OUTREACH

The Benevolence Committee of the Session of Pines oversees that portion of the overall church budget.  We divide our support about equally into two portions – agencies that are related to the Presbyterian denomination, and those agencies that are not directly related to PCUSA but are considered worthy of support.

Our program is world-wide.  Annually we review the qualifications of each agency to determine if support for the following year is justified.  These reviews frequently include on-site visits from members of the committee.

A strong portion of our outreach program is the physical help given by Pines.  Many members are involved in some capacity regardless of the affiliation of the agency.   Members contribute their time as their schedules permit, and their talents as special or continuing needs arise.

Following are descriptions of only a few of the agencies that we support, shown here for illustrative purposes.  Information covering all the agencies that we support, including more details, is available by phoning the church office at 713-467-2234.  We will be pleased to mail a copy at your request.

GUATEMALA

Guatemala Mission Agreement

HUNGER

Fair Haven Food Pantry, located in the Spring Branch area, is designed to provide food staples to unemployed/underemployed families.  Recipients include single parents, senior citizens, transients, and the handicapped.  Approximately 1300 families are helped each month.  Food is also provided to Senior Adult Protective Services, and the Abused Children's Program.

Memorial Assistance Ministries is a coalition of Spring Branch-Memorial area congregations aimed at assisting people who are encountering difficult circumstances.  MAM supplies financial help to pay for electric, gas, or water bills, medical help, rent payment, and other one-time needs.  MAM also maintains a Thrift Shop operated by volunteers.

HEALTH

The Medical Benevolence Foundation, in support of the medical mission work of the Presbyterian Church (USA), provides medical personnel, equipment, supplies, and financial aid to hospitals, medical outposts, and clinics outside of the United States.

Good Shepherd Hospital is located in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire).  This is a "full service" hospital designed to help the sick and to train nationals in medical care.  Many of the physicians and nurses are from America.

PERSONAL

CanCare of Houston is a local organization designed to improve the quality of life for cancer patients and their families.  After a short training period, volunteers visit with patients and/or members of the immediate family in the home or in the hospital.  Many volunteers have been through the experience of cancer.

The Interface-Samaritan Counseling Center focuses on wholeness and health by counseling toward the integration of physical, mental, spiritual and environmental well-being from a Christian perspective.  It provides a source of counseling to which pastors can refer church members or professional church staff.

Sherwood Community Partnership is a developing ministry focusing on the nearby Sherwood neighborhood and its residents.  The partnership is an expansion of Pines' longstanding relationship with Sherwood Elementary School and will allow our involvement to go beyond the boundaries of the school to connect with the daily lives of the students and their families.  This urban ministry will include a variety of programs, such as an after school Kids Club and adult English as a Second Language classes, staffed by Pines volunteers and supervised by an onsite missionary (missionaries) employed by Pines.

EDUCATION

Many volunteers share in the Partners in Education Program at Sherwood Elementary School.   Members function as mentors, literacy tutors, classroom helpers, computer aides, library aides, Reading Is Fundamental readers, science fair judges, and library assistants.  Volunteers also support the Sherwood uniform drive, which raises funds for families that can not afford uniforms.

Pines supports Theological Education through the General Assembly Education Fund of the Presbyterian Church (USA), and direct contributions to Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary.  The church's commitment to the importance of an educated ministry is basic to the history of organized Presbyterianism in this country.

CHILDREN

The Neighborhood Education Center is a preschool located in Houston's Fifth Ward.  This agency provides disadvantaged children with a preschool education based on the Montessori method with a goal of providing a background of caring and mental and spiritual growth, thereby encouraging youth to aspire to an education which will help them break away from the poverty level.

The Mission of Yahweh is a home for homeless women and children, offering shelter, food, and clothing at the home to those in need, in the Carverdale area.  There is also a Learning Center where a preschool is available and where GED and parenting classes are taught.

ELDERLY

The Pinemont Project is a HUD subsidized apartment project providing elderly and handicapped persons with housing