network
Lawrence Neighborhood Service Center
Lifeline
Middle East Ministry
Presbyterian Church of Lawrenceville Micah Award
Presbytery of New Brunswick
Princeton Medical Center Religious Ministries
Project Graduation - Lawrence High School
Rescue Mission of Trenton
Rutgers University Campus Ministry
Samaritan Baptist Church
Save Lives Ethiopia - Synod of the Northeast
Summer Programs for Children: Samaritian Baptist Church and Westminister Summer Youth Program
Trenton Area Campus Ministry
Trenton Area Soup Kitchen (TASK)
Trinity Counseling Center
Westminster Foundation at Princeton
Emerging Needs

Hands On Ministries

Meals For Route One Motel Residents
Members of the church prepare and serve a meal the third Thursday of every other month to homeless people living in motels on Route One. To volunteer to help call Connie Weck (844-1033). Our support comes through a Special Offering by the congregation.

Clothing Collection
This is an ongoing program of collecting and distributing clothing to Samaritan Baptist Church, the Rescue Mission, Eggerts Crossing Village and others. You may leave your clean, used clothes in the large white box on the south side of the church near the stairs to the office. Please call Nancy Grieco at 896-2115 to help sort the clothes or volunteer.

Lawrenceville Nursing Home Worship Service
Members of the church lead a worship service at the nursing home, located on the corner of the Princeton Pike and Franklin Corner Road, the fourth Sunday of each month. To volunteer email Mary Alice Lyman at malyman@pclawrenceville.org.

Haiti Trip
Every other year in November approximately 14 members of the Presbyterian Church of Lawrenceville Travel to Port-au-Prince, Haiti to work with Pastor Luc Deratus Harmony Ministries. The trip involves work in three different locations building benches, painting, and running medical clinics. If you are interested in going contact Bruce McGraw at 883-0459.

Trenton Area Soup Kitchen
Every second Friday of the month, a group of members from the Presbyterian Church of Lawrenceville go to Trenton Area Soup Kitchen to serve lunch to those in need. If you are free to do this during the year, please contact Maia Hughes at 683-7236.

Trips to Mississippi Following Hurricane Katrina
Our congregation has sent a number of Work Teams to Mississippi since the destruction of Hurricane Katrina, which hit the gulf coast in the summer of 2005. The congregation contributes to construction materials, van rentals and general support of Teams of 10-20 members. Teams work with organizers from Presterian Disaster Assistance. There are teams now forming for the fall of 2007 and/or January of 2008. If you would like more information, please phone or email the church office.

Special Offerings
Every month from September to May the congregation has an opportunity to bring financial gifts forward during the singing of the final hymn in worship. These gifts go organizations and ministries supported by the congregation and mission committee. The following are a list of the special offerings and related websites to learn more about these offerings:

AIDS/Orphan - Extra Commitment Opportunities, PC(USA)
Christmas Joy Offering - PC(USA)
Haiti Ministry
Lawrence Township Meals on Wheels
One Great Hour Of Sharing - PC(USA)
Peacemaking

How Do I Get Involved?

If you are interested in serving in one of our outreach ministries or learning more about them please contact the person associated with the ministry or contact Jeff Vamos at jvamos@pclawrenceville.org.