Sites under this team typically work with youth and children in schools, churches, and drop-in centers through tutoring, and mentoring.
Bethel Community Library
Background: Bethel is a family center located within Bethel Lutheran Church in the Humboldt Park neighborhood of Chicago. Since opening in September of 2006, the ministry seeks to provide visitors with tools to become their best for Christ. Located in a neighborhood that has limited access to educational programs and technology, Bethel is a nurturing community built on Christ with something to offer all ages. This fall, there are two computer labs open for adults/teens, an open gym ministry with mentors, and a large after-school program for kids. The community recognizes that Bethel is a place of safety and salvation. Every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon from 3-5 pm, nearly 50 visitors come through the doors of Bethel to encounter a Christ-centered community.
Focus: Mentoring and building friendships with inner-city kids.
Our Role: North Park volunteers work specifically as mentors in the school-age program. Kids ages 5-12 come, most of them running with excitement, right after school with open hearts and open homework folders! Each North Park volunteer will get a group of about 3-6 kids to guide through the afternoon’s planned activities. You would work with the same group each time, so it’s a great way to build friendships. You would help the students with homework, have a snack, use the computers, play in the gym, go to chapel, and participate in a group game. The plans are in place each day; we just get to be their friends!
Time Commitment: We leave from the Carmen/Kedzie parking lot at 2:15pm on both Tuesdays and Thursdays and return by 5:45pm. Come either day or both days!
No training or previous requirements needed, just a desire to make a direct difference in the life of a child.
Typical Afternoon at Bethel: We meet by 2:15pm in the Carmen/Kedzie parking lot and board the vehicle to make the 6 mile drive to Bethel. When we arrive, we talk through the activities for the day with the director and other volunteers. We then sit at our tables in a large classroom and wait for the doorbell to start ringing (about 3:15pm). The kids know where to find their nametag and will be excited to see you sitting at their table! Homework begins; those done with homework have a separate learning activity or game to do at their table. Snack is served during homework time. At approximately 4:00pm, the kids choose if they’d like to go to the gym or the computers for their 20 minutes of recess time. After recess, we go to the sanctuary for “chapel”/interactive Bible stories. This time includes skits, songs with lots of actions, and a Bible lesson. About 4:45pm, we all go outside or to the lunchroom to play a big group game or do a big group project. This last 15 minutes varies each day. North Park volunteers stick with their group for the afternoon and participate in all of the activities with the kids. We get back to campus around 5:45pm.
Site Rating: This ministry site is especially of interest to those with friendly, patient personalities who enjoy interacting with kids from diverse backgrounds. Education majors, youth ministry majors, and BTS majors may be specifically interested in this ministry. Those with Spanish skills would also we a blessing, as the neighborhood is 1/2 Latino.
Directions:
- West on Foster Ave.
- South on Pulaski Ave.
- Left on North Ave.
- Immediate right on Harding Ave.
- Left on Hirsch Ave.
- Church is on the left at the corner of Hirsch and Springfield
Bethel Community Library
1410 N. Springfield
More information can be found at here or by emailing Kelly Thoes.
Please email if you plan to come so we don’t leave without you! We’d love to have you!
Site Coordinator: Kelly Thoes
