Volunteer at Immanuel and in the Community

Faith goes beyond Sunday morning. So we go beyond Sunday morning. We believe in following Jesus Christ every day. Service to others is a huge part of our faith. You’ll often hear about church-wide efforts to serve people in our church, community, country and the world.   Each week, you’ll find opportunities listed in the Announcements and in the weekly email.  In addition, the staff is committed to helping people discover and use their God-given talents to serve others.  Here is just a sample of the myriad of ways to get involved at Immanuel:

Advent Calendars for the Homebound - Each November, volunteers create oversized advent calendars for people who are not able to get out and about during the Christmas season.

Altar Guild - Altar Guild members give of themselves to provide a presentable, functional environment that allows us to worship according to our beliefs and traditions. Contact Laverne Ollhoff at the church office – 847 359 1549 or lollhoff@ILCP.org.

Audio Visual - The Audio/Visual team helps to produce Immanuel’s great worship services. You can work the cameras, projector or soundboard in the church or help stream our services around the world. In fact, our services were seen in over 70 countries last year! Please contact AJ Weller.

Baseball/Softball – Volunteers fuel “Shining Stars” Baseball/Softball Camp for a week each summer, providing children a place where they can enjoy baseball and softball as they learn basic skills in a fun, creative, and Christian environment.  New this year is a holiday mini-camp December 2016/Janaury 2017!  The volunteer team is made up of coaches, teen baseball/softball players, and other adult helpers.  Please contact PastorWarren@ilcp.org.

Bobcat Blitz- Immanuel sponsors a race for runners and walkers each year, offering the community an opportunity to come together for an event focused on health, and fun.  Many different types of volunteers are needed - everything from the planning team to people who pass out water bottles on race day.

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Chapel Offerings   - Each month during the school year, the students collect their chapel offerings to give to a different organization such as Armed Forces Ministry, and Lutheran World Relief.

Children’s Ministries –There are many opportunities for you to serve within Children’s ministry and it’s our goal to help you find one that best fits your lifestyle and where you can use your God-given gifts to invest in the lives of children. Yes, we need Sunday School teachers, but we also need someone to prep craft projects at home for example. Please contact Trephina Bedell at 847-359-1936.

Community Meal - Immanuel is now a host for “The Community Meal” - a no-cost meal offered to the public.  Volunteers are needed for set-up, serving, clean up more.

Emergency Food Bags -  Volunteers pack single grocery bags to use when clients come in when there is not a Good Samaritan representative available to take them to the Food Pantry.

Feed My Starving Children (FMSC) –  FMSC is a very popular event here at Immanuel.  At various times throughout the year we gather at the FMSC facility in Schaumburg to pack food for hungry children around the world.  Read a bit more…

Food Drive -  Every Thanksgiving Immanuel conducts a church-wide “Fill The Chancel Food Drive.”  We also collect food all year long and distribute it through our Good Samaritan Food Pantry.

Keep In Touch (K.I.T.) – The K.I.T. ministry is designed to reach young adults, mostly away from home at college or in the military, by mailing them care packages.

Kids Hope USA Mentoring Program -  Make a difference in the life of a child by mentoring, or by becoming a “prayer partner” with a mentor.  “One Child. One Hour. One Church. One School.”

Meal Ministry.  The Meal Ministry’s mission is to serve those who are in need of extra assistance at critical times.  Our meal ministry is open to anyone who loves to cook, or pick up prepared food, and has a heart for serving others!

Mitten Tree.  Every year our school staff and students set up a Christmas tree in the lobby and they, along with members of the congregation, decorate it with mittens, gloves, hats and scarves for children in need.

Operation Christmas Child – Operation Christmas Child brings joy and hope to children in desperate situations worldwide through gift-filled shoeboxes and the Good News of God’s love. Immanuel sponsors Shoebox projects, collects donations year-round, and hosts a shoebox packing party each November.

Thanksgiving and Christmas Baskets.  During the holidays we provide food baskets, gift cards, and other gifts to needy families in the community via our Good Samaritan Ministries.

Special Olympics  - Each spring Immanuel hosts a hospitality tent at the local Special Olympics.  Volunteers and donations are always appreciated.

Stephen Ministry – Stephen Ministers are members of our congregation who receive special training to provide one-to-one Christian care to people in our congregation and community who are experiencing grief, loneliness, divorce, hospitalization, disability, job loss, and many other life difficulties.

And Beyond.  Even more than all of this however is that Immanuel members quietly serve their friends, neighbors and even strangers in countless ways…as coaches, scout leaders, room parents, volunteers of other organizations, and as people who just listen and who pitch in.  To God be the glory.