Volunteer
"Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward them for what they have done" - Proverbs 19:17Serving Christ here, near, and far away…
Serving others is a fundamental aspect of Christian life at Baker Memorial UMC. All are welcome to participate. Some opportunities are listed below. To see the full list, go here.
Recurring Opportunities
Fellowship Coffee Hour after worship on Sunday morning is a time for the congregation to connect, care for each other, and to reach out to newcomers and visitors. Sign up to host as an individual, family or group. Get the details about what hosting entails in our Fellowship Guide and sign up in Baker Hall on Sundays. There is a clip board with a schedule.
Sunday Morning Connections Team This team consists of greeters, ushers, and fellowship volunteers. Having warm, smiling faces when someone walks into Baker Memorial UMC and into the sanctuary is a way of showing God’s love and makes someone feel welcomed. Sign up for a specific Sunday of the month or as many Sundays as you would like. Sign up for any of the three volunteer categories here.
BakerKids Want to help? You can be a part of this ministry by helping to teach or shepherd on Sunday mornings September-May. Sign up here. Shelly Stienbarger, Director of Children & Family Ministry, will get you plugged in.
Lazarus House Meal Every second Tuesday of the month, Baker Memorial provides meals for nearby Lazarus House homeless shelter. Options for helping are: preparing dinner in the church kitchen on second Tuesday evenings, donate ingredients for the dinner, and provide bag lunches and beverages. To get connected to the monthly email sign-up with dinner and lunch donation needs and to sign up to cook on second Tuesday evenings, contact Chris Stumpf here.
Meals on Wheels Kane County Senior Council (senior meals) uses volunteers to deliver on a regular basis or as a substitute. Drivers pick up the meals at the United Methodist Church of Geneva and deliver to St. Charles and Geneva seniors. If you are interested in helping in this way, contact info@bakermemorialchurch.org
Northern Illinois Food Bank A team of volunteers heads to the NIL Food Bank on the third Monday of every month. Our shift runs from 9 a.m. until Noon. Want more information? Contact Betty Erickson via email.
Feed My Starving Children Volunteer to pack meals with us and discover how much good you can do in just under two hours! Register to work at the Aurora location, space is limited. Dates: Thursday, February 19 at 2 p.m. Contact Betty Erickson via email.
Hesed House On the fourth Saturday of alternating months (February, April, June, August, October, and December), four to five members of our congregation serve breakfast at the Hesed House homeless shelter in Aurora. It’s a fun and rewarding experience. We meet at Baker Church at 3:30 a.m. and carpool to Hesed House. The group cooks and serves breakfast and also prepares lunches for later in the day. We are back at Baker by no later than 7 a.m. Our crew chief is Tom Warren. Please call Tom (224-605-8594) if you are interested.
Prayer Quilt Ministry Our Prayer Quilt Ministry seeks to envelop someone in need in God’s loving arms and prayers—literally. A quilt is made for a specific person. Whether you can sew, iron, cut fabric with a rotary cutter, or sort fabric we need help. Quilting day is the 3rd Wednesday of the month from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.—bring your own lunch.
Administer Justice (AJ) Legal issues are often the root of poverty and homelessness, and while 20% of Americans qualify for legal aid with housing, employment, and healthcare, less than half will find that help. Be part of making a difference by joining the (AJ) team who empowers vulnerable neighbors with the help of a lawyer and the hope of God’s love on the 3rd Saturday of each month from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. There is a training for each position. Go to tinyurl.com/AJVolunteers to check out the serving opportunities. Contact Betty Erickson at 630.701.5672 with questions and which position you would like trained in.
Summer Opportunities
Volunteer at VBS! We’re looking for about 25 volunteers to help make VBS a great experience for the kids June 22-25. Any time you can give—big or small—will make a real difference. Find a list of volunteer roles and needed donations here.
- Volunteer Meet Up: June 7 at 10:30 a.m. in Baker Hall
- Kickoff VBS Sunday Funday Party: June 21 at 10:30 a.m. in Baker Hall
Thank you for your continued support in making Camp Hope a memorable experience for the children.
- Join the Mission Trip to Midwest Mission July 27-30. Lodging and volunteering for 20 participants will be on the Midwest grounds in Pawnee, IL. This is a great opportunity for all ages to participate in service and fellowship! Check out Midwest Mission at midwestmission.org/ and look for sign ups coming in the spring. Contact Pastor David or Chris Stumpf with questions.
Social Justice Committee
Last fall, Baker Memorial stepped out to create a Pride Committee to strengthen our ministry and outreach to the LGBTQ+ community. Since our earliest meeting it has been obvious that those in attendance had a desire to lift the voices and lived experiences of all of God’s oppressed peoples, immigrants and refugees and those of all economic, social, marital, and educational statuses and all physical mental abilities. Thus, the Pride committee has morphed into the Social Justice Committee, with LGBTQ+ reconciliation and inclusion remaining an important component of our work, we are just spreading the same concepts of love, belonging, and care to ALL of God’s marvelous creation. The Social Justice committee meets on the first Sundays of the month at 10:45 a.m. in the Parlor (please note we will not be meeting in April), if this group sounds like something you’d like to be a part of or learn more about please come to a meeting or contact Mandy Hale at 630-306-9090.
Stock the Box
“God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them..”