FHPC Serves

What we do

Serving others is a community and an individual pursuit, whether it’s in our local neighborhood, our workplace, at the gym, among our own families or in a far-flung corner of the world. We serve because we care deeply about the well-being of every community we are part of. We espouse an asset-based approach to when, where and how we serve – affirming the innate value of all whom we serve, celebrating the gifts and assets they bring to the table and striving to faithfully come alongside through partners already making a difference in the world.

Why we serve

Welcoming Refugees

“This was a really meaningful experience for my family at Christmas. Just spending time together, even with the language barrier, was a gift.”

– The Suhonen Family (Adopt a Family, Alliance for African Assistance, San Diego)

Putting Food on the Table

“These are my neighbors. This is something really simple I can do to help them.”

Dan Decker (The Bethlehem Food Pantry, El Cajon)

Serving At-Risk Teens

“Serving Care House is our way of giving back and sharing God’s love with families who find themselves in less fortunate life circumstances than we have.”

– Richard & Debbie Williams
(Board Members for Care House, San Diego)

In our own words

Serving on and off-campus

Watch as some of our parishioners talk about their service both on and off-campus

Explore Service Opportunities

Please select what best describes where you are.

I Volunteer on My Own

I Want to Volunteer with FHPC

Fantastic!

Here are some resources on how our church serves locally and internationally.

Locally:

Many of us volunteer with the Bethlehem Food Pantry in El Cajon, helping families in our neighborhood put food on the table. It’s easy to volunteer and volunteers of all ages are welcome! Every Friday, the Pantry needs people to help set up the marketplace (8:30-10:00AM). Saturday volunteers work by helping guests choose the food items they want, directing traffic and restocking as needed during the shopping time (7:30-10AM). The Pantry requests volunteers via an email each month. Just add your name to the mailing list by emailing them at gsmcmarketplace@foothillsumc.org . Then, watch your email toward the end of each month and reply to volunteer on the days that work for you. The Pantry will send you a reminder a few days before you’ll be volunteering.
Some of our parishioners volunteer at the New Day Urban Ministries center in San Diego. Volunteers sort donations, greet clients and provide case management for those working to turn their lives around. Contact the Center here for opportunities to serve.
Our parishioners maintain a close relationship with the Fletcher Hills Presbyterian Preschool, supporting teachers and families in a variety of ways. Some of our parishioners read to children in their classrooms, others serve coffee to parents as they drop off their kids and our church family comes alongside special events at the end of the term and for periodic movie nights.
FHPC provides rent-free short term housing for refugee/asylum-seeking families on our campus. We can accommodate up to two families with 5 people each in two private living spaces and a shared kitchen/bath facility. Supportive services for these families as they acclimate to the USA and determine where they would like to locate permanently are provided through the Alliance for African Assistance.
Mission Exposure events introduce, educate and inspire new service connections with our neighborhood. Events are organized then publicized in our Weekly Update (sign up on our home page).

Find your God-led place in building shalom in our neighborhood and plug in!

Internationally:

Living along the southern border of the USA, we are in a unique position to serve internationally while providing parishioners the opportunity for day trips and volunteer opportunities close to home. We partner with Refugee Health Alliance as they provide general medical and maternal health services for migrants living in shelters in Tijuana as they await their opportunity to enter the USA. Through RHA’s brick-and-mortar clinic in Tijuana and their regular Saturday shelter outreach events, our parishioners have the opportunity to serve alongside medical professionals from both sides of the border, sometimes using their medical training and other times serving as translators and providing activities for children. Our financial support of RHA is used to provide paid medical assistance during Saturday outreach clinics.

Don’t see something that interests you? Let’s talk!
For additional information about programs for your children and family, contact our Church office.

I Don’t Know Where to Start!

We are here to help!

You’ll find ways to get out into the neighborhood and serve in our Weekly Update. If you don’t already receive it, please submit the form below or contact the Church office and we’ll connect you with one of our Mission elders to talk about where you might start this journey of service.

Send us an email if you have questions. We’d love to help you connect with one of our Partners!