Local Outreach at Village Church of Bartlett
Serve | Build | Share
Serving Our Neighbors and Growing as Disciples of Jesus
Local Outreach partners with local organizations, schools, and social workers to serve the vulnerable populations in Bartlett and the surrounding area. By mobilizing our church body to serve, our goal is to build bridges in our community through relationships and care, while giving the people in our church opportunities to grow as disciples of Jesus.
Week of Outreach 2025: March 15-21
As followers of Jesus, we are called to share God’s love by participating in the ministry of Jesus in the world and in His Church. In John 20:21 Jesus says, “Peace be with you. the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” Jesus says we are to continue the work He started and do what God is calling us to do.
During the Week of Outreach, ministries within Village Church strategically partner with existing organizations to support their efforts to serve others. As we obediently follow Jesus’ instruction to go into the world, we proclaim His goodness and beauty through acts of service.
Like last year, we partner with local nonprofits including The Ruth Project, The Forgotten Initiative, Safe Families for Children, and The Evangelical Child & Family Agency. This year, we plan to expand our efforts to include an appreciation lunch for the Bartlett Police Department and caring for social workers during March’s Social Worker Appreciation month.
Using the tabs below, find specific dates and projects, and discover how you can jump in with the ministries you’re already connected to.
Prayer Guide
Use this guide to prepare your heart and mind for the service projects ahead of you. You will find several passages of Scripture emphasizing our Biblical invitation to do good works, a brief devotional on the Christian’s call to serve, reflection questions, and prayer points.
All Church Service Project: March 15
March 15 | 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. | ECFA at 1530 N Main St., Wheaton
Sponsored by the Village Men, this project is open to all of Village Church to serve the Evangelical Child and Family Agency at their agency in Wheaton. Spend a Saturday morning washing windows and cars, cleaning carpets, and deep cleaning the ECFA facility. Though sponsored by Village Men, everyone is welcome to attend including kids. Please register if you wish to attend.
Rooted: March 15
March 15 | 1:30 – 3:30 p.m. | The Ruth Project Boutique
This Spring’s Rooted Group will spend an afternoon serving at The Ruth Project Boutique in Elgin. They will help “flip the floor” by moving cold weather clothing into storage and preparing to put out the warmer weather clothing. They will organize clothing sizes, switch out seasons, and rearrange them.
Village Kids: March 16
The Village Kids (Preschool – 4th Grade) will serve The Ruth Project. This organization provides ongoing support for foster and adoptive families, and we get to prepare some of the items they need for their ministry!
The Village Kids will complete a project on Sunday morning during their class times at 8:15, 9:45, & 11:15 a.m. They plan to prepare individual feed bags for animals at The Ruth Project Farm. These bags will give visiting children an opportunity to interact with their sweet animals.
Community Groups: March 16-21
March 16-21 |Varied Times & Locations
Community Groups will partner with The Ruth Project to make 50 meals for the Dash and Dine event. During this weekly event, The Ruth Project blesses foster families with meals and we will have the chance to make enough meals for an event! Groups will provide the ingredients and prepare the meals. They may choose to do so during their regular meetings or at another time. Contact your Community Group leader for details on your group’s plans.
The 5/6: March 16
March 16| 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. | Village Church of Bartlett
The 5/6 will create Journey Bags for The Forgotten Initiative to give to DCFS in Elgin. Purchase items to build backpacks for children (sizes 5/6 & 7/8) going into foster care. You can purchase and donate items so The 5/6 can assemble them during their weekly gathering. You may purchase and bring items to the church on Sunday, March 16.
*This is not a registration to attend this event.
Village Women: March 18
March 18 | 12:00 p.m. | Bartlett Police Department
The Village Women will serve lunch at the Bartlett Police Department on March 18. A few ladies are needed to help facilitate a warm welcome and appreciation for the men and women who serve Bartlett. In tandem with the Bartlett Community Care Collective, Village Church is pleased to serve our officers and bless them with a simple thank you in the form of a meal. We hope that both this project and the one below offer an opportunity to love and thank the officers so that they may see our good works and glorify our Father who is in heaven (Matthew 5:16).
VCYA: March 18
March 18 | 6:30 p.m. | Bartlett Police Department
The Village Church Young Adults will serve a meal at the Bartlett Police Department on March 18. Volunteers are needed to help facilitate a warm welcome and appreciation for the men and women who serve Bartlett. In tandem with the Bartlett Community Care Collective, Village Church is pleased to serve our officers and bless them with a simple thank you in the form of a meal. We hope that this project will offer an opportunity to love and thank our the officers so that they may see our good works and glorify our Father who is in heaven (Matthew 5:16).
Village Women: March 19
March 19 | During Women’s Bible Study | Village Church of Bartlett
March is Social Worker Appreciation Month—a time to recognize and honor those whose job it is to serve individuals, families, and our community. The Village Women will work together to create thank you cards and a small gift for each social worker at Bartlett Public Schools. We hope that this project offers an opportunity to love and thank our neighbors so that they may see our good works and glorify our Father who is in heaven (Matthew 5:16).
Forge: March 20
March 20 | 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. | Village Church of Bartlett
Forge Youth Group will serve the Evangelical Child and Family Agency. Students in grades 7-12 will spend their weekly gathering creating Mother’s Day cards for mothers that ECFA serves. There is no registration for this event.
Perennials: March 20
March 20 |9:00 – 11:00 a.m. | Village Church of Bartlett
The Perennials Ministry will create Journey Bags for The Forgotten Initiative to give to DCFS in Elgin. Purchase items to build backpacks for children (infants & toddlers) going into foster care. You can purchase and donate items so Perennials can assemble them during their monthly gathering.
Watch the 2024 Week of Outreach Video
Local Outreach Partnerships and Ministries
The Ruth Project
The Ruth Project is a non-profit organization based in Elgin, IL on a mission to end the modern-day orphan crisis. Through donations and volunteering, they abundantly provide resources to foster and adoptive families, setting them up for long-term success.
The Forgotten Initiative
Through The Forgotten Initiative, agency workers directly interact with foster parents, vulnerable adults, and children in foster care. This organization provides support through Journey Bags, Foster Family Support, Social Worker Support, and on-the-ground care for foster families.
Safe Families
Safe Families provide a safe home for children and a supportive community for parents while they get back on their feet. This network of relationships keep children from entering the foster care system, and ultimately, helps keeps families together. The goal is family reunification.
ECFA
Evangelical Child & Family Agency (ECFA) offers compassionate and Christ-centered services to children, families, and individuals through adoption, pregnancy support services, counseling, and intact family services.
Open Hearts Open Homes
Bartlett Community Care Collective
Local Outreach Holiday Initiatives
Thanksgiving Food Drive
Each year, we partner with our local Jewel-Osco and our school district to provide Thanksgiving meals to families in the Bartlett area who are in need.
Christmas Gift Drive
As the holiday season moves into the Christmas season, we continue our support of many of those same families by providing gifts for their children and support for the adults.
Michelle McGrath
Local Outreach Director
Devote Yourself To Good
We help others and devote ourselves to good not because it guarantees us salvation, but for two distinct reasons. First, Jesus tells us to serve others, and He modeled it in His life on earth. Second, because good works naturally flow out of us as an outpouring of the Holy Spirit, who continually works in us to make us more like Christ.