Partner Missions
     Christ's Church supports mission work of both the Methodist and Presbyterian denominations. Teri and Evelyn Erbele serve as ministers to the United Methodist Church in Ketchikan, Alaska. They send a newsletter several times a year. Equal donations are made to the Presbyterian Frontier Fellowship with missionaries around the world.

Local Missions
     Christ's Church members have a broad based view of mission work. We also are involved in mission work on a local level. Missions is defined as activities/time spent in service to others.

"The mission of Christ's Church Methodist and Presbyterian United is to discover, proclaim and share the love of Jesus Christ through prayer and worship, ministry, service and our actions as individuals."  Adopted by the Church Board ca 1998 and frequently restated during Sunday worship

     We are a Stephen's Ministry church. Stephen's Ministry is a one on one caring partnership of emotional support, prayer and care for those struggling with illness, personal hardships, or tough situations who would like someone to talk with. Various members of our church have been trained in the Stephen's Ministry program to assist you. If you are interested in talking with a Stephen's Minister, please contact the church office (503-838-1724).

Missions Beyond
     Mission more narrowly defined includes outreach beyond the local church.  Mission for Christ's Church has included Youth Mission Trips to Alaska; Tijuana, Mexico; and San Francisco.  Local "Mission Trips" have included painting a church in Dundee, remodeling a Hispanic church in Woodburn, and painting and remodeling the campus ministry building and the local food bank.  Adult Mission Trips have included Ukraine, Alaska, Kenya, Mississippi to clean up and rebuild after hurricane Katrina and most recently two trips to Tanzania in eastern Africa.

     Mission is easier defined by the number of trips, the locations of mission and perhaps even the uniqueness of the culture. The purpose of mission remains about people and their relationships with each other and with God. One's presence always affects the story but often the traveler is the observer of change and growth.

One time when some youth traveled to Tijuana they were astounded by the poverty in the area around the church especially when they walked a small child home and discovered the child was alone sleeping outside in the backyard of a one room home.

Or the time an African teenager returned to hug a traveler a year later with a big long hug and tears in her eyes.

Or the time the Methodist bishop spoke in Africa of monies from children in eastern Russia to help build a school; monies from pictures painted by the children with supplies from a trip to Alaska.

Blogs and journals of some of these trips are available online. For more about the trip to Mississippi or to Tanzania, use these links.

Ongoing Mission
     Distance mission trips are planned when a need or an opportunity presents itself. Routine outreach into the communities include members working with the Polk Community Free Clinic, the Ella Curran food bank, the Interfaith Hospitality Network and Meals on Wheels. In months with five Sundays, many of the congregants participate in Fifth Sunday which is an outreach with community service.