Vol. 4: No. 4
April 29, 2015

In this issue:
Preparing with Prayer
Earthquake in Nepal 
STM Trip to Nozomi Center in Japan
Handy Volunteers Needed in St. Augustine, FL
Work Teams Needed at the Boardwalk Chapel
Teach English to College Students in Asia
"English for Teens" Bible Camping Trip in Quebec
Serve at the Boardwalk Chapel
Help Present VBS in Middletown, PA
Help Present VBS in Schenectady, NY
Help Present VBS in Middletown, DE
Help with Peach Festival Outreach
Help Refurbish Church Building in Utah
Teach English to South Korean Missionaries
English Cafe Evangelism in Quebec
Year-Round Opportunities for Service in Uganda
Evangelism Training in Key West

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Preparing with Prayer 

by David Nakhla

Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.
Col 4:2 (ESV)

The importance of prayer is not something we dispute in our circles. Yet, too often, prayer is the last thing on our “to do” list.  For those preparing to participate in short-term missions (STM) this summer, prayer ought to be a vital component of their planning process.  Our churches, too, can be actively involved in this important preparatory work as they anticipate sending out STM teams.

One missions organization, SIM-USA, suggests the following list of prayer requests for Short-Term Mission participants:

Safety Issues:

• Pray for physical protection (Ps 121:5-8)
• Pray for emotional and spiritual protection (Eph 6:10-18)

Growth Issues:

• Pray for spiritual growth (Phil 3:10-11)
• Pray for growth in their ability to trust God (Prov 3:5-6 / James 1:2-4)
• Pray for them to trust the Lord to provide their financial support (Phil 4:19)
• Pray for a devotion to prayer (Col 4:2)
• Pray for the bearing of spiritual fruit (Gal 5:22-23)
• Pray for a Christ-like attitude toward servanthood (Phil 2:1-8)
• Pray for a commitment to unity with other believers (John 17:20-21)
• Pray for a commitment to love other believers (John 13:34-35)
• Pray for an increased missionary vision (John 4:34-35)

Ministry Issues:

• Pray for appreciation of and sensitivity to their host culture. (I Cor 9:19-23)
• Pray for a genuine love for the people to whom they minister (I Thess 2:8)
• Pray for open doors for ministry (Col 4:3-4)
• Pray for boldness in witness (Eph 6:19)
• Pray for them to effectively report back to their churches after their return. (Acts 14:27)

Click below to download an STM prayer guide.

Earthquake in Nepal 

Many in the church have been asking if the OPC has a conduit for participating in bringing relief to those who have been affected by the 7.8 magnitude earthquake that shook Nepal this past Saturday. Currently there are no known OPC contacts currently in Nepal.  However, as affiliated opportunities to respond arise in which we may participate, they will be posted to the OPC Disaster Response Facebook page.

It is an encouragement to see the diaconal concern and care of OPC members exhibited in the persistent desire to demonstrate compassion toward those suffering, even in such far away places.  Pray for those in the church who are able to participate in responding to the needs there, and that, even through this most difficult time of sorrow and death, the Lord might at this time draw many unto himself.

May 2nd Deadline to Apply:
Summer 2015 STM Trip
to Nozomi Center in Japan  

2014 Presbytery of Ohio Team in Japan

Disaster relief work continues in Japan, four years after the Tsunami of March 2011.  The Presbytery of Ohio Foreign Missions Committee invites you to apply to be part of a 7-person team that will serve alongside our missionaries in Japan from July 29 to August 10, 2015, at the Nozomi (Hope) Center in Yamamoto-cho, a cooperative relief center sponsored by the Reformed Church in Japan and the Orthodox Presbyterian Church.  

You must be at least 18 years old by July 29, 2015, to apply to serve on this team.  Deadline to apply is May 2, 2015.

Projects will include:

• Assisting the largely agricultural community and neighborhood around Yamamoto with various outdoor manual labor projects
• Hosting a BBQ lunch for the community
• Assisting with kid’s Bible camp

Contact:
Rev. Ken B. Montgomery
kenbmontgomery@yahoo.com

Get all the details by clicking below:

May 2015:
Handy Volunteers Needed
in St. Augustine, FL 

The congregation of Covenant Presbyterian Church in St. Augustine, Florida, is in the final stages of acquiring a vacated property to serve as their new church building!  They have “a ton of renovations to do” and would welcome the help of handy volunteers from the OPC who would enjoy a working getaway to this beautiful coastal city!

Projects will include:

• Relocating a wall
• Rough carpentry and finish carpentry
• Interior painting
• Removing old carpet
• Lay new flooring (4,800 sq. feet  of tile)
• Replacing deteriorating wood on gable ends and overhang
• Landscaping
• Erecting aluminum carports
• Light plumbing

Work visits are currently being scheduled for May. For details on accommodations and unique local attractions, click on the link below!

Contact:
Walter Muller
Deacon and overseer of the renovation project
wdmuller@comcast.net

Get all the details by clicking below:

May 2015:
Work Teams Needed
at the Boardwalk Chapel  

The 2nd, 3rd, and 5th weekends in May are still available for volunteer workers to visit the OPC's Boardwalk Chapel in Wildwood, New Jersey, to help spruce up the Chapel and its ancillary buildings as it heads into its 71st consecutive season of ministry at the Jersey shore!  

Projects will include:

• Cleaning
• Painting
• Construction/renovation
• Plumbing

Attention Plumbers
There is great need for the help of a plumber since there are a number of things that need to be replaced or fixed!

Items Needed by Donation
Can you donate any of the following items to help refurbish the Chapel's staff housing?

• Several bar-height tables and stools for the Chapel
• Kitchen cabinets, refrigerators, and gas stoves for Dunn House (staff housing)
• Paper products for the season, such as plastic cups, napkins, and paper towels
• Indoor paints for the kitchens, bedrooms, and other areas

Contact:
Elizabeth Horst at eghorst@gmail.com
Rich Seither at trishaseither@yahoo.com

Summer/Fall 2015: 
Teach English to 
College Students in Asia 

There are exciting opportunities to teach English to college students in Asia this summer or throughout the coming school year!  Invest in the lives of college students who are uniquely positioned to impact this region of the world.

SUMMER 2015:
June 27 - August 1-3, 2015

• Volunteers who have finished their junior year of college, or mature persons who have finished their sophomore year, will be considered.
• You need to be in good health and willing to work as part of a team.
• You will teach class 1-2 hours per weekday, plus lesson preparation, homework grading, student interaction.
• Room and board is provided, but you are responsible for your airfare and spending money.

SCHOOL YEAR 2015-2016

• Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree (in any field) and be native or near-native English speakers.
• No prior teaching experience is necessary – however, applicants with a background in English, Education, or TESOL are strongly encouraged to apply.
• Applicants must raise their own support.
• Deadline to submit applications to start in the fall of 2015 is May 31, 2015.

Contact:
For further information and application forms, contact:
Rev. Douglas Clawson
Associate General Secretary
OPC Committee on Foreign Missions
clawson.1@opc.org

Get more details by clicking below:

Summer 2015:
"English for Teens" 
Bible Camping Trip in Quebec

Two to three young men with camping experience are needed to help serve as camp leaders for the annual "English for Teens" Bible Camping Trip sponsored by St. Marc's Reformed Church in Quebec (where OPC Missionary Ben Westerveld is the Pastor). 

The camping trip aims to teach the Gospel truth while meeting the interest of French-speaking teens in learning to speak English proficiently at a young age. The camp is intended for non-believing families in the larger St-Marc church neighborhood.

All participants must complete the “Application for Québec Short-Term Mission Program.”  Click below to download the 2015 application form. 

Dates:
Week of July 27, 2015

Contact:
Rev. Ben Westerveld at b_westerveld@hotmail.com
Jennifer Nelson at englishforkidsvbs.quebec@gmail.com

Get all the details by clicking below:

Summer 2015:
Serve at the Boardwalk Chapel

2014 Boardwalk Chapel Staff

Serve at the OPC's Boardwalk Chapel in Wildwood, New Jersey, this summer!

Volunteer Staff Positions
There are openings for 4 more Volunteer Staff members to serve at the Chapel from June through August this summer - testifying on the boardwalk, on the beaches, and during the nightly Chapel services.

Drummer and Guitarist Needed
A drummer and guitarist are particularly needed on the Volunteer Staff (above)!

Contact:
Rev. James A. Zozzaro at boardwalkchapel@gmail.com
Elizabeth Horst at eghorst@gmail.com

Get all the details by clicking below:

Summer 2015:
Help Present VBS in Middletown, PA

It’s been many years since Calvary OPC in Middletown, Pennsylvania, has held its VBS program!  They are currently seeking short-term volunteers to come help them resume the program this summer: evenings from July 20 to 24, 2015, with a closing program on the morning of July 25, 2015!  A curriculum has been selected from Great Commission Publications entitled, “The King is Coming.”  

Volunteers Needed to:

• Teach/lead VBS classes
• Make decorations
• Create props for skits
• Direct the skits
• Lead the music
• Run the crafts
• Oversee recreation periods

Contact:
Mr. Theron Perez
theronandsteph@gmail.com

Get all the details by clicking below:

Summer 2015:
Help Present VBS in Schenectady, NY  

Calvary OPC in Schenectady, New York, is seeking volunteers to come help them run their VBS program this summer!  Popular themes in the past were "The Sola System" (photo above) based on the Reformation Solas in an outer space setting, and "Pete's Parables" in a dude-ranch setting. This year's VBS theme will be the story of Jonah, and will be held from July 27-31, 2015.

Volunteers Needed:

• A teacher for 6-7 year-old children (an extra class is being added in order to relieve overcrowding).
• A teacher to work with games.
• Various assistants for crafts, snacks, and memory verse recitation would be helpful.
• Arriving early (Sat. July 25th) to help decorate the church would be wonderful!

Contact:
Caroline Weerstra
caroline.calvaryopc@gmail.com

Get all the details by clicking below:

Summer 2015:
Help Present VBS in Middletown, DE

Pastor Bob Harting of Grace OPC  in Middletown, Delaware, is looking for committed young people to help conduct the church's weekday-morning VBS the week of June 15-19, 2015.

• This fun-filled week of ministry from God’s Word reaches about 40-60 children, ages 3 through 14.
• Experienced teachers are in place for each class, but help is needed with every other aspect of the VBS, including recess!
• Middletown is a little over 1 hour south of Philadelphia, and about 1.5 hours from Baltimore.
• Housing, meals, pastoral oversight, activities, and side-trips will be provided for volunteers.

Contact:
Pastor Bob Harting
harting.1@opc.org

Get all the details by clicking below:

Summer 2015:
Help with Peach Festival Outreach 

Grace OPC in Middletown, Delaware, invites you to help them reach out to the community during the Annual Middletown Peach Festival, scheduled for Saturday, August 15, 2015.

The festival attracts 30,000 visitors and includes "activities for children, a local artist exhibit, historical exhibits, a peach pie contest, crafts, music, food, games, and of course – Peaches!” 

This is a great opportunity for:

• Musicians who like to perform in a casual setting
• Artists with “peach-themed” art to display
• Anyone who enjoys greeting people and sharing the love of Christ

Contact:
Pastor Bob Harting
rharting@msn.com

Get all the details by clicking below:

Help Refurbish OP Church Building
in Magna, Utah

OPC Pastor Jason Wallace of Christ Presbyterian Church in Magna, Utah, outside Salt Lake City, has established quite a presence in witnessing to the local Mormon community, especially by way of his local, weekly call-in TV show that has drawn visitors to the church. Here's an opportunity to participate in this important ministry - by helping the congregation complete renovations to their church building!

Projects include:

• Carpentry
• Drywall installation
• Painting
• Light electrical work

Contact:
Rev. D. Jason Wallace
wallace.2@opc.org

Get all the details by clicking below: