Mission, Service and Peacemaking

Our mission statement discloses what is closest to our hearts: service to those outside our walls. Through our own involvement in direct service to others, through advocacy for social change, through giving to other organizations that we feel align with our mission, we seek to fulfill our mission as called, fed and sent people.

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The Mission Committee of the Presbyterian Church of Lawrenceville meets monthly, September through June. This committee helps plan and execute hands-on Mission efforts and works on behalf of the session and congregation to determine which organizations our church will support. The Mission Committee also coordinates several of the Special Offerings during the year. If you are interested in being a part of this committee please contact Jeff Vamos.

Current members of the Mission Committee:

Brandt McCabe Jan Everett Eleanor Letcher
Bill McCarroll Nancy Richardson Bob Sargent, Chair
Jeff Vamos, Staff Liaison Rick van den Heuvel
For over 30 years the Presbyterian Church of Lawrenceville has been involved in the life and work of Harmony Ministries, based in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, led by Pastor Luc Deratus. We are in the unique position through our long-time relationship with Pastor Luc to help him and his people; we know him well and he knows and understands best what the most important needs are. We trust him to spend our gifts wisely. Pastor Luc is a mission affiliate of the Presbyterian Church of Lawrenceville.

Haiti Task Force

The goals of the Haiti Task Force are to increase the awareness of the needs in Haiti and the extraordinary work Pastor Luc has accomplished, and to continue our help in furthering his ministry through work trips and financial support. Members of the PCOL Haiti Task Force: Ann Wiley, Chairman; Jeff Vamos, staff liaison; Jim Kroll; Brandt McCabe; Craig Pasko; Dennis Shepherd; Christina Shu; Sue Steen and Lisa Tucci, Pennington School liaison
Membership on the Haiti Task Force is open to anyone interested and willing to devote time and ideas to support our efforts in Haiti. If you are interested in the Haiti Task Force, Harmony Hope for Haiti or have questions, please contact Ann Wiley at awileyemail@gmail.com or any member of the Task Force.

Haiti Mission Month

In recognition of our relationship with Harmony Ministries and Pastor Luc’s ministry, February is designated each year as Haiti Mission Month. During the month we celebrate our ministry with Pastor Luc, we educate the congregation of our continuing work in Haiti, and we raise financial support for this ministry. Most years Pastor Luc has been able to spend a weekend during the month in Lawrenceville to update us on his work.

Please click each link for more information about our Haiti ministry.

History of Our Mission in Haiti
January 12, 2010: The Earthquake
Helping the People of Haiti
Rebuilding / Restoring
Harmony Partners for Haiti

The stated Great Ends of the Church contained in the Presbyterian Book of Order includes “the preservation of the truth;” and “the promotion of social righteousness; and the exhibition of the Kingdom of Heaven to the world.”  In addition, “The Church is called to be Christ’s faithful evangelist participating in God’s activity in the world through its life for others by engaging in the struggle to free people from sin, fear, oppression, hunger and injustice,” and “sharing with Christ in the establishing of his just, peaceable, and loving rule in the world.”

The members of the Peacemaking Committee of the Presbyterian Church of Lawrenceville respond to this call by committing themselves to:

  • increasing their own awareness and understanding of issues of justice and righteousness in the world as they feel led by the Spirit.
  • Providing opportunities to present and discuss these issues with the members of our church, and
  • Presenting options for member response to advocate for a fairer, more peaceable world.

In doing so, they hope to inspire and enable church members to be better engaged in public issues and to bring about a more “just, peaceable and loving rule in the world.”

Since the adoption of this mission statement, the Peacemaking Committee has provided multiple forums on the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, Immigration and genocide. For five years, it has hosted annual three-faith gatherings (Jewish, Muslim, Christian) at which we have shared deeply held beliefs and guidelines for living our lives. In addition, the committee hosts monthly movie nights at which we show dramatic films that depict people and cultures from around the world, focusing on themes that are common to all humanity.

Current Members of the Peacemaking Committee:

Bill Bowers Jeff Vamos (staff liaison)
Barb Hallows Gooitzen van der Wal (chair)
Sue Steen
Edith Pike

Upcoming Mission & Peacemaking Events

Recent Mission & Peacemaking Posts