On April 25-26, ANCM will host its annual Churchill Fellows Weekend and mark the successful completion of the current phase of preservation of America's National Churchill Museum (ANCM), including the masonry conservation of the magnificent Christopher Wren church of St. Mary the Virgin, Aldermanbury. ANCM is the home to a world-class collection, which is widely regarded as the finest of its kind in North America. All sessions, exhibitions, and events will explore and commemorate the legacy and continued relevance of Winston Churchill in today's world.
11:30 am — Museum
Tour of St. Mary Aldermanbury with Steve Stinson
Steve Stinson, a member of the Westminster College Class of 1973, will share his fascinating and entertaining stories about the establishment of the Winston Churchill Memorial and Library in the United States, now known as America’s National Churchill Museum. In the 1960s, Steve’s father, Churchill Fellow Dave Stinson, served as Westminster College’s Vice President and played a pivotal role in the Churchill Memorial project. As a young man, Steve became the first tour guide for the memorial during the restoration of St. Mary the Virgin, Aldermanbury, on the Westminster College campus. He has also produced two documentaries about the ANCM, including Franta and Winston (2021), which highlights Czech-born sculptor Franta Belsky and his iconic statue of Sir Winston Churchill. The statue will be rededicated during Churchill Fellows Weekend. Steve is also the author of the upcoming children’s book 7,000 Stones, which chronicles the rebuilding of St. Mary the Virgin, Aldermanbury, on the Westminster College campus.
1:00-4:00 pm — Church of St. Mary Aldermanbury
Afternoon Sessions on Collecting and Preserving Churchill
"We Shape our Buildings, and Afterwards they Shape Us" Preservation of Christopher Wren's St. Mary the Virgin, Aldermanbury and America's National Churchill Museum
Join Angie Gaebler, President of Kansas-City based STRATA Architecture + Preservation as she discusses the recent and ongoing preservation of St. Mary the Virgin, Aldermanbury, the Christopher Wren church Winston Churchill called "a symbol of our hopes for peace for the future of mankind."
The Churchill Image
Winston Churchill understood the profound impact a powerful portrait could have in inspiring and stirring emotions. But what truly defines a successful portrait? America’s National Churchill Museum boasts some of the most iconic sculptural representations of Winston Churchill, featuring remarkable works by artists such as Oscar Nemon, Franta Belsky, Lawrence Holofcener, Sir Jacob Epstein, Robert McFall, Ivor Roberts-Jones, and Don Wiegand. Experience these masterpieces and hear insights from Churchill Fellow and sculptor Don Wiegand, alongside Julia Holofcener, whose late husband crafted the renowned Allies sculpture for New Bond Street in London.
The Future of the Past: Museum Studies
As centers of research and education, and as repositories for cultural heritage, museums play a vital role in our society. They allow us to celebrate humanity’s soaring achievements while also providing lessons on how to avoid the mistakes of our past. Assistant Professor of Museum Studies Dr. Nichol Allen and Carter Murray, class of 2026 and Museum Studies minor, explore how Westminster College's Museum Studies program utilizes America's National Churchill Museum to introduce its collection and history to new generations.
A Churchill Treasury
Brian E. Krapf, will discuss his 2024 book, A Churchill Treasury documenting memorabilia from Sir Winston Churchill’s decades of public service. Globally called Churchilliana, these items encompass over 60 years of materials, including badges, ribbons, textiles, porcelain, glassware and ephemera with the last Churchilliana book being published over 20 years ago as a collectors’ guide. Since its release, A Churchill Treasury has been enjoyed by collectors as well as readers interested in history since it uses period items to portray and explain Sir Winston’s public service, starting with his father and chief inspiration, Lord Randolph and ending with retirement after Sir Winston’s second premiership.
Collecting Churchill
America’s National Churchill Museum is the premier repository for Churchill-related materials in North America. Its collection, which includes some of Winston Churchill's most renowned paintings, has been displayed at both the museum and esteemed venues across the United States. Managing and showcasing a world-class collection demands a high level of expertise, connoisseurship, and a deep understanding of Sir Winston Churchill. Miller Gaffney, along with ANCM’s Sandra L. and Monroe E. Trout Director and Chief Curator Timothy Riley, explore several works from the ANCM’s collection, delving into what makes each one a truly remarkable.
5:15 pm — Backer Dining Room in Mueller Leadership Hall (registration required, see below)
Sinews of Peace Society Reception
6:00 pm — Backer Dining Room in Mueller Leadership Hall (registration required, see below)
Churchill Fellows Dinner
9:30 am — Latshaw Plaza
Rededication of Franta Belsky’s Sculpture of Winston Churchill
After a successful conservation treatment, Franta Belsky's monumental sculpture of Winston Churchill will be rededicated outside America's National Churchill Museum.
10:00 am — Church of St. Mary Aldermanbury
Enid and R. Crosby Kemper Lecture by The Rt. Hon. Sir Conor Burns and induction of new Churchill Fellows
12:00 pm — Backer Dining Room in Mueller Leadership Hall (registration required, see below)
Churchill Fellows Luncheon
Born in Belfast in 1972 Sir Conor Burns attended St Columba's College in St Albans a school run by the Brothers of the Sacred Heart, United States Province. He graduated with a degree in Modern History and Politics from the University of Southampton.
A previous Councillor in the City of Southampton, he was elected as the Member of Parliament for Bournemouth West in 2010. He served on the Culture, Media and Sport Select and the Education Committees. He was a Parliamentary Private Secretary in the Departments of Business and Energy, Northern Ireland, Treasury and the Foreign Office to Boris Johnson. He was appointed Minister for Trade Policy by Mr. Johnson. He also served as Minister of State for Northern Ireland.
Most recently. Sir Conor was the Prime Minister's Trade Envoy to the United States for Trade and Investment. He served under UK Business and Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch, who asked him to lead the state-level MOU program to bolster UK-US trade.
He was appointed to the Privy Council by Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth in 2019. In 2023 Conor was appointed Knight Batchelor and knighted at an investiture by Her Royal Highness the Princess Royal at Windsor Castle.
His home is in Bournemouth, and he works from London and Dallas, Texas.
The Association of Churchill Fellows is an honorary society recognizing leaders in industry, commerce, statecraft, and in the arts and sciences. It is among the key organizations that support America's National Churchill Museum, the only museum in North America that commemorates the life and times of former British Prime Minister Winston S. Churchill and his legacy of leadership.
Special Relationship – $25,000
Includes two tables of eight for dinner and luncheon, preferred seating, and name in the program.
Iron Curtain – $10,000
Includes one table of eight for dinner and luncheon, preferred seating, and name in the program.
Statesman – $5,000
Per person includes dinner, luncheon, preferred seating, and name in the program.
Admiralty – $1,000
Per person includes dinner and luncheon, and name in the program.
Sponsor a Student – $220
Sponsor a Westminster College student to attend both the dinner and the luncheon.
Please contact Tim Riley if you are interested in becoming a sponsor for Churchill Fellows Weekend 2025.
Registration is required for the following events:
Friday Sinews of Peace Society Reception and Churchill Fellows Dinner
Saturday Churchill Fellows Luncheon.
Check out visitifulton.com to find restaurants, shops, and activities to make the most of your trip to Fulton.
Where to stay: We have reserved a block of rooms at a discounted rate at the Hampton Inn off of I-70 in Columbia, MO, under the title "Churchill Museum Fellows Weekend." Call (573) 303-9426 or book online at https://www.hilton.com/en/attend-my-event/churchillmuseumfellowsweekend/ before April 11.
Address: Hampton Inn Columbia, A Hampton by Hilton Hotel, 3410 Clark Lane, Columbia, Missouri 65202
“Leave the past to history especially as I propose to write that history myself.”
