The mission principles laid out in First Presbyterian's Statement of Purpose are put into action in a wide variety of ways, providing opportunities for hundreds of members to become actively involved in their particular mission passion.

A range of mission task forces develop and implement special projects in the community and abroad, including medical mission, building projects, tutoring programs, peacemaking and more.

In addition, First Presbyterian has long supported a number of existing aid programs in our community with our energies as well as our funds.

Several times a year First Presbyterian joins with all Presbyterian churches, or with both Presbyterian and other denominations, in taking special collections for specific world-wide needs. These include:

One Great Hour of Sharing

Since 1949, Presbyterians have joined with millions of other Christians through One Great Hour of Sharing to share God's love with people experiencing need. Our gifts support ministries of disaster response, refugee assistance and resettlement, and community development that help people find safe refuge, start new lives and work together to strengthen their families and communities. Funds for One Great Hour of Sharing are divided among three programs:

* Presbyterian Hunger Program supports ministries working to alleviate hunger and eliminate its causes, responding with compassion and justice to poor and hungry people in local communities, in the nation and throughout the world, as well as ministries addressing homelessness and affordable housing.

* Presbyterian Disaster Assistance supports disaster response and ministries with refugees.

* Self-Development of People supports partnerships with groups of people who are oppressed by poverty or social systems, who want to take charge of their own lives, have organized to do something about their own condition, and have decided what they need to do to produce long-term benefits for themselves.

Church World Service Blankets+

Some 8,000 congregations and groups across the U.S. hold Church World Service Blankets+ (Blankets Plus) events, providing funds to help people in need around the world, including the U.S. For over 60 years, CWS has worked in partnership with local communities to identify their needs, and access the resources they need to build a foundation for a more viable future, including:

* Blankets, tents, food and other emergency supplies in the wake of a disaster.

* Tools and seeds for refugees returning home to replant their fields.

* Wells for families living in drought-prone areas to provide clean, safe water to drink and to irrigate crops and gardens.

* Literacy training and microcredit for women struggling to realize their potential.

Pentecost Offering

The Pentecost Offering is traditionally received on the day of Pentecost. It provides a direct way to meet the needs of children at risk, youth, and young adults. congregations are encouraged to keep 40 percent of the Offering to support ministry with children at risk in their communities. The General Assembly's portion (60 percent) provides leadership development opportunities for Presbyterian youth and young adults and supports children-at-risk programs at the national level. Since 1998, Presbyterians of all ages have raised over $7 million for these ministries that benefit younger members of God's family.

First Presbyterian Church of Ann Arbor

Christmas Eve Offering

Each year the First Presbyterian Mission Committee designates a mission fund to receive all contributions (not otherwise marked) collected during the four Christmas Eve services. Last Christmas the money was given to the Haiti School of Nursing in Leogane. Members of First Pres were instrumental in starting the school, which is the first 4-year baccalaureate nursing school in Haiti, and the first nursing school to accept men as well as women. It opened in 2005 and graduated its first class in January 2009. The school has 127 students and will graduate another class in a few months.

Four major hurricanes struck Haiti last year. While the school and its students weathered the storms, some students were unable to get to Leogane because of washed out roads and bridges. FSIL students worked with flood victims in many mobile clinics along with several doctors from the Port-au-Prince Rotary Club, doing mission among their own people. The School of Nursing was selected last year because of its exceptional value to the people of Haiti and the fact that several unpredictable factors, including storm damage, led to dramatically increased costs for the school.