Central Presbyterian Church
Deliberately diverse and fully inclusive

Missions of Central Presbyterian Church

Central Presbyterian is proud to support the following programs by supplying funding and volunteers:

Outreach Programs

Central Presbyterian makes its facilities available to the following organizations:

CPC's Mission Partner in Malawi, Rev. Mary Catherine Day

Kay was appointed as a PC(USA) mission co-worker in July 2009, and became a mission partner of CPC in November 2009. She serves in Malawi at the invitation of the Blantyre Synod of the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian (CCAP).

She is the synod chaplain, a companion and minister to fellow ministers who each serve, due to a severe clergy shortage, an average of four congregations. She also prepares continuing education opportunities for ministers in the synod. In addition, Kay is the administrator of the Chigodi Women's Centre and serves as facilitator for the Blantyre Synod partnership with the PC(USA)'s Pittsburgh Presbytery.

You might want to read more about Rev. Kay Day, read the letters from Kay, or read Kay's blog (New Site! June 2010)

Foundation for the Homeless and IHN

For more than fifteen years, Foundation for the Homeless has mobilized the resources of the faith community to alleviate the suffering of Austin's homeless. By building relationships between homeless families with children and volunteers from local congregations, FFH helps families achieve and sustain independence. Interfaith Hospitality Network, a major program of the Foundation, provides shelter, meals, hospitality in the churches to help families in crisis. Central Presbyterian and other churches serve as hosts to three or four families one week, each quarter.

Front Steps and The ARCH

Front Steps, based on the belief that all people deserve the dignity of a safe place to call home, seeks to end homelessness by providing shelter, affordable housing, and community education. Front Steps manages the Austin Resource Center for the Homeless (ARCH), provides housing through the First Steps program, and also operates the Central Texas Recuperative Care Center.

English as a Second Language for Refugees
AAIM holds English as a Second Language (ESL) classes for legally documented adult refugees at different times and locations convenient to clients 6 days a week. (Classes are held at Central Presbyterian, 4 days a week.)

Hands On Housing
Volunteers help renovate the homes of the elderly, the physically disabled and low income residents. These work days usually take place one spring and one fall weekend.

Community Mentoring Network
Volunteers, providing mentoring and support, are paired with first-time youth offenders in the juvenile justice system. Training is provided, and a six-month commitment is requested.

Crop Walk
AAIM is the local sponsor, and Central Presbyterian participates with walkers supported by pledges from members of the congregation. Crop Walk feeds hungry people around the block and around the world. The donations are given to Church World Service for worldwide hunger relief, and a portion is retained in Austin for a selected agency.

Downtown Cluster
A geographical breakdown of AAIM, the Downtown Cluster representatives meet monthly to find solutions to problems in the Central Austin area. In addition to Central Presbyterian Church members, Cluster representatives include those from St. Mary's Cathedral, First Baptist, St. David's Episcopal, Central Christian, First Methodist, Austin Resource Center for the Homeless and Travis County agencies.

The Care Communities

The Care Communities (a non-profit 501(c)3 charitable organization), formerly known as Interfaith Care Alliance, was formed in 1991 by dedicated people of faith who wanted to provide practical and compassionate support to those living with AIDS in the Austin area. As we grew, we expanded our focus to include other serious illnesses, such as cancer. The Care Communities primarily provides Care Team services to those who are suffering from cancer and AIDS.

Christmas International House

During the Christmas holidays, Christmas International House (CIH) provides two weeks of hospitality to international students studying at universities in the United States. Central Presbyterian and Covenant Presbyterian Church members participate in this program, serving as hosts and providing a variety of activities and sightseeing opportunities. CIH witnesses to the reality that, behind diverse manners of dress, religious affiliations and political ideologies, everyone stands together as one human family.

Refugee Services of Texas

Refugee Services of Texas provides comprehensive resettlement and social services to international refugees, asylees and victims of trafficking in Austin. RST is committed to serving and advocating for the rights of the uprooted and displaced people in the world.

Samaritan Center for Counseling and Pastoral Care

The Samaritan Center for Counseling and Pastoral Care, an interfaith ministry, promotes wholeness and healing by offering affordable services that integrate the mental, spiritual, emotional, physical, and community dimensions of life. The Center's staff is sensitive to spiritual issues, but the Center is not a sectarian agency and does not impose religious concepts on its clients.

Presbyterian Children's Homes and Services

Founded in 1903, PCHAS provides a variety of Christ-centered services to children and families in need. Residential and group foster homes are provided for children, birth to seventeen. An Advanced Education Program provides direction and support for those children who go on to attend college, trade or technical school. With the goal of family preservation, Presbyterian Children's Homes and Services has Child and Family Programs providing support services to families in crisis, right in their own homes.

Denominational and Ecumenical Ministries Supported by Central Presbyterian

Activities that Further the Mission of CPC

Share the Love Mission Fair

An annual event sponsored by Central Presbyterian, the Share the Love Mission Fair recognizes and honors the outreach programs and hands-on ministries in the Austin area. Caregivers prepare table-top exhibits to display through brochures, posters their projects and programs. Representatives are available to answer questions. The Fair is held on the Sunday prior to Valentine's Day in February.

Education

The Social Issues Class meets each week. Timely, thought-provoking subjects in our fast-paced world are explored. There are lively discussions regarding local and world events. Class members steer the direction of the class. Leadership includes outside experts, class member presentations and book reviews.
— You might want to read the Social Issues blog!

Special Offerings

Central Presbyterian participates in four Special Offerings of Presbyterian Church (USA):

Central Presbyterian Church, 200 E. 8th St, Austin TX 78701
(512) 472-2445