Missions
Presbyterian Women
We at Christ Church are very fortunate to have a vibrant Presbyterian Women’s Association. They support many local and International Missions such as The Battered Women’s Shelter, Project REBUILD, Pregnancy Support Group, and Payap Christian University in Thailand. They spearhead many drives too, including the Christmas Shoe Boxes sent to children around the world and school supplies for local inner-city schools. PW also supplies the money needed to purchase the material used for baptismal blankets and prayer shawls. You will find many Presbyterian Women helping with the numerous special receptions, lunches and dinners at Christ Church, supporting the truth that Presbyterians love to have food with their fellowship!
For more information on the Presbyterian Women in the PCUSA church visit: www.pcusa.org/pw
Mission West Trip
Every year or so, a group from Christ Church heads to the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation and its Porcupine Community, located in the southwest corner of South Dakota near Badlands National Park. Our Members have returned for 50 years to help re-build facilities and provide aid. Located in Shannon County, the community was described as “Ground Zero” of poverty in the United States when President Clinton visited it in 1999. The average income is $3600.00/year with an 85% unemployment rate. Diabetes is 350% higher than the national average; the infant mortality rate is twice the national average; and the suicide rate is 72% higher than the national rate. Our Mission West group has developed a camaraderie with the locals and has provided hope in this needy community.
Food & Clothing Ministry
On the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month many people in our surrounding community come to us for assistance. Beginning at 9:00 AM they are given an opportunity to worship God through singing and hearing an uplifting meditation. Each person meets with a volunteer from our church who prays with him or her. Then they walk through our food and clothing rooms to pick out clothing and to receive personal hygiene items and to receive bread and various protein-rich foods such as chicken and cheese.
Food, Clothing and Prayer Ministry
Mission Ministry
Though friends and members of Christ Church come from all over Northeast Ohio to participate in our worship and community life, our congregation has a special desire to be an enthusiastic and supportive member of the downtown community. This is a particularly exciting time to be an active partner in the many city-center activities, as downtown Canton is enjoying a successful and broad-based renaissance.
Our Christ Church members participate in such events as the popular First Friday. At the Farmer’s Market, Christ Church folks are likely there supporting vendors.
When major seasonal events happen around Canton, our church community is always present. Church families (including the young and mature!) provide and serve over 1,500 cups of free hot chocolate to those brave souls who celebrate Light Up Downtown on the first Thursday of every December. We are similarly involved in other annual events such as The Jazz Festival, Vintage Canton and The Hall of Fame.
Our Congregation works hard to welcome those who work in and enjoy downtown Canton into our building, our community life and our faith journey. Next time you’re downtown, stop in and enjoy some quiet prayer in Christ Chapel (open daily from 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.), attend a Noon Worship and Prayer service (Monday-Friday), or enjoy the beauty of the courtyard. There are always lots of friendly folk around to talk with, answer questions, or show you around. Also, be on the lookout for our regularly scheduled concerts or music festivals. We have entertained such guests as Apollo’s Fire, The King’s Singers, Chanticleer, Burning River Brass, Peter Richard Conte, and various members of the Cleveland Symphony Orchestra.
Habitat for Humanity
Our members have built six houses, and enjoy a working relationship with the Habitat for Humanity of Greater Stark & Carroll Counties.
Founded in 1988, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Stark & Carroll Counties is a non-profit Christian housing Ministry, working in partnership with God and people of all faiths and all walks of life, to help meet the long-term housing needs of local low-income families who are inadequately housed. It is an affiliate project of HFH International, which was founded in Americus, Georgia, in 1976, and is now operating in 1761 North American cities and more than 602 active affiliates in international areas of Africa/Middle East, Asia Pacific, Europe/Central Asia, and Latin America/Caribbean (as of Nov. 2004). HFHI is a growing ministry, both locally and throughout the world. In 1988, over 1,000 houses were built by Habitat organizations. In 1998, HFHI’s 70,000th house was built here in Canton, Ohio. This house represents Canton’s 100th house. HFHI ranks as one of the top twenty builders in the U.S. on Professional Builder’s list of the nation’s largest builders, based on housing starts, and has celebrated the completion of over 200,000 houses worldwide.
For more information visit Habitat for Humanity’s website: www.habitatstark.org
Timken Early College Mentoring
Our members are working with the Early College High School Program at Timken High School. The program is designed for students who are highly motivated to study and advance to college level academics but have little prospect to do so. We serve as mentors and friends to these select students.
Camp Wakonda
Camp Wakonda is a ministry of Christ Presbyterian Church that seeks to enable campers to:
- Experience Christian community.
- Experience their own uniqueness and personal worth.
- Experience relevant encounters with the Scriptures and Christian affirmations.
- Develop appreciation and responsibility.
Visit our Camp Wakonda page for more information.
