Local Missions

The Presbyterian Church has a long history of emphasizing mission activities. We believe that one of the most important ways to live into our mission and vision statements is to reach out as the hands and feet of Christ in our local community and surrounding areas as well as nationally and globally. Our annual mission budget supports ministries such as Bread of Life Outreach Center in Colden, The Rural Outreach Center in South Wales, The Salvation Army, Buffalo Peace House, Journey’s End Resettlement; Food for All, South Buffalo Community Table, Family Promise of WNY and the Genesis Center just to name a few.


The Blessing Box 

A unique way for food to get directly to those who need it the most. OPPC has a box inside the vestibule of the covered entrance of the church which stores non-perishable food items for those experiencing food shortage to simply stop and choose what they need. Those who wish to help feed the hungry are able to stop and put food directly into the Blessing Box. There is a line item in the church budget for perishable items to be purchased on a weekly basis to augment donations of non-perishable food items. The Blessing Box has been featured in the local and city newspaper, as well as a local radio station. Food and/or monetary donations can be made to "OPPC" with "Blessing Box" in the memo section are always joyfully accepted!

 

Panera Bread’s Operation Dough-Nation 

Volunteers pick up the day’s end baked goods on Tuesday nights every week and deliver to St. Luke's Mission of Mercy.


Sandwich Sunday

The third Sunday of every month is Sandwich Sunday! Everyone is encouraged to make a sandwich (or more!) and bring them along when they attend worship.  The sandwiches are transported to St. Luke's Mission of Mercy. The Good Shepherd House at St. Luke's offers folks a Sandwich, Snack and Beverage  when they arrive hungry.
 

Family Promise of WNY

Did you know that nearly 30% of the homeless population in Western New York are children? The congregation of the Orchard Park Presbyterian Church, made a decision to assist homeless families in our region in 1996, and is a founding member congregation and former host site of the Family Promise of Western New York Network.  Family Promise is a truly unique organization. Their top priority is keeping families together during their period of homelessness. Family Promise models its services on a national paradigm that brings together existing local community resources to assist with their mission to serve homeless families. Family Promise leads with trauma informed care as they offer an opportunity for families to stay together while they work on achieving lasting independence by attaining sustainable affordable housing. To find out more about Family Promise, visit http://www.fpwny.org/.

 

The Mission Workshop

Every Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. The Meeting Place is transformed into a beehive of activity as folks create gifts of warmth and love for local charitable organizations such as Project Linus, Roswell Park, Hospice, Cradle Beach and Make-A-Wish. For more information about the Workshop, please contact founder and facilitator, Lora Grinder. Be sure to watch for The Workshop's Annual Fall Bazaar when they make their handcrafted items available for sale to the public and the funds received from the sale go to purchasing materials to create items to donate locally.

 

Churches in Action

We partner with C.I.A. (Churches in Action) to help with local mission projects, including "Undies Sundays" when new underwear is collected and distributed to dozens of local organizations.

 

Ruth Huppuch Bequest Fund

The Ruth Huppuch Bequest Fund will not be accepting any applications for the 2025 year. 

National Missions

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance Program

OPPC has a history of sending volunteers to work with organizations leading relief work such as Presbyterian Disaster Assistance. We have sent an intergenerational team of college students and adults to regions in the south hit by natural disasters. Multiple teams were deployed to Louisiana in the aftermath of Katrina and other major storms in Texas, North Carolina and New Jersey as well as Western New York when flooding occurred.
Donations for Hurricane Relief Efforts can be made directly to PDA by clicking Here.


Souper Bowl of Caring

Our youth lead us in the annual Souper Bowl of Caring by collecting $1 and cans of soup the day of the Super Bowl for donations to local feeding ministries. 

 

Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service

Each January, the Martin Luther King Jr. Monday holiday is a "Day ON - not a Day OFF" for OPPC youth and adults as teams - sometimes 40 people strong - go to different agencies and organizations around the Buffalo area to stand and be counted as people who stand for a more just world.


International Missions

Friends of Kenya Rising

With a history going back to the early 2000's, Friends of Kenya Rising is a combination of two similarly-minded organizations that consolidated in 2020 so they could better support needy students and families in western Kenya. One of those charities - Crossroads Springs Africa - was founded by Alison Hyde, wife of the late Arthur Hyde, an Orchard Park Presbyterian Church member. Initially, their goal was the construction and operation of a primary school for orphans. 

Arthur asked his Pastor, Dick Young, to become a board member. OPPC got more involved in 2010, when Rev. Dick Young and his family made a pilgrimage to visit that primary school. The bond with OPPC grew quickly from there. Throughout the years since, OPPC has partnered in many ways to help Kenyan students keep learning. Some youth and young adults from OPPC have also traveled to western Kenya as part of a medical or mission team. Crossroads Springs continued on and formed a new partnership with a similar organization, called Friends of Kakamega, from Maine. The two organizations became one entity with one mission, and their name became Friends of Kenya Rising. 


Today, Friends of Kenya Rising focuses on helping children and students through their families. This is because students are most likely to succeed over the long term with support from a strong family and stable home. All students - even orphans - have some kind of family, hence the desire to empower whole families so they rise above poverty. On top of tuition scholarships, the "Family Care" program also provides training and support to students' families in agriculture, health, living conditions, sanitation, and small business. Friends of Kenya Rising provides school fees for over 330 students in high schools, universities, or vocational training programs and supports those students' families. Along with its rich history of personal exchanges in both New York and in Kenya, OPPC has also provided financial support to Friends of Kenya Rising and the entities that preceded it. The relationship between OPPC and Friends of Kenya Rising is a powerful example of impact created by OPPC's mission of compassionate service.


Please visit the Friends of Kenya Rising website, www.friendsofkenyarising.org, to find out more about the organization and ways that you can help make a difference.


Congo Leadership Initiative

In 2009, while college student and OPPC supported member Nathaniel Houghton, visited the leaders of the Presbyterian community in Kinshasa, Congo and gained insight about the root causes of Congo's underdevelopment. Nate subsequently founded the Congo Leadership Initiative (CLI), a nonprofit organization that develops the next generation of leaders to be catalysts for peace and prosperity in Congo. CLI's flagship Leadership Institute — a 50-hour program that uses a combination of theory and practice-based training — equips Congolese youth with a range of skills related to leadership and entrepreneurship. After graduating, youth are eligible to receive funding from CLI to make positive change in their communities. Young leaders work in teams to launch major projects. They receive low interest micro-loans for a small business or community service project where they put their newfound skills and values into practice.
 

The ten year anniversary of the creation of the Congo Leadership Initiative in 2019 dawned with the announcement by Nate to name Robert Kumkum, Head of Programming and Emmanuel Baraka, Head of Microfinance as Co-Founders of the organization.  We are proud to have a deep and ongoing connection with CLI today and provide yearly support through the Mission Budget. For more information about CLI: https://www.congoleaders.org/who-we-are.


Denominational Offerings

Each year OPPC contributes to Presbyterian Church USA offerings:


One Great Hour of Sharing

Since 1949, One Great Hour of Sharing has provided Presbyterians the opportunity to join with millions of other Christians to share God's love with those in need. Gifts help restore hope to those affected by natural disasters through Presbyterian Disaster Association (PDA), provide food to the hungry and helping empower the poor and oppressed. To learn more, visit HERE 

 

Pentecost Offering

The Pentecost offering targets children at risk, youth and young adults. This offering provides the opportunity to encourage, develop, and support young people, as well as provide assistance to at-risk children. Our congregation designates 40% of this offering to organizations in our community.

To learn more, visit HERE 

 

Peace and Global Witness Offering

As Christians, we are called to promote peace within our families, our communities and our world. The Peace and Global Witness Offering is received on World Communion Sunday as we join with Christians around the world for unity and peace. 25% of this offering is dedicated to sustain local peacemaking ministries. 

To learn more, visit HERE

 

JOY Offering

The Christmas Joy Offering has been a cherished Presbyterian tradition since the 1930s. The Offering distributes gifts equally to the Assistance Program of the Board of Pensions and to Presbyterian-related schools and colleges equipping communities of color. The Assistance Program provides critical financial support to church workers and their families. Presbyterian-related schools and colleges provide education and leadership development while nurturing racial and ethnic heritage. To learn more, visit HERE

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