Education Missions

Blackburn College Chaplaincy
WPC provided $1,000 from the Support & Endowment Fund in 2021 to support the chaplaincy at Blackburn College, a Presbyterian school in Carlinville, IL.
 
Christmas Joy Offering
This special offering, which brought in $3,374 in 2021, brings assistance to church workers in times of need and provides leadership development and education at PC(USA)-related racial/ethnic colleges and schools. 
Compass for Kids
Westminster hosts this weekly after-school program of homework help, life skills, and hot meals for at-risk children from Graham Elementary, partnering with Central Baptist and providing numerous volunteers. Participating children are also supplied with nutritious food for each weekend. Compass has continued in adapted form during the pandemic, meeting children’s academic, social, and nutritional needs despite the inability to gather in person. Westminster provided $5,000 in 2021. 
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Get involved: Opportunities include the chance to be a Classroom Helper / Leader, Reader and Book Club Leader, or food and supplies delivery volunteer.
Kemmerer Village
Kemmerer Village is a Presbyterian Child Care Agency which helps children and youth facing stress and turmoil in their lives to attain skills and dignity and become well-adjusted members of family and society. WPC funded Kemmerer with $3,000 in 2021, and several members are directly involved with this ministry. We also collect box tops to contribute to their educational programming.
Frontiers International Inc.
Frontiers was formed to provide men and women of various backgrounds an opportunity to offer community leadership and community service, particularly in the African-American communities. Westminster funded Frontiers International for $1,500 in 2021.
Ready 4 Success
WPC members donated approximately 195 backpacks in July and August, 2021 to this annual back-to-school giveaway of Contact Ministries.

Get involved: Bring new, child-sized backpacks for the summer collection.
Scholarships
From endowment funds designated for that purpose, WPC provides scholarships annually, usually for minority students. The 2021 Support & Endowment budget allowed us to provide $4,466 in such funds.
Westminster Cooperative Preschool
Westminster Coop Preschool is celebrating 50 years, offering a NAYC-accredited, safe, small preschool to our community. WPC hosts and shares many of its resources with the preschool, and offers funding to assist families who need help with tuition at our educational mission partner.  
YMCA / Matthew Project
The YMCA annually hosts summer programming for the Matthew Project, a Springfield agency serving homeless children. Westminster provided $1,000 in funding toward this endeavor in 2021.
The Outlet
The Outlet works with young males ages 8-22 to help develop the capacity and skill sets to make responsible life-decisions, acquire and maintain spiritual and ethical values, explore their gifts, talents and recognize their dreams and aspirations through male role models/tutors. Westminster contributed $2,500 to The Outlet inn 2021.
Word Up of Central Illinois
Word Up aims to provide language learning opportunities to the children ages 1-4 by giving books to young families through various partnerships in the Springfield area. Westminster provided $2,700 to this project in 2021.
Youth Mission Trip
Westminster Youth Group’s summer mission theme was the Civil Rights Movement and was hosted at Ferncliff Camp and Conference Center in Little Rock, AR. Youth created readily usable care kits for Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, worked on their mission house, barn, and created a repurpose garden. We also partnered with Arkansas Food Bank and Women & Children First Shelter in Little Rock, AR. Westminster gave $14,534 to help sponsor the Youth Mission Trip in 2021.
Click here to learn more about Westminster Missions and Service