Presbyterian Church of Scotland

Mission

MISSION COMMITTEE

In 2003 the Mission Committee was formed by people who felt it was important to define the church’s mission in the world today, local, national and international. The first task was to draft a Mission Statement:

MISSION STATEMENT

AIM
The Aim of St Andrew’s Church of Scotland, Rome is to worship God and proclaim the gospel of God’s love; to help all who come into the church buildings complex to know that this is a house of God;

to help all who come to worship to come closer to God through the teaching and example of Jesus Christ and to offer the love of God to all by striving to work for a more caring and inclusive society.

THOSE WHO CAN WORSHIP WITH US
All are welcome, regardless of nationality, ethnic origin, gender, denomination, tradition etc. All are welcome!

THOSE WHO CAN PARTICIPATE
Our system of Church Government is Presbyterian. We function under the Unitary Constitution. All who are able to attend on a regular basis can join the different committees and are eligible for election to the Kirk Session.

Anyone who feels called can join us at Bible Study (see 'current events') or take an active part in our outreach to our own members in despair and loneliness, to vulnerable refugees and to all who are in need of fellowship and moral and spiritual support.

WHAT WE DO AT CHURCH
In attempting to meet the Spiritual and Personal needs of our Congregation, the Parish, and all who enter our buildings, we offer Sunday Morning Worship with the Lord’s Supper on the first Sunday of the month (on the other Sundays our Morning Worship is followed by a short communion service), a short service of reading, prayer, and music on Thursday evening, and Bible Study every last Sunday of the month (see 'Current Events'). We share prayer, praise, fellowship, and hospitality consistent with the teaching of Jesus Christ.

WHAT WE DO IN THE COMMUNITY & THE WORLD
We seek to carry God’s love beyond the confines of our Church buildings to the city of Rome and selected communities in the wider world by ministering to the needs of the poor, the hungry, the voiceless and the powerless.

In Rome we try to help to sustain refugees in their desperate plight to survive. We try to help a number of local charities with an annual donation of money and we also hope to be able to give money to projects addressing hunger, health, education and other community needs worldwide.

HOW CAN WE ACHIEVE THESE GOALS?
We will need the participation and resources of our members. The Church needs our time, our talents as well as our money. We plan to work with partner Churches and Organizations in Rome, mobilizing and sharing resources in order to achieve our goals.

THE CHURCH
According to the Apostle Paul, the Church is a community that meets regularly in a house of prayer, is fed with spiritual food, strengthens and supports its members and goes out into the world to shed the light of Christ. With this in mind St Andrew’s Church, Rome aims to fulfill its mission and thus to glorify God.

MISSION IN ACTION
At the moment we try to help locally by providing packed lunches to refugees three times a week on Monday (in collaboration with All Saints' Church), Thursday and Friday. During the winter months, November through April, we work together with the Salvation Army (www.esercitodellasalvezza.org) to give food, hot tea and blankets to the homeless.

We go out to the homeless with the Sant’Egidio Community (www.santegidio.org) that also provides food and drink. Anyone who is interested in participating can contact the Minister.

Internationally we are involved in projects in North East India, the Balkans, Zimbabwe and Ghana.

REFUGEES
On Thursday mornings, from 9.30 am on, a group of volunteers prepares packed lunches for refugees. These lunches are handed out on Thursday and Friday at the church gate between noon and 1.00 pm. On Mondays a group of volunteers from All Saints' Church does the same.

MRS CLAYTON'S FUND
This fund was started in September 2004. The money goes to the FCEI/SRM (Federazione delle Chiese Evangeliche in Italia/Servizio Rifugiati e Migranti (www.fedevangelica.it) and is used to provide medical care to refugees who don’t have residence in Rome and would otherwise be deprived of this care.

FUND-RAISING EVENTS

MISSIONARIES OF CHARITY
Gift services: at Epiphany, Pentecost and Harvest Sunday we collect food and money for the Missionaries of Charity at Tor Bella Monaca, a poor neighbourhood in the eastern outskirts of Rome. Mother Teresa of Calcutta founded this order of nuns. They run a home for young mothers and every Saturday hand out food and clothes to the needy in the area.

RICE BOWL APPEAL
During the six weeks of Lent we collect money for the Rice Bowl Appeal. This is supported by Churches Together in Rome, an ecumenical body made up of mainly English speaking churches in Rome.

St Andrew’s organizes Cooking Demonstrations, a Quiz Night, and a Sponsored Walk (on Palm Sunday). For exact dates see the 'Current Events'.

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