Mission
We believe that God acts to touch people’s lives in extraordinary ways through the actions of ordinary people. We believe that when we engage in mission, especially when we get involved with hands-on mission, our faith is deepened. We meet Christ in new and exciting ways when we act as his hands and feet in the world. Throughout its entire history, TPC has had a vitally important mission role in the Tustin community and throughout the world. For example, members of TPC were involved in the formation and development of a number of organizations and institutions such as Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian, Laurel House (now Hope Harbor), the Santa Ana Hispanic Ministry, and Boy Scout Troop 33. Here is a look at some of the organizations and causes that TPC currently supports:
Family Promise of Orange County. Family Promise of Orange County is an interfaith hospitality network of congregations that provide emergency shelter, hospitality, and services to homeless families. The goal of this organization is to eliminate the homelessness of each family served and place families in homes of their own in about two months. Tustin Presbyterian Church was one of the founding congregations for the organization in Orange County. The Mission Committee and congregation continue to support this local mission project by hosting homeless families in Orange County for a week about four to five times each year. We currently partner with Congregation B’nai Israel to host the families, provide food, and shelter.
Family Promise House of Ruth. To further support Family Promise, TPC raised money to assist in building a multi-unit transitional housing facility in Tustin. The house will not replace the emergency shelter program supported by churches like TPC but will supplement Family Promise’s transitional housing program and provide the next step for homeless families on their path to mainstream housing. Families occupying this home would pay reduced rent for a typical 6-month period allowing them to save, pay off existing debts, and financially prepare themselves to return to market housing. As with many good ideas, this one has now expanded from the idea of purchasing a house to the very real opportunity to construct a building with seven apartment units on property contributed by the City of Tustin. The House of Ruth is the result of a partnership between Family Promise, the City of Tustin, and HomeAid Orange County. TPC members serve on both the planning committee and the capital campaign committee for the House of Ruth. Construction started in 2022 with a completion scheduled for 2023. Footers and the foundation have been poured and the next step is steel and framing for the walls.
TPC Food Pantry. Ministerio en Tustin through the continued effective leadership of Jorge Gutierrez, Director of Spanish Ministries, has continued to grow and is serving more families each week – in the range of 300 families per week. Jorge now works with Love Community Outreach, OC Rescue Mission, Artisan Bread Bakery and 99 Cents Store to source food products for the supported families. He also spends a lot of time coordinating volunteers to sort the food products each Friday and staff the weekly (Saturday morning) TPC Food Pantry. The Mission Committee continues to sponsor this community outreach but Jorge and Ministerio en Tustin is the controlling force behind this important support for our neighbors.
Habitat for Humanity. Habitat for Humanity builds homes for low-income families. TPC has long been a generous supporter of this ministry. TPC supports Habitat in our Keeping CHRISTmas Market and through our local mission budget. TPC is also a part of the Presbyterian Coalition which provides volunteers for building projects. Building projects started again in 2022 with new home builds in Santa Ana and Fullerton.
Homeless Aid. Members who would like to help fight homelessness but are unable to participate in the overnight hosting of Family Promise guests at the church can provide support by donating hygiene-related products on the second Sunday of each month. The donated products are used by the guests at the Family Promise Day Center when they return after an overnight stay and to help them get started in a home after they graduate from the program.
L’Arche Wavecrest. We continue our mission support for L’Arche Wavecrest’s Abraham House located in Orange, California. L’Arche Wavecrest Abraham House provides a home for developmentally disadvantaged adults that live with assistants and share life together as friends, not as clients and staff. L’Arche Wavecrest is ecumenical, guided and shaped by Christian denominations, but it welcomes and respects each individual’s faith.
La Semilla Learning Center. This is an after-school program in the heart of Santa Ana, made possible initially by a pledge of TPC Capital Campaign Funds. La Semilla creates a faith-based environment which foster academic growth and strengthens parents in their roles at home and in the community. Students and parents are enthusiastic and highly supportive of this program. TPC provides annual financial support for this program and assists with volunteer tutors.
Hope Harbor. Hope Harbor, formerly known as Laurel House, provides shelter and Christian nurture to teenage girls from troubled homes. It provides both temporary housing to teens and counseling to their families. TPC has been a long-time supporter and we are pleased to be able to continue providing support for this mission project.
Keeping CHRISTmas Market. This popular annual event connects our people to many of the organizations that we support, including Habitat for Humanity, Family Promise, Heifer International, and Le Semilla Learning Center. It also provides our members and friends with another way to contribute significant financial support over and above our budget to participating groups.
Mission Co-Workers. The Mission Co-Worker program changed in 2022 and how we support the International Mission Workers Program has also changed. We no longer give to specific workers and now give to the Presbyterian Church Mission Co-Worker Program who then provides for the Mission Co-Workers. This was done to help equalize available funds to all contracted co-workers and not have some generating more funds while others may not be as prolific fundraisers.
Special Offerings/Support for the PC(USA). TPC consistently gives to all four of the denomination-wide annual special offerings — One Great Hour of Sharing, the Pentecost Offering, the Peace and Global Witness Offering, and the Christmas Joy Offering — along with the General Mission of the Presbyterian Church. These offerings, which TPC members have always generously supported beyond their pledges, provide support for a wide range of human needs — locally, nationally and worldwide.
The gifts of the time and talents of the members of the Tustin Presbyterian Church continue to help us
further the Kingdom of God in our community and around the world.