MISSIONS

Bridge of Hope is a transitional housing program for homeless families with dependent children in DuPage County. This mission is supported by our congregation in conjunction with Bridge Communities, Inc. The program moves families from hopelessness and homelessness to stability and opportunity.

• Become a Mentor: Support a homeless family on their journey to stability helping them with life skills such as budgeting and providing care and encouragement. Time Commitment: Average about an hour per week.

• Pray for the families who are directly supported by our congregation and Bridge of Hope – to give the mothers the strength to balance caring for their children and providing for their families.

Chris Symons

Founded in Christian traditions, Central DuPage Pastoral Counseling Center welcomes everyone, inspires hope, and facilitates healing. Skilled, licensed therapists apply the perspectives of psychology, physiology, spirituality, and culture in providing integrated therapeutic care and educational services. CDPCC provides mental health
services to all who seek care, regardless of their financial situation.

• Financial Contribution: Funds are used to help serve clients without the financial ability to pay for care. Generous donors make a way for these clients to receive care.

• Pray for guidance, wisdom, and discernment for those providing services through the center for the benefit of the clients.
• Pray for empathy, patience, and understanding to be experienced by all who encounter the center for mental health support.

Erik Peterson

Emmaus Ministries’ mission is to support male survivors’ journey out of the sex trade into freedom and fullness of life and to fight exploitation worldwide for all mankind.

• Financial Contribution: Donations will be used to improve the health and independence of male-identifying victims of commercial sexual exploitation and sex trafficking in Chicagoland.

• Volunteer: Wherever you are in life, you can bring hope to male-identifying victims of trafficking and exploitation, empowering them to leave the sex trade and rebuild their lives.

• Pray for the clients of Emmaus, that they may find the peace of Christ during their journey.

Jonathan Hancock

ESSE’s (Ecumenical Support for the Elderly) mission is to provide adult daycare options that promote the physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being for older adults and their families.

• Visit or Donate: ESSE welcomes visitors to share a hobby, talent, or game with the participants or make a donation to support programming.

• Pray for the families in need of respite as they care for their elderly loved ones.

Cherie and Read Boeckel

Since 1988, Exodus World Service has mobilized the Christian community to welcome and befriend refugees. We do this by educating churches and individuals about the plight of refugees, connecting volunteers with refugees through practical service projects, and empowering people to be champions for refugees.

• The New Neighbors Program: Meet with a refugee/refugee family 1-2 hours a week.
• Welcome to America Packs: Donate to and/or deliver Welcome to America packs (household essentials items) for newly resettling refugees in our community.
• Financial Contribution: Helps Exodus World Service fund the programs that Exodus provides.

• Pray for the safety and well-being of the refugees and volunteers.
• Pray for the First Pres volunteers who have chosen to walk beside refugees as they begin a new chapter in their lives.

Lynn Day

The mission of the FPGE Refugee Mission Ministry (RMM) is to empower the congregation of the First Presbyterian Church of Glen Ellyn to walk in the way that Jesus did by welcoming and befriending refugees who have relocated to the Chicago area. The committee works with the congregation to educate them on the challenges faced by a refugee in assimilating to their new home. RMM offers volunteer service opportunities to connect with these individuals and families as well as through donations for & delivery of items needed to begin anew. We are currently partnering with Exodus World Service to provide these opportunities to the FPGE congregation.

• Exodus New Neighbor Programs: Meet with a refugee/refugee family 1-2 hours a week.
• Welcome to America Packs: Donate to and/or deliver Welcome to America packs (household essentials items) for newly resettling refugees in our community.
• Bridge of Hope: Mentor refugees through the new Exodus/Bridge pilot program.

• Pray for the well-being of refugees who come to the US, as well as those in refugee camps around the world who are waiting for an assignment to a “permanent” home.
• Pray for more available, affordable housing in DuPage County.

Lynn Day & Steve Nelson

The Glen House Food Pantry, formerly known as the Glen Ellyn Food Pantry, is an ecumenical endeavor of 14 area churches. The churches collaborate with the greater community to provide essential groceries and support to our DuPage County neighbors at risk of hunger.

• Volunteer: Opportunities include picking up food donations, stocking pantry shelves, and assisting clients with shopping.
• Financial Contribution: Helps the pantry obtain necessary meats, fish, and produce for nutritional meals.

• Pray for more food collection opportunities through the Northern Illinois Food Bank.

Bob Clauss

Glen Ellyn Walk-in Ministry (GEWIM) is supported by Glen Ellyn churches and serves clients in the community who seek help on an emergency basis for needs such as gas, car repairs, utilities, food, etc. They also counsel and direct clients as to where they can receive more extensive help and services, as needed.

• Volunteer: GEWIM welcomes new volunteers to serve once a month in the Glen Ellyn office, meeting with clients to provide them with aid.
• Financial Contribution: Helps the GEWIM purchase gas vouchers, gift cards, and to pay clients’ bills for needed services.

• Pray for God to provide the finances and volunteers needed to sustain our ministry.

Barb Rundell

Outreach serves vulnerable people in DuPage County through relationships and community services that help them to reach their God-given potential. Staff, donors, volunteers, and church and community partners work together to bridge the gaps with services and programs that address physical, emotional, academic, social, and spiritual needs.

• Tutoring: Help students by providing academic support and mentorship.
• Jubilee Village: Support moms as they work toward stability and independence.
• Jubilee Furniture Store: Serve by assisting in the resale store in Carol Stream.
• Christmas Store: Every December, First Pres helps to provide low cost items such as hats, gloves, and toys to vulnerable families.

• Pray for Outreach and its staff for wisdom and guidance in supporting the wide array of participants in their programming.

Bob Duncan

Young Men’s Educational Network (YMEN) prepares young men and women who live in North Lawndale, Chicago, for leadership by helping them grow in their faith and character, develop a love for learning, and use their talents to serve the broader community.

• Community Garden: Each June, First Pres families travel to North Lawndale to prepare garden beds in the community vegetable garden.
• My Brothers Kitchen: On the first Saturday of each month, First Pres prepares and serves a meal to any resident of North Lawndale who walks into the YMEN Center. Volunteer opportunities to prepare meals or serve attendees is a unique way to come to know the community.
• Mentor: Provide mentoring and support to after school programs at the YMEN Center in North Lawndale.

• Pray for the safety and stability of students and staff at YMEN as they live and work in a difficult neighborhood of Chicago.
• Pray for YMEN as it grows in leadership and programming to the community.

Bob Duncan

Dakota Partnership works with churches who go to the Ft. Peck Reservation in Montana and Sisseton in South Dakota to work with the Native Americans.

• Financial Contribution: Donations are used to help cover the stipends and other Montana trip expenses that the Dakota Partnership offers to cover.

• Pray for the trips to the reservations that we continue to build relationships with the Native Americans on the reservations.

Kathy Duncan

The Montana Mission is a family-friendly, intergenerational trip to the Ft. Peck Reservation in northeastern Montana. This is a long-standing annual mission trip to northeastern Montana where we host a Vacation Bible School for the children in Ft. Kipp and complete a variety of construction projects at the Red Eagle and Macaicu Churches. We continue our years-long relationship with these churches and the surrounding communities, understanding their issues, sharing in the native American culture and traditions, and making new friends. The VBS week for the kids in Ft. Kipp is an important summer event that everyone looks forward to.

• Mission Trip: Join First Pres as we travel to Montana from July 13-18, 2025. Experience serving and learning more about the Native Sioux culture.

• Pray for the children and extended families on the reservation.
• Pray for the teachers at the Culbertson, Brockton, and Poplar schools that work hard to support the children living on the reservation.
• Pray for the Red Eagle and Macaicu Churches that they can strengthen their communities through faith with an abiding love of God through Jesus Christ.

Mary Clauss

Frontier Fellowship is dedicated to engaging the world’s least-reached places, supporting efforts to establish local Christ movements that proclaim the Good News of God’s Kingdom to communities and beyond. Currently Frontier Fellowship is engaged in Middle Eastern mission initiatives and bridge-building efforts with leaders in Muslim communities in the U.S.

• Financial Contribution: Gifts designated “McNerney” will be used for his support and the ministry’s most urgent needs.

• Pray for the Iranian people as they continue to suffer under oppressive leadership.
• Pray for the budding Muslim-background believing church in Saudi Arabia.
• Pray for Dan McNerney as he begins his final year with Frontier Fellowship after 29 years of service! First Pres has partnered with Dan helping to reach frontier, indigenous people around the world gain access to the Good News.

Jim Blanche

Kids Alive International provides Christian care and education to orphans and at-risk children, serving them through its residential homes and schools at locations around the world. First Pres has a long-standing relationship with Ark Constanza in the Dominican Republic. The Ark is a refuge of hope and safety for up to 40 children and youth who have come from hard places. When a child’s own home is no longer a safe option, Kids Alive cares for them in family-like units with loving Christian house parents. There are currently four brightly colored homes where the kids live as “families” and learn what it means to belong. Holistic care is the goal, and the children attend school, receive counseling to cope with trauma, and hear about the love of Jesus. The homes share a property with the Kids Alive school in Constanza, where the children receive an excellent education. Including those in the Ark residential homes, the Constanza School provides more than 200 impoverished children in this valley town with K-8 education, soon to include high school. Kids Alive believes that education can help break the poverty cycle. In a country where only 14% of the population attend college and 8% will graduate college, in 2023 approximately 70% of the eligible students at Kids Alive in Constanza were attending college, with a graduation rate of 80%. 

• Student Sponsorship: Make a lasting impact on a child’s life by providing monthly financial support.
• Mission Trips: First Pres organizes trips to Constanza for individuals and families to experience how God is working in the lives of the children and staff at the Ark and School. Several First Pres members have met their sponsor children on a mission trip to the Dominican Republic.

• Pray for the ministry kids in Constanza to be healed of their traumas and trauma-related issues.
• Pray for the Lord to provide the teachers and house parents needed.
• Pray for the fund raising for the sports field and ministry. Through sports, Kids Alive is able to reach and spread the Lord’s word to more children.

Jeff West 

Living Hope for Children is a Christian nonprofit called to serve the orphans and vulnerable children in Uganda. Our mission is to see these children reach their full potential and impact their communities for Christ. Our program provides immediate shelter, education, food, medical care, and discipleship to every child.

• Student Sponsorship: Support a child by providing financial assistance to orphaned and vulnerable students in need of a loving community.
• Mission Trip: Meet the wonderful people of Uganda, and visit the ministries, schools, and care centers. All trips are guided by a staff member in Uganda in conjunction with a U.S. team leader.
• Financial Contribution: Funds are needed toward our capital campaign project to continue the building of a High School.

• Pray for the ongoing High School capital campaign.
• Pray for skilled laborers with quality workmanship, wisdom regarding decisions, and stillness to hear God’s guidance.

Jeff Seifert

Partners in Mission supports the building and development of Kamwenge Secondary and Vocational School (KSVS), and Good Shepherd Kindergarten and Primary School in Kamwenge, Uganda—home to refugee and indigenous farm families. KSVS is a resource for community development, offering spiritual and vocational training for adults.

• Student Champion: Support the education of a KSVS student. $40/mo or $480/yr.
• Annual Bike Ride (August 2, 2025): Funds raised support KSVS. You can ride (25 or 50 miles), volunteer, or donate. Cost to ride is $195; riders are encouraged to raise additional support. Contact Gary Alcock with any questions.
• Mission Trip: Visit KSVS in 2026 for a special 20-year celebration.

• Pray for the planning of the 20th Anniversary Celebration of KSVS in March 2026, and that many from First Pres are able to attend.

Barb Retelny 

James and Carolyn serve with Pioneers International. They work with an indigenous Mslm people group in a Central Asian country. They have developed an orchard business to help sustain their ministry.

• Financial Contribution: Can be directed toward living support or needs to the orchard.
• Vision Trip: If you’re interested in a vision trip, contact Mark Wismer.

• Pray for the orchard to thrive with a full-fruit harvest this year and be a means of reaching the indigenous people.

Mark Wismer

ReachGlobal is the international mission that focuses on investing in disciple-makers to establish the Church where the gospel isn’t known. The ReachGlobal Roma Ministry Team comes alongside Roma leaders to train and equip them to do the work God has called them to do.

• Newsletter: Sign up for the newsletter to keep track of needs.
• Financial Contribution: The ministry is growing, as well as the needs for ministry related travel, training, and gatherings.

• Pray for the life/job skills program for Roma in Europe.

Jon Lederhouse

First Pres is active in mission work, some local, some nearby, and some at greater distances from home. Trips can be costly when considering travel, meals and lodging expenses. We do not want this financial burden to defer congregants’ participation in mission trips that touch their hearts. 

Scholarship funds are available for these trips. For more details or to apply, contact the church office or one of the Missions Elders.

After working at Surf and Turf, a Glen Ellyn Park District Camp, one of our high school students recognized how helpful bikes are to families and how out-of-reach a new bike is for some families. After identifying this need, he decided to do something about it: he organized a bike drive and then donated the bikes to YMEN, one of First Pres’ Missions Partners.

This student saw a need and found a way to meet it.

That’s one key to engaging young people of all ages in missions: follow their interests.

Kids are hard-wired to spot things that are unfair. They’re also hard-wired to help.

So, when they see a need, help them figure out how to meet it. Our church—and specifically our missions council—is here to help.

In this case, they acted as a match-maker for this student, giving him an avenue to channel his interest and passion in order to make a real difference.

They can do the same for you, helping to connect you with any of the ministries featured in this guide.   

As you help your student meet needs, start small. Find something you can do together as a family in one afternoon. Then talk about what you saw, what you loved doing, and where God showed up.

Let your student’s questions and passions fuel your continued engagement in missions and in working together to do something that matters…to them and to you.

For ideas, contact, Jen Bradbury, Senior Director of Family Ministries.

Almost every month the preschool hosts Children’s Church in the Sanctuary. We ask families to provide an “offering” which is an item to be given to a local agency or mission partner. We reach out to the agency/mission partner, to collect an item that is of high need to them. A typical collection is 250-400 items. We are truly grateful for our generous families and humbled each month by their donations.

A recap of the year is below:

• Oct: Granola bars and goldfish crackers for Glen Ellyn Children’s Resource Center.               

• Nov: Dish soap for the Parent Pantries of Bridge Communities.                           

• Dec: Hats and mittens for the annual Outreach Christmas Store.

• Jan: Ketchup for the Glen House Food Pantry.

• Feb: Children’s underwear for DuPage PADS (approximately 250-300 pairs collected).

• Mar: Diapers for Exodus World Service.

• Apr: Mayonnaise for the Glen House Food Pantry.

• May: Books for Partners in Mission – Read a book, donate the cost of a book.