State College Presbyterian Church

Summer Worship Schedule
(through Sept. 6)
Sundays
Worship: 10:00am
Sunday School: 10:20am
Coffee Hour: 11:00am

Regular Program Year Worship Schedule
(beginning Sept. 13)
Sundays
Worship: 9:00 & 11:15am
Sunday School: 10:00am
Coffee Hour: 10:15am

Wednesdays
Taize Service: 5:00pm

Special Worship
Sunday Bulletin

Spring Break Mission Trip 2009 Report:
Who is Our Neighbor? News from Spring Break ‘09!
There were four wonderful opportunities for mission during Spring Break 2009. Three groups left town to serve God’s people in far flung places, one group stayed home to serve our neighbors!

–  FISH (senior high youth fellowship – 61 youth and 14 leaders) left for their annual visit to Laughlin Chapel in Wheeling, WV. They spent the week in various work groups cast about the city of Wheeling in service at places such as the YWCA, the soup kitchen next door to the chapel, and for the third year, in the home of Miss Donna, who desperately needs help getting her household in order.  The FISH kids work full days on site, then rotate, as work crews, through a visit to the YMCA to swim and take showers. They have time each night to write notes, sing, play four-square, and unwind before bed.

–  WPF (Westminster Presbyterian Fellowship – the college age ministry – 14 young adults and Diana) left Sunday following the first service for Washington, DC. In addition to seeing actor Rob Lowe (!) at the Holocaust Museum, they were busy with other amazing DC service and learning activities: clearing overgrowth at the Historic Congressional Cemetery, cooking and serving dinner at a homeless women’s shelter, meeting with Representative Glen Thompson (and touring the Capitol building), and helping in a number of elderly residents' homes who had various needs that college folks were amply suited to address! The college team had great weather and an even greater time exploring the capital city!

– Living Waters: Tod and Donna McPherson, Brent Peters, and Cheryl Handte left on Tuesday of spring break week to fly down to Oxford, TN to the “Clean Water University” – the headquarters and training center for the Living Waters Program. They spent the balance of the week learning all about the mechanics of building water filtration systems on site where clean water is unavailable. They were also trained in site scouting, water testing, and community education and organizing – all vital to successful installation of a clean water system that can serve an entire community! As the Clean Water U team educates the Mission Ministry Unit and the congregation about the process and the needs in the world, it will become clearer what our next steps will be.

– Mission at Home: 58 people (14 of whom were kids under 12!) participated in our first ever (annual?!) Spring Break Mission@Home Project! One crew painted two full apartments for clients of Housing Transitions, another crew spent the week going from one construction project to another: a wall at Faith Centre (in Bellefonte) to building steps for the wagons at Krislund Camp to working at the Habitat Rehab House. Crews spent three half days at Faith Centre sorting, pricing and hanging clothes, a half day at the State College Food Bank Distribution Center (at the mall) and a full day at Stepping Stones painting their wrap around porch. We delivered Meals on Wheels on two routes on two different days. We played Bingo and visited with the residents of both Hearthside and Centre Crest (nursing care facilities)! Last, but not least, we decorated dozens of meal bags for Meals on Wheels while we waited for folks to gather or as we returned early from work sites. There were five gracious and generous teams of folks who provided breakfast and dinner for us each day of work!  

 Children and adults worked side by side!  Ask Lam Hood, Bob Johnson, and Matt Millard about their wonderful experiences working as an intergenerational construction crew! Talk to Mike, Gregory, Saoirse Hopp, and Ben and Owen Nasal about their work at the food bank, ask Grace, Will, and Max Benner to tell you about delivering Meals on Wheels! The Girl Scouts and Jacob and Abbey Whipple spent lots of time sorting clothes and organizing hangers at the Faith Centre.  The Meister boys (Sean and Ben) worked with a Habitat Project and Andrew Huffard did 20 hours of community service for school, painting those apartments!  

Our traditional mission trips – even the intentionally “intergenerational” ones can’t come close to offering the kind of experience this group of 58 had during this year’s spring break. It is a glowing testament to the power of community. We are a congregation rich with blessings that, of course, we are called to share with our neighbors far and wide…but equally important is the call to share them with one another! The at-home mission experience offered the grace-filled opportunity to work together as an entire family in the service of our neighbors. Look for more at-home mission offerings in the future!

Please feel free to contact Kim Hunziker, Mission Associate, with any ideas you have about how to expand our thinking and capacity for being a good neighbor at home and throughout the world!

Haiti Mission Trip

Since spring 2000, SCPC has sponsored several mission trips to Southwestern Haiti.  This generally occurs every other October where members of our congregation spend a week working with the missionaries of the Comprehensive Development Project (CoDep).  Projects that have been worked on in the past include building fish ponds, planting trees, and assisting with the education of school children and teachers.  This has been a life-changing experience for many who have participated.  You can also participate by donating items to be taken along or with a financial contribution.  Of course, the safety of everyone involved dictates whether a team will be sent at any designated time.  Learn more about the November '07 Haiti Mission trip.

More information about Haiti and mission trips can be found at HaitiFundinc.org.

If you would like to contact someone in the church office directly, please e-mail Kim Hunziker or call her at 814-238-2422.