Bible-study groups are regularly meeting adult "small groups" that provide social and spiritual mutual support as well as discipleship study activities. Thru 2021 and currently there are two active groups: Friday Men's study group which meets Fridays at 8:30am for breakfast and study until 10am in Memorial Hall; and two study groups led by Fran Bear which meet on Wednesday and Saturday mornings by Zoom. For information about joining, organizing, or leading a study group, please contact the office.

In pre-COVID times, there had been a summer (generally in July) 4-week Wednesday lunch and study program referred to as "Adult Vacation Bible School" or Adult-VBS. And, although not undertaken for in 2020 or 2021, an Adult-VBS program is being considered for July 2022.

Adult education includes Wednesday evening studies led by Pastor Ben, re-started in Fall 2021-including studies of a biblical book, topic, or character; and wider ranging studies such as the spiritual learning from a book or movie. Adult education has also previously included ongoing weekday studies of Biblical topics; a Sunday 10am studies of John and Galatians; and a 7 week 40-Days of Purposes study from the Rick Warren book, The Purpose Driven Life. 

CAN, is a food pantry and provides utility assistance to those in need, and has been an activity of COTM for decades. It incorporated into a separate legal entity in 2013 to qualify donors for Arizona Tax Credits instead of Tax-deductions as a Qualified Charitable Organization (QCO). Families in need can obtain a food-box monthly; help toward utility payments once annually; and spiritual, financial, health, and public-aid services counseling whenever needed. 

Contributors can deduct donations up to $400 per person ($800 a couple) directly from Arizona Income Taxes; amounts over these limits can still be deducted from taxable income. CAN is fully volunteer-run on Monday mornings - 9am to 10:45am, and acts as a tenant of the Church for space, utilities, and administrative services. Contact Bonnie Stark thru the office, or come in on a Monday morning, to help with this rewarding program. 

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Family Ministry serves the Children, Youth, and their parents of our congregation with care, education, and social programs. Functions include: Sunday nursery and toddler care, early elementary Sunday School at 9am, a mid-week Children & Youth program, and special events (all suspended 3/2020 to 7 /2021, but restarted in Fall 2021).

Nursery and toddler care is provided for Sunday services for ages 0-4 in the Sanctuary Nursery Room. In addition, our Nursery Attendant helps the Family Ministry Director plan activities for children. Currently, Sunday School for grades (K-6) occurs during 9am service in the Sanctuary Sunday School Room.  Mid-week Youth program also meets in the Sanctuary Sunday School Room on Wednesday nights at 6pm after our fellowship supper.

Special events have included: Palm Sunday processional; an Easter-egg hunt; Vacation Bible School in June or July; a summer swim-outing; and Fall Festival at the end of October. Contact Family Ministry Director, Valerie Kuck at Family@Cotmmesa.org.

The goal of the Church's Mission program is to support the "Great Commission:" to spread the Gospel; and to render aid Locally, Regionally, and to the World. The Church's policy is to designate 10% of Planned-and-expected contributions as the Mission Budget, plus 10% of any Bequest. In 2021, Mission Budget became $30,400, plus a Session added $3,600 for a contribution to the Presbytery "special-grants" program. In 2022, it will be $32,000, plus the same $3,600 to the Presbytery program.

In addition, Congregation members gave $3,073 for specific Mission projects; and $6,029 for PCUSA Special Offerings (One Great Hour of Sharing, Peace and Global Witness, and the Christmas Joy offering), and $1,952 into the Mission Restricted Fund for future use.

Actual expenditures in 2021 were $43,302 from all sources. Of the $33,673 expenditures not sent to Special Offerings or the Presbytery: 29% went to Local agencies support; 6% to Regional and Mexico mission-trips; and 65% to international mission support.

Locally (29%), Mission supports Sunshine Acres Children's Home; the Genesis Project in Apache Junction (an agency that feeds and otherwise helps the needy from a center eight miles to our east;); two named residents of Rainbow Acres (a ranch environment for special needs adults); the Matthew 25 Prison re-entry program; contributions to help agencies at Christmas, and contributions to Habitat for Humanity in lieu of actual work-Saturdays (suspended due to COVID), but still providing snacks and lunch for other professional workers.

Regionally {6%), Mission contributes funds to Presbyterian Disaster Assistance for relief from natural and human-caused disasters. In 2021, $2,000 went to PDA support.

Internationally (65%), Mission has two types of projects: Education support and Missionary support:

The education support {33%) has three current efforts. First, it sponsors high-school girls in Kenya at a Presbyterian Mission school - without support these girls, who have been selected for their high potential but who have no means of family support, would have received no education beyond the elementary grades - a fundamental issue for girls in developing nations.

Second, we support a program in a very poor suburb of Nairobi (village of Thika), the "Actualization Action Center," which supports training for villagers to learn skill for "home businesses" to become self-supporting. It also supports periodic food-distribution thru a local church

And, third, we support the missionary Christian education ministry, "Kidz at Heart International," which trains teachers worldwide. Along with her mobilization job at "Kidz", Kathleen Griffin, a former member of our church Session, and her team have trained 100 teachers in Tanzania and are preparing a team for 2022. Her 'students' will then become trainers across their own country.

In the Missionary area {32%), COTM supports two Missionary efforts. First, a former member of COTM started his missionary work fifteen years ago in India evangelizing to the Muslim population by engaging them in a productive business and demonstrating Christian love. In 2018/19 he taught and supported multiple "Business as Mission" efforts worldwide for Frontiers (a Ministry to Muslims). He had returned residentially to India in late 2019, only to hurriedly depart in early March 2020 before the borders closed due to COVID. Although his residence then became Ohio, he now works worldwide with the Open USA organization to promote various implementations of "Business as Mission".

Second, we support a young couple who also work through Frontiers "Business as Mission," initially by building an organic baby-food factory in Asia, but then due to political pressures they have relocated: first in SE-Asia, and then to London. 

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Stephen Ministry at Church of the Master continues as a fully developed and established mission which congregants, attendees and community members can trust will be there for them when needed. Since inception in 2018, previous dedicated Stephen Ministers served a total of 38 Care Receivers. In total, there were 917 caring visits to Care Receivers, with 932 hours spent with Care Receivers, either by phone or in person. Since early summer of 2023, 101 caring visits to 3 Care Receivers were made.

Additionally, Stephen Ministry continues to coordinate a Grief Ministry using the Grief Series books available through Stephen Ministries in St. Louis.

Exploring new visions, providing new energy, and implementing new ideas, Stephen Leaders held a Stephen Ministry training class August-December. Six new Stephen Ministers were commissioned to serve in December 2023.

Called to serve, previously prepared and new Stephen Ministers are eager to provide high-quality, confidential Christ-centered care to people who are hurting. We praise God for their spirit and dedication. May we pray for them as they have assumed their responsibilities.

Since January, 2024, 6 Care Receivers are being visited by our Stephen Ministers. The total visitation hours is approximately 120 hours. Stephen Ministers attend two monthly meetings supporting one another in presence and prayer while participating in Supervision and Continuing Education sessions.

Leadership could not be more proud of our Stephen Ministers, all of whom continue to do God’s work in the world. We value the support of Pastor Ben, Session, and Staff, and pray God’s blessing on the ministry. We look ahead with thankful hearts for our ministry and look forward to years of fellowship and service in bringing God’s love into our community.

July 2024