PCWS offers lots of opportunities for “hands-on” mission to serve through big Summer Mission Projects; collections; group activities; and Pop-Up Mission Projects.

 

PCWS Holds Bernie’s Book Bank Drive-Thru Collection Event

PCWS held their first children’s book collection for Bernie’s Book Bank during the summer of 2020. Since then, each fall, we hold a drive-thru children’s book collection event.

Books donated to Bernie’s Book Bank are distributed to a child who will be the next to love them. Serving under-served children across 6 Chicago area counties, Bernie’s Book Bank promotes book ownership and literacy. Readers can become leaders!

In 2022, we collected over 6,300 books for readers from birth through grade 6. We hope to collect even more children’s books on October 6 at our 2023 drive-thru book collection event.


Let’s Fill the Can!


Originally our 2020 Lenten Challenge project, this project continues to support the 2nd Baptist Food Pantry in LaGrange.  With the outdoor can, conveniently located at our covered lower entrance, we collect a steady supply of non-perishable food items which we pack into big plastic tubs, often filling the back of an SUV, and deliver to the church every Monday morning.This humble collection can has helped feed families facing any number of additional health and economic challenges and has led to a wonderful, sustainable partnership in ministry with our brothers and sisters at 2nd Baptist.

Let’s keep filling the can!

 

Pop-Up Mission Projects:

We love our Pop-Up Mission Projects!  These “mini” projects engage all ages in kit-assembly projects, generally during post-worship fellowship. They have included:  Ziploc laundry kits with detergent pods, dryer sheets, and quarters for the clients at BEDS Plus in LaGrange; sack lunches for 2ndPresbyterian Church Chicago’s hunger program, filled with tuna, crackers, fruit, granola bars, nuts, and a bottle of water; and bags of trail mix for the Night Ministry in Chicago.

During the summer, our children in Vacation Bible School completed similar projects. Our older children assembled laundry kits and our younger children assembled shelf-stable meals filled with mac & cheese, crackers, fruit, granola bars, chips, and bottles of water, among other healthy and non-perishable food items. Both of these projects helped the clients at BEDS Plus in Lagrange.

 

Off-Site Mission Projects:

Groups from PCWS also actively seek out opportunities for hands-on mission work in the community.  Mostly all-ages projects, the work ranges from a full day of repair and general “house” work at Margaret’s Village to a shift at Greater Chicago Food Depository, Feed My Starving Children, or Bernie’s Book Bank.

 

Helping out at Margaret’s Village
Fall Yard Cleanup at Margaret’s Village
Group at Feed My Starving Children (Aurora)
Chicago Food Depository Fresh Produce Delivery
Sorting Books at Bernie’s Book Bank

Summer Youth Trip

Also, when able, our high school youth participate in an annual summer mission project which takes them into some of the neediest regions of the United States.  For decades, youth have spent a week working on mostly housing-related projects in areas as diverse as the Pacific Northwest and Appalachia and several places in between.  Youth are excited to return this summer 2023!







Alternative Giving Fair: 

During the Advent season, Mission sponsors an Alternative Giving Fair to support fair-trade and charitable organizations around the world.  When we’re able to gather in person, there are always a wide variety of gift items available for purchase, as well as opportunities to learn about and donate directly to any number of organizations, including Heifer International.

While the last two Fairs have been virtual, we’ve not been shopping, but have still managed to provide meaningful financial support to several of our traditional mission partners!