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We believe in God’s commandment to “Love your neighbor as yourself.” We care for our neighbors in the local community and around the world through hands-on involvement and our financial resources. We believe God created all people as good, and asks us to share responsibility for the weak, the poor, the sick, the oppressed, and all who suffer.

• Recipients of NPC Budgeted Funds (2009) included Barnabas Youth Opportunities Project; Helpng Hand Fund (emergency assistance); International Partnerships - Kenya; Mariner's Inn; Pontiac Area Transitional Housing (PATH); Troy People Concerned; Baby Basics of Troy; Gleaners Food Bank; Baby Basics Ministry of Troy and RESPOND

• Our Ongoing Hands-on Mission Projects and Collaborative Partnerships include:       
  
  • Support of our Missionary Partners in Sudan, Jacob & Aliamma George. This Mission Project is through the PCUSA, and Northminster provides support through contact with the Georges with email notes, birthday cards, and some funds, including those raised by our children.
  • Baby Basics [Link to Troy Baby Basics]
    • Contacts:  Ruth T., Jenn K., Sarah L., Charlotte
  • Troy People Concerned [more]
    • Troy People Concerned serves the Troy community as an information and referral service, aiding clients who need help finding appropriate assistance, whether through government programs or within the private sector. In addition, TPC coordinates volunteer drivers who provide rides for seniors and disabled to medical and dental appointments, and refers clients to the local food pantry and clothing closet. Northminster has supported TPC since its inception in 1974, both financially and with volunteer drivers.
  • Church World Service CROP Hunger Walks [more]
    
    • Fundraiser for worldwide emergency relief 1st Sunday in May
    • Last year we had 31 walkers (plus assorted dogs!) and raised about $2700
      
    • Susie L. is our lead walker and contact
  • Habitat for Humanity Workdays [more]
  • Gleaners Community Food Bank Workdays [more]
    • Northminster volunteers 3-4 times per year to work at the Gleaners Food Bank outlet in Pontiac where we help with sorting and packing donated food whichh is then distributed to people in need in the metro area. Volunteers of school age and up are invited to participate in these 2-3 hour work days, some on weekdays and some on Saturdays to accommodate those working during the week.
  • Troy-area Interfaith Group [more]
    
    • The Troy-area Interfaith Group exists to invite all faith communities to gather, grow and give for the sake of promoting the common values of love, peace and justice among all religions locally and globally. We believe that peace among peoples and nations requires peace among the religions. The Troy-area Interfaith Group plans three annual Interfaith events for the community:
      
      • The National Day of Prayer in May
        
      • The International Day of Peace in September
        
      • The Thanksgiving Celebration in November
      • We also have an Interfaith Labyrinth [more], dedicated in 2008, on the property of Northminster Presbyterian Church, 3633 West Big Beaver, Troy.
    • Other things we do: In the summer we participate in the Habitat for Humanity Blitz Build in Pontiac. We contribute to Troy People Concerned and sponsor the Annual breakfast for the City of Troy’s MLK Jr. Day Celebration as well as the Troy Community Coalition.
    • See Charlotte or Ruth T. for more info
      
  • RESPOND [more]
    
    • Northminster members volunteer the third Saturday of every other month, to go to Westminster Presbyterian Church to serve in the Detroit Presbytery Hunger Program RESPOND. This program serves meals to approximately 60-80 area residents, many of whom are home-bound or live in group homes. They often receive meals Monday-Friday through programs such as "Meals-on-wheels" or other area agencies.
      
    • The Hunger-Program staff of the Presbytery and some volunteers of RESPOND or the group homes' staff bring many of these people to Westminster. We shop for, cook and bring the food for a lunch, set up, serve the program participants and then clean up. We average 6-10 volunteers each time to go down to help, but an additional 5-10 people also donate home-baked cookies or salad ingredients each time.
    • See Ruth T. for more info
      
  • Partner church with Trinity Community Presbyterian in Detroit
    • Recent activities include summer congregational picnics and holiday events.
      
    • See Mary E. for more info
      
  • Collection Drop-off
    • Needed: gently used, clean clothing, linens and other usable household discards suitable for helping inner city residents such as those most affected by the current recession and unemployment. The elderly, victims of house fires and domestic violence; individuals being released from half-way houses; and single mothers just starting housekeeping are among other beneficiaries of this ministry. Wanted items include: shoes, seasonal clothing, and bedding, luggage, kitchen ware, etc.
    • See Andy S. for more info
      
  • Alternative Gift Market [more] 
    
    • The Alternative Gifts International (AGI) is a non-profit organization that vetts programs around the world and lists items that can be purchased in those programs to help those in need. The items range from small livestock to buffaloes, from surgery or medical supplies to health and safety education, from acres of rainforest to agricultural training programs, from mentoring programs to solar computers and more. One check is written per donor, and AGI sends the money on to the individual charity; the donor gets cards with inserts to give to people in whose honor the gifts are being purchased. This Market is run at Northminster during the month of Advent, and we average between $1,200 - $1,800 in donations annually. Almost every dollar donated is used by AGI for the items "purchased", as administrative costs are collected separately.
    • Our contact person is Ruth T.
      
  • Giving Tree
    • We set up a tree in the hall during Advent that is mostly undecorated. Members and visitors are asked to bring in and hang on the tree children's gloves or mittens, hats or scarves. These items, after the holidays are over, are given to a Pontiac school to pass out to children who either don't have the items to begin with, or who lose theirs throughout the year. Hopefully, no child in that school goes without the bare essentials to keep warm over the winter. We typically collect 50-60 sets of items.
    • Contact Ruth T. for more info
  • Troy CAN [more]
    • Troy CAN is a community group including the City of Troy, Troy Chamber of Commerce, Troy School District and over 40 representatives from business, education, government, non-profits, and other organizations working together to facilitate the education and/or employment success of the adult learner in Troy.
  • Foster Care Projects
    • This spring we will commemorate the month of May as Foster Care Month, by collecting personal hygiene items and backpacks to put them in, for youngsters in the foster care system. These youth will be going to "sibling camp" where they will be reunited with their siblings living in other foster homes.
    • Late fall we plan to collect re-usable shopping bags, and items needed by children and youth at the Oakland County Children's Village.