Social Ministry and Mission
| Mission Elders: |
Linda Hamilton Ray Warrington |
| Deacon Moderators: |
John Armstrong Carol Spiegel |
| Around the corner……. | |
| WPC Winter Shelter and Meals |
The WPC Community Outreach Center opens its doors every Wednesday evening, all year, to offer hot meals, compassion and encouragement to the homeless in the Conejo Valley community. From November through March we also offer a place to sleep and shower. Outreach is to the working poor and the unemployed; to singles and families of all ages. What can I do? Help with meals the first Wednesday of the month, be a supply coordinator, or a sleepover host, donate needed supplies. We need help in many areas. Contact: Katie Menees |
| Westminster Free Clinic |
The largest clinic in the Conejo Valley, including a pharmacy, provides medical screening, referrals and care and health education. Free Clinic has an intern program for teens interested in a medical career (highly competitive application process; preference given to WPC teens). What can I do? Provide clerical support. Doctors, nurses, and others with medical experience are especially welcome. Provide snacks for the clients on Wednesday nights. Contact: Cindy Vinson for clinic opportunities, or Linda Hamilton for Wed. night food |
| CROP Walk |
Walkers raise money to fight hunger, and make new friends along the way! What can I do: Join the next CROP Walk Contact: Dan Givens |
| Habitat for Humanity |
Provides affordable housing for local families, who also participate in the construction of their new home. What can I do? Watch for the next build opportunity - in Thousand Oaks Be on the planning committee for the next Habitat Coalition Golf Day and Dinner (September 2010). Contact: Chuck Seabury |
| Christmas Giving Tree |
Collection of practical holiday gifts for needy families in the Conejo Valley. What can I do? Assist in organizing gift drive. Contact: Brenda Ruckstuhl |
| Anysoldier |
Twice yearly collection, packing and shipping of gifts to servicemen abroad. Goto anysoldier.com for some more information. What can I do? Assist in organizing and packing gifts for shipping. Next drive begins April 18; packing day on May 2. Contact: Judy Dobrowski |
| Prayer Shawl |
Knitting comfort shawls as gifts to new babies, those who are ill, or in recovery. Contact: Cathy Howell |
| Prison PenPals |
"Visits" those incarcerated via a letter-writing ministry. What can I do? Become involved in a letter-writing/prayer project with a prisoner. Contact: Sarah Morrison |
| Manna |
MANNA exists solely because of the caring people of the Conejo Valley. The most important source of consistent giving is from clubs, churches like WPC, temples and businesses who have agreed to be involved in a giving program. MANNA accepts anything that would have to be purchased in a grocery store, from food to personal care items (no liquor or medicines). What can I do? Donate food every week to the box in the Narthex. Contact: Sheryl Brownfield |
| Lutheran Social Services |
In 2008, Lutheran Social Services (LSS) provides emergency assistance and life coaching to hundreds in the Conejo Valley. WPC generously supports LSS with volunteers and donations. This past fall, LSS began offering counseling services to clients as a direct result of WPC's partnership. The agency is poised to successfully serve its growing client based in 2009, thanks to the faith-based community, including WPC. Contact: John Armstrong or Carol Spiegel |
| Bos Scholarships |
The Bos Scholarships were founded in 1993, Dr. Bos' 25th year as pastor of WPC. The Robert C. Bos Seminary Education Scholarship is designated for students hoping to enter the pastoral ministry. The Carole Hoffs Bos Teacher Education Scholarship is awarded to students in the field of education. All previous Bos Scholarship recipients are recognized on a plaque that hangs in the narthex. Completed applications must be received by the Bos Scholarship Committee in WPC's office by April 15. Download Application for both scholarships. Contact: John Folkeson or Cathy Howell |
| A little further around the corner: | |
| Los Angeles: World Impact/Los Angeles Christian School & Watts Christian Health Center |
World Impact ministers in inner city areas through church plants, schools, camps, thrift stores, medical outreach. WPC supports the missionary principal at LACS and the Watts Christian Health Center What can I do? Volunteer at Los Angeles Christian School or the Sonshine Shop thrift store; donate furniture and clothing. Watts Clinic needs volunteer medical personnel. Contact: Linda Hamilton |
| Around the world: | |
| Floresta/Plant With Purpose: Helping humanity by healing the earth |
Floresta is a Christian non-profit organization working to reverse deforestation and poverty in the world by transforming the lives of the rural poor. "We teach, we plant, we create enterprise, we share the gospel." What can I do? We are investigating WPC's sponsorship of a village in Haiti Contact: this is an opportunity to get involved! |
| Mexico: Amor Ministries |
Provides durable housing for families along the U.S./Mexico border. What can I do? Join a weekend build team. A great family project (16 or older). Next scheduled trip: May 14-15-16 Contact: Paul Harris |
| Haiti: Haiti Healthcare Partners/Haiti Education Foundation |
WPC is part of a national network of churches supporting a medical clinic outreach in the mountain village of Cherident. WPC supports students in the Haiti Education Foundation schools. What can I do? Be a part of this exciting outreach – organizing, writing, communicating, sharing the vision. Be part of a Haiti travel team. Contact: Ben Small |
| Turkey: Ken and Norita Erickson/Kifas Wheelchairs |
Ken and Norita Erickson's "tentmaker" ministry in Turkey includes a wheelchair factory called Kifas (‘Peter' in Turkish), a mercy ministry to the disabled population, and ministry to the growing Christian church in Turkey What can I do? Become involved in a prayer group that meets once a month. Contact: Suzanne Thompson or or Desley Boardman |
| Kenya: Makobe Children's Home/Baraka Foundation |
In 2001 we helped the locals build a children's home for AIDS orphans in the remote village of Makobe. Baraka currently supports 21 orphan girls there and has expanded care to include helping special needs children with meals and education costs. Baraka is a 501c3 foundation committed to providing ongoing educational support for the Makobe girls as they transition to high school, trade schools and university. What can I do? Support the education fund. Join us for Baraka Foundation meetings. Help update our web page and brochure design. Join a travel team to Kenya (2011) Contact: Bob Each |
| Peace Child India/World Children's Center |
Assists single parent families AIDS orphans and untouchables in becoming self-supporting via micro-loans; supports schools and libraries in Bangalore and Hyderabad, India. Contact: Stacey McEnnan |
| Alternative Christmas Market |
The Alternative Christmas Market, offers "gifts" from our own WPC mission outreach ministries. All of these funds went directly to the various groups and are being used to meet urgent and real needs both locally and around the world. THANK YOU for shopping with us!! What can I do? Volunteer to help with the market, shop! Contact: Linda Hamilton |
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Westminster Presbyterian Church |