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Westminster Presbyterian Church "Serving God with open mind, hands and heart." |
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Westminster Presbyterian Church "Serving God with open mind, hands and heart." |
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About Our Church Christian Ministry: The ministry of Westminster involves all people...the young and older...women and men and children...the visitor to our church and those who worshipped here for generations. Look, read and discover how you might become involved with the ministry we share. About Presbyterians: Among other things, Presbyterians are people who seek to center their lives on the Word of God. In our worship and in our mission we seek to discern God's will for our lives as revealed in the person of Jesus, the Christ, and as shown in the scriptures of the Old and New Testament. The ministry we hope to share, as a community of Faith, is about God. We invite you to join us in our journey of faith as we serve God and encounter God's people in the world. The Westminster Presbyterian Church Mission Statement: Westminster believes in the centrality of Jesus Christ expressed through Christian worship and service to God and the community. We are a nurturing and compassionate church respecting the views and conscience of each individual. Westminster advances its beliefs through thought-provoking and stimulating worship; a Christian education program of high quality serving everyone; an inspiring program of music, democratic group process in accordance with our church constitution; mission programs designed to help those in need throughout the community and beyond; encouraging people to share with one another ways in which God's Spirit has worked in their lives, support of Presbytery, Synod and General Assembly. We invite you to come and join us or worship. History of Our Church: A long-time supporter of Westminster Sabbath School, Mrs. Elizabeth Grizwold, requested that upon her death her brother should build a "beautiful church" on the western end of Griswold property on Moss Avenue. The building was completed in the spring of 1899 and dedicated on June 4th of that year. In the 75 years between the organization of the church and 1972, the membership had grown from 24 members to about 1,000 members. On January 21, 1985, at 3:30 a.m. a neighbor reported that the church sanctuary building was on fire, and it was completely destroyed. The congregation decided to build a new sanctuary on the existing site. In April, 1989, the dedication service for the new church was celebrated. The congregation continues to worship in this beautiful church, located at 1420 W. Moss Avenue. Submitted by Dorothy Olds and JoAnne Gibson, Member Recognition Committee Organizational Structure: The organizational structure of Westminster Church is designed to: 1) identify genuine needs and concerns, 2) provide programs that will help with those needs and concerns, 3) connect Westminster members who--as they learn to trust each other--will open up to each other, share their experiences and their Christian faith with one another, and create a community marked by joy, thanksgiving and self-giving. Because it is a Presbyterian Church, Westminster Church is led by its Session. The Session is made up of 17 women and men of various ages and generations. They are ordained by the Church to oversee the programs, property and personnel of the non-ordained church staff. Together with the pastors, the Session is ultimately responsible for the faith and life of Westminster Church. Departments within the Session include: Outreach, Stewardship and Church Life. The Session delegates to the Deacons the responsibility for the ministry of compassion within the Church. The Board of Deacons is made up of 30 women and men of various ages and generations. They are ordained by the Church to see that the individual members of Westminster Church receive genuine attention and care. While the programs developed by the Session address needs and concerns both inside and outside the congregation, the Deacons focus on needs and concerns within the congregation and emphasize the human rather than institutional connection. Properties: The grounds of Westminster Presbyterian Church at 1420 W. Moss Ave. in Peoria, IL, primarily include the Sanctuary Building, the Parish House and Westminster House. There are two parking lots adjacent to the buildings. Our Sanctuary Building, which includes a chapel, parlor and infant care center, is handicapped accessible as is the Fellowship Hall in the Parish House. Westminster House sits behind the Parish House and has been home to the offices of the Great Rivers Presbytery. |
About Our Church Visioning and Long Range Planning
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