As a social justice focused church and foundation, we offer many opportunities to take action through self-improvement, service to others, and actions against injustice.
Food Pantry at Garden Hills
The McKinley Pantry at Garden Hills Elementary School (2001 Garden Hills Dr) distributes an assortment of food and pantry items to any family in need, especially those families within the Garden Hills community. Distributions occur 4:00-6:00pm every 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month. The pantry is accessed from the back cafeteria / loading dock doors. Sign up to help pick up and deliver food from the Eastern Illinois Foodbank to Garden Hills Elementary School, help to pack distribution boxes, or assist with the distribution.
Student Outreach & Ministry
McKinley, in partnership with CUCC, provides many programs and services to students who are part of the UIUC community. Among these is a weekly meal for Food & Fellowship — particularly for students who are food insecure — followed by a robust game night. On Wednesdays, we offer Coffee & Conversation at the University Y and engage in real conversations about faith. Help our volunteer leaders by signing up to serve as host at a Friday night meal or providing treats for the Wednesday evening gathering.
Giving Garden
The McKinley Giving Garden is a partnership among many–The McKinley Foundation, McKinley Presbyterian Church, Presby Residence Hall, Faith in Place, the UI Extension…the list keeps growing. And so does our garden! We grow produce for the clients of the Garden Hills Food Pantry and others in the community who have limited access to fresh produce. From April-October, volunteers meet at the garden on Monday evenings beginning at 5:30pm. No gardening experience is necessary.
Green Team
Get involved with The Green Team! Throughout the year, this joint committee of the foundation and church engages the local community to learn and do more to help the environment! Whether you want to get your hands dirty volunteering at the Giving Garden, take a bus to Springfield to advocate for policy change, or learn more about pollinators, there are plenty of opportunities throughout the year to Go Green with McKinley’s Green Team.
[Not Your Traditional] Bible Study
The Christian Bible is not only the world’s best-selling book, but the Bible, Christianity, and different beliefs are deeply ingrained in American history and culture. This Bible study class may be unsettling if one is expecting a single, simple, seamless, consistent message that can be uniformly applied.
We take no position on specific issues or beliefs. Instead, we focus on community: a meal, readings of short passages, and sharing our individual reactions and learnings. We provide support as we learn that life is not as simple as we might wish, and the the devil is in the details!
Wednesdays, 5:15 to 6:30. Located in 2nd floor west meeting room, accessible through Westminster Dining Hall.
Share the Care & Meal Trains
For 25 years, McKinley Church has been serving the long and short-term care situations of church members through the structure of care groups based on the Share the Care model, focused on spreading responsibilities among many to lessen the burden on the family during illness, recovery, or grief. A Care Group includes friends, neighbors and church members to divide the tasks of food, household work, transportation and much more. No one is burned out and everyone benefits. For more information or to express your interest in being considered for Share the Care groups or Meal Trains, use this contact form, and we’ll pass your information to the committee’s leaders.
New members are welcome to join our many working committees as well. Visit the Committees page for more information and contacts.