Mission News

Something is always about to happen in Mission. Here you'll find news and information about Mission activities and how YOU might help. As a congregation we are very interested and involved in hands on mission projects in our Broad Ripple neighborhood and throughout Indiana. We feel helping those in need is one way we can share the love of Christ.

See if one of these projects might fit the gifts and talents that you have. Contact Volunteer Mission Coordinator Tony Dzwonar at 317-585-8474 or

Habitat for Humanity

Northminster participates in the House of Abraham build which is a faith based building project among Christians, Jews and Muslims. The 2009 House of Abraham build begins on October 7th this year and involves rehabbing a home rather than building a new one. For more information contact Mission Coordinator Tony Dzwonar at .

Eritrean Family

In December 2005, Northminster sponsored a family from Eritrea, in northeastern Africa, who had been living in a refugee camp. We found and furnished an apartment, gathered household items and clothes, assisted with necessary documentation, and began with English lessons. Our official connection with the family, through Exodus, ends in December 2008. But now they are our friends. Northminster will continue to nurture the relationship and help the family of three little boys with more English language and school tutoring, transportation and occasional financial assistance.

We Recycle

We don't know who "they" are, but about a hundred years ago "they" decided outhouses were hazardous to health and banned their use inside city limits. Pretty soon clothes closets were being plumbed with new fixtures. Now toilets are not only efficient and attractive, entire rooms are dedicated to their, uh, service, and are sometimes surrounded by Italian marble. "They" are relieved.

The Mission Team at Northminster realizes recycling is the new, shall we say, American Standard. "They" are after our plastic water bottles, the glass jars of spaghetti sauce used at Italian Night, the spaghetti boxes, the beverage containers, the bulletins left in the pews Sunday after Sunday, and the copies of the sermons, too. The Staff placed blue plastic bins with the white recyling triangle emblem on them to use in all offices and kitchens. Soon, there'll be a colorful paper recycling bin for all our neighbors to use, too. The Mission Team is spreading the word.

Camp Pyoca Gets a Boost

Camp Pyoca Conference and Retreat Center is getting a boost from Northminster at a time when it really needs it. As it happens, both Pyoca and Northminster are currently involved in capital campaigns. Both places are raising money and planning additions. But part of Northminster's campaign is designated for mission projects. Pyoca is the first recipient of those funds and will be getting $50,000 this fall. Other beneficiaries of capital campaign mission funds are Habitat for Humanity, Joy's House in Broad Ripple, and Principe de Paz church in Mexico. Their donations will begin in 2009.  As the refrain from an old Shaker hymn goes "Happy, happy, happy, happy, happy...."

For more information about the spiritual opportunities year-round at Pyoca, see www.camppyoca.org.

Interfaith Hunger Initiative

In the fall of 2008, Northminster signed on as a convenant partner with Interfaith Hunger Initiative. One of the agreements we made was to raise awareness about the extent of hunger globally as well as locally. In January, Northminster presented IHI with a gift of $10,000 from the estate of an anonymous donor.  The gift was designated for programs that benefit children and was divided between the weekend sack lunches for Indianapolis children and food programs in Kenya.  It will feed 225 Kenyan children for a year.  Somebody up there is happy. 

Food Assistance for Westminster Neighborhood Ministries

This year-round project involves the whole congregation of Northminster. Folks are encouraged to bring food items to church. The food is collected and taken to the food pantry at Washington Street Presbyterian Church on the west side of Indianapolis. Volunteers are needed to bring in food contributions and to help deliver food to Washington Street.

School 55 Partnership

The Board of Deacons-helping officers of our church-have formed a partnership with IPS School 55, which is just a few blocks away from Northminster. We collect and provide needed classroom and school supplies in the fall, some of our members tutor children at the school, and we delivered 50 food baskets to School 55 at Thanksgiving. We also help buy school uniforms for children who cannot afford them and keep in contact with the school social worker for needs that come up during the year.

The Deacons are always in need of help with their fund-raisers and welcome participation by the congregation in this worthwhile partnership. For more information, contact Associate Pastor .

Christmas Clothe-A-Child Project

Each Christmas season our congregation contributes over $11,000 to help clothe needy children for the winter months. For the past several years we have taken children from School 55 on this shopping trip to Sears with lunch provided after shopping. A few weeks before Christmas 50-60 volunteers shop with the children and take them to lunch. Volunteers are needed to shop (8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.) and to contribute financially. This is a really fun day for both the children and the shoppers, and it is a great way to begin the Christmas season of sharing.

This year's Clothe-a-Child event is Friday, December 5 at the Castleton Square Sears store.  To make a financial donation, look for the Clothe-a-Child envelopes at church or just send a check designating the project.  For real fun, join the shoppers.  Contact .

New Church in Mexico

Each summer as many as 30 Northminster adults and older youth travel to Cancun Mexico to help with outreach and new member development with our sister church Principe de Paz. This new Presbyterian Church serves the recent immigrants who have come to Cancun to work in the tourist trade. During this week in late July we help the members of the church with an evening Vacation Bible School (games, crafts, Bible stories) for people of all ages. This is a fun week for our sister church. It also introduces new people to the Presbyterian Church and has been a meaningful mission trip for those who have gone from Northminster.This program needs people who are willing to travel to Mexico for a week, who like working with people, don't mind the heat, and want to build relationships with our brothers and sisters in Christ in a different culture and country. Some Spanish is helpful but definitely not necessary. Contact for more information.

Heifer Project

Heifer envisions a world of communities living together in peace and equitably sharing the resources of a healthy planet. Heifer's mission is to work with communities to end hunger and poverty and to care for the earth. Its strategy is to "pass on the gift". As people share their animals' offspring with others - along with their knowledge, resources and skills - an expanding network of hope, dignity, and self-reliance is created that reaches around the globe. For almost 60 years the simple idea of giving families a source of food rather than short-term relief has given millions of families in 128 countries the gifts of self-reliance and hope.

Our Church School children use their weekly offering to buy animals for people in need through Heifer Project. With help from some of the adults in the congregation they have bought a heifer, fish, ducks and a goat in 2006. Contact for more information.

Underneath It All - We're All the Same

In August we collect underwear - undershirts, underpants, socks, bras, etc. - for low-income children and teens who are going back to school. As our parents shop for back-to-school wardrobe essentials for their children, and as all of us take advantage of seasonal sales, we buy new underwear to donate to the Martin Luther King Community Center at 42nd and Illinois for distribution. 

Donating drawers doesn't seem like it would make much of an impact.  Unless you've needed them yourself at sometime or other, and then you understand.  That's Mission for you.  Putting yourself in the other person's place.  Contact with questions.