OPC Committee on Foreign Missions

The foreign missions work of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church is conducted through its Committee on Foreign Missions (composed of nine ministers and six ruling elders elected by the general assembly) as a part of the Church's total Worldwide Outreach program. Realizing that God upholds, directs, and disposes all things by his most wise and holy providence, we are committed to pursue the opportunities he presents to us to further the proclamation of the gospel to the nations, always bearing in mind that ultimately he is the one who provides the clear and focused opportunity, the necessary personnel, and the required support. The objectives for the work on each of our ten current mission fields—China, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Haiti, Japan, Kenya, Korea, Quebec, Suriname, and Uganda—are the same:

• That the gospel of sovereign redemption through the substitutionary work of Christ be proclaimed in all its fullness in all the world, not only being expressed by word but also being accompanied by the deeds of love to God and man which must flow from it.
• That the unbelieving be warned of eternal punishment and by God's grace understand the gospel, believe it, and live redeemed lives.
• That indigenous Reformed churches be established which will provide fellowship and instruction, and make the gospel known in its own culture and in others.
• That above all the one true and living God shall be praised and worshipped.
• That these objectives be sought only by means that are in accord with the Scriptures, both means and end thereby producing the overall objective, the glory of God. 

Rev. Jonathan Falk's presentation at Memorial OPC on Christ's Work in Uruguay: [mp3 file].
For more information, see the OPC web page on foreign missions.

OPC Home Missions and Church Extension

"Home Missions has been a vital part of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church since her inception. The first General Assembly erected the Committee on Home Missions and Church Extension. Before that Assembly completed its business, the Committee met for the first time. Within six months, the first home missionary was on his way to Washington, D.C."

"The Committee is composed of nine ministers and six ruling elders, elected to three-year terms by the General Assembly."

"The Committee sees its work as that of assisting the sixteen presbyteries in their establishment and care of new churches throughout North America. It is the presbyteries which authorize the beginning of new mission works and oversee their progress and development. It is the presbyteries which approve and call qualified men to work as church planters. The Committee stands in support of the presbyteries' work."

For more information see the OPC web page on Home Missions

OPC Short-Term Missions 

David Nakhla, an elder at Calvary OPC in La Mirada, California, has recently started as the OPC's first full-time missions coordinator. David has served as a short-term missionary on three OP mission fields as well as has been involved with short-term opportunities in North America.

Every year church groups have been contacting Home Missions and ask where they might send teams for a week or two to help congregations in need in North America. Ross Graham, Home Missions general secretary, often connects the groups with OP churches in Key West, Florida; Neon, Kentucky; or other locations so the teams might help with construction projects and in running vacation Bible school programs. According to Graham, their efforts to arrange short-term ministries were "somewhat clumsy and informal."

At the same time, OP members served as short-term missionaries on the mission field, often building hospitals and missionary housing or helping the missions with English as a Second Language camps and vacation Bible schools. The Foreign Missions staff often has been bogged down helping groups get passports, visas, and medical evacuation insurance and serving as a conduit to match the volunteers' skills to the needs on the mission field.

To read more on this opportunity to serve see the OPC web page on Short Term Missions

Paraguay

In addition to the missions we support through the denomination, our congregation has special interest in work being done in Paraguay by "our own" Daniel Hough and his family. Daniel and his wife Sarah, have five children.

Daniel has been serving as a Missionary Associate with SIM in Caazapa, Paraguay beginning in 2006. They have been working alongside the Church, reaching out to the unreached youth in the Caazapa area in evangelistic and discipleship ministry. 

They returned to the U.S. and Rochester in February 2010 for a year-long furlough. We enjoyed having them spend time with us again, even though they did spend quite a bit of time "on the road." Their schedule involved some speaking engagements on the work in Paraguay and of course included reports to their supporters in other areas of the country. 

To hear the presentation Daniel made here at Memorial Presbyterian (May 16, 2010) download the MP3 audio file.
(There is also a Microsoft PowerPoint slide show available upon request. You can use our Contact Form or speak to R.Marriott)

Daniel related that... "The [usual] standard of success for a first term missionary is survival! Namely, get a good handle on the language and culture and make one Paraguayan friend."  

And thus far God has seen fit to bless the Houghs' ministry in other areas also.

• Learned languages: Spanish and Guarani
• Made Paraguayan Friends
• Started Two New Youth Groups
• Trained Three New Worship Teams
• Weekly Kids Club
• Sunday School
• Encouragement Ministry
• Camps
• Volleyball Outreach
• Training of Youth Leaders
• Training of Camp Leaders
• Small Group Discipleship
• Camp Ministry

Their plan is to live in a small community near some property recently purchased for a camp ministry, and to use that as a base of operations.

Minstry goals for the next term (2011–2013):
To equip LOCAL CHURCHES to reach their youth through:

• Leadership Development
• Camping Ministry  
• Special Events
• Guest Speaking
• Local Discipleship and Mentoring

The Hough's Ministry Updates:
    January 2011 (in pdf format)
    February 2011 (in pdf format)
    March 2011 (in pdf format)
    April-May 2011 (in pdf format)
    June 2011 (in pdf format)
    August 2011 (in pdf format)

Other Missions

“Come Over and Help”   "...an organization committed to providing aid to churches and christians in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. Our foundation is the Bible, which is the Word of God. COAH adheres to the revealed truths and principals in that Word in accord with the Three Forms of Unity (Heidelberg Catechsim, Canons of Dordt, Belgic Confession) and the Westminster Confession."

Compass Care Pregnancy Services is an organization "dedicated to helping women who are facing unplanned pregnancies. The professionals at CompassCare Pregnancy Services recognize that this is one of the most difficult decisions you will ever make.
The Patient Advocates and Nursing Staff at CompassCare are dedicated to providing you with all of the information that you need to make an informed choice about your pregnancy."

Middle East Reformed Fellowship (MERF)   "...a religious, non-profit and non-political charitable organization, serving in the Middle East on behalf of Reformed Family of Churches and believers worldwide. It is for those who are committed to proclaim the historic Christian faith as expressed in the early ecumenical creeds and the confessions of the Reformation."

Rochester Christian School "At Rochester Christian School we believe that knowledge of God and a life of faithful and joyous service to God begins in the home and is furthered in the school and the church. We believe one of the most important things parents can do is to provide a good Christian education for their children, and that the Christian school is an extension of the Christian home."

Rochester Family Mission  "Rochester Family Mission was founded in 1927 and is a Christian outreach organization called to serve and strengthen the family by meeting both material and spiritual needs. We share the good news of Jesus Christ while we care for families by reaching out in Christian love to meet spiritual and practical material needs. We focus primarily on the inner city of Rochester, NY.  On emphasis is on helping families in the southwest neighborhoods.  We address urgent needs for food, clothing referrals, heat and electric assistance referrals, and counseling services. This gives us an opportunity to address their deeper needs for Jesus Christ who changes lives. RFM has been faithfully providing food for families and clothing referrals for children within the city of Rochester. The faithful contributions of supporting churches, individuals and organizations are helping to meet some of the basic material needs in our community.  Some might think that RFM touches families at the holidays, but we meet urgent needs every day of the year."

Rochester Open Door Mission "The Open Door Mission is a Christian Rescue Mission founded to provide for the spiritual and physical needs of the impoverished and homeless men, women and children of Rochester, NY by restoring hope and changing lives. The following programs are offered by the Open Door Mission: Men's Emergency Housing, Soup Kitchen (Open to the Public), Christain Life Recovery Program (CLRP), and Clothing Distribution Program."

Rochester Reformed Missions Conference (December 4-5, 2010)

If you missed the conference, you can still listen to the audio from these presenters: