"I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me." (Matthew 25)

MISSION OPPORTUNITIES:

The Mission Team reminds us that the need for food continues to be critical. The first Sunday of each month is Food Collection Sunday, but gifts of nonperishable food are welcomed every Sunday. Bins are provided in the parking lot entrance of the church. Barbara Wiehe delivers the food to the Arlington Food Assistance Center.

Get Dirty, Have Fun – What more can you ask? Come join your church friends for fun times in our gardens. Our awesome green space features the Memorial Garden, various other ornamental beds, and now an AFAC Plot Against Hunger vegetable garden recently approved by the Trustees (thank you). Let us know if you are interested by signing up on the bulletin board in the parking lot entryway, or contact Louise Shutler (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) or Audrey Morris (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.). Follow our progress via our photo gallery.

ESL Classes: Winter 2020 schedule: Mondays and Thursdays, January 27 - April 2, 7 - 9 pm. We welcome volunteer teachers and all English learners who want to improve their skills. Contact Audrey Morris (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).

Recent Mission Activities

Our AFAC Plot Against Hunger garden is still producing, just not so fast. We are currently finding collards, kale, chard and parsley to harvest. The longer nights and cooler weather slowed growth considerably but mid-December saw another delivery of fresh produce to AFAC. We donated over 200 pounds during 2016 and most of those were leafy greens so although their weight is lower, they provide welcome of client meals.  To volunteer contact Audrey Morris at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

MEMORIAL TO THE LOST - For two weeks in September 2014, our congregation hosted the T-Shirt Memorial to the Lost, which consists of 176 t-shirts on cross-like stands. Each shirt represents one person in the greater DC area who was killed by handgun violence in 2013. This memorial has been an opportunity for our congregation, and all who pass our building, to remember, to respect, and to pray for these victims of handgun violence.

Ongoing Collections – Baskets in our foyer welcome donations of the following:

• Non-perishable foods and reusable shopping bags for AFAC (Arlington Food Assistance Center)
• Personal hygiene items for ASPAN (travel/hotel size very useful)
• Special collections as needed to support programs or disaster relief

ESL Classes – We host English as a Second Language classes at Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced levels for Spring and Fall semesters. Our hard-working students come from every continent! All teachers and others who make the program work are volunteers. We are part of a program in Northern Virginia coordinated by ESLIM (English as a Second Language and Immigrant Ministries). Anyone interested in participating as a student or a volunteer can see the class schedules at www.ESLIM.org. For information about our program, contact Contact Audrey Morris (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.). All are welcome!

A-SPAN Winter Shelter – We serve meals at the ASPAN (Arlington Street Peoples Assistance Network) winter shelter several times a year. To get involved, please contact Austin Wiehe at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

A-SPAN Homeless Bagged Meals Program – We assemble bagged meals to be distributed to homeless several times a year. To get involved, please contact Austin Wiehe at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Gleaning: Several times a year, a group from First Church travels to farms within the Virginia/Maryland area to assist with gleaning seasonal fruits and vegetables for AFAC.  To get involved, please contact Austin Wiehe at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Just Coffee/Café Justo – We sell coffee grown in Chiapas in southern Mexico and roasted at Frontera de Cristo near the US border. Proceeds enable families to be self-supporting, send their children to school, and life a higher quality life. Please contact Austin Wiehe at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Steve Thurston at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

Mission Support – By direct contributions we support Reverend Mark Adams at Frontera de Cristo and Andres and Gloria Garcia at Puentes de Cristo along the Mexico/U.S. border, and the University of Livingstonia in Malawi.

Alternative Christmas Market – Held close to Thanksgiving, this market offers international shopping opportunities with goods supporting various causes. Ten Thousand Villages is a regular major vendor.  

Mission Trips – In 2013, First Church sent several groups on mission trips. One multi-generational group traveled to assist with maintenance and daily chores at Haven of Rest, an inter-denominational Christian ministry in Inez, Kentucky. This center provides lodging for those visiting loved ones at the Big Sandy Federal Prison. The second group, composed entirely of youth and their chaperones, traveled to Belfast, Northern Ireland on a peacemaking mission in the troubled neighborhoods of that city. In previous years, First Church has traveled to Mexico, Costa Rica, and other locations. 

Meals on Wheels of Northern Virginia and Arlington Thrive programs have offices at First Presbyterian.