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Outreach

At Westminster Presbyterian Church, we believe the Church is called to be a sign in and for the world of the new reality which God has made available to people in Jesus Christ. To that end we seek to educate the whole congregation about the needs of our local community, nation and world. We provide a myriad of opportunities for people of all ages to reach out to those in need. Through financial gifts we support local mission projects, such as Westminster Infant Care Center, Common Place, Friendship House, West/Mark Food Pantry, Heartland Community Clinic, Kemmerer Village, Assumption, IL and many others. Our financial gifts also extend across the globe to reach people through Presbyterian Church (USA) mission efforts, disaster relief, and health and education programs.

The Session committees included in our Outreach Department include:

Young Adult Ministries which reaches out, serves and ministers to college-age students with special focus on Bradley University.
Mission Funding & Education which provides financial support to a myriad of organizations.
Newcomers, which assists visitors and new members in becoming part of our church community.
Iben Fund, which seeks out and brings programs of artistic excellence to Westminster Church that celebrate the unique affinity between the arts and Christian faith.
Faith-in-Action, which provides volunteers who give their time and talents, working side-by-side as partners with those in distress This committee promotes intergenerational-congregational opportunities to participate in the life of the church. A sampling of the Faith-in-Action Committee projects include:

The Adopt-a-School Program with The Valeska Hinton Early Childhood Education Center, which affords members a wide range of opportunities to share and to volunteer. Donations throughout the year have ranged from needed school supplies, new or gently used coats, hats, caps, scarves, mittens, pants, underwear, school equipment, kindergarten birthday parties and treats, facial tissues, hand sanitizers, holiday food baskets, age appropriate books and box tops for education as well as the faithful volunteers who share their time and talents.
An American Red Cross Blood Drive
The Annual Moon Walk, in which 17 members participated
CROP Walk
Common Place Run/Walk which raises money for Common Place literacy programs
West/Mark Food Pantry
Home-to-Home Project
One Church/One Family Program
Common Place Giving Tree during Advent
Alternative Gift awareness
Wrapped in God's Love, a sewing ministry. Volunteers have made baptismal quilts, quilts for school-aged children, scarves, fitted sheets, prayer shawls, blankets and lap robes.
Pen Pal ministry or incarcerated individuals
Donation of used eye glasses and hearing aids for people in need of these items - delivered to the Lion's Club

Opportunity for service: Listen Up! A Haiti response webinar offered through Presbyterian World Mission on Monday, February 22, from 1 to 2 p.m. (Eastern time). How do we listen to our brothers and sisters when disaster strikes? The Listen up! Webinar will take you deeper into matters of listening to and learning from global mission partners in relation to the earthquake in Haiti. Ellen Sherby from the Presbyterian World Mission office for Education and Resources for Mission will moderate a panel conversation with Randy Ackley, Coordinator for Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, Pix Mahler, PC(USA) Haiti Partnership Facilitator and Ruth Farrell, Presbyterian Hunger Program Coordinator to look at how we can Listen up! in times of crisis and beyond.

About Our Church

Visioning and Long Range Planning

Outreach