About Us    |     Calendar   |    Contact Us    |      Links    |     Worship Schedule

Missionaries

Mark and Miriam Adams

Mark and Miriam Adams, Cindy Yessenia and Anna Flor - Click to go to the Adams' web page.

 

Mark Adams is a mission co-worker with the Presbyterian Border Ministries Frontera de Cristo in Agua Prieta, Mexico, where he has served since 1998. Through Frontera de Cristo, Mark brings together people from both sides of the border, building relationships and understanding.

Click here or the photograph to learn more about Mark and Miriam's ministry.

  • As U.S. coordinator of the bi-national ministry Frontera de Cristo, Mark is responsible, in partnership with the Reverend Angel Valencia of the National Presbyterian Church of Mexico, for the coordination of the six ministry areas of Frontera de Cristo

    • Church development

    • Health

    • Family counseling

    • New Hope Community Center

    • Mission education

    • Just Trade Center

  • Mark is responsible for introducing the Just Coffee program to Oakland Avenue Presbyterian Church.

  • Miriam and Mark have been instrumental in the development of the ecumenical group called "Healing Our Borders/Sanando Nuestras Fronteras," in which Frontera de Cristo is active.

  • Oakland Avenue Presbyterian Church supports the Adams' mission through prayers, active interest in their programs, selling Just Coffee, and the Missions Committe's annual budget.

    •  

     

    Doug and Elaine Baker

    Doug and Elaine Baker, Stephen, Doug, and Niall - Click to go to the Baker's web page.

    Doug and Elaine Baker are Mission Coworkers to Northern Ireland. Doug Baker has been under appointment as a PC(USA) mission worker since 1979 and Elaine Baker since 1985. Though their roles have changed over the years of their ministry in Northern Ireland, their ministry has always served the cause of peacemaking and reconciliation.

    Click here or the photograph to learn more about the Bakers and their ministry in Northern Ireland.

    Click here for a Video of the ministry of the Bakers

    • In 2005 Doug was asked to serve as regional liaison for Ireland and the United Kingdom. In this role, he facilitates Presbyterian Church (USA) support for programs, relationships, and activities involving partner denominations and agencies.

    • Doug continues in the role of site coordinator for the PC(USA)'s Young Adult Volunteer program in Northern Ireland.

    • Young Adult Volunteers serve in communities of need at sites in the United States and abroad. In Northern Ireland their roles include work with at-risk young people through

      • Youth clubs

      • Youth drop-in centers

      • Youth tutoring programs

      • Working with women's and senior citizen's groups

      • Assisting congregations to develop youth fellowships and other ministries

      The volunteers get together regularly for reflection, prayer, and community-building, led by Doug, the program coordinator.

    • Oakland Avenue Presbyterian Church supports the Baker's mission through prayers, concern, and the Missions Committee's annual budget.

Drs. Bernie and Farsijana Adeney-Risakotta

Drs. Bernie and Nona Adeney-Risakotta - Click to go to the Adeney-Risakotta's web page. Bernie Adeney-Risakotta, PhD, came under appointment as a mission co-worker for the PC(USA) in 1991, and he has served continuously since then. Farsijana Adeney-Risakotta, PhD ("Nona"), came under appointment in January of 2003.


Click here or the photograph to learn more about the Adeney-Risakotta's ministry in Indonesia.

Click here for a video describing unique aspects of this ministry.

  • Bernie grew up in a mission family in China. He is professor of ethics and social sciences at Duta Wacana Christian University in Yogyakarta, on the island of Java in Indonesia. He teaches ethics, theology, philosophy, and social science in the graduate program in theology at the university. His students are mostly pastors and professors from all over Indonesia.

  • In addition to his duties at Duta Wacana, Bernie also teaches philosophy and social science at the State Islamic University and at the national university (UGM).

  • Farsijana teaching on the history of conflict. Farsijana is senior researcher for Duta Wacana's Center for Research and Social Service.

  • In the late 1990s, Bernie and Farsijana built a home in an all-Muslim neighborhood. Their home serves as a center for community outreach and hospitality. It is called "Pondok Tali Rasa," and at any given moment it is shared with several other people of both Muslim and Christian faith.

  • Oakland Avenue Presbyterian Church supports the Adeney-Risakottas' mission through prayers, active interest in their work, and the Missions Committee's annual budget.

    • Cindy and Les Morgan

    Cindy and Les Morgan have been serving as Mission Coworkers for the PC(USA) in Bangladesh since 1989. After serving three years at the Christian Health and Agricultural Project in Ahladipur (CHAPA), they joined as health advisors for the Church of Bangladesh and are stationed in Rajshahi at Christian Mission Hospital (CMH), an 80-bed facility that provides compassionate care for Muslims, Hindus, and Christians from the greater Rajshahi area. The hospital’s nursing school trains 70 Christian students, through a four-year course of study, to serve the sick in Christ’s name.

    • Les Morgan cares for adult medicine patients. As the hospital is now the government’s regional referral center for complicated TB patients, he is especially involved in their detailed and often long-term care.

    • Cindy looks after the hospital’s pediatric patients and helps out in the new preventive medicine clinic which screens patients for

      • Hypertension

      • Immunization status

      • Obesity and wasting conditions

      • Dr. Les Morgan caring for the sick in a poor area of south Dhaka - Click to go to the Morgan's web page.Tobacco usage

      • Visual defects

      Click here or the photograph to learn more about the Morgans' ministry in Indonesia.


    • Cindy also works closely with the primary health care program to provide training for field staff as they serve families living in 30 villages in the area.

    • Oakland Avenue Presbyterian Church supports the Morgan's mission through prayer, interest, and the Missions Committee's annual budget.

    Partner Church in Sidon, Lebanon

    Here is the most recent exchange of messages between OAPC and our partner church in Sidon:

    Subject: Greetings from Rock Hill, SC, USA

    Date: Sun, 28 Aug 2011 15:38:01 -0400

    Greetings to our friends in the church in Sidon from the Oakland Avenue Presbyterian Church in Rock Hill.

    We hope this finds you well.

    This season of the year is really the "New Year" at our church as so many of our programs are starting again. Last Sunday was rally day for the Church School classes. Students moved up to the next class and all classes started new programs of study. Soon the Presbyterian Women will begin their new year of study and fellowship. This year we will study the Beatitudes.

    We are starting a new program for all who are interested. It is called "Together on Wednesdays" [TOW]. We will meet for an evening meal together, a time of study [for adults] and activities [for children and youth]. We will end the evening with a short gathering for worship together. We are excited about this new venture that will continue through November and resume after the Christmas holidays.

    We are also having a Service of Healing and Wholeness on September 18. This is the first such service that we have had in many years. We hope that many who are ill, grieving, or suffering from losses will find comfort in this time of worship and prayer.

    We ask that your church remember us in prayer as we approach these new opportunities in the life of our church.

    What is happening in your church? How can we remember you in prayer?

    We give thanks for the ties that bind our hearts and minds in Christian love and fellowship and rejoice that in Christ there is no East or West. We pray that in a world filled with strife and chaos that you, our sisters and brothers, are safe and are led and comforted by the gracious love of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

    Peace and blessings,

    Barbara Kurz

    Missions Committee

    Oakland Avenue Presbyterian Church

    Rock Hill, SC USA

    ***

    Date: Sat Sep 3 06:44:44 WST 2011

    From: Elham Svendsberget

    Subject: RE: Greetings from Rock Hill, SC, USA

    Dear Barbara,

    I read your email with great pleasure. may God bless your new year activities and all the year through. You are always in my prayers and my thoughts.

    This summer was a very hot summer for all, we only focused on our regular weekly meetings. our children and youth attended the conferences in Dhour Chweir ( the conference center for the synod in Mount Lebanon). I was the only one to attend and participate in the women's conference.

    Now. that the summer is over, we are all looking forward to an active, busy year in the church! We hope so!!!!

    Let's all remember each other in our prayers for a fruitful life in our churches, no matter what difficulties we might face!!!!

    stay blessed.

    Greetings to all from our church

    Elder Elham 

 

 

Copyright © Oakland Avenue Presbyterian Church - All rights reserved.