Missions & Outreach Ministries

(Click here for upcoming events or activities related to these ministries)

For more information about these ministries, contact:

Eric Tripp, Director of Missions and Outreach

Floyd Hicks, Elder
Gary McClure, Elder
 

Mission Drives Throughout the Year

February – Foster Care Suitcase Drive – First Church collects good, used, suitcases, duffle bags or carry-on bags for foster children each year during February, since most of the time foster children come to homes with all their possessions in garbage bags.  If you are interested in more information regarding this ministry, you can contact Winnie at wwalston@1stchurchofchrist.org.

March – Romania Shoe Drive – First Church collects new or like new shoes for the children in Romania.  First Church has sent two (2) mission teams to Romania to work with Caminul Felix, an orphanage for approximately 250 children.  The cost of good shoes in Romania is approximately $100.  First Church would like to be able to provide shoes for all the children.  If you are interested in more information regarding this ministry, you can contact Winnie at wwalston@1stchurchofchrist.org.   

May-June – Baby Bottle Campaign – First Church has a baby bottle campaign each year.  Baby bottles are distributed on Mother’s Day and collected on Father’s Day.  The money that is raised is divided equally between the three (3) Pregnancy Centers (Care Net Pregnancy Services of Northern Kentucky, New Hope Center and Pregnancy Crisis Center).  If you are interested in helping out with this campaign, you can contact Kay Shrout at 859-586-6613.

August-September – Clothing Drive – First Church collects good, used, clothing each year in August and September to be sent to Ukraine or Mid-India.  In 2007, a semi tractor-trailer was sent to Mid-India for the first time.  First Church encourages friends and neighbors to drop off their good, used, clothing for this clothing drive.  The pack day for the container is the first Saturday in October.  If you are interested in more information regarding this ministry, you can contact Roger Babik at clothesman@juno.com.

September-October – Grundy Mountain Mission School Clothing Drive – First Church families adopt children from Grundy Mountain Mission School each year to provide clothing for back-to-school.  This drive takes place with volunteers going to Grundy, West Virginia to host a party and give the gifts to the children.  The trip is taken at the end of September or the beginning of October.  If you are interested in more information regarding this ministry, you can contact Joanne Rigsbee at Rigsbee@healthall.com.

October-November – Mountain of Food – First Church collects canned goods, cereal, peanut butter, soup, etc., from the last weekend in October until the third weekend in November every year.  All the food that is collected is given to Churches for Community Services to help needy families in the community.  If you are interested in more information regarding this ministry, you can contact Winnie at wwalston@1stchurchofchrist.org.

 

Special Events

Covington Street Outreach – If you have a servant heart for the people out in the streets of Covington, this ministry is for you.  Every month we will leave church at 10:00 a.m. and return by 1:00 p.m.  Coats, book bags, backpacks, and blankets are always needed.  Photos of this outreach are available online at www.1stchurch.shutterfly.com.  For more information or to donate items, contact Bob Jackson at 859-647-2206.

Harmony Games – On the third (3rd) Saturday each year in September, First Church hosts a special olympics type event for group homes in Northern Kentucky with the Christian Care Communities.  Approximately 100 residents enjoy the afternoon full of games, fellowship and good food.  If you are interested in more information regarding this ministry, you can contact Eric Tripp at etripp@1stchurchofchrist.org.

Mission Fair – Every year we invite all the Missions that First Church supports to be with us for the weekend.  Many of the missionaries or their representatives will be here with their displays.  Since First Church gives 25% of her giving to missions, this gives you an opportunity to see all the places where we are partners in ministry.  Each year we will ask First Church members to choose 7 missions to pray for throughout the year, one for each day of the week.

 

Other Ministries

Fairhaven Ministry – First Church serves supper and leads the chapel service at Fairhaven Rescue Mission in Covington on the fourth Sunday night of every month. If you are interested in more information regarding this ministry, you can contact James Cress at jamescress@insightbb.com.

Habitat for Humanity Ministry – First Church partners with the local Habitat for Humanity chapter to provide housing for needy families in Northern Kentucky.  When houses are being built, First Church provides workers for one Saturday a month. If you are interested in more information regarding this ministry, you can contact Doug Walston at 859-586-2998.

Scholarship Ministry – First Church encourages members to enter specialized Christian service.  Scholarships help assist any interested and qualified member of First Church to further their spiritual and intellectual education and prepare for Christian ministry at an accredited Bible College or Christian Institute.  Eligibility requirements are necessary for the scholarships.  If you are interested in more information regarding this ministry, you can contact Winnie at wwalston@1stchurchofchrist.org.

Grace Ministry Team – GRACE is an acronym for “Giving Recreation a Christian Emphasis.” First Church uses recreation activities to introduce people, families, to First Church.  Six-eight week recreation sessions (archery, ballroom dance, basketball, golf, self-defense, softball and volleyball) are offered in the fall, winter, spring and summer.  The focus is on outreach.  First Church offers activities that friends, neighbors and coworkers would enjoy.

            Seasonal Activities

·                         Ballroom Dance – First Church offers ballroom dance during the spring and fall each year. If you are interested in more information regarding this ministry, you can contact Dave Warning at dawarning@yahoo.com.

·                         Youth Basketball – First Church and R.C. Durr YMCA have joined together in creating a Christian league for girls and boys, ages 4-17.  Registration starts in October, practices start in December, and games start in January.  If you are interested in more information regarding this ministry, you can contact Eric at etripp@1stchurchofchrist.org.

·                         Men’s Basketball – First Church offers leagues for men 35 and over and for men 35 and under. Games start in January each year.  If you are interested in more information regarding this ministry, you can contact Kevin Cheek at kdcheek@fuse.net for 35 and under and Vick Turner at vickturner@juno.com for men 35 and over.

·                         Women’s Basketball – First Church offers women’s basketball in the spring each year.  An open gym to form teams is offered for several nights with competitive games starting thereafter.  If you are interested in more information regarding this ministry, you can contact Michelle Gambrel at gambrel@fuse.net.

·                         Coed Softball - First Church offers coed softball in the summer each year.  If you are interested in more information regarding this ministry, you can contact Stan Kramer at bkramer@insightbb.com.

·                         Men’s Volleyball – First Church offers men’s volleyball in the spring each year.  If you are interested in more information regarding this ministry, you can contact John Turner at johntu@fuse.net.

·                         Coed Volleyball – First Church offers coed volleyball in the fall each year.  If you are interested in more information regarding this ministry, you can contact John Turner at johntu@fuse.net.

 

Habitat for Humanity

First Church partners with the local Habitat for Humanity chapter to provide housing for needy families in Northern Kentucky.  When houses are being built, First Church provides workers for one Saturday a month. If you are interested in more information regarding this ministry, you can contact Doug Walston at 859-586-2998. 

Mission Journeys – Short-term mission opportunities are offered in the states and out of the country.  Most journeys are 1-2 weeks in length, though some have gone for 1-2 years. First Church tries to offer 4-6 opportunities around the world each year.

1)     To challenge all people to take steps of faith. What are you presently doing that requires a power greater than your own, God’s power.  Like John Ortberg says, “If you want to walk on water, YOU’VE GOT TO GET OUT OF THE BOAT”.

2)     To challenge you with missions as a career choice.  High school and college students are pulled in every direction for schools to attend, money to be made or vocations to pursue.  Ministry is worthy of your consideration.  Adults may be challenged to consider a career change.  God may be calling you to ministry full time.  What about retirement?  God can give vision and purpose to those years of your life.  Mission Journeys challenge you to consider ministry as a vocation. 

3)     To show you, you can make a difference in the world.  There’s nothing greater than to be used by God to make a difference in the lives of others.  People need to see how they can make a difference in the world.  With God’s help, they can!

4)     To challenge the Church to see the need to tithe their people, as well as their money, time and talent.  The early Church understood how important it was to raise their Timothy’s with the high calling to serve God anywhere.

5)      To show you REAL need.  Rarely do we see real needs today. Our materialistic society makes us think we need new jeans, another car or that our room needs a makeover.  When in reality, the rest of the world sees need as a bowl of rice for the day.

6)     To put you in the realm of experience.   We have difficulty understanding things we have not yet experienced.  How often have our parents told us, “You’ll understand this when you get older.”?  First-hand experience will help you see real needs and how God can use you to make a difference.

7)     To let you experience vulnerability.  In the U.S. there’s very little that we cannot take care of on our own.  We feel as if we are in control of everything around us.  Being in a different

country, not knowing the language, the culture, or the people helps us see how very little we can control.  It strips away the façade that we use to fool ourselves in thinking we have control.  This vulnerability, when realized and accepted, can promote accelerated spiritual growth.  God loves it when we have to trust him. God loves it when we have to trust Him with the things we love the most, particularly our children, grandchildren or spouses.

8)     To help us see the world more like the way God sees the world.  It’s very hard to see the world as God does.  When He looks at the world He not only sees the teenager in the Midwest, He sees the starving Cambodian child in a Thai refugee camp, the Atheist in Europe and the young rebel in Central America.  A Mission Journey will help us see the world differently.

If you are interested in more information regarding this ministry, you can contact Eric Tripp at etripp@1stchurchofchrist.org.

  

Scholarship Ministry

First Church encourages members to enter specialized Christian service.  Scholarships help assist any interested and qualified member of First Church to further their spiritual and intellectual education and prepare for Christian ministry at an accredited Bible College or Christian Institute.  Eligibility requirements are necessary for the scholarships.  If you are interested in more information regarding this ministry, you can contact Winnie at wwalston@1stchurchofchrist.org.

 

Missions Ministries

25% of the church's budget goes to supporting missions around the world.  Special projects throughout the year increase the level of support the church provides.  You may read more about the recipients of this support by following the links below:

     1. World Outreach Ministries

     2. Community Outreach Ministries

     3. Education Outreach Ministries