Saint Andrew’s Committees
Building and Grounds: Manages the maintenance of all property owned by the parish and endeavors to keep St. Andrew’s in excellent physical condition. The committee plans for current and long-range needs to keep St. Andrew’s a useful and inviting space. Parishioner participation is encouraged through scheduled clean-up days and volunteer efforts. Anyone willing to serve in a hands-on capacity is invited to participate. Landscape and Green are sub-committees. Contact John Montgomery.
Christian Formation for Adults: Promotes awareness and opportunities for deepening the Spiritual Life of the Parish through a variety of programs and groups, making the Parish aware of outside spiritual growth experiences, and the development of new experiences to transform the lives of God’s people. Contact Jim Hoover.
Children’s Ministry: Enables and supports ministry to the children of the parish through the Children’s Formation program. This includes the nursery, special events, formation opportunities, and the Children/Youth Music programs. Contact Dorinda Hicks.
Youth Formation: Join our new formation programs for middle and high school. This committee will be responsible for helping to discern and implement a new formation program for youth in 2018. Contact Dorinda Hicks for information about middle school or Wendee Greene for high school.
Finance: Evaluates current expense and income patterns and prepares the annual budget for adoption by the vestry. The committee also reviews the accounting procedures, reporting by the treasurer and bookkeeper, and the annual audit. The committee also recommends adequate insurance coverage for risk management. The Trust Fund is a sub-committee. Contact Ron Williams.
Inreach/Welcoming: Provides opportunities for members of the Parish to care for each other in times of need (illness, grief, unemployment, birth, death, other times of change) In addition, this committee coordinates greeting and events/procedures for inviting, welcoming and incorporating new members. Contact Kurt Wiesner.
Hospitality: Coordinates “coffee hour” after both services; supports and facilitates receptions, special meals for the Parish, and various social events; maintains supplies and expendables. Contact Bobbie Sieja.
Outreach: Encourages parishioners and parish groups to reach out to others, particularly those in need. We commit to outreach ministries that will meaningfully and transformatively engage with people in the outside world. We encourage both financial and hands-on support. We also work to achieve inter-faith unity through reaching out to other religious groups. Contact Jean Paré or Deni Cantrall.
Be the hands and feet of Christ through direct involvement
Whether you are looking for a one-time event or an ongoing commitment, these are opportunities that we know to be effective in providing services and making good use of our time, talent, and treasures. Outreach Committee normally meets on the second Monday of each month at 7 pm in Room 3, the Phil room (second floor just past stair well). Sometimes the meeting is rescheduled or cancelled, so please check in advance.
Prepare and Serve a Sandwich Board Meal
Time commitment: a morning/early afternoon second Thursday each month
Who Benefits: low-income and homeless residents of the Aurora area
Contact: Donna Armstrong
Host PADS Clients
PADS provides interim housing, support services and employment assistance www.dupagepads.org
Time commitment: 2 to 4 hours one night/morning during winter and summer at area churches
Who Benefits: people in local community in need of a meal and a safe place for the night
Contact: Colleen Loftus or Jean Paré
Serve a Downers Grove Community Thanksgiving Dinner
Commitment: a few to many hours on Thanksgiving, also food and table preparation on preceding days
Who Benefits: our fellow parishioners and people in local community
Contact: Catherine Tecktiel
Burgess Square
Sunday worship service (Skilled nursing facility) http://burgesssquare.com/
Time commitment: an hour any Sunday at 10 am to assist one of our Lay Eucharistic Ministers
Who Benefits: You will as the residents are so joyful and thankful, your spirits will be lifted! Residents are primarily elderly and needing skilled nursing.
Contact: any LEM
Brookdale of Lisle Friday worship service (Independent and Assisted Living) https://www.brookdale.com/en/communities/brookdale-lisle.html
Time commitment: an hour on the 4th Friday of each month to assist our LEMs
Who Benefits: You will as the residents are so joyful and thankful, your spirits will be lifted! Residents relatively independent.
Contact: Father Gregg
St. Andrew’s Vacation Bible School
Time commitment: anywhere from a few hours to many tens of hours for planning preparation and teaching
Who Benefits: Four year olds through 5th grade children in the local community as well as the children of St. Andrews learn about and experience God and Jesus
Contact: Wendee Greene
St. Andrew’s PDO (Parents’ Day Out) childcare
Time commitment: anywhere from a few hours, substitute care givers, periodic cleaning
Who Benefits: Two and three year old children in the local community as well as the children of St. Andrews learn through unstructured play. Parents benefit with time for themselves.
Contact: Janine Pickett
Provide a ReVive Christmas Basket for a family in Chicago
https://revivecenter.org/our-mission/
Commitment: several hours of shopping and monetary investment to purchase gifts each November
Who Benefits: low-income families and seniors in Chicago at Christmastime
Contact: Jennifer Robbins
Prepare and serve a meal for St. Leonard’s House residents
Time commitment: a few hours Sunday afternoon twice a year at different times during year;
Who Benefits: St. Leonard’s House residents who are rebuilding their lives post-incarceration
Contact: Ellen Webb
Participate in the CROP Walk
Time commitment: an hour the afternoon plus securing sponsors; Generally in September/October
Duties available: be a walker and secure sponsors. Sponsor walkers with monetary commitments.
Who Benefits: people around the world and in our community who are suffering from hunger.
Contact: Mary Ann Wiesner or Ellen Webb
Ongoing commitment with fellow parishioners
Support Casa Hogar La Familia and Embrace the Dream Foundation – Children’s home in Mexico
Embrace the Dream Foundation: http://embracethedream.com/
Time commitment: Varies from a few hours attending benefit events once or twice a year, to many hours planning and working benefit events, to week long mission trips to Casa Hogar.
Who Benefits: The children and youth of Casa Hogar who for a variety of reasons need parenting and a safe home with access to education.
Contact: Father Gregg for future plans.
Ongoing commitment usually done by individuals
Support and staff Hope’s Front Door (located at Congregational Church, Curtiss St, Downers Grove)
Time commitment: 2 1/2 hours per shift (completely up to you)
Duties available: Client interviewer, facilitator for client interviewers, data entry
Who benefits: Residents of 6 local communities and PADS clients in need of food, gas, referrals to other organizations, job coaches, banking assistance and special assistance for medical & dental.
Contact: Ellen Webb
Support FISH Food Pantry and Clothes Closet www.downersgrovefish.org
Time commitment: Place non-perishable groceries in blue grocery cart at St A, provide rides to medical appointments, answer phone calls from people seeking aid
Who Benefits: FISH clients for groceries, rides to medical appointments, people needing support
Contact: Waring Webb
Community Adult Day Center http://www.communityadultdaycenter.org/
Time commitment: a few hours weekly as agreed to work with clients or in support office
Who Benefits: Local community members who have early stages of dementia and their care givers
Contact: Jean Paré or Joanne Schupbach
The Midwest Shelter for Homeless Veterans http://helpaveteran.org/
Time commitment: A St. Andrew’s group provides a home cooked meal for 6 Vets every Tuesday evening and one Thursday a month. Meals are prepared at home and delivered to the Larson Home. Also possible to join the Veterans for dinner. In addition we donate items to the Freedom Commissary, the “free” thrift store designed to meet the clothing, household and basic needs of low income veterans and their families
Who Benefits: U.S. Veterans of any era are provided with transitional housing and supportive services at the shelter.
Contact: Manuel Lopez
Wayside Cross http://www.waysidecross.org/
Time commitment: Donate furniture and household items anytime by contacting Wayside. May bring items to church at annual collection. Provide sales floor coverage (2-3 hours) at retail store
Who Benefits: Wayside Cross residents (90+ individuals) who depend on the resale income to support WCM programs
Contact: Kurt Wiesner
Policy and Procedures: Responsible for maintaining and updating policies and procedures for St. Andrew’s Church; communicating with and distributing the policy manual to vestry members; and making it available to the parish. It is anticipated that there would be no more than four meetings per year, each approximately one hour long. Click here for a copy of the Policy Manual – March 2017. Contact Ron Williams.
Stewardship: Communicates to the parish the continuing need for commitment of our time, talent, and money to the mission of Christ’s Church in our world. Directs the annual financial stewardship program. Contact Janie Bouzek Cross.