Alice Sisson Ministry Center

Located at 1516 Market Street

Alice Sisson Ministry Center

St. Andrews-Covenant Presbyterian Church

…a gathering place of learning, sharing and serving

The mission of the Alice Sisson Ministry Center is to equip people to

serve and develop relationships with one another the community and

the world.

What Do We Value At St. Andrews-Covenant Presbyterian Church?

God: We seek to know, love and worship the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Faith: We strive to follow Jesus Christ, trusting in His grace, power and love.

Family: We endeavor to be a welcoming community, caring and sharing with love and joy.

Equipping: We prepare our people to use with love and passion, the strengths God gave them.

Serving: We provide opportunities for all ages to share their love, gifts and talents near and far.

We Envision This Center To Be:

Where retreats and meetings can be held to deepen relationships with, and educate ourselves about, God and others.
Where church leaders and not-for-profit community groups can hold meetings.
Where people can be equipped to enter the community and the world for mission.
Where refuge is given for the temporary housing of homeless families.
Where guests of our church are welcomed.
An inviting place for people of faith who wish to serve the greater Wilmington community.

Guidelines For Use:

We are glad you are here and making use of this wonderful facility. We hope that your stay with us will be a productive and rewarding time – a blessing for you, your group, as well as for our community. There are several guidelines that we wish all visitors to follow for the sake of your safety and the maintenance of this lovely historic home.

Please be sure all the deadbolts on the doors are locked when you leave the house, but also while you are in the house.

There is to be NO SMOKING in the house.

NO ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES are to be consumed on campus grounds.

There are to be NO FIRES in either of the fireplaces as the flues are not operational.

Be sure kitchen appliances are TURNED OFF when not in use.

Please use the remote in each bunk room to set the ceiling fan speed you desire; do not use the pull chains.

There are no exhaust fans in the front or rear bathrooms. When multiple showers are taken, please open the windows slightly to allow the condensation to vent. Remember to shut the windows once the steam has cleared.

There are fire ladders in each of the four bunkrooms. Familiarize yourself with their locations in the unlikely event that you are not able to use the stairs in case of fire. If the ladders must be used, open the window fully and carefully descend to the ground.

As you prepare to depart, we trust you will leave the facility as you found it. Cleaning supplies and a vacuum cleaner are provided for your use. They are located in the front pantry closet off the kitchen.

Trash is to be deposited in the larger dumpster (on the right) as you exit the rear door. Please do not use any of the other receptacles, as they are paid for by other tenants.

As we are in an urban neighborhood, it is prudent to be sure all vehicles are always locked and that nothing is left in plain view within the car or van. After dark, please keep any outdoor activity at the center to a minimum due to safety issues.

To Learn More and To Be Added To Our Email List, Contact:

The Reverend Gary E. Howell, Coordinator of the Alice Sisson Ministry Center can be reached at 910-762-9693 ext 227 or email at ghowell@sacpc.org

Our Mission and Outreach Program

“For a long time now—to this very day—you have not deserted your brothers
but have carried out the mission the Lord your God gave you.”
Joshua 22:3

Mission Is…

Hospitality…Humility…Justice….Equality….

Compassion… Simplicity… Conviction…

Sharing

Mission is sharing – sharing our lives, our labors, our love, and our faith. Our Mission Ministry focuses upon mission in the world and the work of the wider church. We also help to support our students preparing for Presbyterian ministry. (Another church committee, Service and Outreach, focuses upon volunteer service and financial support within the Wilmington community.) There are many ways we share mission at St. Andrews-Covenant Presbyterian Church. Share with us!

We share by supporting mission co-workers:

Andy and Ellen Collins, Thailand ~ Working with the mission organization, Interserve, Andy and Ellen use professional computer and communication skills to serve people of Thailand.

Sherron George, Brazil ~ A long-term mission co-worker with the Presbyterian Church (USA), Sherron serves as a mission interpreter and educator.

David and Susan Hudson, India ~ Mission co-workers with the PC(USA), David and Susan work not only in India but also in other Middles East and Asian countries.

Mike and Nancy Haninger, Congo ~ PC(USA) mission co-workers, Mike and Nancy offer medical and health education.

Ken and Anne Haugh, Germany ~ Working through Wycliff, Ken and Anne serve as translators and educators in Europe and the Mediterranean rim.

Romildo and Viviane Sena, Brazil ~ Working with our partner church in Manaus, Brazil, Romildo and Viviane pastor a small congregation along the Amazon River.

We share by working in partnership with other churches and organizations:

Faith Ministries, Mexico ~ For many years we have provided prayer and financial support and sent mission teams to build homes near the border and to build relationships of friendship and understanding.

Malawi Mission ~ Working closely with Rev. Silas Ncozana, of the Presbyterian Church of Central Africa, we build fresh water wells and we are particularly connected to supporting a school to feed and educate street children of Malawi.

Maues Mission Partnership, Brazil ~ With the Petropolis Presbyterian Church in Manaus, Brazil, we support its ministry to communities along the Amazon River. Besides financial and prayer support, we build wells and send our members on medical and teaching mission trips. We also occasionally receive visits from the Petropolis Church leadership.

Tabasco, Mexico ~ The Presbytery of Coastal Carolina has a partnership with the Presbytery of the Gulf of Mexico, of the Mexican Presbyterian Church. We are in the process of exploring a deeper connection with that ministry.

West Virginia Ministry of Advocacy and Workcamps (WVMAW) ~ Members of St. Andrews-Covenant Presbyterian Church built one of the mission centers used by WVMAW to alleviate unsafe and unhealthy conditions of poverty in the region.. Each year we send a building repair team to continue that work. WVMAW director, Rev. Joan West-Stewart, is a former member of SACPC.

We share by supporting our seminary students:
We are proud to sponsor our church members in their God-given quest to prepare for ministry in the Presbyterian Church (USA). The past years many students have left our congregation to serve the wider church. In the past ten years we have graduated:

Maggie Leonard: Columbia Theological Seminary

Charles Reed: Columbia Theological Seminary

Joan West-Stewart, Union Theological Seminary

Sweetie Francis: Columbia Theological Seminary

We share by supporting the wider church:
As part of a connectional church, we are glad to allocate resources through shared mission support and per capita assessment to the Presbytery of Coastal Carolina and the Presbyterian Church (USA).

We share by sending out members for short-term mission:
Each year we offer short-term mission opportunities for persons of all ages.

2009: South Bronx, NYC; Jamaica; rural North Carolina and West Virginia

2008: West Virginia; Mexico, Wilmington NC; Washington DC, and Brazil

2007: Guatemala, Brooklyn NYC, West Virginia, Brazil, New Orleans

We have developed a Theological Framework for Mission Teams to guide our work:

Theological Framework for Mission Teams

St. Andrews-Covenant Presbyterian Church Mission Committee:

Members of St. Andrews-Covenant Presbyterian Church enthusiastically involve themselves in mission. We do mission in the name and spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ. We provide opportunities for persons of all ages to make a difference through serving others and sharing their faith. Learning and serving go hand-in-hand because we need to understand people in order to help them. Jesus calls us to be in relationship with others as we work together for healing and justice. Jesus calls us to share our faith with others so that no one will be without a word of hope and grace. These biblical criteria shape our work:

Hospitality: “Whoever welcomes you, welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.” Matthew 10:40

When we go on a mission trip, we go where we are invited. We are the guests, and we learn from our hosts. We honor the many opportunities for partnership within the Presbyterian Church (USA) and with other churches and organizations.

Humility: “Live in harmony with one another, do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are.” Romans 12:16

We do not engage in mission because we are superior to other people. We are not better Christians or smarter people. In mission we share what we have, even as we receive what our host offers.

Justice: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Luke 4:18

Our goal in mission is to increase self-development and mutuality in ministry. It is to help people help themselves to live safe, healthy, and capable lives and to strengthen the Christian faith in ways that are culturally appropriate and meaningful.

Equality: “If one member of the body suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it.” I Corinthians 12:26

The mission team experiences what it means to be the body of Christ together. All members of the team are essential to the group’s unity and its mission. Every person is equally valuable and has work to do. In the same way, we are also equal to those we serve in mission.

Compassion: “And who is my neighbor? …The one who showed mercy. Go and do likewise.” Luke 10:29, 37
We expect that mission will change us. Mission not only helps other people in the world. Mission transforms us. It increases cross-cultural awareness and decreases selfishness and materialism.

Simplicity: “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:21
Mission trip accommodations should be safe and clean, but not luxurious. Food should be simple and wholesome. The choice of activities on a mission trip should demonstrate good stewardship of time and money.

Conviction: “For we do not proclaim ourselves. We proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord.” 2 Corinthians 4:5
We share the truth of our faith openly and honestly, without manipulation, but with trust that Jesus Christ will shine through the witness of our lives.