Towson Presbyterian Church

What does the Lord require of us? To seek justice, to love kindness and to walk humbly with the Lord. (Micah 6:8) Jesus served the people He met in many ways. He also taught people to go and serve others whom they would meet. We can follow Jesus' example, helping and serving others with the talents that God has given each of us. And we can empower one another to minister to a suffering world.

is a therapeutic residential recovery program for men who have been homeless largely due to chronic substance abuse. Operating in two former firehouses in Baltimore City, the program includes 90 beds where men live for up to two years while they address the root causes that led them to the streets and lives dictated by alcohol and drug addiction.

The Assistance Center of Towson Churches (ACTC) THANKS YOU for your continued support â€“ volunteer hours, financial and food donations. Food donations all year long are desperately needed. There are boxes for the donation of non-perishable items in the hallway outside Thompson Hall and in the Narthex coatroom in the front of the Church. The following items are needed:

Cereal
Canned Fruit
Dry milk (in quart envelopes or small packages)
Tuna
Rice
Pork and Beans
Saltines (boxes with individual packages)
Peanut Butter
Jelly
Canned meat (beef stew, chili, Spam, etc.)
Pasta meals
Macaroni and cheese
Spaghetti
Spaghetti sauce
Canned vegetables (corn, peas, green beans, etc.)
Potatoes (canned or boxed)
Soup

The Peace & Justice Committe continues to welcome all members of the congregation - and members of our community as well - to participate in our programs throughout the year. Our programs are of three types:

Some programs are aimed at educating ourselves, in the light of our Christian faith, about current affairs (local, national, and international). To that end we offer events like the Human Rights Film Festival, and invite expert speakers on issues that include healthcare reform and immigration reform.
Some programs actively respond to the Christian imperative to seek justice. For example, we continue to support the Bread for the World Offering of Letters each year, calling upon our representatives in Congress to remember the needs of the poor and hungry through specific legislation. We also support the Peace Path each September (Women in Black).
Finally, we contribute to the worship experience at TPC with contemplative programs like Peace Be With You, by offering music, art, readings, and prayers intended to restore the hearts of the peacemakers gathered in our sanctuary.

For more information, please contact Madeline Mysko (chairperson): mmysko@comcast.net

The list below represents Mission Outreach related Memorial Gifts. For Additional Memorials either as a memorial or to honor a special person Contact Susan Hossfeld at 410683 4357 or shossfeld@comcast.net

Snyder Fund -has supported projects in Honduras, Guatemala and other regions where PCUSA is involved, using the interest from the fund; Funding for Youth/adult on mission trips, average cost $300.

Heifer Project/ Honduras-each family that receives an animal, gives one to the next family, stabilizing agrarian economics and creating healthier communities-can specify almost any country. Example-Heifer $500, sheep or goat $120, trees $60, bees $30 etc.

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance-first responders wherever natural disasters occur, see www.pcusa.org/pda for listing of current sites.

Akyem Ayinase-congregation and preschool, $100 for pews, hymnals bibles and outreach.

United Church of Christ/Philippines-Molave Feeding Program-$60 feeds 300 undernourished children

Guatemala Partnership-in conjunction with Presbytery provides scholarships ($125/year) stoves ($100) and/or water filters ($40).

Home for Christmas-in addition to sending work campers to the Gulf Coast, we support the Homes for Christmas Program. Through the Presbytery of Louisiana, modest homes are being built and your gift will provide the building materials: $10-ten square foot ceramic floor; $20-five gallons flat interior wall paint; $40-one roll of insulation; $50-twenty-five 2X4 wall studs; $75-eight feet of kitchen counter tops; $100 front door; $450 mold remediation for one house; $500-sheet rock; $1000-appliances; $2000- roofing materials; $10,050 cost for a 1500 square foot home.

South Baltimore Station-shelter in Baltimore providing services for men snared by substance abuse.

Shepherdâ€™s Clinic-primary car services for underserved people in Baltimore.

Sarahâ€™s Hope-meal program and short term housing for homeless in Baltimore City.

Chesapeake Habitat for Humanity-$5000 sponsors a house built by sweat equity and the community.

Woodberry Crossing-educates urban children and families on environmental issues in Baltimore metropolitan area.

GEDCO-affordable homes in NW Baltimore for frail seniors, formerly homeless and people with psychiatric difficulties.
Eleanor D. Corner House-short term housing and services for intact families, single women and those needing convalescent care in central Baltimore.

Assistance Center of Towson Churches-help with food, medicine, housing and utilities in cooperation with DSS.

Fair Trade Coffee will once again be sold in Thompson Hall during the Fellowship Hour. Fair-traded means the beans have been brought from a cooperative venture that insures the growers receive a fair market price for their coffee. Shade-grown indicates that the coffee is grown in the shelter of larger trees, which can be specialized, such as bananas, or traditional shade trees. This sort of farming practice is not just good for migratory birds, but also for the health of the land, the farmer and his family, and the good of the planet.

By buying this coffee, we all can win three ways: we can take positive steps in active mission by working for eco-justice when we buy a fair-traded product; we can help restore and preserve Godâ€™s world; and we can all enjoy a good cup of coffee!

This coffee, grown in Central and South America and Tanzania, marketed by Equal Exchange, and endorsed by the Presbyterian Coffee Project, will be offered in convenient eight-ounce packages in a variety of roasts, including decaffeinated. Cost of each package is $5.00 for the decaffeinated, and $4.00 for all other blends.

Keep The Labels coming! We have been sending â€œCampbellsâ€ﾝ labels to the Menaul School in Albuquerque, N.M. since early 2007.

Menaul is a private school for grades 6-12 with close ties to the Presbyterian Church. Over sixty percent of their 225-250 students are Native American, Hispanic, and other minority descent. They use the labels for school supplies and equipment.

Remember, that in addition to Campbellâ€™s Soups, other brands that qualify under â€œLabels For Educationâ€ﾝ are: Pepperidge Farm bread & cookies, Goldfish crackers, etc.; Franco-American Spaghettios, gravies; Swanson broths; V8 beverages; Prego pasta sauces; Pace salsa sauces.

We only need the UPC code and the â€œLabels For Educationâ€ﾝ icon. See examples below.

Place them in the orange basket marked â€œMenaul Schoolâ€ﾝ in Thompson Hall (under the Mission Bulletin Board).