Social and Global Outreach Activities

The Social Outreach Committee of First Lutheran Church promotes involvement in the following activities:

GENERAL MINISTRIES

Prayer Ministry
First Lutheran Church has a Prayer Network of people who have committed to praying through the church's requests each week.

Tri-Congregational Committee
First Lutheran currently cooperates with First United Methodist Church and St. Mary's Catholic Church on two scheduled activities a year: a joint Thanksgiving service in November and a service of peace and reconciliation held in September. In addition, in 2004-2005 the three congregations funded and completed a Habitat for Humanity House in DeKalb. Susan Callahan and Denise Rode represent First Lutheran Church on this Committee.

Educational Efforts
The Social Ministry Committee attempts to ensure that educational modules on various social issues are presented to the congregation each year. Three to four Adult Forums on Social Issues are presented annually.

Tape Ministry to Shut-Ins
Taped copies of the worship services are delivered weekly to shut-ins.

MEALS

Food Pantry at the Salvation Army
First Lutheran collects food for the pantry on an on-going basis. First Lutheran volunteers also work at the pantry the fourth Tuesday of every month from 8:45 to 11:45 AM. Dean Burgemeister is the coordinator (contact at 756-4364).

Meals on Wheels
During the month of November, volunteers from First Lutheran Church deliver meals to shut-ins every day.

Hope Haven
First Lutheran volunteers provide meals once a month. Carrie Engstrom is the coordinator (contact at 758-2588).

Meals for Campus Ministry
First Lutheran volunteers provide meals for students at the Lutheran Campus Ministry once a month during the school year. Trent and Teresa Lange are the coordinators (email: tlange@tbcnet.com).

MATERIAL AID

Project Group
The Project Group meets every Tuesday morning from 8:30 - 11:30 a.m. The group has 28 members that cut squares, assemble them, and sew lap robes, quilts, walker bags, floor pillows, school bags, and mastectomy bags for those who need them.

Lutheran World Relief
First Lutheran donates concrete objects, such as quilts, health kits, baby layettes, school bags, and bars of soap each year.

LOCAL AND GLOBAL OUTREACH

Fair Trade Coffee Project
On the first and third Sundays, First Lutheran sells "equal exchange" coffee and tea obtained through Lutheran World Relief. Sale of this coffee helps ensure a fair wage practices for the growers (9 cents on a dollar instead of 3 cents a dollar).

Sister Congregation in Tanzania
First Lutheran Church has a sister congregation in Ketumbeine Parish, in Tanzania, East Africa. The church conducts a variety of activities that support this effort including period visits, a twice-a-year Love Auction, and ongoing communications by letter, e-mail, and children's pen pals. For more on this project, visit the web page on Our Sister Congregation. For more on the Companions in Ministry program of which this is a part, visit www.nisynod.org/ministries/companions.

Synod Missions
Through its participation in the Northern Illinois Synod, First Lutheran also supports a mission in Laos, along with several churches being started in Northern Illinois.