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THE ONE GREAT HOUR OF SHARING:
One Great Hour of Sharing addresses immediate and long-term solutions for the world's hungry, poor, homeless and oppressed. As Presbyterians, we join millions of other Christians to address the causes of human suffering. We follow Jesus' example of sharing the pain and sorrows of a world in need. The 2006 O.G.H.S. Campaign during Lent raised $1,111.00 for this traditional special offering.

CHRISTMAS JOY:
Through our gifts to this offering, we share our gratefulness for God's gift of Christ with racial/ethnic institutions and retired church workers. In 2006, the congregation donated a record $839.20 to this work.

PENTECOST & PEACEMAKING:
These other two traditional Presbyterian offerings are much less emphasized in this congregation, so the dollar amounts are significantly less. We received $82.00 for the Pentecost Offering and $235.89 for the Peacemaking Offering in 2006.

FIRST PRESBYTERIAN MISSION PROGRAM
In 2006, $28,835.07 (more than 22 percent of our total church budget) was given by this congregation to various organizations and mission groups to continue our Christian outreach. The funds were disbursed in the following proportions:

Those totals were broken down as follows:

EDUCATION:

LOCAL/GALENA:

LOCAL/ILLINOIS & IOWA:

NATIONAL AND WORLD:

OPERATING:

And what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? Micah 6:8

THE HEIFER PROJECT:
Donations promote self-reliance and help to fight hunger by providing an animal to a selected family. This family then passes on to another family one of its animal's offspring plus training and skills. In August 2006, we collected a record total of $3415.94 toward the purchase of one heifer, two sheep and ten trees.

HUNGER PROGRAMS:
The United Churches of Galena annually sponsor a fund-raising event to fight hunger locally and around the world. In 2006, CROP Walk that raised $1,237.00, which was split between the Galena Food Pantry and the Church World Service. Also, every year on Super Bowl Sunday, our congregation receives the Souper Bowl Offering on behalf of the local Food Pantry. The 2006 amount was $122.10.

MISSIONARIES:
Since 2001, we have had a formal relationship with the Rev. Glen Hallead and his family, who are serving as missionaries from Blackhawk Presbytery to Ghana, Africa. We also financially support two members who are involved in a Wycliffe Bible translation mission near Tama/Toledo, Iowa. In addition, we hosted two officers of the Kenyan Presbyterian Church in 2002 and continue to support their work through our prayers and gifts.

For truly I tell you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ will by no means lose their reward." Mark 9:41

CUP OF COLD WATER:
Each year, a certain amount of money is set aside so that, as need arises, we can provide "a cup of cold water" to our brothers and sisters in need. In 2006, this fund totaled $3,950. The Cup of Cold Water Fund was used to assist three different families who suffered fires in their homes as well as several churches in Alabama that were burned, to provide assistance to three families in our congregation going through difficult times, help a woman who lost her husband and child in a single incident and assist a program that makes afghans for children with life-threatening diseases. The Cup of Cold Water Fund, more than any other mission program, helps define our ministry by making our mission personal, aiding individuals during a time of need or crisis.

"What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works?" James 2:4a