Missions

At FVPC, we believe that God calls us to work beyond the doors of our church building in order to make a difference in the world, for Christ’s sake. Mission and ministry to our neighbors both near and far are essential to living out Jesus’ commandment to love one another as God has loved us.

The members of FVPC are involved in a variety of missions throughout our community and our world. From making sandwiches for the residents of Lazarus House, to inviting the entire community in for dinner every second Sunday, to assisting those who need home repairs in neighboring Aurora, we are making a difference and living out our faith. Regardless of how you are called to serve, we want to help you to find a way to serve God and God’s people here at FVPC.

If you have questions about the missions below or other missions of Fox Valley Presbyterian Church, please contact Michelle Hwang, Acting Head of Staff, (630) 232-7448.

ADULT GO AND SERVE MISSION TRIP

FVPC members and friends recently participated in an Abara Encounter in El Paso/Juarez, where they learned how we can make a difference in the lives of people caught in difficult circumstances. Keep an eye on the adult ministries website page and publications as there may be a book study in the works!

Organizer for this event: Mission Committee

SCHOOL SUPPLY KIT DRIVE

Since it's back-to-school time, it's time for FVPC's annual Church World Service school-supply drive! This year's drive begins today and runs through Sunday, September 14. The Sewing Circle has graciously made beautiful school supply bags for us to fill.

To participate, pick up a bag and list of supplies at the donation box in the Lower Gathering Space. If collecting items isn't your thing, you may make a donation on the church giving page or by check, adding “school kits” to the check’s memo line.

Questions? Please contact Kristin Williams (773-771-4651 or tkdmwilliams707@gmail.com).

Organizer for this event: Mission Committee

(Posted 8/5/25. Source: Kristin Williams’ 8/4/25 email).

EMPTY BOWLS

Be sure to save the date for our Empty Bowls fundraiser on November 15, 2025. Empty Bowls is a ticketed, artisan evening where folks may enjoy live music, participate in an arts and crafts raffle, view a pottery demonstration, dine together in the Great Hall, and take home a hand-made ceramic soup bowl. Tickets are $60.00 per person, with proceeds supporting the Batavia Interfaith Food Pantry and Lazarus House.

Here’s how you can help:

BUY TICKETS: Gather some friends and family so you can dine together at tables of eight. Tickets go on sale online in September; last year we sold out. Look for the ticket table after worship on Sundays in October and November. Watch for ticket info in coming newsletters and posters.

VOLUNTEER: Come help us set up on Friday afternoon, November 14, and Saturday morning, November 15. Many hands make light work, and we have a lot of fun in the process. To sign up, email Karla Lynch.

DONATE YOUR ART: Don your creative hat and donate your art or craft to the Arts Raffle. We will be taking donations up until November 12 - things like ceramics, paintings, photography, weavings, quilts and other types of arts and crafts objects. Email Karla Lynch or Wilma Van Arragon to donate.

Organizer for this event: Karla Lynch

(Updated 8/15/25. Source: Karla Lynch’s 8/14/25 email.)

LAZARUS HOUSE

The Lazarus House Center for Transitional Living in St. Charles is the ONLY Transitional Housing Program in the tri-cities area. Lazarus House serves men, women and children connected to the school districts of St. Charles, Geneva, Batavia and western rural Kane County who are homeless or are at risk. Their mission is to provide hospitality, food, safe shelter and support services to persons who are homeless or in need. FVPC serves this mission by providing lunches and dinners.

Once a month, FVPC provides sack lunches and dinner for Lazarus House guests. Watch the church publications for dates and details.

2015.04.13 Rebuilding Together.jpg

REBUILDING TOGETHER AURORA

It is said that many hands make light work.

For the past several years, FVPC has used its many hands to transform the lives of people in our community through Rebuilding Together Aurora. RTA helps homeowners living on, near, or below the poverty line make repairs to their homes that they would be otherwise unable to attend to, because too often families must choose to address other basic living needs instead. For those who are low-income, costly home repairs are essential to the family’s health and living but are rarely financially feasible. FVPC in partnership with Rebuilding Together Aurora helps make that happen.

Every last weekend in April, FVPC and RTA volunteers work together to assist families with needed home repairs. We always need volunteers to assist – both with skilled and unskilled labor.

SEWING CIRCLE

The Sewing Circle of Fox Valley Presbyterian Church was formed in 2009.  Its purpose is to provide a creative way to show God’s love and care to people in need. The Circle creates pillowcase dresses for Guatemala, school bags for Church World Service, quilts for the children baptized at FVPC, and prayer shawls. Pictured at the left is a recent Sewing Circle creation, lovingly assembled from donated fabrics.

The Sewing Circle meets year round on Mondays in Rooms 2 and 3, 10:00 am-2:00 pm. Over the years, quilts have been produced at the rate of about 100 per year.   Circle members enjoy picturing the happiness their creations bring to the recipients and like to say a prayer of blessing over the items before they are distributed.

New members are very welcome and do not need to know how to sew.  There are many tasks such as pinning and tying with yarn that do not require sewing.  Knitters are needed to make prayer shawls as well. For more information or if you have questions, email Anne McManus.

 

UPDATE ON LIVING WATERS FOR THE WORLD

In the spring of 2023, FVPC sent a team to Guatemala to install a water purification system at Escuela Oficial Urbana Mixta Elisa Molina de Stahl, a school serving 622 students. In addition to installing the system, the team provided health lessons to teachers, ensuring students could fully benefit from access to pure water.

One year later, in the spring of 2024, our team conducted a follow-up visit to provide further support. However, due to limited funds, FVPC was unable to send another team for the final year of our covenant with the school. Instead, we equipped our in-country coordinators to complete this final stage on our behalf. They carried out this responsibility on March 25 and 26, 2025, with the FVPC Living Waters for the World (LWW) committee participating via Zoom (see photo at left). The system operators and educators shared the following updates:

  • Aside from one minor issue that has been resolved, the system has functioned flawlessly. Plans are in place to further protect it for long-term sustainability.

  • The school purifies approximately 12 bottles of water daily for its kitchen, eliminating the need for staff to boil water over a hazardous wood-burning stove.

  • Additional purified water is provided as needed for each of the 31 classrooms.

  • About 60% of teachers and many students’ families are purchasing water for home use at a fourth of the retail cost.

  • Thanks to continued reinforcement of health lessons, drinking only purified water has become the norm on campus.

  • Teachers report noticeable health improvements among students.

  • System operators are exploring ways to increase production and expand outreach, including potential partnerships with other local schools.

As our formal covenant with the school concludes, we rejoice in knowing that this project has empowered the community with a lasting source of clean water. The dedication of the teachers, students, and system operators ensures that the impact of this mission will continue to grow. Though FVPC’s direct role is ending, our connection remains strong, and the seeds planted through this mission will continue to bear fruit for years to come. Thank you for your prayers, support, and commitment to sharing the gift of clean water.

LOY WILLIAMS’ STORYWORTH INTERVIEW

FVPC Parish Associate Loy Williams was very active in the civil rights movement, along with his wife Linda, a FVPC member. His involvement in the civil rights movement began while he was a student at Southern Methodist University, where he led demonstrations for civil rights and protested segregation. In March 1965, Loy coordinated student participation in the march on Selma, Alabama and fed on-the-ground updates to Dallas radio stations. While the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., was leaving Selma, Loy received a telegram from Dr. King, saying “Come to Montgomery and bring everyone you can.”  Loy rented and filled a 65 passenger Greyhound bus which he and other students took to Montgomery to join the march. Use the link below to listen to the NPR Storyworth interview of Loy and Linda and learn more about their involvement.