Serve in Community Ministries
Community ministries serve both locally and globally. On our own or with partner organizations we identify and address needs around us, near and far, through both short term and ongoing volunteering.
These Community Ministries are open to new volunteers:
Big Days of Serving (INF, YTH, FAM, ST) – Once or twice a year we focus a weekend on serving and offer a menu of service projects covering a variety of interests and abilities. Most are family-friendly!
Big Days of Serving Project Coordinators (ST) – Help us coordinate a one-day serving project. Great for those who are organizers or have a heart for a particular need.
Comfort Dogs (PROT)– These trained service animals are active in and beyond our local community, bringing comfort to the hurting. Dogs, and their handlers and caregivers, undergo rigorous training, and they see God at work in wonderful ways.
Global Missions – For 25 years, we have supported ministry at St. Peter Confessional Lutheran Church in Middleburg, South Africa with time and talent as well as financial gifts. Our partnership continues and includes annual mission education trips.
Habitat for Humanity (ST)– We partner with Habitat and also Thrivent Financial to bring our skilled and unskilled labor to a local Habitat home on 1 to 4 workdays each year.
Kids Hope (PROT)– Through Kids Hope USA, a national organization, our church has been paired up with Westgate Elementary School in Arlington Heights. Volunteers from our church each spend one hour each week with one at-risk student at Westgate.
Meadows/Clearbrook (PROT, IMM, FAM)– Once a month, volunteers join Pastor Klopke in leading a Jesus Time of song, Bible stories and craft at these residential homes for people with disabilities.
Meals on Wheels (PROT)– In partnership with Wheeling Township, each November we provide volunteers who deliver lunches to seniors in our community.
PADS (ST, IMM) – In partnership with the local organization Journeys: A Road Home, and with neighboring Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church, we provide meals and volunteers once a month, from 6pm Saturday to 7am Sunday at Our Saviour’s.
Additional Community Ministries:
Bethesda – Residents of group homes for people with developmental disabilities receive gifts annuals from our Christmas Caring Tree.
Christmas Caring Tree – A tree ornamented with gift tags enabling our St. Peter family to provide Christmas gifts for individuals in need.
Community Partners Team – This team, made up of the coordinators for a number of agencies we partner with, supports each other’s efforts to help us serve the physical needs of those within the congregation, the local community and elsewhere.
Leader, Community Serving Events – Lead the two congregation-wide community serving weekends we have each year.
Jehovah – We partner with this urban Chicago church, arranging several food drives, a school supply drive and Christmas gifts for their families who could use a helping hand.
Sanctity of Life – We value the gift of life and especially seek to support women facing unplanned pregnancies.