& (Co-Chairs)
When I called, you answered me;
you made me bold and stouthearted. Psalm 138:3

Our Church Body Mission:
Monthly Updated Prayer Requests
for FPC staff and supported missionaries.
(Click the document below to open up a viewer or to print)
(Prayer Request for Missionaries/Staff)

Click below to go directly to a missionary or agency FPC supports.
[Birdsall] [Black] [Carriker] [Dougherty] [Dozier] [Eide] [Farnsworth]
[Glover] [Griffith] [Haspels] [Hege] [Hinton] [Nancy & Keith]
[Jewell] [Lehman] [Muindi] [Telford] [ Bridge of Hope ] [ Cadle ]
[ Cameron ] [ International Services ] [ Freedom Gate ] [ Habitat 4 Humanity ]
[ Mercy Preg Center ] [ Motivated Moms ] [ Opportunity House ] [ Paolella ]
[ S.H.A.R.E. ] [ Reading/Berks Conference of Churches ] [ Winz ]

Doug & Jeanie Birdsall (AsianAccess, dougbirdsall@compuserve.com )
Doug is president of AsianAccess Ministries of Japan and the Far East. One purpose of AsianAccess Ministries is to offer English language training and thus have the opportunity to present the message of Jesus Christ to the students. Doug is also involved in establishment and planting of Christian churches in the Far East. Doug and Jeanie are currently serving Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. Doug is the Director at the J. Christy Wilson Center for World Mission. A short-term mission from FPC went to Japan under the care and guidance of AsianAccess formerly LIFE Ministries. They have three children, Stacia, Judson & Jessamin. [Back to Top]

Rev Dr. Bill and Rev Dr. Stephanie Black  
(SIM USA, Bill.black@sim.org, Stephanie.black@sim.org)
Bill and Stephanie Black are both professors at Evangelical Theological College and Ethiopian Graduate School of Theology. Bill is also the pastor of the International Evangelical Church in Addis Ababa. Teaching at the seminary level in the mission field has been a long-term goal of the Blacks. Linnea will be in Boarding School this year. Caroline attends the international school is Addis. Both are ordained pastors by PCUSA. Bill was our former associate pastor. [Back to Top]

Tim and Marta Carriker  
(PCUSA, tim.carriker@gmail.com , marta.carriker@gmail.com)
Tim and Marta are teachers in the Missionary Training Center. Tim is considered as a co-pastor of the Independent Presbyterian Church at Estreito. Marta teaches English, and Phonetics and Language Learning Skills. Tim teaches History of Missions, Biblical Theology of Mission, Bible, and Contextualization. Tim also teaches Sunday School and preaches. Tim speaks throughout the country on leadership training for mission. Marta is also involved in the local church activities. Tim also teaches missiological courses at seminaries in northeast Brazil. They have 3 children: Tim Jr., Jenny and Sarah. [Back to Top]

David and Jeannie Dougherty (OMF, JDougherty@omf.org )
Dave serves Overseas Missionary Fellowship as Vice-President, Director of Public Ministries, and Assistant for Plans and Training. Dave travels all over the world leading training courses. Jeannie acts as Dave’s secretary. She is also Mission Home Hostess. This includes housing and feeding of visiting missionaries and candidates. OMF’s mission is to glorify God by the urgent evangelization of East Asia’s millions. Their focus is on the unreached Animistic, Buddhist, Chinese, and Muslim people groups of East Asia. They seek to plant churches in each of these groups. Dave and Jeannie were active members of First Presbyterian Church several years ago. They were an inspiration to the development of the mission program of this church.
 [Back to Top]

Rev. Ellen Harris Dozier (PCUSA, dozier@itelgua.com , ellendozier@hotmail.com)
Ellen Dozier is serving in Guatemala. She is a mission specialist. She assists the director of the local presbyteries and women’s groups as they plan activities and find ways for women to be involved in ministry in Guatemala. Ellen also works with a theological education project for women sponsored by the Presbyterian seminary in Guatemala. The church voted to ordain women to the ministry of elder and the ministry of Word and Sacrament. This has led to an interest in education to prepare women for these roles. Ellen spends nine months of each year in Guatemala and the rest of the year in North Carolina sharing her experiences and involving the communities and churches with her ministry in Guatemala. Her focus was to introduce these two presbyteries and her home presbytery in North Carolina to the concept of partnership. She has also helped with the start-up of a cooperative health project between the presbyteries, which is now run by the Guatemalans. Ellen received a bachelor’s degree in Bible and Christian education from Maryville College in Maryville, Tennessee, and a master’s degree in religious education from Princeton Theological Seminary in Princeton, NJ. [Back to Top]

Jon and Tracy Eide (Mission To the World, Jeide@mtwukrainee.org )
Jon and Tracy have returned to the Ukraine. Jon and Tracy are proficient in Russian and have been immersed in the culture. Jon is experienced in discipling young adults, and Tracy has worked in children’s ministry. They have planted a church in the Solomenski region of Kiev. Alison attends Kyiv Christian Academy. Natalie is home schooled to learn Russian and will attend a Russian school in the fall. [Back to Top]

Ned S. & Marisol Farnsworth 
(Liebenzell Missions, nedfarnsworth@hotmail.com )
Ned’s ministry is to serve the children of Ecuador in Jesus’ name, for God’s glory. Ned was a Spanish teacher in Berks Christian School. He participated in one of FPC’s short-term missions to Ecuador. Ned was extremely popular with the children in Ecuador as he performed clowning. Through this experience he was led to become a full time missionary in Ibarra, Ecuador. He is currently in the states with his Ecuadorian wife, Marisol and son Joe. Ned is studying for his seminary degree so he may return to Ecuador as a pastor. Ned also is a gifted musician. He sings and writes music. [Back to Top]

Scott & Sally Glover  (Campus Crusade for Christ, Usa.glover@usa.net )
BAs a veteran on the Campus Crusade staff, Scott directs and works with an eight member international team in the Far East. He also coordinates the development of evangelism and discipleship materials in the local language. Scott connects with those from other countries as they share the gospel in the area. Sally serves as mom, wife, and shepherding women of the team, serving and encouraging team members and as a language student. She uses every opportunity with Caroline to reach out to other mothers and their children. [Back to Top]

JoAnn Griffith  (PCUSA - retired )
JoAnn is a teacher at B.E.S.S. (Bethel Evangelical Secondary School) in Dembi Dollo, Ethiopia. Although she has officially retired as a missionary with PCUSA, she continues teaching as a volunteer. At B.E.S.S. the teachers plant, weed and harvest to prepare these younger people to assume their roles in the lives of their church and nation. God’s word is taught in the Chapel, lived in the classrooms and dorms and studied in the Bible study groups that teachers lead. They live in faith that they have nourished this planting and that these young people leaving school will continue to witness to God’s love in their lives. For some this is more than a school; it has been a home for fatherless or motherless children. They hope that the planting will be harvested in joy. Address: P. O. Box 25 B.E.S.S.,  Dembi Dollo,  Ethiopia.
 [Back to Top]

John and Gwen Haspels (PCUSA, jhaspels@telecom.net.et )
John & Gwen are both children of missionaries and raised in Africa. They have served as missionaries since 1974. Their mission is agriculture, education, evangelism, and medical. Through the Missions and Mortar Campaign in 1986 at First Presbyterian Church, we adopted the Haspels and their ministry to the Suri people in Ethiopia through the United Presbyterian Frontier Mission Project. They are now crossing the mountain to work among the Baale people in Baaleland. John writes, "It is the truth that brought us here and enables us to keep going. It is the truth that keeps all the hunger, violence, hatred, and pain in perspective. If Jesus had not risen, then indeed there would be little hope for the starving. [Back to Top]

George and Linda Hege (Liebenzell Missions, hegelma@gmx.net)
George Hege is serving as Director of Global Ministries for Liebenzell Mission USA. Linda retired teaching in the Reading area. As she is fluent in Spanish, she was of great value to the community and continues to be of great value working with Liebenzell Missions USA. George and Linda were for many years in Ecuador working with the Awa. George was director of the mission in the city of Quito during the time the children were in high school. They returned to the States in 2000. By invitation of the Hege Family two Short Term Mission Teams from FPC were sent to Quito, Lita and other areas of mission in Ecuador. They have three children: Nate, Elisabeth, and Bryan. [Back to Top]

Bryan and Tori Hinton (Wycliffe Bible Translators bdhinton@comcast.net)
The purpose of Wycliffe Bible Translators is to go to a language group of people that has no gospel message being proclaimed, learn the language of the tribe, model Christian love, and translate the Bible into the language of the people. He has completed a New Testament translation for an Indonesian group. Bryan also teaches Linguistics. About a year ago Tori was in a terrible automobile accident. She is still in rehabilitation. It is amazing that she has recovered at all. The care of Tori has consumed the time and energy of the Hinton family. Through the prayers of many, by the Grace of God, she has survived. The Hintons have 3 children: Allin, Michele & Scott. [Back to Top]

Dr. Jim & Eleanor Jewell (SIM USA, Jnejewell@zamnet.zm )
Dr. Jim and Eleanor are longtime residents of Reading/Berks. The Jewells combine medical, administrative and personnel skills, a long time desire to communicate the gospel and to train physicians in underdeveloped nations. The Jewells have a crucial role in the advance of God’s Kingdom in that part of God’s world. Jim and Eleanor see training of nationals to take the roles of medical, administrative, and spiritual leadership as the highest priority of their work. Now partially retired, they continue to serve part of each year in Zambia. They have four children and eight grandchildren. [Back to Top]

Bob and Debbie Lehman (Wycliffe Bible Translators bob_lehman@sil.org)
The Lehmans are currently serving in the Philippines working at Faith Academy. This school serves the whole East Asia area. Bob worked as a mental health counselor for eight years before joining Wycliffe. He worked in construction and maintenance supervisor for eight years in Suriname. Deb is teaching at the school. The work they do enables the Bible translators to continue working knowing that their children are receiving the best teaching possible at Faith Academy. They have 4 children: Theresa, Rachel, Nathanael, and Rebekah. [Back to Top]

The Rev. Dr. Bernard Muindi (PCUSA,  )
Bernard Muindi is involved in pasturing and church planting for the Presbyterian Church in East Africa in Kenya. Members of the congregation met Muindi when he was studying at Princeton Seminary in 1962-63. The relationship with this church has lasted to the present time. He has held various positions in PCEA including: Superintendent of Nyeri Presbytery, Acting General Secretary, Deputy General Secretary, General Secretary, Moderator of the General Assembly. He received a scholarship to Fuller Seminary School of World Mission. Muindi writes that he is very humbled to receive this support and is delighted that the church has this kind of love and concern for the Lord’s work in Kenya. [Back to Top]

Tom & Nancy Telford (United World Mission, Tomtelford@compuserve.com )
Tom Telford serves as Vice President of Church Mobilization for United World Mission. He has also authored several mission related books. The latest book is Today’s All-Star Mission Churches. His greatest passion is to see local churches of any size maximize their potential for global involvement. Tom believes and urges us to act on this statement of The Lausanne Covenant – "World Evangelization requires the whole church to take the whole gospel to the whole world." [Back to Top]

Bridge of Hope Berks County: 
( Bridge of Hope Berks County, bohberks@earthlink.com)
 This is an amazing ministry; one that changes the lives of single mothers and their children and also calls a church to action. The mission of the group is to end homelessness for women and children with the help of trained mentoring groups within the congregation. The director of this group is Sarah Quinter. [Back to Top]

Russ & Virginia Cadle 
(The International Foundation Northeast Region, 104737.3267@compuserve.com)
Russ ministers to people in business and sports. His ministry is in Wilmington, Reading and the Philadelphia areas. Russ works in the marketplace for the cause of Christ and to uplift men in the name of Christ. He has served as chaplain to the Philadelphia Eagles. Russ and Virginia offer Marriage Seminars in the area. [Back to Top]

Alex Cameron (PriorityOne, Alexcam4@aol.com)
Priority One exists to introduce Jesus Christ into the lives of men and challenge them to make Him the foundation of their priorities. FPC Elder Alex Cameron is the regional director of Priority One. [Back to Top]

International Services: The Migrant/Hispanic population in Reading is growing by leaps and bounds. Many of these people live at mushroom camps, which are in difficult conditions. Others commute from Reading with the help of their employer. These people are far from home and without reliable Christian witness. The International Services supplies spiritual encouragement and seeks to help with resources of food and clothing as available. They also relate to the clergy of over 35 Latino congregations in the Reading area. [Back to Top]

Freedom Gate Ministries: The Rev. Junior Oriol is Program Director of Freedom Gate Ministries. This ministry works with people that have been in prison. Freedom Gate attempts to change lives by welcoming ex-prisoners to Freedom Gate. They teach them how to live to the best of their ability for their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. [Back to Top]

Habitat for Humanity: The purpose of Habitat for Humanity is to build or rehabilitate housing in the local community and then sell it inexpensively to the people who will live there, thus upgrading the community. It is not a give-away program, but a joint venture in which those who benefit from the housing ministry are in the work at various levels. Each homeowner, carefully selected through a non-discriminatory process, is required to invest 500 hours of sweat equity into the construction of their home. Members of the congregation have worked on a variety of projects. [Back to Top]

Mercy Crisis Pregnancy Center: (610-376-0828) This center provides caring, positive Christian counseling for anyone facing a crisis pregnancy. A telephone service is offered to provide guidance to those in need. Clothing, baby supplies and medical assistance are also given. Several members of the congregation are actively involved as board members and volunteers. [Back to Top]

Motivated Moms: Ashley Shollenberger is the  interim director of Motivated Moms. This program is an outreach to women and children in the Hispanic community in inner city Reading. This Christ-centered program provides a Christian environment; survival skills are taught through teaching English as a second language (ESL) and literacy. Biblical principles are used to teach practical daily living skills as part of the lesson plan for teaching English. While the mother is learning, the children are cared for by Christian women in a Sunday School type class. The church provides classroom space for this program. [Back to Top]

Opportunity House: The Opportunity House is an independent agency offering bed and shelter to the homeless of the street. They shelter men, women and children. Agencies also come to the shelter to offer assistance in housing, medical, and social skills. Members of our church and our youth volunteer to prepare and serve supper. [Back to Top]

Joe & Stacy Paolella (Young Life, jpaolella@metrocast.net )
Joe is a Young Life Regional Director of the New England Region (Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island). They assist kids in meeting Christ and growing in God’s grace. Young Life reaches out to unsaved as well as saved teens. The unsaved have been able to hear about Christ in a loving, non-threatening environment surrounded by adults who desire to build a relationship with them. The Christian teens use Young Life as a tool to reach their lost peers for Christ as well as grow spiritually in a small group. They have two children Gabe and Eli. [Back to Top]

Reading/Berks Conference of Churches: ( rdgbrksee@aol.com )

• To foster unity and cooperation among Christian Churches of Reading and Berks County

• To provide witness in the community for shared Christian values

• To promote ministries to our community in Christ’s name

• To assist churches in fulfilling their individual and cooperative missions

• To encourage dialogue among all segments of the religious community