Mission Trips & Service Opportunities

Mission Trip Opportunities

Mission Trips –  Since Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005, The Presbytery of the Pacific has been committed to the rebuilding of the Gulf Coast areas, in partnership with the National Black Presbyterian Caucus of Southern California, facilitated by Presbyterian Disaster Assistance Volunteer Villages. For more information, please contact Rev. Heidi Worthen Gamble for the next mission trip.

History: The National Black Presbyterian Caucus of Southern California (NBPC-SC) organized an initial Mission trip to the Southern Louisiana coast in 2007 to respond to the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina and a faulty levy system in New Orleans (NOLA) in 2005. The group served in Presbyterian Disaster Assistance pods in Houma, Louisiana and were surprised to be working that year with a volunteer group from St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Pacific, California. The two groups quickly bonded and planned for a return trip in 2009.

Since that time in 2009, the NOLA/Gulf Coast mission experience has been a partnership between NBPC-SC and the Presbytery of the Pacific. The trips have been staffed by Rev. Heidi Worthen Gamble, Mission Catalyst, and NBPC continues to provide leadership on the planning team. This partnership receives scholarship funding from the NBPC and together are nurturing young adult leadership for a new generation of mission leaders within our churches, cities and nation.

The History of our Partnership Commitment to New Orleans

The National Black Presbyterian Caucus of Southern California (NBPCSC) organized an initial Mission trip to the Southern Louisiana coast in 2007 to respond to the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina and a faulty levy system in New Orleans in 2005. The group served in Presbyterian Disaster Assistance pods in Houma, Louisiana and were surprised to be working that year with a volunteer group from St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Pacifica, California. The two groups quickly bonded and planned for a return trip in 2009. In 2009 NBPC-SC also partnered with POP to co-sponsor the NOLA mission trip experience. Since 2009 the NOLA mission experience has been a partnership between NBPC-SC and POP. The trips have been staffed by our Presbytery Mission Catalyst, Rev. Heidi Worthen Gamble and NBPC-SC continues to provide leadership on the planning team.

‘Faith at Work’ recognizes dedication to long path of recovery in New Orleans: A decade of faith-based action remembered at anniversary event – Article by the Presbyterian News Service

SEPTEMBER 16, 2015 — NEW ORLEANS

In May of 2015, the Presbytery of the Pacific (POP) sent a work team of adults back to New Orleans (NOLA) to help residents continue to build their lives and homes 10 years after devastating Hurricane Katrina leveled many towns of the Gulf Coast. Partnered with Project Homecoming, the POP NOLA “Dream Team” (the name the mission workers came up with for themselves) was privileged to work this year with the same homeowner Mr. Emmanuel (pictured below) as they did in 2014. Mr. Emmanuel worked to rebuild homes for other New Orleanean families who lost their home for 9 years. Project Homecoming with the Pacific Presbytery is now helping him to finally rebuild his own home after the Katrina damage.