MISSIONS
Our mission statement is to make, mobilize, and multiply disciples of Christ to be faithfully present on the North Shore and around the world. Local and global outreach tie directly to our mission statement and allow us to live out Jesus' command in Acts 1:8: to be "witnesses in Judea, Samaria, and to all the ends of the earth."
COMMUNITY OUTREACH
We currently support the following local organizations with finances and other resources:
Dedicated to providing short term housing and case management for homeless families on the North Shore.
Focused on serving the needs of minors who are imprisoned or recently released from prison.
A sanctuary for those who have been rescued out of high control destructive groups or cults.
A safe home for women who have experienced sex trafficking.
Serving the needs of college students at Salem State University, Endicott College, and Montserrat College of Art.
GLOBAL MISSIONS
We’re partnered with our sending church, First Presbyterian Church in Ipswich, MA, for global missions. To learn more about Global Missions at our church, check out this video.
Epicenters
Our global missions efforts are focused in three strategic geographical locations or “epicenters": Arab World, East Asia, and Bangladesh.
Global Missions Values
Gospel-Centered
We seek to be faithful to the spreading of the gospel message so that more people would come to know the salvation of Christ across the world.
Recklessly Dependent
We believe that God calls us away from the status quo and to take risks by faith in his strength for the sake of his eternal Kingdom.
Altogether Integrated
We believe that global missions is not simply a compartmentalized ministry exclusively for specialists; rather, global missions should involve a comprehensive involvement from all of the members of our congregation.
Strategically Focused
By refining our direction through prayer, a Biblical assessment of global needs, and our church’s unique calling, our church seeks to focus our global missions sending, praying and giving in three strategic areas (“Epicenters”): the Middle East, Bangladesh, and China.
Passion for God's Glory
Ultimately, we are fueled by a desire to extend the worship of God among the nations.
Get Involved
-
Attend the annual Global Missions Conference
-
Receiving missionary newsletters
-
Serving on the Global Missions Team
-
Giving toward Faith Promise (You must indicate that you are designating your gift toward ‘Global Missions, Faith Promise’). All of our financial support for our work is mainly raised through our annual Faith Promise giving. Once a year, during our Missions Conference week, we ask our congregation to pledge financial commitments beyond what they give to our regular annual budget. These pledges collectively become our Faith Promise, or missions budget, for the year. For the safety of many of our international missionaries serving in areas that are hostile to the gospel of Jesus Christ, we do not list their names or organizations on our website.
-
Short-term Trips | Whether you have been given the gifts of mercy and justice, a college student looking for a missions internship, or looking to use your business skills for the Kingdom of God; there are a multiplicity of needs and opportunities to serve internationally.
-
Mid/Long-term | Ultimately, we are praying to identify, train, and send individuals and/or families to serve long-term in one of our Epicenters. If you are interested in long-term missions or have any questions, please reach out!
-
Browse mid- and long-term opportunities with MTW.
-
MTW 1 % Campaign: Our denomination’s missions organization, Mission To the World (MTW), recently began a campaign to challenge every PCA congregation to pledge 1% of their members to global missions. Center Grace and FPC have joined this 1% pledge and we would ask that you pray for God to raise up global missionaries in our congregation and congregations across the world. You will hear more information about the 1% campaign in the coming months leading up to the global missions conference.
2023 SHORT TERM
MISSION OPPORTUNITIES
The Global Mission Team is planning a few short-term missions trips in 2023. If you are interested in going on one of the trips, please reach out to the leaders below.
The trips are as follows:
GREECE
The goal is to be the “hands and feet” for the Greek church/Christian organization who work with Muslim refugees. The trip will be June 23 or 24 through July 3rd of 2023. We also want to have a few days to visit, encourage and help distribute Bibles with Angela and Meletis Meletiadis, our missionaries in Greece. Dan Oh is the team leader. Lilyan Souza will be a point person at Center Grace.
JAPAN
Lily Souza is leading a team to Japan to encourage and to pray for local missionaries. We will be partnering with Missions to the World (MTW) of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), our church's denomination. The team plans to go mid July of 2023. Team leader: Lilyan Souza. An informational lunch will be held on February 12th following the service for those interested.