Benevolences and Affiliations:
The Reformed Church in America
Reformed Church in America congregations can be found in many shapes, sizes, and settings: large or small, informal or formal, traditional or contemporary, urban or rural.
Each exists to welcome others into a community of people who are worshiping Christ, growing in faith, and serving their neighbors. We invite you to visit an RCA congregation in your community.
This welcoming spirit is also at the heart of Our Call, the RCA's ten-year goal to revitalize existing congregations and start new congregations.
Reformed faith deals with the power of God in human life; it is faith that is continuous, communal, and centered in Christ. Learn more about Our Beliefs.
To visit their website:
The RCA's website has been updated to include the latest additions to their online discussion on race and racism. Please locate our discussion at this web address: http://www.rca.org/NETCOMMUNITY/Page.aspx?pid=3958&srcid=2225. We encourage you to consider participating in their discussion.
Building Peace and Justice in the Sudan
Bruce and Laurie Hawley (formerly of Delmar NY), our mutual mission facilitators, traveled to Yei, Sudan earlier this year to help volunteers who went to work alongside our missionaries, Del and Deb Braaksma. The Braaksmas work with the new Sudan Council of Churches, a long-time partner of the RCA, to help bring peace between the peoples of northern and southern Sudan and to build a healthy civil society in this politically fragile area of Africa.
The council created the Resource Center for Civil Leadership (RECONCILE) for Sudanese community leaders to engage in training around healing, reconciliation and respect for others. The Braaksmas are leading an effort to build a training center that will provide classroom space, small conference rooms housing and dining facilities for church and community leaders.
Doctors Without Borders
“Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is an independent international medical humanitarian organization that delivers emergency aid to people affected by armed conflict, epidemics, natural or man-made disasters, or exclusion from health care in more than 70 countries.”
“In emergencies and their aftermath, MSF provides health care, rehabilitates and runs hospitals and clinics, performs surgery, battles epidemics, carries out vaccination campaigns, operates feeding centers for malnourished children, and offers mental health care. When needed, MSF also constructs wells and dispenses clean drinking water, and provides shelter materials like blankets and plastic sheeting.”
“MSF volunteers frequently work in the most remote or dangerous parts of the world. When crises unfold, they make themselves and their skills available on short notice, usually dedicating six to twelve months to each assignment. Their expenses are covered and they receive a modest stipend.”
“To maintain its operational independence and flexibility, MSF relies on the general public for nearly 80 percent of its operating funds. The remaining 20 percent of funds come from international agencies and governments.”
To learn more about Doctors Without Borders, please visit their website at http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/ or contact one of our deacons.
Shriners Hospitals for Children
Shriners Hospitals for Children is a system of 22 children's hospitals in the US, Canada and Mexico. The expert staff at these specialty hospitals provides expert medical care to children with problems of the bones and joints, burn injuries, spinal cord injuries, and cleft lip and palate. All this care is provided at no charge to the patient or any third party, and without regard to race, color, creed, sex or sect.
Shriners hospitals treat thousands of children each year. They are currently conducting 140 research projects in the areas mentioned above of both genetic and acquired diseases in order to improve the lives and futures of children. If you know a child Shriners Hospitals might be able to help, call toll-free (800) 237-5055.
The total budget for Shriners Hospitals for Children for 2007 is $721 million, of which $655 million is targeted for operating expenses (including $37 million for research) and $66 million for buildings and equipment expenditures. 100% of the funds come from public donors, past and present, and the supportof the Shriners of North America (through fundraisers).
To learn more about the Shriners Hospital for Children, please visit their website at http://shrinershospitals.org/ or contact one of our deacons.
Interfaith Partnership for the Homeless
Founded in 1984 by the Capital Area council of Churches, the Interfaith Partnership for the Homeless offers emergency shelter, case management, a health and wellness program, a clothing pantry and community breakfasts at its 30-bed homeless shelter in the Sheridan Hollow section of Arbor Hill. Twice a month area Reformed churches provide a home-cooked meal and dessert. Since January Guy and Nancy Wyche and have been fulfilling this mission. (Thank you!)
There is also a drop-in day center, the first of its kind in Albany County, at 26 S. Swan St. It offers laundry facilities, showers, mailboxes, storage lockers, a daily meal and a safe haven for homeless, at-risk and low-income individuals and families. Case management, health care, legal aid and substance abuse screenings are available at this site.
IPH is largely financially sustained by the area’s religious community. However, city, county and state agencies, as well as corporate foundations and private sources also contribute to this ministry. Pennies for Haven supports IPH, too. For further information call 434- 8021.
Capital Area Council of Churches
The Capital Area Council of Churches has existed for over 65 years and is a fellowship of some 85 churches, primarily located in Albany County. CACC is committed to an ecumenical mandate: exploring divergent viewpoints; bearing faithful and effective witness in our time and place; working together in service, advocacy, and celebration. Activities and projects include:
Check out the website at www.CapAreaCC.org
Capital City Rescue Mission
The Capital City Rescue Mission, founded in 1949, is dedicated to proclaiming the life-changing Gospel of Jesus Christ to the homeless and needy of the capital region. It seeks to provide for the whole person -body, mind and spirit- so that s/he returns to society maturing in Christ as a productive citizen. Because of the spiritual hope it offers and its numerous services, The Mission has grown to be the largest shelter in Albany
The Mission offers a discipleship/rehabilitation program, learning center, medical services, counseling and referrals. In June 2000 the Mission relocated to a new 37,000 sq. foot facility at 259 South Pearl Street. This alleviated overcrowding and more adequately serves the homeless. Presently over 100 individuals are sheltered each night with over 300 meals served daily. Many partners, including hardworking volunteers and faithful donors, join with the Mission’s dedicated staff in serving the needy.
The New Faith Family Center, specifically for women and children, began housing them in December 2002 and fully opened in the spring of 2003.
Plans for the future include renovation of a recently purchased warehouse for transitional housing and inner city youth ministry. The Mission has always been privately funded; it receives no city, state or federal funds. For further information see the web
site at http://www.capitalcityrescuemission.com
Angels2Help Ministry
Angels2Help Ministry is the mission work of Jay Wyche (Guy’s brother) and his wife Joan in Ensenada, Mexico. They have been there for six years. The Lord’s Church in Bellflower, CA is their sponsor and home church. In 2004-2005 Jay and Joan raised funds and had a larger children’s home built, Pequenos Hermanos. They minister to needy children, providing a place of refuge and teaching them about the love of Christ. The home’s governing board is Dios Protection Center in Michigan. The Wyches are currently still waiting for a permit to dig a well at the children’s home, a necessity for its continued growth. A new visitors center at the home was built by members of the American Board of Missions as well as volunteers from Michigan and Oregon on Spring Break 2007. Another group from California built 25 bunk beds with storage space. Jay is also building a storage shed for donated Christmas gifts, clothing, shoes and candy. This will replace the tent they had to use in the past. The Wyche ministry also includes three Breakfast Outreach Programs in Chapultepec, a men’s rehab center, a muffler shop to give men the opportunity to learn a trade and be self-supporting, and a prison/release ministry. In addition to receiving some support from their home church, they raise much-needed funds through their newsletter and from family and friends.
NRCAT- The National Religeous Campaign Against Torture
“ Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.”
(Hebrews 13:3 - Today's New International Version)
To insure the peace and security of it’s citizens, the
But sadly, in our zeal to prosecute the war on terror, we've compromised our core principles as Americans and Christians by our disturbing treatment of prisoners at
As Christ’s people, we believe each and every person is a sacred and precious creation of God’s…made in His image…someone for whom Christ died. Torture violates this precious sanctity and is never morally acceptable!
The First Reformed Church of Bethlehem is a participating member of “The National Religious Campaign Against Torture”, an affiliation of American religious organizations opposed to