Missions Partners

Local & Global Partnerships

As a body of Christ, we believe in supporting and championing local and global missions both right here in our backyard and abroad. Jesus gave us the opportunity in this space and place to be God's hands and feet.

Our local partnerships are with non-profits here in the Bloomington-Normal general area. We have built relationships with these organizations and our congregation supports their work and strengthens our friendships as we strive to improve and help where needed - especially on a volunteer basis.

Additionally, we support several persons who are working abroad to build schools and programs that further the message of Christ through course development, Biblical studies, and missional support in places like the Congo, South Sudan, and East Africa.

Local Partnerships

These ministries all receive funding through our missions budget. A number of the local efforts were founded by FPC members, and have FPC members as professional staff, board members, volunteers, and individual donors.

Boys & Girls Club of Bloomington-Normal is a youth enhancement organization that operates after-school and summer enrichment programs in three locations serving the academic, emotional, cultural, and social needs of youth ages 5-18. Programs include homework help and tutoring, STEM activities focusing on the future of technology, introduction to the arts, leadership, service-learning, and career exploration and development.

Catalyst Ministries reaches and rescues women who are survivors of human trafficking and exploitation, working in local communities and abroad. Catalyst educates and engages the local community to understand the realities of human trafficking and sexual exploitation and to help strengthen, support, and advocate for the vulnerable. Catalyst partners with individuals, local churches, organizations, and law enforcement to reach and rescue those who have been oppressed. Catalyst works locally to provide a residential community for women in recovering from sex trafficking, exploitation, and extreme abuse. An array of Christ-centered support services are provided to foster healing, recovery, and an opportunity to begin a new life.

Center for Hope International Ministries is destined to promote a natural and spiritual balance in Christian life and to serve our local and global communities in the spirit of excellence.

Collaborative Solutions Institute is a Central Illinois, not-for-profit professional practice whose mission is to provide innovative building blocks for civility in relationships through research, counseling/coaching programs, and public education that develop emotional intelligence, respect for self and others, and development of communication and behavior skills for the individual, family, and organization.

The Community Healthcare Clinic is the primary medical home for McLean County’s low-income and uninsured residents, providing more than 1,100 patients annually with free primary health care, health education and wellness programs.

Through our involvement in the Kids Hope USA mentoring program at Fairview Elementary School in Normal, we became aware of recurring needs for emergency assistance to students. We have partnered with Fairview administration in the Community Schools Program, supported by the Baby Fold, to provide funding to address such needs.

We have expanded our participation in this program to include Sheridan School in Bloomington. Most of our funding has been used for items such as shoes and boots, winter coats, hats, and mittens. We also funded some family-sized ready-to-heat-and-eat Thanksgiving meals for homeless families.

We have partnered with other churches and nonprofit agencies to establish and stock a food pantry at Sheridan School. We obtained a grant from Presbytery of Great Rivers to help with the acquisition of a refrigerator and shelving.

During the coronavirus pandemic, we have provided school supplies so that students could obtain what they needed to continue learning at home. We have also provided Walmart and Schnucks gift cards (restricted so that they cannot be used to purchase lottery tickets, firearms, tobacco, and alcohol) to Fairview and Sheridan families. The Community Schools Program operates at several area schools that score high in free/reduced lunch eligibility, mobility and homelessness. Social workers at the schools assess the physical and social need of the children and their families and reach out to community partners to help fill those needs.
FIA volunteers provide free rides to medical appointments and grocery shopping, friendly visits, reassuring phone calls, and light home maintenance for those age 60 and older living in Bloomington, Normal, Downs, Heyworth, Hudson, or Towanda.
Seeking to put God’s love into action, Habitat for Humanity brings people together to build homes, communities and hope. FPC members were instrumental in founding the McLean County Habitat affiliate in 1985. We have historically provided a one-fourth sponsorship of a home every other year.
Home Sweet Home has been serving the homeless and hungry in Bloomington since 1917. HSH provides case management and other supportive services to the homeless such as shelter, hot meals, access to clothing and toiletries, and job training. HSH’s goal is to help people find independence, restore their hope and share the love of Jesus Christ with them. Innovative approaches include the Food for Life food co-op and the Rapid Rehousing program.
Illinois People’s Action is downstate Illinois’ largest faith-based community organizing project. IPA’s mission is to organize for justice in local communities and throughout Illinois’ urban and rural communities. IPA works with local grassroots and faith leaders on a wide variety of justice issues.
The Immigration Project endeavors to provide access to justice for immigrants and their families through immigration-related legal and educational services to immigrants, refugees, their families and others in downstate Illinois, in a manner and context which recognizes the full dignity of each individual.
Joy Care Center was founded in 1993 to assist those released from prison/jail into Bloomington-Normal by strengthening and improving spiritual and practical skills with the goal of seeing them becoming contributing members of their families, churches and communities. The Jobs Partnership provides services that empower participants to improve personal and work place performance, change attitudes, and build a firm foundation for a positive, successful future.
The Mission of Kemmerer Village is to help the Presbyterian Church fulfill its responsibility to minister to children and families who face stress and turmoil in their lives. Kemmerer Village carries out this mission through its direct services to individual families, and by assisting individuals to advocate for the needs and rights of children and families in their community. Programs include residential treatment; education; foster care; church; recreational therapy; athletics; equestrian and pet therapy; and residential therapy.
Kids Hope USA develops one-on-one mentoring relationships through the creation of church-school partnerships that pair church members with at-risk kids. The adult becomes a mentor and friend to the student, not a tutor. We work with Fairview School locally.
MCCA envisions healthy and self-sufficient families interacting positively with one another in strong, safe, and diverse neighborhoods to enhance the community while preserving the environment. The healthy relationships program area works to create a place of safety, renewal, and restoration. This area includes the Neville House emergency shelter and domestic violence 24-hour hotline. The healthy finances program area works to create a pathway toward financial security. The healthy homes program area works to create opportunities for people to have a safe and affordable home. The healthy neighborhood program area works to create relational change to build a strong community.
Midwest Food Bank originated in 2003 in McLean County. Its mission is to share the love of Christ by alleviating hunger and malnutrition locally and throughout the world and providing disaster relief; all without discrimination. Midwest Food Bank is a volunteer-based national food bank serving non-profit organizations helping their community. MFB also provides disaster relief and emergency food assistance, pre-packaged nutritious meal packs, and help for children struggling with food insecurity.
PATH answers more than 90,000 calls annually through its 24/7 2-1-1 crisis hotline, which helps people find fast, free and confidential help for health and human service resources, including suicide prevention. PATH also receives, responds to and investigates allegations of abuse, neglect, and exploitation to people who are 60 years of age and older and those who are 18-59 with a disability in McLean and Livingston counties. PATH also offers interventions for those who are experiencing homelessness.
Project Oz serves 8,000 youth every year, working to reunite families, help kids stay in school, teach young people useful skills, and teach students how to keep their lives drug free. Project Oz also provides shelter and safety for homeless and runaway youth.
Salvation Army offers a broad array of family support services including emergency assistance, a food pantry, and Safe Harbor shelter to feed the hungry, clothe the poor and bring hope to the dispirited. Our deacons oversee a volunteer program whereby volunteers from our church prepare and serve dinner the first Thursday of each month at Safe Harbor. See the “Safe Harbor Volunteers” tab under the “Resources” tab of our website to sign up.
Western Avenue Community Center serves more than 1,000 families each year through neighborhood social, educational and recreational activities for all age groups, with a particular focus on children and youth, and senior citizens. WACC also provides a Hispanic Outreach program that includes social services, interpretation and translation services, and counseling.
Labyrinth addresses the needs of women released from the Illinois Department of Corrections and McLean County Jail who are returning to the community. Programs include mentoring, economic/employment services, transitional housing, and case management.

Global Partnerships

BOB AND KRISTI RICE

After serving for several years in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Bob and Kristi in 2017 accepted a new assignment to South Sudan. Bob serves as an instructor at Nile Theological College and teaches a broad range of courses in theology and biblical studies. Kristi serves as an economic and development advisor for the South Sudan Presbyterian Evangelical Church. She works to strengthen the identification, development and management of church development projects that support the financial goals of the church and improve the health and well-being of the communities.

JEFF AND CHRISTI BOYD

As regional liaison for Central Africa, Jeff facilitates support for the relationships, programs, and activities of Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) partners in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cameroon, and Equatorial Guinea. He also resources PC(USA) mission personnel and helps connect partner churches with PC(USA) congregations that want to be involved in ministry in the region. Christi works in four French-speaking African countries — Congo, Madagascar, Niger, and Rwanda — and the non-French-speaking country of South Sudan. She accompanies global partners as they seek to remedy the marginalization of women and children in their communities, and she engages with Presbyterian constituencies in the U.S. that wish to come alongside and promote those efforts.

BUILD CONGO SCHOOLS

“WE BUILD DURABLE SCHOOLS AND BUILD COMPETENT TEACHERS IN ORDER TO BUILD COMPETENT STUDENTS WHO WILL BUILD HEALTHY COMMUNITIES.”

The vision of Build Congo Schools is to develop caring competent students. Three teams help implement this vision: one in Kananga representing the Presbyterian Church of the Congo (CPC); one in Kinshasa representing the Presbyterian Church of Kinshasa (CPK) and one in the U.S. representing the Presbyterian Church (USA).

MIDWEST FOOD BANK
TENDER MERCIES PROGRAM

Midwest Food Bank originated in 2003 in McLean County. Its mission is to share the love of Christ by alleviating hunger and malnutrition locally and throughout the world and providing disaster relief; all without discrimination. Tender Mercies is an important initiative at Midwest Food Bank that enables nutritious meals to be produced and distributed to those most in need. The Tender Mercies meal packet consists of high-grade rice, pre-cooked pinto beans, fortified chicken seasoning, and a soy protein. The result is delicious food at the cost of 20¢ per meal. One packet feeds about four people with 13 grams of protein, 6 grams of fiber, and 1 gram of fat per serving. Tender Mercies is an essential component of Midwest Food Bank’s international effort. In East Africa, Tender Mercies is locally sourced and packaged for distribution.

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