Our Mission Partners

First Baptist Church has a long tradition of serving others. Since 1866 we have  identified specific activities and allocated a portion of our annual budget for missions. We currently devote 10% of our offerings for various mission partners: ABC-USA Missions including American Baptist Home Missions and International Ministries; American Baptist Women and American Baptist Men; ABC-Great Rivers Region and Area III ministries which include Judson Fellowship at Illinois State University; various local partners who feed the hungry, house the homeless, offer clothing, job and financial counseling and support families with young children.

We offer sustainable annual support for local mission partners: Home Sweet Home Ministries, PATH, Faith in Action, Recycling Furniture for Families, MARC First, and Peoria Friendship House. During the school year we fill Hope Packs of food and volunteer in the classroom and during family events for Sugar Creek Elementary School.

ABC-USA Missions

FBC partners with God’s Spirit here and around the globe through our financial and prayerful support of American Baptist Churches USA ministries, including American Baptist Home Mission Societies (ABHMS) and American Baptist International Ministries (IM).



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Our Neighborhood

As a congregation, we are committed to blessing our neighborhood. We want to show Christ’s love to our community by being here for those around us – not just on a Sunday morning, but throughout the week. However, we realize that we can’t support our neighbors if we don’t know what they need.



That’s why we have canvassed the immediate physical neighborhoods adjacent to FBC. We sought – and continue to seek – to listen and respond to the needs of our neighbors.



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American Baptist Women’s Ministries

The American Baptist Women’s Ministries at FBC encourages all women and girls to use their talents and gifts to serve God. Learn how you can help them make a difference in their local and oversees ministries.



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American Baptist Men

ABMen USA is a faith based not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing resources and support to men throughout the American Baptist USA denomination and beyond.



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Intergenerational Mission and Ministry Opportunities

In recent years, First Baptist Church has commissioned intergenerational teams to assist with emergency assistance and initial clean-up after natural disasters. Additionally, we helped begin the transformation of a blighted neighborhood in Georgia.



We don’t know when the next disaster will strike, or when the next call for assistance will come. But we do know that FBC will answer as we look to make a difference in God’s kingdom.



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Judson Baptist Fellowship

Judson Fellowship is a Registered Student Organization at Illinois State University in Normal, Illinois. Their aim is to help prepare students for Christian service and leadership



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Home Sweet Home Ministries (HSHM)

FBC is supporting Home Sweet Home Ministries’ food co-operative which empowers low-income individuals and families as they work to overcome chronic food insecurity and limited choices. This led to the development of our community garden – and the harvest so far has been bountiful!



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Safe Harbor

Currently on the 4th Sunday of each month, five or six members of this group prepare ham, green beans, wild rice, mandarin oranges, corn bread, brownies, and lemonade to serve 50+ homeless men, women, and children who come to enjoy the dinner.  Members of the group fund and purchase the items themselves.



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PATH

PATH services include United Way 211, a suicide/crisis hotline, and homeless care.  PATH creates a printed and online human services database, and offers half-day training seminars to go over resources in the community available to assist individuals and families with basic needs, such as financial assistance, food, housing, medical, emergency services, and more.



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Faith In Action

Faith in Action serves seniors age 60 and older by helping provide for basic non-medical needs such as transportation to doctors, grocery stores, and other necessary errands; friendly visiting; and minor home maintenance.



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MarcFirst

Marcfirst supports people with developmental disabilities and families in McLean County with opportunities to reach their full potential through a lifetime of meaningful services.



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Recycling Furniture For Families

Recycling Furniture for Families (RF4F) is a non-denominational Christian charity serving families in need across McLean County.  They give furniture free of charge to people living at or below the federal poverty line, and often step in after times of crisis, such as house fires, domestic violence, and transitions from homelessness.



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Peoria Friendship House

 

Peoria Friendship House offers individualized advocacy, coaching, education, and support to everyone who walks through our doors. It is a holistic approach towards a path to a better future. We identify and assess each individual to provide a plan of action to eliminate the necessary obstacles in order to move forward to providing the resources needed for family growth. 



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Sugar Creek Elementary

FBC is partnering with Sugar Creek Elementary in order to make a difference in the life of a local child. Whether as a Reading, Math, or Lunch Buddy, or as a Special Events Helper, you can also support these young children in their early development.



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