OPC Missions

SUPPORTING NEEDS LOCALLY & AROUND THE GLOBE
Find current mission & volunteer opportunities in the OPC newsletter.

Love Thy Neighbor

The Mission committee has created this opportunity for the congregation to participate in local outreach. The "Love Thy Neighbor" program sponsors a variety of organizations and give them support. Past partnerships have supplied diapers for young mothers through Secure Beginnings.

Find our latest partnerships in the OPC monthly newsletter, or contact missions@ojaipc.org for more information.

Handyman Ministry

The OPC Handyman Ministry's mission is to encourage fellowship while helping our neighbors in need by providing basic household repairs and services.  We can do anything from changing a lightbulb to minor carpentry and repairs and yard work, whatever is needed.  This ministry is open to adults as well as high school students.  No experience necessary.

If you're interested in participating, and/or have a person in mind for these services, email OPC Missions at missions@ojaipc.org.

Food Share Sunday

OJAI Did you know that one filled grocery cart feeds a family of four for a week? HELP of Ojai's Community Assistance Program (CAP) and Valley Outreach work to assist the most needy in our Ojai Valley. Your continued donations of non-perishable food, toiletries, baby food and diapers are greatly appreciated.

Bring your donations on Communion Sunday (usually the first Sunday of each month), so we can continue to help our neighbors through HELP of Ojai’s Pantry Program.

Visit helpofojai.org or contact (805) 646-5122 for more information.

Family to Family   

OJAI-VENTURA | OPC works together with other Ojai and Ventura churches, the Ventura synagogue, and others to feed over 200 people a hot meal five days a week at the Catholic Charities dining hall on Ventura Avenue in Ventura.  A noon dinner is cooked on site and served Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and hot breakfast is served Saturdays and Sundays.  OPC serves dinner every second Friday of the month.

Ways to get involved: Each week we have some faithful, regular volunteers, but need extras to work as substitutes. Please consider adding your name to the substitute list. You are needed!

Contact Michael & Annell LaBarge at missions@ojaipc.org.

Homeless Shelter

OJAI | Right here, without leaving town, you can help local families-offering them snacks, dinner, a hot shower, a warm safe place to sleep, breakfast, the gift of friendship and a time for prayer.

To get involved contact OPC Missions at missions@ojaipc.org.

Teen Challenge

VENTURA | Teen Challenge of Southern California provides a one-year, Christian faith-based, residential care program to those struggling with life-controlling problems. This adult residential program for men and women ages 18 and older is offered in Southern California at no charge to the individual. The Ventura Teen Challenge branch serves women 18+. OPC Provides financial assistance to this ministry and offers service days to meet needs on the Teen Challenge campus and partner with Teen Challenge residents. For more information or ways to help contact OPC Missions at missions@ojaipc.org.

Build Houses in Mexico

MEXICO | OPC has been in partnership with Unidos por Siempre in a colonia near Tijuana since 2002. This orphanage not only provides a safe and loving environment for children who have lost their parents, but is also a haven for families who don’t have the means necessary to provide for their children. In partnership with DOXA ministries,  we build houses in the local community for those in need.

If you’re interested in joining one of these trips, or for more information, contact Anthony Jones at anthony@ojaipc.org.

Habitat for Humanity

VENTURA COUNTY | Habitat for Humanity is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing low-cost housing for needy families.  Habitat builds houses throughout the world through the efforts of volunteers and the “sweat equity” of the home recipients. There are projects currently in Ventura County available for volunteers.  

Contact OPC Missions at missions@ojaipc.org for more details.

Impact

WORLDWIDE | A ministry of the Presbytery of Santa Barbara that sends out people from our local churches on short-term mission trips. Teams go to Uganda, Romania, Turkey, Honduras, China, Albania, Haiti, and India to work alongside missionaries with ongoing programs. These trips have helped us to develop long-standing relationships with missionaries such as Nita Hansen in the Ukraine or Ramazan Arkan’s church in Turkey. These relationships are not only valuable to the team, but also to the missionaries receiving the teams, as we uplift, support and serve with them. Trips take place in the summer and winter. 

For more details go to www.impact-sbp.org or contact Annell LaBarge at missions@ojaipc.org .

God’s Hidden Treasures

UKRANE | We continue to be aware and prayerful as we follow the crisis in Ukraine and also in other parts of our country and world. OPC has opportunities for you to stay informed and donate financially. Our missionary partner, Nita Hansen, has a blog to follow with current updates.  The blog shares how the war is affecting her ministry and how her team continues to serve and work with local ministry and with the Red Cross.  There are two opportunities to donate: Check to OPC - Ukraine in memo, or Presbyterian Disaster Assistance.  Presbyterian Disaster Assistance also has information on how to donate to other relief efforts in the US and around the world.

Keep up to date with Nina’s work on the GHT Blog.

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance

WORLDWIDE | Presbyterian Disaster Assistance enables congregations and mission partners of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A) to witness to the healing love of Christ through caring for communities adversely affected by crisis and catastrophic event.

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) is the emergency and refugee program of the Presbyterian Church U.S.A. The core budget, including staff and administrative costs, is funded through the One Great Hour of Sharing, and its program work is additionally funded through designated gifts. Visit pda.pcusa.org for more information or to find ways to help.www.pda.pcusa.org

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance

  • Focuses on the long term recovery of disaster impacted communities.

  • Provides training and disaster preparedness for presbyteries and synods.

  • Works collaboratively with church partners and members of the ACT Alliance (Action by Churches Together) internationally, and nationally with other faith based responders.

  • Connects partners locally and internationally with key organizations active in the response — United Nations, NVOAD (National Voluntary Agencies Active in Disaster), World Food Program, Red Cross, FEMA and others.

Find current mission & volunteer opportunities in the OPC newsletter.