global community
Globally, we partner with ministries in Haiti, Honduras, India and West Africa, through mission trips, prayer and financial support.
Christmas Miracle Offering
In 2005, we were given a Christmas Miracle Challenge. We were challenged to spend only one-half on Christmas gifts of what we would normally spend and to bring the rest in for a Christmas Miracle Offering. This first Christmas Miracle Offering had enormous impact in Togo, West Africa where the money was used to purchase land for a church and at Gerizim Church in Honduras where the money was used to pay teacher salaries and keep the church school running when it was in danger of being overrun by debt.
We've continued this Christmas Miracle Challenge annually. In 2006 & 2007, the Christmas Miracle Offering made it's impact in India, West Africa and Honduras as well as locally through The Bridge Ministry, PACEM, Chaplain Services of Virginia, On Our Own, AIM, Salvation Army Daycare and the Charlottesville Food Bank.
ELCA World Hunger Appeal
ELCA World Hunger improves the lives of people in need in the United States and around the world by supporting "partner organizations" that carry out international relief and development on the ELCA's behalf with grants from money raised by the World Hunger Appeal. Also through grants, the program helps fund more than 200 relief and development projects in the United States.
Equal Exchange
Equal Exchange was founded in 1986 to create a new approach to trade, one that includes informed consumers, honest and fair trade relationships and cooperative principles. You can purchase organic and conventionally-grown coffee, tea, and hot chocolate mix from Equal Exchange here at peace.
Tegucigalpa, Honduras
Peace has been involved with several mission trips to the Gerizim Church in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. The church has a vibrant worship life and small groups ministry and is also active in the community. The church operates a school on the church property, provides lunches for children through feeding stations throughout Tegucigalpa, and also runs a medical clinic. Pastor Roberto, shepherd and founder of Gerizem, has seeded over 100 churches throughout Honduras and Central America.
Peace began making mission trips to Gerizim in 2005 and we have been back every year. The next trip is coming up in August, 2008. We are now working with Gerizim on a very ambitious project, the construction of a Gerzim Mission Home. This new home will provide much needed dormitory sleeping accommodations, kitchen facilities, and multi-use space for many purposes.
Togo, West Africa
Since 2001, Peace has been developing a relationship with this congregation through their Pastor, Emmanuel Guidi, who visited us several times. He has planted nine churches and visits up to twenty congregations in Togo to council, advise and educate their leaders. Peace has given financial support to their ministry in the past through Christian Aid Mission. Christmas Miracle offerings were collected in 2005 & 2006 to support our brothers & sisters in Togo. A representative from Advancing Native Missions, Gary Darcus, brought the gift from Peace to Togo in Februrary 2006. Peace made it's first mission trip to Togo in August 2007.
United Lutheran Appeal
The United Lutheran Appeal is held annually in the Virginia Synod to give people an opportunity to contribute to the outreach agencies and institutions which are supported by the synod.