Across the alley from our church is the Mission House, built as part of the renovations in the late 1980s. Dedicated September 29, 1985, this houses two important programs designed to reach out to the community.
The Marion Food Pantry
The Churches of Marion Food Pantry is an ecumenical group of 11 Marion and Cedar Rapids churches that work to alleviate hunger in the area. The participating churches supply and distribute funds, food, and assistance two afternoons a week. Volunteers from each church stock the shelves, evaluate families, and collect and distribute food free of charge to those in need.
Each year between 175 and 290 families are served each month. Approximately 25 percent were from Marion, with the remaining 75 percent from Cedar Rapids and Linn County.
The pantry, which was founded in 1982 by a seminary student during a summer internship at First Presbyterian and moved to First Pres' Mission House in 1985, is run entirely with lay leadership from all denominations. Its operating hours are from 1 to 3 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
The Helping Hand Store
The Helping Hand Store, started by Elder Marguerite Ackley in 1968, offers good used clothing at no charge. In contrast to the Pantry, this service is provided entirely by volunteers from First Presbyterian Church. It is open the same hours as the Pantry.
We are grateful that donations of clothing, bedding, toys, and smaller household items have enabled us to meet this demand, especially for children's clothing and household supplies in good conditions. Items may be dropped off in the large blue box in the hall next to the church office anytime the building is open.
Community Groups
Alcoholics Anonymous and Al-Anon meets every Friday night at 8:00. Other community organizations such as scouting and musical groups also use the church's facilities on a regular basis.
Mission Giving
First Pres supports a number of mission projects, both on a local level and throughout the world including such organizations as:
- Camp Wyoming
- Marion Cares
- Linn County Habitat for Humanity
- Linn County Jail Chaplaincy
- Moundview Manor
- Churches United
- Frances Newton Hospital in India
- Ceara Presbytery of Brazil, our sister presbytery
- Woody and Barbara Busse's work though Worldwide Ministries. The Busses have focused their efforts on the "Stan" countries of Central Asia, desperately in need of all human services after the end of Soviet control. Woody is the brother of FPC member Sara Dostal.
