MISSION OF THE MONTH
Frontera de Cristo
Frontera de Cristo - what is it and is it legal?
Founded in 1984 by the National Presbyterian Church of Mexico and the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Frontera de Christo works to build relationships, support migrants, and address the root causes of poverty and violence across the U.S.–Mexico border. It's work is legal! And compelling!
Frontera de Cristo provides humanitarian aid, shelter, and resource coordination to migrants, refugees, and displaced individuals regardless of their legal status.
Because its primary physical service centers are located in Agua Prieta, Sonora, Mexico, much of its direct aid targets people who have recently been deported from the United States or those waiting to seek asylum.
The Reverend Mark Adams serves as the U.S. Coordinator for Frontera de Cristo. While he is permanently based on the U.S.–Mexico border in Douglas, Arizona, and Agua Prieta, Mexico, he frequently travels to speak at PC(USA) churches across the United States. FPC hosted Mark here and has consistently supported Mark Adams and his wife Miriam Maldonado Escobar in their work. Mark's life mirrors what it means to follow Jesus in our time and place.
The organization operates under a faith-based humanitarian mission rather than a legal filtering system. Here is how their work intersects with migrant care:
Direct Humanitarian Relief in Mexico
The Migrant Resource Center (MRC) and the CAME Migrant Shelter are located on the Mexican side of the border. They offer immediate relief to anyone in need, which includes:
-Deported Individuals: People who entered or lived in the U.S. without legal documentation and were subsequently removed.
-Asylum Seekers: Individuals waiting in Mexico for their legal appointments or processing to enter the U.S. legally.
ONE OF THE GIFTS of being part of the Presbyterian churches that support Mark and Miriam Adams is the reminder that we do not do ministry alone. Our congregations are connected to one another, to our communities, and to partners whose ministries help us see more clearly the joy and responsibility we have as followers of Jesus.
Please support Mark and Miriam Escobar Adams' ministry with the regular purchase of coffee from Cafe Justo and with a generous contribution to this month's Mission. Thank you, Beth Johnston, Mission Committee
Sharing God’s Love Through Giving
This November, the congregation is invited to support the Ridgewater Campus Ministry Food Pantry by collecting donations throughout the month.
As we enter a season of gratitude and giving, let’s remember our neighbors who may be experiencing food insecurity. Through our generosity, we can help provide nourishment, offer encouragement, and share God’s love with students and others who need a helping hand.
Every donation, big or small, makes a difference!
Thank you for joining us in this mission of caring for others and putting our faith into action.
There will be a collection area in the Narthex of the church!
Frontera de Cristo
The Mission Committee now sponsors Mark and Miriam Adams in their involvement in the mission called Frontera de Cristo. Based in the sister cities of Douglas, Arizona, and Agua Prieta, Sonora, Frontera de Cristo works to build relationships and understanding across borders. People often see borders as nothing more than division, but at Frontera de Cristo, borders are seen as a place of encounter. Discerning God’s will, Frontera de Cristo serves migrants and community members on both sides of the border.
By demonstrating gospel values in all that they do, Frontera de Cristo seeks to build relationships that demonstrate God’s will, and build bridges rather than walls. So many people are migrating, seeking refuge and fleeing extreme poverty and violence. Our Frontera de Cristo’s goal is not only to address their immediate needs, but also to address the root causes of mass migration, creating safe and prosperous opportunities that allow our sisters and brothers to stay in the land they call home, if they so choose.
Through the building of community-driven partnerships with ministries and secular organizations in DouglaPrieta, Frontera de Cristo offers shelter, resources, education, emotional support, medical care, and new solutions. The hope is that everyone they meet knows they are made in God’s image, they are worthy of respect, and they are welcome here.
Frontera de Cristo also partners in ministry with Café Justo. Café Justo and its sister organization, Café Justo y Mas, operate on a fair trade plus business model. By removing the middleman who purchases coffee from Mexican farmers and sells it to large American corporations, our fair trade plus system creates an opportunity for farmers to be in control of the process from start to finish. From harvesting, to roasting, to packaging, all the way to your doorstep, the cooperative’s partners are involved. This optimizes the farmers’ profits in a way that creates a just and livable income, eliminates their need to head north seeking work, and allows them to stay on their land with their families. Frontera de Cristo has been proud to serve as a partner with Café Justo since its establishment in 2003 and with Café Justo y Mas since its opening in 2016, watching one man’s dream become a reality that provides new life for many through both.
Frontera de Cristo website: http://fronteradecristo.org/
Café
Justo Ministry partner info: http://fronteradecristo.org/cafe-justo/
Family Promise of
Kandiyohi County
Family Promise of Kandiyohi County is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization which finds its origin from a national organization stemming from Summit, New Jersey. We are one of approximately 200 affiliates found in 43 states and Washington D.C. FPKC has partnered with 12 local congregations (and 13 support churches) to provide shelter, meals and hospitality to homeless families within the Willmar/Kandiyohi County area. Our goal is to do whatever we can to assist homeless families gain emergency shelter, daily meals, and partner with local agencies to equip families with the skills they need overcome homelessness. We believe that families need a “hand up,” not just a “hand out.”
Check out more of what Family Promise is and offers at their website:
Blessing Box
We, at the First Presbyterian Church, have placed a Blessing Box at the front of our church at 316 Sixth Street SW in downtown Willmar and we are seeking donations from you and others to help our brothers and sisters in need. The following is a list of suggested supplies: Food items (non-perishable) -- canned goods, soup mix, cake mix, rice, cereal, noodles, peanut butter, snacks, ramen/instant meals, Hamburger Helper, mac & cheese, fruit, vegetables, bread/buns, baking items, condiments, coffee, juice boxes, seasoning items, crackers. Personal hygiene -- toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo/conditioner, soap, lotion, toilet paper, feminine products, tissue, Q-tips. Baby/child items -- diapers, wipes, baby food, baby cereal, pacifier, powder, lotion, bottles, powder formula. Misc. items -- pens/pencils, paper, seasonal items, gloves,books, small toys, gift items. Prohibited items -- home-baked goods, expired opened goods, alcohol, tobacco, sharp objects.
Ministry Meals
Every Second Wednesday of the Month (during the school year) our Mission Committee donates, makes, and provides a meal during the lunch hours (11-1:30) for students at Ridgewater College in the Ministry Department of the college!! The Mission Commitee is always willing to have volunteers to help out each month if available!! If so, contact the church office for more details.