Mission

Our mission partnerships and opportunities for service allow us to celebrate the bounty of God’s gifts. Our efforts are directed toward education, evangelism, and relief & development initiatives.

First Pres is blessed with abundant opportunities for hands-on ministries in the community that offer a great way to serve our neighbors through tutoring, staffing the PADS overnight shelter, working at local soup kitchens, Rummage and more. Contact info@firstchurchlf.org for more information about serving and our mission partners.

If you’d like to see our upcoming Mission events, visit our calendar.

Mission Partners

Rummage

Spring Rummage: May 4, 2019, 7:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Please note there will be no Rummage Sale for Fall 2018.

Set-up: Sunday, April 28 – Tuesday, April 30
Chair Sale: TBD
Worker Sale: TBD

Volunteers who work 4 hours or more can shop during the workers pre-sale. Sign up to volunteer.

Every year, First Pres holds a Rummage Sale in the spring and fall. The church collects thousands of clean, usable items throughout the year from clothes and accessories to furniture, antiques, electronics, appliances, sports equipment, décor, household goods and many more. Volunteers collect, sort and organize these items to get them ready for each sale. Since its inception in 1950, this event has contributed more than $5 million to First Presbyterian’s Mission program.

Donations and volunteers to help sort and run the sales are always welcome. Donations should be clean; free of odors, stains, tears, holes; and, if applicable, in working condition. Breakable goods should be stored in sturdy boxes and clothing in large, sturdy plastic bags. Donation items can be dropped off at the church between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. during the week and between 9 a.m. and 12 p.m. on Saturdays. See our Donation Guidelines for further details. If you need a receipt for tax purposes, please download our Donation Receipt form.

For more information, contact Donna Birney at dbirney@firstchurchlf.org.

Volunteer

If you are looking for ways to share your gifts in service, First Pres offers numerous opportunities for you to do so throughout the year.

  • PADS

    The PADS ministry season begins in October, with service dates on the 2nd and 5th Wednesday of each month through April.  For those who are not familiar with PADS (Providing Advocacy, Dignity and Shelter), it is one of First Presbyterian’s most significant Lake County Ministries.   We provide and serve dinner and breakfast, and prepare bag lunches at an overnight shelter at  North Point Church in Waukegan that serves approximately 35 homeless men.

    We are seeking those who would like to provide food and/or volunteer their time.  One group of volunteers prepares food and beverages for dinner.  Another group of volunteers sets up and serves the dinner.  Another group of volunteers provide an overnight presence at the shelter, and a final group arrives in the early morning to prepare and serve a hot breakfast.  Whether you can volunteer once or many times, we could greatly appreciate your time and help.  Please sign up below.

    Sign Up to Serve

    Sign Up to Donate Food

  • Soup Kitchen

    Our Soup Kitchen mission is served jointly with St. Mary’s church in Lake Forest on the 3rd Friday of the month at Holy Family Soup Kitchen at 914 8th Street, Waukegan IL.

    Beginning in November 2017, we will be collecting food donations and serving as a church during the months of May- September (beginning May 18, 2018).

    No food goes to waste! If there are leftovers at the end of the evening, there are other locations the food gets delivered.

    Please use this link to sign up to bring food or serve: Soup Kitchen sign up. For more information, please contact Shawn Ward at shawn66@comcast.net.

    In the months of October-April, we encourage you to support our PADS mission; however, anyone who is interested in personally continuing Soup Kitchen with St. Mary’s is welcome to join the St. Mary’s volunteers during the months of October-April.  Those who wish to donate food to Soup Kitchen during these months can drop it off at St. Mary’s Parish Center (201 E. Illinois Road) between 8:30 am and 3:00 pm on soup kitchen day.  For more information, feel free to contact Ellen Kelly from St. Mary’s directly at (847.295.4649) ellenkelly@comcast.net

    Click here for Google Maps driving directions to Holy Family Church.

  • Meal-a-Month & School Supplies Drive

    Communion Sunday gives us a new opportunity every month to extend the Lord’s Table and support Lake County communities and food pantries in partnership with The Alliance for Human Services. Lists of food items and grocery bags are available from ushers after worship on the first Sunday of each month.

    The monthly program also sponsors an annual school supplies drive. To participate in this year’ drive, visit the School Supplies Drive page.

    Contact Donna Birney for more information at dbirney@firstchurchlf.org.

  • Neal School Lunch

    Sweeten the day for the hard-working teachers and staff at Neal School in North Chicago by baking desserts for their monthly lunch. During the school year, First Pres provides baked goods for the Neal School teachers and staff’s lunch held on the third Tuesday of the month. Sign up to bake online and then bring your baked goods to the church by 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday morning. Please feel free to forward the link to others who may be interested in baking.

  • To learn about service opportunities not listed above or for any questions, please contact info@firstchurchlf.org.