Local Jail Ministries

First Baptist Church supports one of our members who serves as a local missionary that works through an organization serving prisoners throughout several states in the upper Midwest. This missionary distributes books, magazines, hygiene items and other incidentals as well as talking with prisoners who requests one on one time. While conversations about the Bible are not initiated by the missionary, if an inmate asks a question concerning the Bible answers are provided about sin, salvation and forgiveness and whatever else is asked about.

First Baptist Church also has a member who volunteers approximately every other month to go to various prisons in northern Illinois to pass out books and magazines to the inmates. Although there is no one on one time involved with any of the inmates, there are opportunities for short conversations of encouragement. These encounters communicate to the prisoners that someone cares about them and that there is a reason to hope.

Public Action to Deliver Shelter (P.A.D.S.)

P.A.D.S. is a publicly funded DuPage County organization. The aim of P.A.D.S. is to serve the homeless by not only providing shelter, but they also work towards the individuals becoming independent by assisting them to help themselves. First Baptist Church of Downers Grove (FBC) teams with P.A.D.S. four times a year by supplying volunteers to work at a local hosting church, currently First United Methodist Church on Maple Avenue in Downers Grove (FUMC). FUMC provides their facilities for P.D.A.S.’s use every Tuesday night from October 1st through April 30th and FBC volunteers for one Tuesday night in September, November, January and March.

FBC’s volunteer team gives those down on their luck a helping hand that includes serving dinners, insuring clean washroom/shower areas for both men and women to use, provide clean linen/towel sets to each person spending the night, provide a mattress pad for sleeping on, monitor the female and male sleeping areas, and in the morning the volunteers serve a hot breakfast with a bag lunch for each attendee.

Specifically, we start by moving all the food and food preparation items from FBC to FUMC. We serve dinner which is usually a full meal including soup, salad, rolls, meat, potato, vegetable and dessert. The FBC volunteers set out the bedding, set up tables and get ready for the guests. At 6:00pm the doors open and our guests settle in and shower if they wish. Then at 7:00pm dinner is served. After dinner we provide help with homework or any other help they may need. We have volunteers who come in shifts to spend the night to make sure all is safe and to serve anyone who needs any help. In the morning we serve a hot breakfast and then at 7:00am the guest leave with a bag lunch provided for the day. Once the FBC volunteers complete their assigned shift, they clean all linens, towels and get the kitchen back in order so everything is ready for the next time.

P.A.D.S. provides a unique opportunity to not only talk about God’s love but to show it. This is a mission that is truly in our own back yard. It is a ministry where many hands can make light work and with the volunteers only giving just a few hours every other month, they make this ministry into a means that countless guests feel the love of Jesus in such a meaningful way.

Pacific Garden Mission

 On the fourth Wednesday of each month, a group from First Baptist Church goes down to the Pacific Garden Mission located at 1458 South Canal Street, Chicago, Illinois. The Pacific Garden Mission has been reaching the lost and homeless for over 140 years, transforming many men and women since its beginnings. The purpose of this is to hold a church service for the homeless men and women who reside at the mission. The church service consists of prayer, testimony, singing, scripture reading, an offering and a sermon. The gospel message is always presented during the service and a there is always a call for anyone in the auditorium to come forward after the service for prayer or to take steps toward salvation. Anyone who would like to join this group should contact the church office for further information.