PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN of First Presbyterian Church Birmingham Michigan

PWPD Pledge: $5,000

Our pledge to Presbyterian Mission given through Presbyterian Women of the Presbytery of Detroit

Opportunity Giving: $10,000

Presbyterian Women's fundraising efforts (member pledges, rummage sales) generate funds beyond the needs designated in our budget. The PW Finance Committee accepts requests for funds every spring, and disperses these excess funds to local, national, and international mission organizations. In 2008, we distributed $10,000 to these organizations:

ORGANIZATION	PURPOSE	GRANT
Echo, Inc. Ft. Myers, FL	To network with community leaders in developing countries to seek hunger solutions fro families growing food under difficult circumstances. To teach new and innovative farming techniques.	500
Second Mile Center, Detroit	To help with costs of mime-performance outreach program	1,000
Faith Communities Coalition on Foster Care*	To support a weekend gathering for families in the foster children program	1,600
Guatemalan Farm Family	Part of an effort to raise $8,000 to help a poor family in Guatemala purchase their own farm	1,000
Forgotten Harvest	Help support this wonderful local program	2,000
Communities of Faith, Ghana	Provide support for a special event for home-bound senior citizens in Akropong, Ghana	1,000
Skyline Camp/Retreat Ctr.	Help purchase camping supplies for campership children who often come without necessary items	1,000
Seminary books for Kate Davidson	Kate begins her study at Louisville Theological Seminary in February	500
Samaritan Counseling  Center	Help this organization, housed in our church, subsidize low-income clients	500
Baldwin Center, Pontiac	Help continue services: food, laundry and shower facilities, warming center, after-school program, and more	500
Books for Alcott Elementary and Lincoln Middle Schools, Pontiac	Purchase books for the barely-functional Media Center at Lincoln Middle School	400
* not distributed because event was cancelled

Honorary Memberships: $190

An Honorary Life Membership in Presbyterian Women, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), is conferred upon an individual in recognition of faithful service in some area of church work. Funds derived from Honorary Life Memberships are used for Presbyterian Women leadership training costs, support of leadership development events for women and assistance training leaders for mission interpretation and support. This year's recipients were Maggie Garza and Jan Peters

Offerings

Thank Offering: $750

An offering of Presbyterian Women of the PC(USA), the Thank Offering is collected in the fall and supports projects such as agricultural development, child care, community organization, criminal justice, drug counseling, economic justice, elderly care, employment training, homelessness, literacy, violence and women’s concerns. At least 40 percent of this offering supports health ministries throughout the world. The remaining 60 percent funds new creative ideas for mission.

Birthday Offering: $731

The Birthday Offering, also an offering of Presbyterian Women of PC(USA) is collected in the spring of each year to celebrate the blessings in the lives of Presbyterian Women. The offering funds up to five projects that are not included in ongoing General Assembly mission support, such as agricultural development, child care, community organization, criminal justice, drug counseling, economic justice, elderly care, employment training, homelessness, literacy, violence and women’s concerns.

Alternative Christmas Bazaar: $9728

Held in early November this event generates mission funding sent directly to the following charitable organizations: Heifer Project, Habitat for Humanity, Church World Service, Medical Benevolence Foundation, Presbyterian Border Ministries, Alcott School (tote bags and cookbooks). African Team Ministries (jewelry and crafts), Forgotten Harvest (cards), Keith Bovenschen School (cards), South Oakland Shelter (SOS pins), Many Voices One Song (CDs), Seedlings (books and other items), Matthew’s Market (fair trade coffee, tea and chocolate), Pal Craftaid (Palestinian crafts), Shawl Ministry knitting group (felted purses), Detroit Hunger ("Our Third Collection" cookbooks from 1989

Christmas Offering

Alcott School: $295
Second Mile Center: $90
Detroit Hunger: $262