Matthew 25 Church & Covenant Network of Presbyterians
Matthew 25 Church – Northminster took a bold step in 2020 and committed to becoming a Matthew 25 Church. Using the scripture of Matthew 25:31 – 46 where Jesus is clear when He says what we do matters to God, and how we treat others is important to God, the missions at Northminster focus on three premises:
- Building congregational vitality
- Dismantling structural racism
- Eradicating systemic poverty
Covenant Network of Presbyterians – Since 2022, Northminster has been a member of the Covenant Network of Presbyterians and agreed to:
- Support the mission and unity of the Presbyterian Church (USA)
- Articulate and act in the church’s historic progressive vision
- Work to be a fully inclusive church
- Find ways to live out the graciously hospitable gospel by living together with all our fellow members in the PC(USA)
To learn more about opportunities or to get involved with Northminster Mission projects, contact Mission Team Co-Chairs Susan Holewinski and Matt Kroeger.
Our Mission Partners
Education
Back to School Extravaganza – Washington Township School Foundation - They connect private funding, community, and alumni with Washington Township Schools to support and enhance the unique educational experiences of our students. The $7,500 grant from NPC purchases school supplies for social workers to distribute to students in July of 2024 so they can start the school year off ready to learn.
Pyoca Camp and Retreat Center - Pyoca serves as a year-round summer camp and retreat center, offering a variety of annual programs, as well as hosting rental groups. The core of their mission is to be a place where all are welcome in God’s love. In 2024 the $3,000 grant from NPC will support Pyoca’s youth programming and kitchen improvements.
Umoja Partnership - The Umoja Partnership believes that education is the key to a better future for the orphans and vulnerable children of Kenya. They change lives by keeping children in school. In 2024, NPC will give $10,000 to sponsor a school, which will fund every program the Umoja offers a primary school student as well as scholarships for students to go to secondary and post-secondary school. NPC will also give $2,000 to supplement their food program.
Health
The Julian Center - The Julian Center helps victims of domestic abuse become survivors through support services, education, and cooperative partnerships that foster hope, promote self-sufficiency, and rebuild lives. A grant of $4,000 from NPC makes every program, every meal served and every night’s stay possible.
The Little Timmy Project – This organization promotes positive pregnancy outcomes while addressing the maternal and infant health crisis in Indiana. The funds of $4,000 from NPC in 2024 will help fund new doula scholarships with the ultimate goal of servicing BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) pregnant folks in Indiana.
Raphael Health Center - Their mission is to provide community-based, full-service health care of the highest quality with respect to dignity for all people including the underserved and uninsured within a setting that shares the love and healing of Jesus Christ. They will use the $3,000 grant from NPC in 2024 to help support the “No one leaves without a …” program – to support new mothers with urgent supplies.
Housing
Exodus Refugee Immigration - Exodus Refugee Immigration is dedicated to the protection of human rights by serving the resettlement needs of refugees and other displaced people fleeing persecution, injustice, and war by welcoming them to Indiana. NPC’s gift of $5,000 in 2024 will primarily be used by the Emergency Assistance Program to help clients struggling to meet basic needs – such as housing and food – while working toward self-sufficiency.
Family Promise of Greater Indianapolis – They are a partnership of congregations and community organizations responding to the crisis of children and their families who are homeless. One hundred percent of any mission funds go to Family Promise’s Family Assistance Fund (FAF). The entire fund is spent on expenses incurred by families on the path to securing or retaining housing. In 2024, NPC will give $3,500 to provide support towards the first month's rent for families securing housing as well as $12,000 to sponsor an apartment as part of their “A Night Without a Bed” campaign.
Greater Indy Habitat for Humanity - Seeking to put God’s love into action, Habitat for Humanity brings people together to build homes, communities, and hope. In 2024 NPC’s gift of $5,000 supports senior repairs and the First Time Homebuyer Program which encompasses numerous activities that range from recruitment and training of future homebuyers to construction of the homes that families purchase with an affordable 0% mortgage.
Greater Indianapolis Multifaith Alliance (GIMA) - GIMA gathers faith leaders representing diverse religious traditions into a sacred friendship, in order to collaborate on civic projects – particularly around housing justice – that serve the common good of greater Indianapolis. NPC’s gift of $5,000 in 2024 will support GIMA’s administrative costs and Evictions Court Watch website.
Wheeler Mission Ministries - In 2024 NPC granted $4,000 to Wheeler Mission Ministries. The goal of Wheeler Mission is to provide Christ-centered programs and services for individuals experiencing homelessness and those in need. The gift from Northminster will bolster operational and staff capacity for emergency shelter services in Indianapolis.
Hunger
Bread for the World - Bread for the World is a Christian advocacy organization urging U.S. decision-makers to do all they can to pursue a world without hunger. NPC’s gift of $2,000 in 2024 will help pay for the organizing done in the state of Indiana to build the power we need to change systems that keep people hungry.
Gleaners Food Bank - The goal of Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana is to lead the fight against hunger. Northminster’s grant for 2024 of $4,000 allows Gleaners to continue providing hunger relief services throughout the Indianapolis area. For every $1 received, Gleaners can source and distribute up to 8 meals for neighbors experiencing food insecurity.
Society of St. Andrew - SoSA is a network of farmers, volunteers, and hunger relief agencies that work together to save food from going to waste and to 
instead provide nutritious food to those who are food insecure. NPC gift of $1,000 in 2024 will support SoSA’s efforts to glean and distribute fresh produce to high-need areas in Indiana.
Westminster Neighborhood Ministries - They provide education, support, access to basic needs, and community connections to empower neighbors and strengthen youth and families on the Near Eastside of Indianapolis. In addition to supporting Westminster with our dedicated contingent of volunteers, NPC will also donate $6000 in 2024 to sponsor the peanut butter and jelly shelf at the Westminster food pantry.
2023 Mission Team Projects and Activities
(from the 2023 Annual Report)
The goal of the Mission Team in 2023 was to engage with neighbors near and far in Christ’s love by serving and contributing to the health and well-being of those vulnerable in our community with acts of compassion, justice, and peace for all. Through the generosity of NPC members, the Mission Team distributed $125,035 to our mission partners and those in the community demonstrating need.
In addition to financial contributions, members of the congregation volunteered at the Westminster Neighborhood Services food pantry once/twice per month, collected housewares and provided meals for the Family Promise Apartment Shelter Project, participated in the interfaith panel build for two houses with Habitat for Humanity, and signed and delivered over 80 letters to U.S. Senators Braun and Young supporting the farm bill program with Bread for the World. The team focused on the following concerns affecting our community this year – hunger, housing, health, and education.
View the Full 2023 Annual Report Here
Members of the 2024 Mission Team:
Susan Holewinski (Co-Chairperson)
Matt Kroeger (Co-Chairperson)
Katie Bulloff
Connie Coleman
Beth Cornelius
Dolly Craft
Nancy Flamme
Carol McDonald
Brenda Reed
Carrie Savage-Zimmerman
Tom Stayton
Bo Walker