Mission, Service, and Social Justice      

"Southern Comfort" in New Orleans The "Presbyterian Southern Comfort" Mission Team was in New Orleans December 4-11. Read a daily account (with photos) of their work here!

Westminster's outreach is "here, near, and far," striving to meet the needs in our local community of Central New York, and reaching out to those in need in other parts of the country and the world through special appeals and projects, and by supporting the work of the Presbytery, Synod, and General Assembly.

The following are some of the mission and service projects which Westminster Church has been or is involved in:

• Westminster Employment Counseling: Tom McKellop provides advice, assistance and counseling to help people find productive employment. The Westminster Employment Counseling Group meets every Tuesday at 10am.
• Support of all four Special Offerings of the PC(USA) and a General Mission contributor too, making Westminster a "Five for Five" church!
• Support of the Cayuga-Syracuse Presbytery's efforts to raise money for a well in Blantyre, Malawi, the area which is home to the Blantyre North Relief Project. The Blantyre North Relief Project provides food, shelter, clothing, blankets, and education, and is run by the family of the Rev. Harvey Sindima, who was Westminster's interim pastor in 1998-2000. 
• A participating church, in support of the Auburn faith community's efforts to buy an "ark" through Heifer International in a year long project from November 2006 through November 2007. Westminster is committing to buying a camel, and is well on its way toward buying two. 
• In August 2007 5 Westminster youth and 4 adults went on a mission trip to Overlook Farms, where they participated in a "service learning" experience about world hunger, sustainable resources, and international awareness, concern, and action through Heifer International.
• Support of the Calvary Food Pantry (in Auburn, NY) through collection of food, money, and the "Souper Bowl of Caring" offering.
• Home to the Auburn Human Rights Commission.
• The "Southern Comfort" Mission and Ministry Team of the Presbytery of Cayuga-Syracuse  continues to plan trips to the Gulf Region to participate in the ongoing relief efforts of the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance Program. Jim Burlingame, Kurt and Marilyn Lavin, Rob Schemerhorn, Ted O'Hara, Bronwyn O'Connor, Paul, Kim, Heather and Jason Dungey, Rev. Nancy Bidlespacher, Rev. Janet Newman, and Sarah Trapani have participated in mission trips to the gulf region. They report that the need is still great, and will continue to be for months and years to come.  
• "Southern Comfort" is also providing assistance in the southern tier of New York State, in response to the devastating floods in late June 2006. Click here for more info: southern tier mission
• Support of the Theological Education Fund (TEF) through the PC(USA).
• Health Kits, School Kits, and Hope in a Box Kits (through Church World Services).
• Participation in the International Partnership between the Presbytery of Cayuga-Syracuse and the Pyongyang Presbytery of South Korea. A number of Westminster members have traveled to Seoul, and have hosted Korean visitors.  
• Support of the Matthew House in Auburn, a comfort care home for the terminally ill. A "wish list" of needed items for the daily operation of Matthew House is available here.
• Support of the CROP Walk and Trick or Treat for UNICEF.
• Participating sponsor of the Civil Rights Connection Mission and Ministry Team of the Presbytery of Cayuga Syracuse.
• Encouraging alternative gift giving for Mother's Day and Father's Day by offering Tools for Hope: blankets and tools purchased through Church World Service, and given to a community in need in honor of or in memory of a family member, and through Heifer International Gift Cards.
• Annual Thanksgiving Basket project, coodinated by the Deacons.
• Support of a family at Christmas.
• Christmas gifts for the teens at the Cayuga Home for Children. 
• Scholarship Assistance to children in need at Westminster Nursery School through the Paula Windsor Scholarship Fund.
• Westminster reaffirmed the "Commitment to Peacemaking" in 2005, after having originally signed it in 1986. The "Commitment to Peacemaking" affirms that we will strive for "shalom" in all aspects of our personal and corporate lives.
• Westminster is actively engaged in efforts for interfaith understanding and respect, and hosted the "Interfaith Listening Project" and several forums on "Understanding Islam," and also participates annually in the Interfaith Thanksgiving Service. Pastor Phil Windsor was also a participant in the "Coming Together: An Informal Conversation Among Jews, Christians, and Muslims" in July of 2006.
• Westminster Presbyterian Church is a member of the Human Services Coalition of Cayuga County, which strives to coordinate and facilitate the programs and efforts of human service providers and agencies in order to address the needs of the community.

To learn more about the mission of the Presbyterian Church on a global scale, click here. The church's Mission Yearbook is available in an online version here.