Calvary’s highly successful mission program provides opportunities for the congregation to live out our commitment to being a Matthew 25 church. We believe a key part of our Christian mission is to serve our neighbors in need and to make a difference in our community and the world around us.
We serve as volunteers and/or provide financial contributions to local and worldwide service organizations. We work with local human service agencies, other churches, the Kiskiminetas Presbytery, Presbyterian Missions among others.
We have programs that operate on a year-round basis, such as our Free Food Pantry and Care and Outreach fund, while others are seasonal such as participation in the Indiana community Back-to-School-Bash and Angel’s Wings programs. We also maintain a long-standing partnership with our sister church Nyarubuye Mpushi Church in Rwanda and assist critical Presbyterian Missions around the world.
How and Why, by Kay B Smith
In the late 1990s and early 2000s we were engaged with the Waldensian church of Italy. They visited our churches several times in Kiskiminetas Presbytery and we heard of their culture and were inspired, encouraged, and refreshed.
I became a member of the Kiski Presbytery diaconate and as that partnership drew to a close, we prayerfully started looking for a new partnership.
Bill McMullen, chair of the Diaconate at that time, and I started communications with the Presbyterian Church of Rwanda through the encouragement of Wayne Yost, our General Presbyter. Because of language and other communication barriers, after two years in 2006, finally, we’ve been able to plan a mission trip to Rwanda Africa. Thus, our MUTUAL Partnership was formed. We were a team of eight and oh how we were received. We traversed the country, stayed in homes, experienced the culture and church of song, dance prayer, thanksgiving, and forgiveness. While there we visited three Genocide Memorials. We visited many churches and were bathed in their wonderous love for Jesus. Upon our return, we spoke, worshipped sang and shared with many churches in our Kiski Presbytery. As Wayne Host said, “the partnership was the Light of the Presbytery.”
We at Kiski wanted a partnership for the mutual enrichment to each other. We have the financial means, but they have the spiritual means. “If we could bottle it up and bring it back” is what we always say.
In 1994 Rwanda experienced the world’s greatest genocide of one million people killed in 100 days. The people of Rwanda are about forgiveness, love, and prayer. We can learn MUCH from our sisters and brothers of this land. They have graced our pulpits and homes and they in turn have welcomed us with open arms since 2006.
Have we been enriched? Yes.
Do we need to continue to lift up, pray for and encourage each other? Yes!
Their churches are growing, ours are declining.
With grace and love,
Kay B. Smith
Calvary strives to be flexible and responsive to critical human needs as they arise. To stay up-to-date on our ongoing mission activities, follow along with our weekly announcements located on the homepage of our website.
