Elk Grove Baptist to tend neighbors' needs on Community Service Sunday

For the fourth successive year, on Sunday, July 31, members of Elk Grove Baptist Church will alter their morning worship schedule to tend to the needs of residents of Elk Grove Village.

Over a quarter of the 200-member congregation will participate in the church's Community Service Sunday, taking care cleaning and repairs for neighbors, and collecting food for the Elk Grove Village Food Pantry.

EGBC performs a community service project once a quarter, and for the past three Julys has scheduled its summer outreach on Sunday morning in conjunction with its weekly worship service.

The worship service will begin at 9:30 a.m. as usual, and will feature music, a devotional message from Rev. Curt Hansen, EGBC lead pastor, and a commissioning prayer.

At 10 a.m., some members will depart for their pre-designated work assignments. Those who remain at the church will share prayer and bible study with guests, and then work on an assignment preparing for the EGBC 9/11 Remembrance Day in September.

Among tasks to be completed by small teams are deck repair and shed removal for some neighbors, cleaning and organizing shelves at the Kenneth Young Resale Shop, and delivering appreciation baskets to Elk Grove fire and police departments and workers at Alexian Brothers Hospital.

The majority of the workers will be on the west side of Elk Grove collecting groceries for the Food Pantry. Last Saturday, 25 members distributed nearly 1000 bags to residences in the neighborhood bounded by the Elgin-O'Hare Expressway, and Meachem, Nerge and Rohlwing Roads. In previous years, the church has collected approximately 20 percent of the bags filled with a variety of non-perishable goods that are then delivered to the Food Pantry for distribution.

The Food Pantry collection has become recognized enough throughout the Village that residents who live outside the designated area have contacted the church wishing to make donations. Individuals from outside the pickup area who wish to donate to the Food Pantry may pick up a grocery bag at the church between 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. July 28-29; or simply bring a bag of donations to Elk Grove Baptist Sunday morning or on Monday, Aug. 1. For a list of goods needed, follow this link: http://origin.library.constantcontact.com/download/get/file/1102626578236-448/FOOD+DRIVE-11.pdf.

For further information, call Elk Grove Baptist, 847-593-8337.