Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Westminster?
A progressive congregation of the Presbyterian Church (USA), Westminster is home to a vibrant and diverse worshiping community. We are committed to serving the needs of our neighbors, both locally and globally, and to pursuing racial equity as a community and within society.
Westminster's Mission Statement
Westminster Presbyterian Church believes that it is in the world for ministry.
With each new day, we reaffirm our common purpose
to join in the worshipful praise of God,
to teach children, to lead and inspire the young,
and to call everyone to life-long learning in the church,
to be influential participants in society by being accountable to the Gospel, to show the love and compassion of Jesus Christ toward each other, and toward those who are hurting,
to be a caring community welcoming both friends and strangers
to own our Presbyterian heritage, reformed and always reforming,
to be prayerfully open to the renewing power of the Holy Spirit.
Let the doors of this church be a way to service!
Does Westminster welcome LGBTQIA+ persons?
Consistent with our welcome of all, we ordain LGBTQIA+ pastors and officers, celebrate marriage ceremonies for same-gender couples, and administer the Sacrament of Baptism to children of same-gender couples.
How does Westminster live out its commitment to be an anti-racist congregation?
As a Matthew 25 congregation within the PC(USA), Westminster is committed to breaking down barriers and becoming a more racially inclusive community by including all people, striving for radical hospitality, and modeling an antiracist approach in all areas. Additionally, Westminster partners with Jewish, Muslim, and African American neighbors in Children of Abraham, an interfaith fellowship that brings young people together to build friendships and partner in community service.
How does Westminster help people facing issues of poverty, hunger, and homelessness?
As a Hunger Action Congregation of the PC(USA), Westminster provides two monthly Meals for 70 members of our community experiencing homelessness. Additionally, members shop monthly for designated items for the Central Illinois Foodbank. We provide leadership at Springfield’s Annual Church World Service CROP Hunger Walk to raise awareness and funds for world hunger. Westminster’s Little Pantry at our neighborhood elementary school is stocked and cleaned daily by members to provide food and personal hygiene products to neighbors in need. The Helpful Emergency Assistance for Living (H.E.A.L.) Emergency Fund meets the unexpected emergency financial needs of church members and families in the Springfield community. Additional hunger ministries can be found on our Mission and Community Service page.
How does Westminster address environmental concerns?
As a certified Earth Care Congregation through the PC(USA), Westminster intentionally cares for God’s earth through its teachings, property decisions, specialty recycling collections, and practices. Members clean the neighborhood as part of the Adopt-a-Street program and recently invested in solar panels to strengthen our environmental stewardship along with Westminster’s LED lighting inside and outside, setback thermostats, and a new, more efficient HVAC System in the Sanctuary.
How does Westminster’s presence in our neighborhood make a difference?
The Steadfast Neighbor Outreach was initiated in 2020 following the $1.4 million investment in a Site and Landscape Plan expanding and beautifying our parking lot, renovating the west narthex and east entry, and adding lights to our gothic-style, stone building. At the time of this expenditure, Session voted to invest 1/3 ($450,000) of what we spent on our facility in the neighborhood over the next decade. This investment includes a Little Pantry at the nearby elementary school, matching grants to neighbors, building a Habitat House, and providing a service week each summer to repair neighbors’ homes. Additionally, Westminster hosts Compass for Kids, a weekly neighborhood after-school program providing homework help, life skills, snacks, and dinner for at-risk children from the neighborhood elementary school.
A progressive congregation of the Presbyterian Church (USA), Westminster is home to a vibrant and diverse worshiping community. We are committed to serving the needs of our neighbors, both locally and globally, and to pursuing racial equity as a community and within society.
Westminster's Mission Statement
Westminster Presbyterian Church believes that it is in the world for ministry.
With each new day, we reaffirm our common purpose
to join in the worshipful praise of God,
to teach children, to lead and inspire the young,
and to call everyone to life-long learning in the church,
to be influential participants in society by being accountable to the Gospel, to show the love and compassion of Jesus Christ toward each other, and toward those who are hurting,
to be a caring community welcoming both friends and strangers
to own our Presbyterian heritage, reformed and always reforming,
to be prayerfully open to the renewing power of the Holy Spirit.
Let the doors of this church be a way to service!
Does Westminster welcome LGBTQIA+ persons?
Consistent with our welcome of all, we ordain LGBTQIA+ pastors and officers, celebrate marriage ceremonies for same-gender couples, and administer the Sacrament of Baptism to children of same-gender couples.
How does Westminster live out its commitment to be an anti-racist congregation?
As a Matthew 25 congregation within the PC(USA), Westminster is committed to breaking down barriers and becoming a more racially inclusive community by including all people, striving for radical hospitality, and modeling an antiracist approach in all areas. Additionally, Westminster partners with Jewish, Muslim, and African American neighbors in Children of Abraham, an interfaith fellowship that brings young people together to build friendships and partner in community service.
How does Westminster help people facing issues of poverty, hunger, and homelessness?
As a Hunger Action Congregation of the PC(USA), Westminster provides two monthly Meals for 70 members of our community experiencing homelessness. Additionally, members shop monthly for designated items for the Central Illinois Foodbank. We provide leadership at Springfield’s Annual Church World Service CROP Hunger Walk to raise awareness and funds for world hunger. Westminster’s Little Pantry at our neighborhood elementary school is stocked and cleaned daily by members to provide food and personal hygiene products to neighbors in need. The Helpful Emergency Assistance for Living (H.E.A.L.) Emergency Fund meets the unexpected emergency financial needs of church members and families in the Springfield community. Additional hunger ministries can be found on our Mission and Community Service page.
How does Westminster address environmental concerns?
As a certified Earth Care Congregation through the PC(USA), Westminster intentionally cares for God’s earth through its teachings, property decisions, specialty recycling collections, and practices. Members clean the neighborhood as part of the Adopt-a-Street program and recently invested in solar panels to strengthen our environmental stewardship along with Westminster’s LED lighting inside and outside, setback thermostats, and a new, more efficient HVAC System in the Sanctuary.
How does Westminster’s presence in our neighborhood make a difference?
The Steadfast Neighbor Outreach was initiated in 2020 following the $1.4 million investment in a Site and Landscape Plan expanding and beautifying our parking lot, renovating the west narthex and east entry, and adding lights to our gothic-style, stone building. At the time of this expenditure, Session voted to invest 1/3 ($450,000) of what we spent on our facility in the neighborhood over the next decade. This investment includes a Little Pantry at the nearby elementary school, matching grants to neighbors, building a Habitat House, and providing a service week each summer to repair neighbors’ homes. Additionally, Westminster hosts Compass for Kids, a weekly neighborhood after-school program providing homework help, life skills, snacks, and dinner for at-risk children from the neighborhood elementary school.