English as a Second Language
September 9, 2024 – May 15, 2025
Missions
A Christ Centered, MISSION MINDED Family "Love your neighbor as you love yourself." These words of Jesus invite us into a life of service and care for those around us. At SPC, we define mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ by the sharing of God's love and hope through word and deed - serving the people of the world with our presence, our resources, and our tangible care.
We believe following Jesus into the world literally means that we want to serve Christ anywhere and everywhere we can, in our local communities and across the globe. For some this will mean getting on an airplane and traveling outside the country. For others this will mean serving weekly dinners to the hungry. In these ways we are joining in Christ's work in our world.
Response Opportunities
ISSAQUAH FOOD AND CLOTHING BANK
The Issaquah Food and Clothing Bank provides support to hundreds of families each week. Over the past year, the numbers have grown to 500 families a week during self-select shopping hours and 215 families a week for grocery delivery. SPC continues to closely partner with IFCB during this time of increasing need for basic food and hygiene items.
To help further support this growing need, SPC is beginning a monthly food drive for high priority items that have been specifically requested by IFCB for their clients. Please click HERE to see the list of items for this month and bring your donations to SPC on Sundays. Due to storage limitations, please bring only the listed items.
If you would like more information on other ways to support IFCB please visit
https://issaquahfoodbank.org/donate.
For volunteer opportunities, visit
https://issaquahfoodbank.org/volunteer.
For further information or questions about the Issaquah Food Bank, please email Dawn Goehner at goehner@comcast.net
The crisis in Ukraine has not only shattered peace but has also caused an enormous humanitarian crisis. At SPC we believe that as Christians we are called to respond in times just like these. And you can join us in responding to this crisis. Presbyterian Disaster Assistance has trusted, established partners in Eastern Europe who are right now assisting refugees coming across Ukraine’s borders. Follow this link to find out more and support these efforts.
SYRIA/TURKEY EARTHQUAKE RESPONSE
On the morning of February 6th two large earthquakes and many aftershocks devastated parts of southeast Turkey and northwest Syria. Thousands have been killed and many more have been left homeless by the destruction. On top of this, the region has already been struggling with other issues, such as the years long war in Syria that has destroyed most of the infrastructure and unusually fierce winter storms that have hampered both countries. SPC’s mission partner, World Relief, is on the ground in both Turkey and Syria and is working through their network of local churches to bring immediate aid and supplies to those impacted by this tragedy. If you would like to help World Relief in their efforts, we invite you to donate HERE and also join us in praying for our brothers and sisters in the region.
Local Outreach
We always look for ongoing ways to serve Christ and others in our neighborhoods and local community. Here are some ways you can join us.
ESL CLASSES
Join with other students and teachers to learn English TOGETHER! Make friends and practice English conversations. We meet Mondays and Thursdays 9:30-11:00am, both online and in person. We follow the Lake Washington School District academic calendar for closures.
There is a one-time registration fee of $30 for each student.
If you have questions, contact gjones@spconline.org.
FOOD & CLOTHING BANK
The Issaquah Food and Clothing Bank is committed to providing quality food, clothing and other items to hundreds of families each week in our community, and SPC has the opportunity to be a part of this effort. Each Sunday food can be dropped off in Sanctuary Hall, and we will deliver the items to the food bank.
LIFE WIRE
LifeWire provides programs and services to victims of abuse, with a path from domestic violence and homelessness to self-sufficiency. LifeWire is the largest domestic violence service provider in the state with confidential emergency shelter, transitional shelter, supportive housing services, mental health counseling, advocacy, support groups, education and training.
Missions We Support
Kati: Global Frontier Missions, Atlanta, GA
Kati is able to equip, train, and mobilize missionaries to the long-term field in the 10/40 Window, while simultaneously having hands-on access to cross-cultural ministry opportunities in the refugee resettlement community in Georgia. Kati hopes to move to the Middle East for long-erm work in the next five years.
World Vision Child Sponsorship
There are roughly 250 children sponsored by SPC families in Mahlalini, Eswatini (formerly Swaziland). Through child sponsorship SPC’ers are able to have a personal relationship with the child they sponsor while helping World Vision to do their best work of bringing water to a community, improve the schools, and bring better resources to their health care clinics.
You can choose a sponsor child at church or online below.
Team World Vision
SPC is in its 5th year of joining up with Team World Vision, where athletes of all abilities train for the Seattle Rock ‘n Roll Marathon/Half Marathon and raise funds on behalf of World Vision, the largest nongovernmental provider of clean water in the world! 236 participants from SPC have raised 260,000 in response to the clean water crisis. The missions department encourages the team’s fundraising efforts with a matching gift. Our fundraising supports WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) projects primarily in Kenya, Malawi, Zambia, and Ethiopia.
Stay tuned for announcements about our new team forming in December.
Wine to Water
Wine to Water programs in Nepal continue to be focused in communities located in the municipality of Madi, which is on the southern border of Nepal and India. In these areas people are suffering from a lack of access to groundwater, which has caused many difficulties, including villagers walking great distances for contaminated water. SPC has been supporting this Nepal project with Wine to Water since 2017. In addition, we have hosted two filter builds where filters are assembled and shipped to Wine to Water for distribution.
Hebron Community Projects
HCP is a non-profit organization founded to serve as a catalyst for positive change in this community that is marked by poverty, alcoholism, crime and a high incidence of HIV/AIDS. Through a partnership with our congregation, HCP has built a Life Center and a soccer field to create community where people can come together for learning, growing and sports activities. For more information, please visit www.hebroncp.org.
H.U.G. (Help Us Grow)
Hug is in Western Cape, South Africa. They are devoted to helping vulnerable communities living in the most precarious circumstances. HUG provides childcare for 75 children, ages 6 mo-6 years. At their Nutrition Centre, they provide three meals per week for 45-65 of the most marginalized children. This enables them to build relationships with these lost children, and connect them with social workers and educational institutions. HUG also cares for 16 elderly people in an assisted living program. SPC has been supporting HUG for five years.