Missions
Our vision is to have a heart for our communities by showing God’s love in word and in action, and sharing the Good News of the Gospel with those around us so that lives will be changed. To that end, we purposefully reach out to impact our community through mission initiatives and by building partnerships with organizations both locally and around the globe.
Budgeted Missions Giving for 2021
The Nanda Hostel
135 children call Nanda home. Here on this 7-acre compound, they have food, shelter, safety, education, and basic medication care. Just as important, they are taught the gospel and raised up in the Christian faith, even when the cost of following Christ is high.
Tribal Churches
Over the years, waves of persecution against Christians have swept through the region. People were injured, some lost their lives, homes and churches were burned, people fled to the jungle to escape. The tribal pastors and congregations suffered, but they have kept the faith and continue to bear witness to Jesus Christ as they rebuild their lives and churches.
Sharing the Gospel
Leaders from Nanda have been patiently building relationships with a remote tribe of animists who have no written language and had never heard the gospel. Building trust by first showing human compassion and care, they are now able to share the gospel story of the God of compassion. We celebrate with joy and thanksgiving the first baptisms in these villages!
Working Side by Side
We work with Kenyan Christians on projects that will further the mission and ministry of the Presbyterian Church of East Africa:
- Church buildings so that congregations do not have to meet under the Acacia trees
- Schools to provide children with an education
- Rescue centers to house and educate young girls before they are married off in arranged marriages
- Bore holes to provide clean water for a community
Worship Bridges Cultures
We worship together, as the language barrier is bridged by the faith that makes us one. We share fellowship in worship, work, and play. We learn about, and from, one another as first world and third world Christians meet at the foot of the cross.
God’s Incredible Creativity
We spend our last 2 days on safari in the Maasai Mara, marveling at God’s creative power.
And God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures of every kind: cattle and creeping things and wild animals of the earth of every kind.” And it was so.
Genesis 1:24
Wilson Rehab Foundation
Wilson Rehabilitation Foundation’s purpose is to improve access to and quality of orthopedic care offered by Christian mission hospitals and organizations for disabled children. The Foundation focuses primarily in Kenya, but also in the Democratic Republic of The Congo and Cameroon. Founded by one of our members, Dr. Doug Kerr, the monies directed here help cover medical care costs for patients cannot afford it otherwise.
Building Homes and Churches
Fifteen local pastors in neighboring communities work together to select 3 or 4 projects each time a group goes down. Projects include building or repairing homes for local church members, or helping to build and/or repair churches.
Building Relationship
Lidia, a local community advocate, helps promote relationships between the team and neighbors through home visits, time with the children, and the annual Three Kings Day (Epiphany) celebration when over 100 children gather for a party, entertainment, and gifts.
Local Missions
Living Hope purposefully reaches out to impact our community through mission initiatives and by building partnerships with local organizations. In word and in action, we want to share the good news of the gospel with those around us so that lives will be changed.
Compassion Builders
Compassion Builders is based out of Living Hipe Church and is comprised of individuals who have a heart for serving those in need by repairing and building housing projects.
Endicott Preschool
The Endicott Preschool began in 1963, when some loving church members wanted to provide the children in this community a safe and caring place to grow and develop. Over the past 50 years, the preschool has grown into a vibrant 3 and 4-year-old program with an enrollment of over 150 students.
Mansfield Climbing Center
Begun by one of our church families, with a vision for student outreach, the Mansfield Climbing Center is completely free to anyone who comes.The desire of this ministry is to offer the MCC as a gift to anyone who comes so that they may find a place to be encouraged and loved. The hope is that anyone who comes might see a glimpse of the love that God lavishes on us.
Mother Teresa's Cupboard
Mother Teresa’s Cupboard is a faith-based food pantry and emergency assistance center located in Endicott. They are open to serve the community on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m and Tuesday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Living Hope supports this outreach through regular donations of money, supplies, and some volunteer help.
World Renew
World Renew embraces a family-centered approach to ending global poverty with food security, peace and justice, economic livelihood and health. They also work nationally and globally in responding to both natural disasters and civil unrest. World Renew provides for displaced families and invests in local economies to help rebuild communities and renew hope. We support their efforts financially.
BCCC | CHOW
The Community Hunger Outreach Warehouse (CHOW), through its network of nearly 100 partner agencies (pantries, community meals and non-profit organizations), distributes over 175,000 pounds of food each month. CHOW distributes over 2 million pounds of food each year to help fight food insecurity in our area. Living Hope supprts BCCC financially and with volunteer resources.
Mercy House
Mercy House is a community care shelter which provides a home and a supportive family to people with terminal illnesses who can no longer remain at home. Residents spend their final days surrounded by their loved ones, and the love of Mercy House staff and volunteers. The mission of Mercy House is to unconditionally accept each resident and ensure that they are treated with dignity, respect and compassion. We support Mercy House through donations, time, and financial gifts.
ECO Church Plants
ECO (our denomination) set a 10-Year Vision that includes sharing the gospel through 1,000 newly planted, newly revitalized, or newly flourishing ECO congregations and micro-expressions by 2030. Each year, we designate $3,500 from Session-Approved Mission Causes to support church plants in our northeast corner of the US. Find out more here: https://eco-pres.org/vision/
Joe Santacrose Foundation
Jim Santacrose (one of our church members) runs the Joe Santacrose Foundation in memory of his late son, Joe. His foundation collects furniture and appliances, inspects them to make sure they’re clean and reusable, and gives them to people in need. Jim transports everything himself and handles moving items in and out of homes.
Renovation House
Renovation House is a Christ-centered, residential discipleship training program for men and women struggling with addiction and other life-controlling issues. It is a successful alternative to rehab through a 12-month program where people, who want to, can come, encounter God and be set free. We support their life-giving efforts financially.
Southern Tier Community Center
Southern Tier Community Center (STCC) is an extension of the Children’s Home of Wyoming Conference. They took over an important community building next to Union Endicott High School and have turned it into a place that hosts school age childcare, provides support for families, gives a safe place for children to be, and a space for community fitness. We support the STCC financially and excercise there regularly!
RISE
Formerly the SOS Shelter, RISE offers comprehensive domestic violence services to the Greater Binghamton area. Their mission is to assist families who experience, or are threatened with domestic violence and to increase the community’s awareness of this pervasive problem. Living Hope supports RISE financially.
United Methodist Homes
United Methodist Homes is a faith-based nonprofit organization, founded in 1958, that operates two multi-level senior living communities in the Greater Binghamton area, a continuing care retirement community in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, and a personal care campus in Tunkhannock, PA. UMH serves more than 1,100 residents at its four sites and has more than 1,000 employees. We support them financially, do outreach and care ministry, and also have several members who live there.
Food Bank of the Southern Tier
The Food Bank of the Southern Tier works to build and sustain hunger-free communities throughout the Southern Tier. Their vision is to create a future without hunger where access to healthy food by all is recognized as fundamental to the well-being and success of individuals and the foundation of a strong, vibrant society. Living Hope supports the Food Bank financially.
International Justice Mission
International Justice Mission is a global organization that protects people in poverty from violence. They partner with local authorities in 21 program offices in 14 countries to combat trafficking and slavery, violence against women and children, and police abuse of power. We financially support IJM in their efforts both locally and abroad.
Rescue Mission
The Binghamton Rescue Mission began as an outreach service to homeless individuals on the streets in 2006, and opened its residence in 2010. Since then, numerous men have taken shelter here, many going on to lead more stable lives, find employment and reconnect with family. We support them financially.
Samaritan Counseling Center
The mission of the Samaritan Counseling Center is to empower the whole person using a spiritually sensitive approach to counseling, consultation and education. Living Hope supports the center financially.
Life Choices Center
Life Choices Center in Binghamton is a Christian ministry that provides support for women and men through all the decisions surrounding an unplanned pregnancy. Life Choices provides a free pregnancy test, a non-judgmental listening ear, accurate information and resources to help women make the best, most informed choices possible, Mentoring, Pregnancy Resources, Baby and Maternity Supplies, a Men’s Support Group, and an abortion recovery program. Life Choices staff and volunteers are committed to respect every individual and the decisions they make, while walking alongside them through a very difficult time.
Fattal Community Free Clinic
The mission of the Dr. Garabed A. Fattal Community Free Clinic is to provide preventive, primary, and acute health care (including prescription medications) to the uninsured adults of New York’s Southern Tier. Medical services and medications are delivered free of charge, by volunteer health care professionals and other community volunteers, in partnership with local participating health care institutions.
Good Shepherd Communities
At Good Shepherd Communities, the healthcare is rooted in quality and overseen by a board of community volunteers. As a non-profit, their goal is always putting quality first. For nearly 150 years they’ve been carefully taking care of the Southern Tier’s senior population. We support Good Shepherd through financial giving, volunteering, and outreach and care ministry. We also have many members living at one of their campuses.
Intervarsity at Binghamton University
In response to God’s love, grace, and truth: The purpose of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA is to establish and advance at colleges and universities witnessing communities of students and faculty who follow Jesus as Savior and Lord: growing in love for God, God’s Word, God’s people of every ethnicity and culture, and God’s purposes in the world. We support our local chapter at Binghamton University.
LeTourneau Christian Center
LeTourneau Christian Center is committed to partnering and aiding the church in their endeavors to make the Gospel known. They provide a respite for churches, groups, leadership teams, and pastors to take retreat and spend time recharging spiritually in God’s creation. Living Hope supports the camp financially and with volunteer hours.
Mosaic
Mosaic provides services for people with disabilities, mental and behavioral health needs and autism, as well as aging adults. Services are tailored to meet individual needs and goals, allowing people to be as independent as possible. Mosaic serves more than 3,700 people in 10 states. We give financially to Mosiac.
youngLife
YoungLife doesn’t start with a program. It starts with adults who are concerned enough about kids to go to them, on their turf and in their culture, building bridges of authentic friendship. These relationships don’t happen overnight — they take time, patience, trust and consistency. They invite kids to follow Christ, care for them regardless of their response, and change lives in the process. We have a number of members who are involved in local YoungLife leadership and support the organization financially as well.
This is not an exhaustive list, but rather an opportunity to highlight some of our local partnerships and this faith communitie’s heart for mission. We also support a variety of other local, national, and global mission initiatives.