VOLUNTEER IN THE COMMUNITY
WESTCHESTER FOOD PANTRY COLLECTION TABLE
DONATION DROP OFFS AT ANY TIME
A food collection table is located at our South Entrance for items which will be delivered to the Westchester Food Pantry.
Westchester Food Pantry proudly serves the communities of Bellwood, Berkeley, Broadview, Hillside, Hines, La Grange Park, Westchester, and Western Springs.
For a list of items needed at the pantry, click below to be directed to their website.
SEMI-ANNUAL WOMAN’S SOCIETY RUMMAGE SALE
Spring Sale
Times vary for set-up, sorting, sale, & clean-up, Education Building & grounds.
Our semi-annual all-church Rummage Sales are Woman’s Society’s largest undertakings. Sales of the proportion to which these have grown wouldn’t be possible without the generous support and involvement of all of our church members. Over 250 people come together each October and April to help Woman’s Society. Sale profits are then shared with non-profit agencies close to home and around the world as well as the First Congregational Church of Western Springs.
Our next sale will be April 29 and April 30 from 5:30pm-8pm.
For more information or to sign up to volunteer, click below:
Email Jeannette@wscongo.org to volunteer to help.
OFF THE STREET CLUB
THIRD THURSDAY SAVE THE DATES:
April 17th – Celebrate the 70’s Dance Party
May 15th – Carnival Close-Out
DONATIONS NEEDED
We are currently collecting donations for Off the Street Club’s summer camp, Camp Mathieu, located in Wheaton, IL. There are two ways to donate:
1) CAMP CLOSET: Most of the children who arrive at Camp Mathieu do so without all of the essentials – think toothpaste, soap, sheets, swimsuits, towels etc. Because of generous donations made towards the Camp Closet, kids can get what they need to be comfortable and enjoy summer camp!
CLICK HERE for the OTSC Camp Closet Amazon Wish list. Please note we also accept gently used items, which can be dropped off on the porch of 3910 Lawn Avenue, Western Springs, IL 60558.
2) SEND KIDS TO CAMP: It costs approximately $500 to send a child to Camp Mathieu. Most families on the West Side do not have the means to send their child, but through generous donations, these deserving children can escape the dangers of their neighborhoods and experience casual joy. Donations can be made HERE
As always, please contact me with any questions. Thank you!
Charlotte Wegrzyn, charlotte.wegrzyn@gmail.com
Western Springs – Off the Street Club Liason
Circle of Friendship Committee Chair
VOLUNTEER AT CHURCH
USHERS
Sundays at 8:45am and 10am
If you have a heart for welcoming people to worship and a desire to be a part of a team, consider becoming an usher. This is open to men, women, and young people! Flexible scheduling allows you to be in communication with your usher captain and serve when you are available.
Reach out to Chris Laperuto at claperuto@gmail.com to help the church with this volunteer opportunity.
SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHERS
Sunday mornings
We would love for you to be part of our Sunday school teaching team! We are hoping to create an inter-generational team of teachers, so we invite all who are 15-99 years old to be part of this important ministry at First Congo .
Sunday School is offered year-round during our Sunday morning worship service for children ages 3 years through 8th grade. Regardless of age, our hope is to convey to all children that they are beloved children of God. As a church family, we respond to that love in the way we care for ourselves, each other, our neighbors locally and globally, and God’s world. In our classes, we practice together all those things that loving Christians do: pray, give thanks, comfort, defend, forgive and repent, in a safe and supportive atmosphere. And of course, we learn from (not just about) the Biblical stories of people who have experienced God’s power and love in their messy lives.
The Sunday school classes use lessons from the Dwell curriculum. The lessons cover important themes and characters of the Bible. Each lesson provides an opportunity for the children to reflect and relate the story to their own lives. For more specific information, contact Jen Enriquez at jen@wscongo.org.
PRAYER & CARE
There are so many ways First Congo seeks to provide care for those in need including:
- Prayer Requests
- Prayer Shawl Ministry
- Called to Care
- Caregiver Support Group
- Congo Cooks Meal Ministry
If you are interested in volunteering to help with the Prayer & Care Ministries, please reach out to Jean@wscongo.org to learn more about these opportunities.
MISSION & OUTREACH
The First Congregational Church of Western Springs has a longstanding tradition of outreach and ministry beyond our walls. We often refer to this as ‘faith with our sleeves rolled up!’ As articulated in our Mission Statement and our call to be Christ’s disciples, numerous individuals and groups within our congregation work to: increase our love of God by increasing our love of neighbor; follow Christ to the side of all who suffer and despair; be Christ’s messengers and advocates for justice; and, be generous and thoughtful stewards of all of God’s gifts. We invite all who wish to join us to share in the joys and challenges of this calling.
