Over the past 2 years the Mission Ministry Team has provided a number of opportunities for the members of St. Peter’s to participate in direct service to area projects:

Feed My Starving Children

This organization packs meals for children around the world – a team effort approach for 2 hour appointment times. St. Peter’s generally has adult programs in the Spring and Fall……I believe the Youth programs have also organized trips to the Schaumburg location. In the fall of 2013 St. Peter’s brought 75 volunteers over the 2 evening time slots.

Night Ministry 

Another project involving area homeless and poor. There are many opportunities for participation to one of Chicago’s oldest missions:

    • Midnight meals – provides for a variety of volunteer options

    • Food donations – request for items for sack dinners

    • Sandwich making – join the assembly line at St. Peter’s kitchen to make sandwiches for distribution

    • Food Distribution – 6-8 volunteers to travel to Chicago and distribute meals on the sidewalk to neighborhood homeless

In the past 2 years St. Peter’s has made 2 site visits per year – generally in the summer months

SOCK collection

During the month of August we have collected socks for the Night Ministry – a much needed and appreciation item to the homeless – project also has requested a volunteer to deliver the socks to Night Ministry headquarters

Grace Café

A project of Elmhurst churches to provide an evening meal out to area poor, elderly or those in need of community.  In the past 2 years St. Peter’s has hosted Grace Café twice a year – Spring and Fall.

There are several options for participating in these special evenings:

    • Food donations – especially desserts or goodie bags

    • Food preparation

    • Set up preparation – preparing Parish Hall and tables for guests

    • Servers – food servers needed to wait on guests

    • Greeters

    • Musician(s) and photographer

Crop-Walk

Another annual Mission project  –  sponsored walking to raise money for food around the world. This is a program that is well supported by St. Peter’s Youth programs

Giving Tree

With family names provided by United Community Concerns, the congregation of St. Peter’s may select individual(s) to be the recipient of a specified Christmas present.

Program also allows for Volunteers to assist in the delivery of the packages around Elmhurst and the surrounding area.

Hat and Mitten Tree

Another Advent project – the collection of baby/toddler clothing for distribution to a variety of charitable organizations – within the past two years recipients have been Family Shelter, Haymarket Center and PADs.

Bridge Community

Primarily a youth supported project – Sleep Out Saturday. Provides the opportunity for youth to sleep out in box or tents to gain an insight into the lives of the homeless – generally the project is held in early November when the weather adds another component to the understanding of hardships.

Knitters

Not an official program of Mission but to recognize their hands-on efforts for the past several years the Knitters have provided baby blankets and caps to Haymarket Center for the newborns to return back from the hospital.