• Originate and implement mission activities of the church.
• Evaluate yearly what new activities are needed, which ones should be expanded and which ones need to be discontinued or replaced.
• Recommend the Benevolence Budget for the General Assembly, Synod and the Presbytery to the Session. Request the funds that are needed to support outreach activities.
• Recommend the outreach projects to Session.
• Provide educational opportunities to inform the Session and Congregation of the wider mission of the Presbyterian Church (USA).

The Benevolence Market has been a project of our Outreach Division for the past twelve years. For the first nine of those years, it was held in our Fellowship Hall and provided a wonderful opportunity for our members to learn more about the agencies that our church supported through our Outreach program. More importantly, it provided support to all of these agencies through the purchase of symbolic gifts from a shopping list to give to those on our Christmas gift lists.

Starting in 2003, we invited several Athens churches to join us as sponsors of the Holiday Benevolence Market held at The Classic Center Exhibit Hall. Live holiday music was provided by the churches and area ensembles added a festive air. It was a wonderful experience and we raised a significant amount of money for all of the agencies we support.

For the past few years, the Holiday Benevolence Market has been held at various sponsor churches. This year, the Holiday Benevolence Market is scheduled for Sunday, December 9, 2007, between 12:00pm and 3:00pm and will be held at Milledge Avenue Baptist Church. Come and join us for lunch and the festivities!

If you need copies of the How-To Guide and Shopping List, it is available for download here. Also, if you would like a copy of the Shopping List to remind yourself of the items you have purchased, download My Shopping List here.