Beyond These Walls

Beyond These Walls
Beyond these walls you bid us journey, Lord
To share with all, the hope within your word.
Beyond ourselves, our comfort and our fear
You call us, Lord, to travel forth from here.
Beyond These Walls written by Steven D. Harrington (August 1995 version)

Through the grace of God and the generosity and faith of the congregation at GPC the Beyond These Walls campaign is nearing completion after four years. Five different projects will have been funded, two locally, two in Africa and finally in the Gulf coast area for Katrina relief.

History
The Beyond These Walls Committee held its organizational meeting on Jan. 30, 2003, continuing a mission which began in 1998 to recommend the projects GPC would support with the 10 percent pledge from the Building Campaign. The vision shared unanimously by the Beyond These Walls Committee members was that “because of GPC’s financial support through its building fund tithe of at least $250,000, worthy and needy programs/projects will be able to provide new or expanded services that touch and improve people’s lives in terms of Christian life and belief, improved education, expanded skills, better housing, more acceptable medical care, and increased wage earnings. “ The Beyond These Walls effort would be “evidence that GPC is bearing witness to the hope we have in Jesus Christ, and fulfilling the Great Commission, ‘Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation’. Mark 16:15”
(excerpts from the Beyond These Walls report, completed in August , 2003)

Original members of the committee were Stuart Fleishman, chairman, Gary Gordon, Jack Harris, Rev. Mary Beth Lawrence, Mary Wasik, and Francie Whitlock. Representatives from the Witness and FASM Ministries have also served on the committee. GPC artist Pat Deckert has created the large checks for the presentations.

	Hurricane Relief in Mississippi and Louisiana - Out of Chaos Hope... Presbytery of South Louisiana - http://www.pslrecovery.org/home.html Presbytery of Mississippi - http://www.mspresbyterianrecovery.org/ When the rebuilding team from GPC, led by Dr. Seckman, traveled to the gulf coast in April, checks for $26,710.50 were presented to the Presbytery of Mississippi for repairs of homes and to the Lakeview Presbyterian Church in the Presbytery of South Louisiana to help with rebuilding that church. For blogs of the two previous mission trips to the LA and MS return to the GPC homepage at http://www.gpchurch.org and click on Helping Others.

	Housing Unlimited, Inc. - Housing for adults with mental health needs http://www.housingunlimited.org/ HUI is a nonprofit affordable housing corporation which addresses the needs of adults with psychiatric disabilities who reside in Montgomery County, Maryland. Abe Schuchman, the Executive Director of HUI visited GPC on April 10, 2005 and was presented a check for $10,000 by Stuart Fleishman. On June 6, 2006, Francie Whitlock presented the final check for $43,421 at a reception at HUI headquarters. Money from the GPC’s donation has been used toward the purchase of group homes where HUI clients are able to live independently.

	Interfaith Housing Coalition - Affordable housing for families http://www.communityministrymc.org/ IHC is an interfaith, non-profit organization which provides affordable housing and case management to formerly homeless families. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Community Ministry of Montgomery County. On May 15, 2005, Bob Beard welcomed Monica Barberis-Young from IHC and presented a check for $10,000. She returned to GPC on Sept. 17, 2006, to receive the final check for $43,421.

	Outreach Foundation - Roofs on Churches in Ghana http://www.theoutreachfoundation.org/ Jeff Ritchie from Outreach Foundation came to GPC January 21, 2007, to accept the check for $53,421 to construct roofs on churches in Ghana. Juliana Ziorklui who is originally from Ghana presented the check and will be GPC’s representative to an Outreach Foundation conference of Presbyterians in Ghana in July.

	Medical Benevolence Foundation - Maternity Clinic in Congo http://www.mbfoundation.org/ Funds from GPC are making possible the construction of the first floor of the Mudishi Maternity Clinic in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo. Lynn Swinke Workman from MBF and Larry Sthreshley, PC(USA) missionary who will over see the clinic construction came to GPC on November 13, 2005, to receive the check for $33,421, presented by Johanna Moller. The follow-up check for $20,000 was given to MBF representative Pam Ator on April 2, 2006. For more information about the missionary work of Larry Sthreshley visit http://www.pcusa.org/missionconnections/profiles/sthreshleyl.htm

Beyond These Walls
Written by Steven D. Harrington (August 1995 version)
Music: To the tune of God of the Ages, Whose Almighty Hand (George William Warren 1892)

Beyond these walls you bid us journey, Lord
To share with all, the hope within your word.
Beyond ourselves, our comfort and our fear
You call us, Lord, to travel forth from here.

Beyond the ways we’ve known God in the past,
Beyond the walls that block and hold faith fast,
We seek a new, fresh vision of our Lord.
With open hearts we listen for God’s word.

Where darkness hides the hope of God’s pure light
Where hurt and pain have stolen life’s delight,
There we will share the brightness of God’s love.
There we will bring the laughter from above.

Beyond these walls you bid us journey, Lord,
Till all shall join their hearts in one accord.
We gladly go if you will lead the way
And bring us all into your glorious day.