Missions & Outreach
Something happened at Pentecost that equipped the early
church for ministry. That something was the presence of the
Holy Spirit, who gave Christ's disciples the ability to
speak in a variety of languages so that all who gathered
heard the Gospel in their own language. That same Spirit
moves through the Church today, taking members of Covenant
into areas of need in our community ("Jerusalem") and in
other lands ("the uttermost parts of the earth"), and
welcoming those from other countries to our own. We are a
congregation eager to address the physical, emotional, and
spiritual needs of God's children here at home and around
our world today.
Outreach Ministries
The Mission of Covenant
Presbyterian Church is to recruit disciples for the Kingdom
of God that they may have a vital transforming relationship
with the Lord Jesus Christ. It is also to renew disciples in
their faith commitment through preaching and teaching of the
Bible and to reach out in love and compassion
to a world in need.
Global
Outreach
Our concern for world missions involves more than financial
support. Volunteers in each age group from our youth to our
senior adults participate on several mission teams which are
commissioned from Covenant to assist local churches and missions
in various countries in ministering to the needy of those
lands. Teams have traveled to Guatemala, Nicaragua, Mexico,
Kosovo, and various ministries in our own country. For over
a decade, Covenant has been connected in mission
and fellowship with Iglesia Evangelica Presbiteriana, El Divino
Salvador Church in Guatemala City. Together, we have led Vacation
Bible Schools, worshiped, offered medical clinics, and traveled
throughout their beautiful country. Approximately every other
year, members of the El Divino Salvador congregation have
come to Fort Myers to share in ministry here at Covenant.
Every year for our Mission Fest, Covenant invites
missionaries from various countries and local mission
agencies to bring their experiences and share their
ministries with our members.
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Individual Missionaries
Supported by Covenant |
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Lance and Elizabeth Edwards,
Zimbabwe, Africa
(Read an update on the Edwards below.)
Les and Cindy Morgan, Bangladesh
(Read letters
from Les Morgan.) |
Kazadi J. Ntambue, Democratic Republic of
Congo, Africa
Emerson
and Martina Wilson, Nicaragua
Rachel Cohen, Peru
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Global
Agencies and Ministries
Supported by
Covenant |
ECHO
Heifer Project
Hurricane Relief
Immokalee
Friendship House
La Pascua Mission, Guatemala
Medical Benevolence Foundation |
Mission Aviation Fellowship
Mission Scholarships
Presbyterian Seminaries
Shalom of Nicaragua (a partner church)
Seminary Help Fund |
Local Outreach
The mission field is not just limited to other countries;
it is right here in our own community! Members of Covenant
have made a tremendous impact this past year, not only through
their financial contributions, but through their time and
involvement in service to our community.
Through Covenant's Community Ministries Council, numerous
local mission agencies and ministries are supported, both
financially and with Covenant volunteers. Some ongoing
projects include a regular collection of food; collection
and distribution of children's back-to-school clothing and
Christmas presents; assistance in our local soup kitchen;
the mentoring program at Edison Park Elementary
School, and our Mission Peniel
outreach to farmworkers.
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Local
Missions Which Covenant
Helps Support Financially |
Amigos Center
Brightest Horizons Child Development
Community Cooperative Ministries
Faith in Action of SW Florida
Fort Myers Rescue Mission
Gabriel House |
Harry Chapin Food Bank
Hope House
Life Education and Counseling Center
Lifeline Family Center
Meals on Wheels |
ECHO and Immokalee
Friendship House are based in our area
but are officially listed on the world missions
budget (above).
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Mission Opportunity in
Your Own Community!
Have you always wanted to go on a mission trip, but for
whatever reason, you have not experienced such an opportunity?
Our world missions committee has accepted the challenge to serve
once a month at Misión Peniel in
Immokalee as part of the Beth-El Farmworker Ministry, which
is sponsored by our Peace River Presbytery. We are just one
of many Presbyterian USA churches in this area who are
participating in this ministry. Miguel Estrada, a former
associate pastor of our sister church (El Divino Salvador),
is the pastor. We are seeking eight volunteers once a month
to go to Immokalee to serve a hot meal and to distribute
clothing and toiletries to the farm workers. Please
contact Bill Whitaker if you would like to serve.
For everyone: We request donations of men’s
clothing, pants (30-36), shoes, shirts (especially
long sleeved), underwear, socks, hats, and
small-sized toiletries (deodorant, toothpaste,
toothbrushes, soap, and shampoo). Women’s and
children’s clothing will also be accepted. Packaged
cookies are appreciated, too! Donations may be
left in
the church office. Thank you so much! Join us
as we serve in the name of our Lord!
Letters from Our Missionaries
Mission Spotlight on
Bangladesh
Letter (Posted March, 2010) From Dr. Cindy Morgan
Read the Update
Mission Spotlight on
Zimbabwe (Posted January, 2010)
With Missionaries Lance and Elizabeth Edwards
Lance and Elizabeth Edwards run Ebenezer, a training
center that aims to equip young people in rural Zimbabwe with
the practical skills needed to run their own small-scale
agricultural businesses. By combining business, agriculture, and
Bible teaching, this training center hopes to produce men and
women who can provide for their families and become mature,
Christ-centered leaders in their rural communities.
During the two-year stay of these apprentices, they
are able to make enough profit to repay their start-up loans and
to buy the livestock and equipment needed to continue their
businesses at their homes. Ebenezer gives people the opportunity
to not only become successful farmers and business people but
also to become mature followers of Christ. Classroom discussions
based on the Bible are made practical as staff and apprentices
live alongside one another and serve the community around them.
Lance and Elizabeth wrote this fall about God’s hand
in their work. “In early May, just as the first crop of tomatoes
was ripening, our friend Mbonisi was driving back to Ebenezer
from a meeting. He noticed a thick layer of hail covering the
area. When Mbonisi asked Lance about it, Lance didn’t know what
he was talking about. Ebenezer neighbors were also asking the
staff, ‘How are things at your place?’ and couldn’t believe it
when we told them the tomatoes and cabbages were fine. There was
significant hail damage all around Ebenezer, but not one hail
stone fell on Ebenezer or the crops! It was as though God had
covered Ebenezer with His hand while the hail fell. God used the
hail to remind us that He is with us and has protected us from
many things we have not been able to see!”
Covenant Presbyterian Church has supported this mission project
for a number of years. For more information, contact DeAnne
Sawyer, Bill Whitaker, or Pat Arner.
Notice from Our Sister
Church in Guatemala (Received 11/12/09)
Greetings to all: I am forwarding this sad news
regarding the passing of Lidia Solis de Mansilla,
a member of Iglesia El Divino Salvador in Guatemala.
Lidia was my friend and mentor, and she was a
shining star among the Lord's workers. Many people
in Peace River Presbytery were graced by her uncanny
ability to lead, educate, and connect people. The
Sister Church program would never have become what
it is without Lidia's devotion. She was so many
things: evangelist, writer, lecturer, teacher,
ambassador, devoted family member, gardener, and
great lady of the faith. She visited many of the
Peace River Presbytery churches and gave of her time
to the VBS program at Covenant.—Sincerely, Carole
Knipe
Thank You to Emerson and
Martina Wilson, Our Missionaries in Nicaragua,
Who Joined Us on April 27, 2008!
Emerson and Martina Wilson, our missionaries in
Nicaragua, visited Covenant on Sunday,
April 27, and participated in Sunday
school, church, and a potluck dinner which was held after
our church service.
Emerson is
Director of Ministries of First Presbyterian
Shalom Nicaragua where his mission is to preach,
teach, encourage, and mentor his Nicaraguan
brothers and sisters—especially the Shalom
Ministry Team. Martina is Director of Christian
Education for the Shalom church. Emerson and
Martina also serve as “in-country hosts” to
mission teams from the USA. Covenant has
participated in yearly trips to Nicaragua since
l998.
The mission of
Shalom is to reach out to the unchurched of
Esteli with the good news of Jesus Christ, to
bring them into the Body of Christ (the Church
of Jesus Christ), to share the Bible and
sacraments, and to teach the Reformed Doctrine
so the people of Esteli can grow spiritually and
can eventually plant new churches. This is the
first Presbyterian Church in the country of
Nicaragua. We are privileged to be a part
of this ministry.
Greetings from Martina & Emerson
Wilson
October 16, 2008
We humbly ask our beloved brothers &
sisters of CPC to remember us in their prayers, asking
God to bless our evangelizing efforts in reaching out to
the Nicaraguan people with our CROSSROAD BIBLE INSTITUTE
prison ministry, YES JESUS I CAN!, weekly radio program,
and spiritual retreats for youth & married couples.
God bless,
Martina & Emerson Wilson
Founders
FPC SHALOM
Apartado 3
Esteli,Nicaragua C.A.
Telephone From The USA : 011 505 713 3535
Missionary Prayer Requests from the
Rev. Kazadi
5/5/09: Please continue to pray for the Rev. Kazadi as
he seeks asylum in the United States.
1/16/09:
I am pleased to announce that God is intervening and sending
his healing touch to my son Cedrick. I called my wife
(Marie) three times (at midnight, 3 o'clock and early this
morning). She mentioned that Cedrick is no longer in coma.
Doctors discovered that he had malaria +++ (3 plus). This
is a higher level of malaria, even though malaria is a
common disease in Congo. Now Cedrick is able to speak and
recognize people. I did talk and pray with him on the phone
for 10 minutes. They (Cedrick and Marie) have to stay in the
hospital (Catholic Sisters Health Center of Kingabwa, Limete)
until Sunday before they return home. Thank you all for your
prayers and moral support. Good is good. In the name of
Jesus. Amen.--Kazadi
1/15/09: I just got a call from my wife Marie 15
minutes ago telling me that my son CEDRICK (17 years old) is
very sick. He is in comma at the hospital right now. Please
pray for Cedrick.--Kazadi
Please pray that the wife and children of the Rev. Kazadi, one
of the missionaries that Covenant helps to support, will be
able to leave the Congo and to take asylum in the U.S.
The following photos of Congolese families fleeing the war (
October 27, 2008) were sent to us by the Rev. Kazadi.
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Mary Fernandez, Local
Missions Coordinator
DeAnne Sawyer, World Missions Coordinator
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