As a socially aware congregation, the Takoma Park Presbyterian Church recognizes our obligation of service to those in need. One way this service is realized is through our congregation's financial support of several agencies which directly service those in dire need throughout the world.
To spotlight our work in these areas or agencies with continueing needs, TPPC frequently schedules a "Minute for Mission" during worship.
Several within our congregation also regularly volunteer with area agencies. Below are a few of those opportunities for service. For more information, contact the committee at swac@takomaparkpc.org.
Takoma Park Presbyterian Church (TPPC) is one of many churches and synagogues in the Takoma Park-Silver Spring area that serves an evening meal at the Shepherd's Table. TPPC has a roster of over 30 members and friends of TPPC that volunteer at various times to prepare and serve dinner the first Sunday of the month, including an enthusiastic group of senior high school students. Students earn community service credit hours through volunteering at Shepherds Table.
We can always use more volunteers to help serve the first Sunday of the month. From 4 PM - 5:30 PM, we need people to help set tables, prepare salads and desserts. From 5:45 PM - 8 PM, we also need volunteers to help serve the meals, wash dishes and clean up afterwards.
If you're interested in serving at Shepherd's Table please contact Vicki Warren at Max2Allie@AOL.COM
For more information about Shepherd's Table, click here.
Four times each year, several members of our congregation join DC Cares to cook a noon meal for the homeless at Saint Stephen and the Incarnation Church in the Mt. Pleasant neighborhood of Washington, DC. Loaves and Fishes provides a variety of services to homeless men, women, and families in the DC area, providing social service assistance as well as meals for people in need.
If you're interested in cooking a meal for the Loaves and Fishes program at St. Stephen, contact Dean Hoge at dhoge@erols.com.
TPPC was a founding member congregation of SSIHC in 1991. The Coalition currently has over twenty member congregations and supports 5 projects. SSIHC is committed to providing service-enriched housing for the formerly homeless, including short and long- term transitional housing, permanent housing, and home ownership opportunities. SSIHC favors small scale, scattered-site housing in the neighborhoods of its member congregations. Each family in the SSIHC program is teamed with a mentor team of approximately 5 persons from member congregations who provide friendship and support. SSIHC owns a large single family house and a small apartment building and has an annual budget of over $200,000, with four part-time staff – an executive director, development director, case manager, and bookkeeper.
New projects for the coming year include SSIHC's first project for homeless individuals – to be known as Shepherd's House and to be located just a few blocks from TPPC – and a new family house being contributed by a local Lutheran church.
TPPC financial support for SSIHC – approximately $25,000 to date – has come from the congregation's Housing for the Homeless fund which was capitalized by proceeds from the sale of the former manse. TPPC member Ferd Hoefner for many years served as Vice President and then President of the SSIHC Board. TPPC has previously sponsored two mentor teams involving nine people. TPPC member Ruth Noel works for Friends In Action, a project of Montgomery County Community Ministries that provides training to SSIHC's mentors.
For more information on the Silver Spring Interfaith Housing Coalition, contact Executive Director Norma Jennings at 301-562-0520 or ssihc@verizon.net. Anyone interested in becoming part of a "mentor" team for a SSIHC family or individual, contact Ferd Hoefner fhoefner@msawg.org.
TPPC has been invited to join Seekers and Takoma Park Friends Meeting to collect extra food donated from the vendors at the Takoma Park Farmer's Market for the Shepherd's Table Soup Kitchen in Silver Spring. We have volunteered to handle the 3rd Sunday of the month.
It's a simple job-church members meet at 1:50 pm in front of the statue of Roscoe (near the Clock) with plastic bags and just ask the vendors for any extra food they are willing to donate.
For more information, contact coordinator Linda Borst Kolko at flamingote@starpower.net. This could be a fun family activity, or something a group of friends could easily do.
In 1996, our congregation was one of the founding churches of Ministries United Silver Spring/Takoma Park, Inc., or MUSST.
Since its beginning, MUSST, in close partnership with the Montgomery County government and the Emergency Assistance Coalition, has helped to prevent evictions, utility cut-off, and offer assistance with medical prescriptions for zip code areas 20901, 20910, 20912 and 20783. Our participation in MUSST enables us to provide assistance to individuals and families who come seeking help.
Masiki Akwei, the dynamic new program manager, says volunteers have always been at the heart of MUSST's work. On-the-job training is provided for anyone (over 18 years) who would like to volunteer. Interviewers, case workers, administrative assistants, a Web master, and a translator who can write documents in Spanish and Amharic, are all needed. If you would like to learn more, you can call the office at 301-495-4699.
Be watching also for an announcement of MUSST's April Open House and Volunteer Appreciation Day. The work of MUSST certainly extends the ministry of compassion our congregation seeks to provide in our community.
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