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.

Lazarus-House-2.jpg

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.

Typically, the FVPC youth groups prepare the lunches. That same evening, a volunteer heats up leftover food from the Second Sunday Community Dinner and takes it over to Lazarus House by 6:00 PM. Volunteers need not stay to serve.

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 are the Sewing Circle’s recent handmade Christmas gift donations to the Ukrainian families living in the Chicago area.

The Sewing Circle meets every Monday from 10:00 AM until 2:00 PM in rooms 2 and 3. 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.

SECOND SUNDAY COMMUNITY DINNER

On the second Sunday of every month, Fox Valley Presbyterian Church provides a free dinner to anyone who would like a delicious meal and friendly fellowship. No reservations are needed and all are truly welcome. We serve dinner in the Great Hall from 4:00-6:00 pm. Guests are welcome to dine in, carry out, or both.

Volunteers are always welcome to help with meal preparation, service in the kitchen or the dining room, and take down and clean up. Contact Pastor Michelle Hwang if you or a group you represent would like to help out with this meal.

STYROFOAM, PLASTIC BAG/BUBBLE WRAP RECYCLING

Our Earth Stewardship team sponsors a monthly Styrofoam, plastic bag and bubble wrap recycling event at FVPC on the first weekend of the month. Hard Styrofoam packing material (#6) and clean foam food containers are welcome. As the #6 Styrofoam breaks up easily, please break it down to make more space in the collection bin. No straws, plastic, paper, soft flexible packing foam, packing peanuts, or other materials, please. Clean plastic bags and bubble wrap will be recycled. Please turn the bags inside out, to assure there are no receipts, etc., in the bag. Place smaller bags inside a larger bag. Remove any plastic shipping tape from bubble wrap.

Organizer for this event: Jeff Mengler

CHURCH WORLD SERVICE HYGIENE KITS AND EMERGENCY CLEAN UP BUCKETS DRIVE

The Mission Committee is collecting emergency clean-up buckets and hygiene kits for Church World Service. Church World Service is a faith-based organization that responds to deadly emergencies in dozens of countries around the globe. Their vision "is a world where everyone has food, voice and a safe place to call home." 

This year’s collection will take place March 16-April 27. The Mission Committee is requesting monetary donations, as the items for the kits can be difficult to find. Hygiene kits cost $15-20 to assemble and the emergency clean-up buckets cost $75-100 to fill. When donating by check, please add “CWS Cleanup Buckets” to the memo line. You may donate on the church website giving page by choosing “CWS Emergency Cleanup Buckets” from the drop-down menu. Those who wish to purchase items for the kits are asked to email Pat Sage for a list of items.

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.